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Disney Buys Marvel [Again]

Daniel — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 03:42:11 +0000

According to The Deadline, Disney has agreed to purchase Iron Man 3 and The Avengers from Paramount Pictures for the tidy sum of $115 million. Under the new deal, Disney gets distribution rights for the two aformentioned films while Paramount will retain distribution rights over Thor [May 6, 2011], Captain America [July 22, 2011], Iron Man, and Iron Man 2.

Roy E. Disney Passes Away at 79

Daniel — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:58:51 +0000

Roy Edward Disney, son of Roy O. and nephew of Walt, who led two revolutions that changed the company has passed away at the age of 79. Roy E. started as a director of nature films with the Disney Company before taking an administrative position after his uncle and father died, but was declined. He quit the company in 1977, but remained on the board of directors. He successfully de-throned Ron Miller and Michael Eisner, both whom he thought were ruining the Disney image as CEOs.

A more detailed biography of Roy E. Disney can be found here.

This Week in Disney History (May 3-9)

Daniel — Mon, 04 May 2009 01:45:27 +0000

1903: Singer Bing Crosby (Narrator in The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad) is born in Tacoma, Washington.
1915: Actor Ben Wright (Grimsby in The Little Mermaid, Wolf in The Jungle Book) is born in London, England.
1916: Actress, and Disney Legend, Adriana Caselotti (Snow White in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves) is born in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
1917: Actor, and Disney Legend, David Tomlinson (George Banks in Mary Poppins, Thorndyke in The Love Bug, Emelius Brown in Bedknobs and Broomsticks) is born in Henley-on-Thames, England.
1922: Actor Darren McGavin (John Jay Forest in The High Flying Spys, Timothy Donovan in Donovan’s Kid, Mayor Ragsdale in Hot Lead and Cold Feet, Duke in No Deposit, No Return) is born in Spokane, Washington.
1926: Actor Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story films, William in WDW’s Enchanted Tiki Room) is born in New York City.
1927: Actress Pat Carroll (Ursula in The Little Mermaid) is born in Shreveport, Louisiana.
1929: Singer, and Disney Legend, Ilene Woods (“Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo”, “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes”, “So This is Love”) is born in New Hampshire.
1940: Actor Lance Henriksen (Kerchak in Tarzan) is born in New York City.
1944: Actress Russi Taylor (the voice of Minnie Mouse) is born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She’s married to the voice of Mickey-Wayne Allwine.
1949: Disney’s first True-Life Adventure film, Seal Island, premieres.
1949: Singer-songwriter Billy Joel (Dodger in Oliver & Company) is born in New York City.
1950: Playwright, and Disney Legend, Howard Ashman (Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid) is born in Baltimore, Maryland.
1956: Actress Wendy Crewson (Laura Miller in the Santa Clause films) is born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
1962: Software Engineer Samuel Lord Black (The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc.) is born in Ontario, Canada.
1964: Actress Dana Hill (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, A Goof Troop Christmas) is born in Los Angeles, California.
1977: In Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, Space Mountain and the Starcade both open.
1984: The Disney Channel Premiere Film (now known as a Disney Channel Orignial Movie) Gone Are the Days premieres.
1988: In Epcot’s World Showcase, the Norway Pavilion opens.
1994: Actor Alexander Gould (Nemo in Finding Nemo, Bambi in Bambi II) is born in Los Angeles, California.
2004: In Disney’s California Adventure, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror opens.
2005: In a first for Disney, all 10 of the Disney theme parks unite to kick off the Happiest Celebration on Earth, marking the 50th anniversary of Disneyland.
2005: In the Walt Disney World Resort, the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show opens in the Disney-MGM Studios Streets of America; Soarin’ opens in Epcot’s The Land Pavilion; Cinderellabration opens in the Fantasyland; and Disney’s Magical Express starts running.

This Week in Disney History (April 26-May 2)

Daniel — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:30:09 +0000

1902: Singer Harry Stockwell (Singing voice of the Prince in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) is born in Kansas City, Missouri.
1905: Actor Dennis O’Dea (Father Murphy in Darby O’Gill and the Little People, Dr. Livesy in Treasure Island) is born in Dublin, Ireland.
1915: Animator Art Stevens (Fantasia, Bambi, Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, Robin Hood, Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Rescuers) is born in Roy, Montana.
1916: Actor Vic Perrin (Narrator of Spaceship Earth and Universe of Energy) is born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.
1916: Artist Eyvind Earle (Sleeping Beauty, Lady and the Tramp, Paul Bunyan) is born in New York City.
1925: Actor Roscoe Lee Browne (Arrow in Treasure Planet, Oliver & Company, The World’s Greatest Athlete) is born in Woodbury, New Jersey.
1926: Actress Cloris Leachman (Nurse Spex in Sky High, Claire Porter in The North Avenue Irregulars, Aunt Louise in Herbie Goes Bananas) is born in Des Moines, Iowa.
1937: Actor Lorenzo Music (TaleSpin, The Gummi Bears) is born Gerald David Music in Brooklyn, New York.
1940: Walt Disney receives a patent for the multiplane camera used in filming animated films.
1949: Actor Bruno Kirby (Superdad) is born in New York City.
1972: Actor Dwayne Johnson (The Game Plan, Race to Witch Mountain) is born in Hayward, California.
1977: Actor Jason Earles (Hannah Montana, Phil of the Future) is born in San Diego, California.
1983: Disney’s Something Wicked This Way Comes premieres.
1986: In Epcot’s The Land Pavilion, the Good Turn Restaurant closes.
1989: Walt Disney World’s 3rd gate, the Disney-MGM Studios, opens to the public.
1990: Actress Kay Panabaker (Monsters Inc., Phil of the Future, Read it and Weep) is born in Texas.
1991: Disney/Jim Henson’s Dinosaurs premieres on ABC.
2001: In Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, the Rocket Rods attraction closes forever.
2001: In Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s DinoLand U.S.A, Countdown to Extinction is renamed DINOSAUR!.
2003: Disney’s The Lizzie McGuire Movie premieres.
2004: Cable TV provider Comcast withdraws it’s multi-billion dollar attempt to buy the Walt Disney Company.
2007: Guests can now purchase and print out tickets for the Disneyland Resort at their home.

Disney to Plant 500,000+ Trees in Honor of ‘Earth’

Joel — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 01:36:55 +0000

According to Entertainment Tonight, Disney will plant a tree for everyone who attends the Disneynature film ‘Earth’ this weekend. From advanced sales, Disney has already committed to planting 500,000 trees. The company will plant the trees in critical areas of biodiversity such as Brazil’s Atlantic rain forest.

This Week in Disney History (April 12-18)

Daniel — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:53:58 +0000

1887: Actor Christian Rub (Pinocchio in Pinocchio) is born in Austria.
1907: Animator Bernhard August Gramatky, Jr. (worked at Disney from 1929-1936) is born in Dallas, Texas.
1917: Actor Hans Conried (Mr. George Darling/Captain Hook in Peter Pan, The Cat From Outer Space, The Shaggy D.A., Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier) is born in Baltimore, Maryland.
1921: Actor Peter Ustinov (Prince John in Robin Hood, Captain Edward “Blackbeard” Teach in Blackbeard’s Ghost) is born in London, England.
1926: Actress Jane Withers (Laverne the gargoyle in The Hunchback of Notre Dame) is born in Atlanta, GA.
1936: Actor Kenneth Mars (Marshal Woolly Bill Hitchcock in The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, King Triton in The Little Mermaid, Gunther the Innkeepter in Hannah Montana) is born in Chicago, Illinois.
1946: Actress Hayley Mills (Pollyanna, The Parent Trap, In Search of the Castaways, Summer Magic, Moon-Spinners, That Darn Cat!) is born in London, England.
1947: Actor James Woods (Hades in Hercules) is born in Vernel, Utah.
1950: Director, choreographer, and producer, Kenny Ortega (High School Musical films, The Cheeta Girls 2, Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert) is born in Palo Alto, California.
1951: Disney Imagineer Bruce Gordon (Spalsh Mountain, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Tarzan’s Treehouse, and the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage-all at Disneyland) is born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
1954: Actor Rick Moranis (Tuke in Brother Bear, Wayne Szalinski in Honey, I Shrunk the Audience) is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
1957: Supervising animator Glen Keane (Treasure Planet, Pocahontas, Aladdin, Tarzan) is born in Arbington, Pennsylvania.
1960: Actor Brad Garrett (Fred in The Country Bears, Bloat in Finding Nemo, Auguste Gusteau in Ratatouille) is born in Woodland Hills, California.
1961: Actress Jane Leeves (Ladybus in James and the Giant Peach, Athena in TV’s Hercules) is born in London, England.
1972: Actor Lou Romano (Bernie Kropp in The Incredibles, Snotrod in Cars, Linguini in Ratatouille) is born in San Diego, California.
1975: In Walt Disney World‘s Tomorrowland, Flight to the Moon closes.
1980: Disney’s The Watcher in the Woods premieres.
1983: In Japan, Tokyo Disneyland opens to guests (Tokyo’s Space Mountain is the first to open on a park’s opening day).
1984: In Disneyland’s Frontierland, the Alice in Wonderland ride opens.
1984: Actress America Ferrera (Yolanda in Gotta Kick It Up, Betty Suarez in Ugly Betty) is born in Los Angeles, California.
1992: In France, the Euro Disney Resort is unveiled to protests from French citizens.
1996: Disney’s James and the Giant Peach premieres.
2001: The Disney Channel Original Movie Hounded premieres.
2001: Walt Disney World‘s 4th Gate, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, opens to the public.
2002: The Disney Channel Original Movie Tru Confessions premieres.
2003: Disney’s Holes premieres
2003: Disney and Walden Media’s Ghosts of the Abyss premieres.
2006: Disney’s The Wild premieres.

This Week in Disney History (March 22-28)

Daniel — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 15:38:19 +0000

1901: Animator, and Disney Legend, Ub Iwerks is born Ubbe Ert Iwerks in Kansas City, Missouri.
1907: Composer Leigh Harline (Pinocchio, Snow White) is born in Salt Lake City, Utah.
1909: Animator, Disney Legend, and one of the “Nine Old Men”, Milt Kahl is born in San Fransisco, CA.
1912: Actor Wilfrid Brambell (Willie Bannock in The Three Lives of Thomasina, Bill Gaye in In Search of the Castaways) is born in Dublin, Ireland.
1931: Actor Leonard Nimoy (King Kashekim Nedakh in Atlantis: The Lost Empire) is born in Boston, Massachusetts.
1940: Actor Austin Pendleton (Gurgle in Finding Nemo) is born in Warren, Ohio.
1947: Songwriter Elton John (music for The Lion King, Aida) is born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in Pinner, Middlesex, England.
1950: Actor Martin Short (B.E.N. in Treasure Planet, Epcot’s The Making of Me and O Canada, Jack Frost in The Santa Clause 3) is born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
1954: Actor Robert Carradine (Sam McGuire on Lizzie McGuire, Maxwell Dwebb in Totally Minnie, Aladdin in Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp) is born in San Mateo, California.
1956: Actor, and Disney Legend, Matthew Garber (The Three Lives of Thomasina, Mary Poppins, The Gnome-Mobile) is born in England.
1956: In Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, the Astro Jets open.
1964: Disney’s The Misadventures of Merlin Jones premieres.
1970: Actress Elizabeth Mitchell (Mrs. Claus/Carol Calvin in The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3, Juliet Burke on ABC’s LOST).
1973: Disney’s Charley and the Angel premieres.
1973: Disneyland’s 7th land, Bear Country, opens to the public.
1976: Actress Keri Russell (All New Mickey Mouse Club, Bedtime Stories) is born in Fountain Valley, CA.
1985: Actress Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean films) is born in Middlesex, England.
1987: The first Disney Store opens in Glendale, California.
1988: Actress Brenda Song (London Tipton in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and The Suite Life on Deck, Wendy Wu in Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior) is born in Carmichael, California.
1989: Actress Alyson Michalka (part of the band Aly & AJ, Keely Teslow in Phil of the Future) is born in Torrance, California.
1991: Actress Amy Bruckner (Pim Diffy in Phil of the Future, American Dragon: Jake Long) is born in Confier, Colorado.
1994: In Epcot‘s The Land, Food Rocks! replaces Kitchen Kabaret.
1997: The Atlanta Braves are the first Major League Baseball Team to hold spring training at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.
1999: Disney’s Doug’s 1st Movie premieres.
2000: Disney’s Aida (with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice) opens at the Palace Theatre in New York City.
2006: On the Disney Channel, Hannah Montana debuts.
2006: The Disney Channel Original Movie Cow Belles premieres.

This Week in Disney History (March 15-21)

Daniel — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:06:25 +0000

1883: Actor Colin Campbell (The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Alice in Wonderland) is born in Scotland.
1892: Actor Don Barclay (Cinderella, Mary Poppins, 101 Dalmatians, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan) is born in Ashland, Oregon.
1904: Actor J. Pat O’Malley (Robin Hood, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, 101 Dalmatians, Son of Flubber, The Adventures of Spin and Marty) is born in Burnley, England.
1911: Film designer, and Disney Legend, Harper Goff (helped design parts of Disneyland and World Showcase, member of the “Firehouse Five Plus Two”) is born in Fort Collins, Colorado.
1923: Animator, and Disney Legend, Joyce Carlson (helped create it’s a small world for the New York World’s Fair in 1964) is born in Racine, Wisconsin.
1928: Actor Patrick McGoohan (Billy Bones in Treasure Planet) is born in Astoria, New York.
1947: Actress Glenn Close (Kala in Tarzan and Tarzan II, Cruella de Vil in 102 Dalmatians) is born in Greenwich, Connecticut.
1951: Actor Kurt Russell (Copper in The Fox and the Hound, Sky High, Miracle, The Strongest Man in the World, Now You See Him Now You Don’t, The Barefoot Executive, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit) is born in Springfield, Massachusetts.
1955: Actor Gary SiniseHe-Who-Won’t-Be-Named (Epcot’s Mission: SPACE) is born in Blue Island, Illinois.
1958: Actress Holly Hunter (Helen Parr in The Incredibles) is born in Conyers, Georgia.
1960: Animator and director Christopher Michael Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, Leroy & Stitch, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Mulan) is born in Colorado.
1961: Disney’s The Absent-Minded Professor is released.
1962: Actor Matthew Broderick (adult Simba in The Lion King, The Lion King II, and The Lion King 1 1/2; Inspector Gadget in Inspector Gadget) is born in New York City.
1962: Comedienne Rosie O’Donnell (Terk in Tarzan) is born in Commack, New York.
1969: Animator/Director Elliot M. Bour (Kronk’s New Groove, Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie, Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo, Mulan, Pocahontas) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1971: Disney’s The Barefoot Executive is released.
1975: Disney’s Escape to Witch Mountain premieres.
1984: Actress Christy Carlson Romano (Kim Possible in Kim Possible, Even Stevens, Cadet Kelly) is born in Milford, Connecticut.
1986: Actress Olesya Rulin (Kelsi Nielsen in High School Musical, High School Musical 2: School’s Out, and High School Musical 3: Senior Year; Halloweentown High) is born in Moscow, Russia.
1995: On Main Street U.S.A., in Walt Disney World, the Penny Arcade, the Main Street Bookstore, and the House of Magic all close.
1999: In Epcot’s Future World, Test Track, sponsored by GM, officially opens.
2005: On the Disney Channel, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody premieres.
2006: Disney’s High School Musical becomes the first full-length film to be sold on iTunes.
2008: In the New York branch of Madame Tussauds’ Wax Museum, a figure of actress/singer Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana is unveiled.

This Week in Disney History (March 1-7)

Daniel — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:08:44 +0000

1910: Actor David Niven (Candleshoe, No Deposit No Return) is born James David Graham Niven in London, England.
1914: Animator, and one of the Nine Old Men, Ward Kimball (Fantasia, Pinocchio, Dumbo) is born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
1930: Animator Ub Iwerks leaves Disney to start his own Studios, only to return a few years later.
1932: Administrator, and Disney Legend, Frank Wells (President/COO of the Walt Disney Company in 1984) is born in Coronado, California.
1937: Actor Bobby Driscoll (Peter Pan in Peter Pan, Jim Hawkins in 1950′s Treasure Island, Johnny in Song of the South) is born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
1939: Actress Samantha Eggar (Hera in Hercules) is born in London, England.
1942: Ex-Walt Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner (who ran the company from 1984-2005) is born in Mount Kisco, New York.
1947: Actor Eddie Hodges (Summer Magic, The Happiest Millionaire) is born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
1948: Lyricist and Composer Stephen Schwartz (Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) is born in New York City.
1954: Actress Catherine O’Hara (Tina in Chicken Little, Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas) is born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
1968: Actress Moira Kelly (Nala in The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride) is born in Queens, New York.
1971: Actor Jack Davenport (Norrington in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man’s Chest, At World’s End) is born in Suffolk, England.
1983: In Epcot’s Future World, the Journey into Imagination attraction debuts.
1994: On the Disney Channel, Jim Henson’s Secret Life of Toys premieres.
1997: Disney’s Jungle 2 Jungle premieres.
1998: On the Disney Channel, Bug Juice (a documentary about kids at summer camp) premieres.
1999: At the Disney-MGM Studios, a third drop is added to the drop sequence of the Tower of Terror.
1999: At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, both the Kali River Rapids and the Maharajah Jungle Trek open.
2005: Disney’s The Pacifier premieres.
2008: Disney’s College Road Trip premieres.

This Week in Disney History (February 22-28)

Daniel — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:06:43 +0000

1895: Actor Edward Brophy (Timothy Q. Mouse in Dumbo) is born in New York City.
1908: Actor, and Disney Legend, John Mills (Father Robinson in Swiss Family Robinson, Father to Hayley Mills of Parent Trap fame) is born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills in Felixstowe, Suffolk, England.
1913: Actor Jim Backus (the Mayor in Pete’s Dragon) is born in Cleveland, Ohio.
1927: Animator Les Clark reports to work at the Disney Studios and becomes the first of Walt’s Nine Old Men.
1927: Actor, and Disney Legend, Dickie Jones (Pinocchio in Pinocchio) is born in Snyder, Texas.
1939: At the 1938 Academy Awards, Walt Disney receives an Oscar for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (which comes in the form of one large Oscar with seven smaller Oscars).
1940: Actor Bill Hunter (the Dentist in Finding Nemo) is born in Australia.
1951: Actress Debra Jo Rupp (Air Buddies, Teacher’s Pet) is born in Glendale, California.
1955: Media Mogul Steve Jobs (owner of Apple, PIXAR, the largest individual shareholder of the Walt Disney Company) is born in San Francisco, California.
1955: Comedian Gilbert Gottfried (Iago in Aladdin, Hannah Montana, The Emperor’s New School, Hercules) is born in Brooklyn, New York.
1960: Disney’s Kidnapped premieres.
1971: Actress, and singer, Lea Salonga (singing voice of Mulan in Mulan, singing voice of Jasmine in Aladdin) is born Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga in the Philippines.
1986: Actor Justin Berfield (Gil in Kim Possible, Caption Writer in Max Keeble’s Big Move) is born in Los Angeles, CA.
1986: Veteran animator, and Disney Legend, Eric Larson (animated Figaro in Pinocchio) retires from the Disney Studios.
1995: In Disneyland’s Adventureland, the Indiana Jones Adventure holds its grand opening.
1996: Disney Online introduces Disney.com, designed to promote all aspects of Disney over the Internet.
2001: Atop the WEDWay PeopleMoverTomorrowland Transit Authority in WDW, a bird’s nest catches fire, temporarily closing the ride.
2004: At the Downtown Disney Marketplace, the Earl of Sandwich Shop opens.
2005: At the 77th Annual Academy Awards, The Incredibles takes home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
2008: At the 80th Annual Academy Awards, Brad Bird accepts the Oscar on behalf of Ratatouille for Best Animated Feature.
2009: At the 81st Annual Oscars, WALL-E wins the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
2009: The Atlanta Braves take on the Houston Astros during their 12th season of spring training at Walt Disney World’s Wide World of Sports at Chamption Stadium (they win 8-7).
2009: The Walt Disney World Resort announces that guests can now check in to their hotels online using their new Online Check-In Service.