2003:
Disney's The Lizzie McGuire Movie - starring Hilary Duff - premieres at the El Capitan
Theatre in Hollywood, California. The movie follows Lizzie as she graduates from junior high school and
goes on a class trip to Rome. (The Lizzie McGuire Movie will earn $17.3 million opening weekend and peak at
number 2 on the US Box Office.)
1916:
Actor & voice artist Vic Perrin - one time narrator of Epcot's Spaceship Earth and Universe of Energy - is born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. (He is best known as the "Control Voice" in the original version of the 1960s TV series The Outer Limits. Fans of the 1960s cartoon Jonny Quest will remember him as the voice of the evil Dr. Zin.)
Contemporary painter, author and illustrator Eyvind Earle is
born in New York City. Walt Disney first hired Earle in October 1951 to create
the distinctive and beautfiul backgrounds and settings for such features as Peter
Pan, Sleeping Beauty, and Lady and the Tramp, and such shorts as Paul Bunyan
and Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom. Earle stayed with Disney for 6 years.
(In 1998 Earle was honored at the 26th Annie Awards with the Winsor McCay Award for a lifetime achievement in the art of animation.)
1940:
Disney's Mickey Mouse cartoon Tugboat Mickey, directed by Clyde Geronimi, is released.
1958:
Disney first uses the cast of his popular Zorro television series for a string
of live performances at Disneyland. "Zorro Days" will continue into tomorrow.
1987:
The Wonderful World of Disney airs the 1981 film "The Devil and Max Devlin," starring Elliott Gould and Bill Cosby.
1989:
Disney Channel airs the 3rd episode of MMC.
Bill Nye guest stars on Anything Can Happen Day!
1998:
The Wonderful World of Disney airs "Disney's Animal Kingdom: The
First Adventure." The one-hour television special gives viewers a
first look at the new Florida theme park.
2001:
Disney Online is awarded the "Best of Festival" award, "Best of Category" for entertainment and a "Creative Excellence Award" at the International Web Page Awards ceremony. The "Best of Festival" award recognizes the best Web pages created in 2000.
2002:
The Lizzie McGuire episode "And the Winner Is" debuts on Disney Channel.
2004:
Michael Eisner makes Forbes' list of worst CEOs in America.
2005:
Walt Disney Records releases Disney Channel Hits: Take 2, a collection that includes a CD and a DVD of Disney Channel Original Movie songs and music videos.
Hong Kong Disneyland and the MTR Corporation unveil the first Disneyland Resort Line train, which will bring guests to the heart of China's first Disney theme park (set to open September 12, 2005).
2006:
The New Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, a pre-school age targeted show, debuts at the Disney-MGM Studios.
In 1997, Disney Channel took
on a revamped look and
dropped the "The" in
the network's name, and
split the network into 3
programming blocks -
Playhouse Disney,
Vault Disney, and
Zoog Disney.
1981:
Disney's Wonderful World series airs "Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life"
on NBC-TV. Loosely tied to the book of the same name by legendary animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, this episode is hosted by Hayley Mills (who as a youngster starred in such Disney films as Pollyanna and The Parent Trap).
MMC
 | ||||
1978:
Actress, singer & dancer Brooke Tansley is born in Waterbury, Connecticut. In 2004 she will play the Broadway role of Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast.
1977:
Actor Jason Earles, Jackson Stewart on Disney Channel's Hannah Montana, is born in San Diego, California. His credits include the Disney Channel Original Movie Dadnapped, The Emperor's New School, a few episodes of Disney Channel's Phil of the Future and the feature film National Treasure.
"If you're soft and fuzzy, like our little characters, you become the skinny kid on the beach, and people in this business don't mind kicking sand in your face." -Michael Eisner
2008:
Walt & El Grupo premieries at the San Francisco Film Festival. The documentary, directed by Ted Thomas (son of DIsney Legend Frank Thomas and director of the Frank and Ollie documentary) follows Walt and Lillian Disney along with sixteen colleagues for 10 weeks during a 1941 visit to several Latin American nations to gather story material for a series of short films with South American themes.
1994:
The Original Broadway Cast Recording of Disney's Beauty and the Beast is released. The CD includes Susan Egan as Belle, Terrence Mann as Beast, Burke Moses as Gaston, Gary Beach as Lumiere and Beth Fowler as Mrs Potts.
APRIL 26
APRIL 26
THIS DAY MADE IN THE USA
| ||||
| ||||
A
P
R
1905:
Character actor Denis O'Dea is born in Dublin, Ireland. Often cast as bull-headed police officers and priests, O'Dea appeared in the Disney live-action features Darby O'Gill and the Little People (as Father Murphy) and Treasure Island (as Dr. Livesy).
1991:
The Disney/Henson television series Dinosaurs debuts on ABC. Based on an idea by
Jim Henson, the show features the live-action combination of Audio-Animatronics and puppets (only the
second show to feature this technique). About a family of anthropomorphic prehistoric creatures, Dinosaurs is
produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Productions in association with Walt Disney Television.
Touchstone Pictures releases the comedy Oscar directed by John Landis and
starring Sylvester Stallone, Marisa Tomei, Ornella Muti, Tim Curry, and Chazz
Palminteri.
Dinosaurs debuts on ABC
| ||||
Walt & El Grupo premieres
Disney Cruise Line focuses on programs to increase fuel efficiency and conserve energy. They do this by reducing surplus shipboard weight, automating onboard air conditioning systems for more optimal and efficient use, replacing light fixtures with more energy-efficient light bulbs, and turning off lights in areas when they are not in use by Guests or Crew.
1997:
Disney's animated series Nightmare Ned airs on ABC-TV with the two episodes
"Robot Ned" and "Dapper Dan."
1990:
Mickey's Magical TV World show opens at Mickey's Starland in the Magic Kingdom at WDW.
1992:
The live Beauty and the Beast show The Enchanted Book Shoppe gives its final performance at Plaza Gardens in Disneyland. It has been running since November 1991.
