This Week in Disney History (July 6-12)
1894: Disney Legend Joseph Fowler is born in Lewiston, Maine. He oversaw the construction of both Disneyland and Disney World.
1909: Publisher and Disney Legend Mario Gentilini is born in Luzzara, Italy. He popularized Mickey Mouse in Italy through his “Topolino” magazine.
1913: Actor Bill Thompson (Mr. Smee in Peter Pan, King Hubert in Sleeping Beauty, Uncle Waldo in The Aristocats) is born in Terre Haute, Indiana.
1918: Actor Sebastian Cabot (narrator of Winnie the Pooh from 1968-1977, Bagheera in The Jungle Book, Sir Eric in The Sword in the Stone) is born in London, England.
1921: Actor Bill Shirley (Prince Philip in Sleeping Beauty) is born in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1925: Walt and Roy Disney put down a deposit on 2719 Hyperion Ave., which became the Disney base for 15 years.
1926: Disney Legend Horst Koblischeck is born in Reichenberg, Czechoslovakia. He negotiated Disney’s first television contract in Germany.
1938: Actor Brian Dennehy (Django in Ratatouille) is born in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
1948: Sound designer/editor Ben Burtt (responsible for the robot voices in WALL-E) is born in Jamesville, New York.
1951: Actor Geoffrey Rush (Captain Barbossa in Pirates of the Caribbean, Nigel in Finding Nemo) is born in Australia.
1951: Actress Roz Ryan (Thalia, Muse of Comedy in Hercules, Kim Possible, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command) is born in Detroit, Michigan.
1956: Actor Tom Hanks (Sheriff Woody in the Toy Story movies) is born in Concord, California.
1981: Disney’s 24th animated feature, The Fox and the Hound, premieres.
1982: Walt Disney’s Tron premieres.
1986: The Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour debuts at Tokyo Disney.
1987: Disney’s The Brave Little Toaster is released in theaters.
1989: Actor David Henrie (Larry on That’s So Raven, Justin Russo on Wizards of Waverly Place)
1989: Star Tours opens at Tokyo Disneyland.
1991: Actor Mitchel Musso (Oliver Oken on Hannah Montana, Jeremy on Phineas and Ferb) is born in Garland Texas.
1991: Disney announces it will be teaming up with Pixar for future films.
1994: The Legend of the Lion King opens in the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland Theater (currently home to Mickey’s Philharmagic).
1998: The Walt Disney Co. opens the first ESPN Zone in Baltimore, Maryland.
1999: Disney World’s 11-acre Discovery Island closes after 25 years of service. It is replaced by Disney’s 500-acre Animal Kingdom.
2001: Magic Masters, a magic emporium chain based in Georgia, opens its largest store in Downtown Disney’s West Side.
2006: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest opens in theaters the same day that Disney World’s Pirates of the Caribbean attraction reopens after an extensive refurbishment.
2008: The Victorian-style Tokyo Disneyland Hotel opens.
