This Day in Disney History: FEB 06

2004:

Walt Disney Pictures releases Miracle, starring Kurt Russell, in theaters.

1859:

Elias Disney (the future father of Walt Disney) is born to Kepple Disney II and Mary Richardson in Bluevale, Ontario, Canada. While still in his teens, Elias will move with his family to the United States and eventually settle in Ellis, Kansas. As an adult, he will find employment as a construction worker for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago - a likely source of inspiration for his son Walt many years later! Elias will be later honored with a Main Street window at Disney World's Magic Kingdom that reads:

Elias Disney

Contractor

Est. 1895

1911:

The 40th U.S. president, Ronald Reagan is born in Tampico, Illinois.

Besides being immortalized in Walt Disney World's

Hall of Presidents attraction, Reagan (at the time an actor) took part

in Disneyland's opening day television broadcast in July 1955.

1914:

Voice actor/singer Thurl Ravenscroft, the voice behind many of Disney's animated characters (Shere Kahn in The Jungle Book, the Knight in The Sword in the Stone, and the Captain in One Hundred and One Dalmatians) is born in Norfolk, Nebraska. As a member of the vocal group The Mellomen, Thurl can be heard on countless Disney television shows, records and theme park attractions (such as the Haunted Mansion). He also took part in Disneyland's opening day as an announcer for many of the events. (You may also recognize Thurl from his singing on the TV special How The Grinch Stole Christmas! and as the voice of Kellogg's Tony the Tiger.)

1928:

Disney's Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon The Ol' Swimmin' 'Ole is released.

1938:

The music from Disney's Snow White and the Seven

Dwarfs is nominated for an Academy Award.

1943:

Disney's Saludos Amigos, a 42-minute film about Latin America is generally released in the U.S. Made up of four animated segments tied together by live-action footage of the activities of Walt Disney and his artists on their trip, it features Donald Duck, Goofy, and José Carioca. Released through RKO, it will earn 3 Academy Award nominations.

1956:

Actor-musician Jon Walmsley is born in Lancashire, England. At age 12 he will supply the voice to Christopher Robin in Disney's Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. (TV fans will recognize him from his role of Jason on the 1970s series The Waltons.)

1957:

Actress Kathy Najimy, who portrayed Dr. Feemis in Walt Disney World's Alien Encounter attraction, is born in San Diego, California. She is the voice of Thespis on Disney's 1998 TV series Hercules and even appeared on an episode of That's So Raven in 2006. (TV fans will recognize her from the series Numb3rs.)

1959:

The TV series Walt Disney Presents airs "Elfago Baca: Attorney at Law." It is the 5th episode of the Baca serial starring Robert Loggia. Mouseketeer Annette Funicello plays the role of a teenager whose father Baca must defend.

1962:

Roy Atwell, the voice of Doc in Disney's 1937 animated feature Snow

White and the Seven Dwarfs, passes away in New York City.

1984:

At EPCOT's Future World, Astuter Computer (an attraction that debuted with the rest of the park in 1982) becomes Backstage Magic.

1985:

Disney and Lucasfilm reach an agreement for Lucasfilm to develop new attractions for Disney's theme parks.

1986:

Walt Disney Productions officially changes its name to The Walt Disney Company.

2006:

Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward and Pittsburgh Steelers teammate Jerome "The Bus" Bettis appear in a victory parade at Disney World's Magic Kingdom along with football legend Emmitt Smith.

George Millay, a theme-park visionary who founded SeaWorld and Wet 'n Wild and pioneered Orlando, Florida's tourism business, passes away at age 76 in San Diego, California. Often referred to as "the father of water parks", Millay opened the original SeaWorld (in California) in 1964. He was a great admirer of Walt Disney and the company he built.

FEBRUARY 6

Get your Disney tickets at Maple Leaf Tickets!

2005:

The infamous "I'm Going to Disney World!" television advertising

campaign does not take place at Super Bowl XXXIX for the first time

since it started at Super Bowl XX in 1987. Instead Disney runs an ad

several times during the game showing several players from both

teams practicing the catch-phrase. (The New England Patriots

defeat the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21.)

2007:

The new Disney.com opens to the public.

Walt Disney Pictures releases Cinderella III: A Twist in Time direct-to-video. The sequel features Tami Tappan as the singing voice of Cinderella.

Walt Disney World is the largest supporter of the

Give Kids the World

compassion program.

Disney provides over 50,000 tickets a year and special services for terminally ill children

and their families.

FEBRUARY 6

FEB

1988:

Actress Allison Holker, one of the Cheerleader Dancers

in High School Musical, is born in Minnesota.

1931:

Actor Rip Torn is born in Temple, Texas. His Disney credits include the 1999 TV movie Balloon Farm as Harvey H. Potter, and the voice of Zeus in the 1997 animated feature Hercules. (You may recognize Torn from the Men in Black film series and from TV's The Larry Sanders Show.)

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