2001:
"Believe There's Magic in the Stars" returns to Disneyland. This fireworks show (originally staged during Disneyland's 45th anniversary) features some all new pyrotechnics, many low level fireworks and crisscrossing comets.
It is reported that attendance for the opening of Disney's California Adventure on February 8, fell far below the estimate of 33,000. By 2 p.m. (usually Disney's peak hour) 14,000 tickets had been purchased and roughly 10,000 people were inside the park. When the gates opened at 8 a.m., only 3,000 were waiting to get in. Officials had prepared for more than four times as many.
Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3D debuts at Disney's
California Adventure.
The Lizzie McGuire episode "I've Got Rhythmic" airs for the
first time on Disney Channel.
2005:
"DisneyWar" by James Stewart hits bookshelves. Stewart details the scandals of CEO Michael Eisner's management.
"Disney was a great infiltrator, a champion of animal rights. He taught us against cruelty to animals.
He made us sympathize so much with animals. He made us realize we've all got a mother.
He gave us a compassion for animals. I credit him a lot." -musician Paul McCartney
1914:
Disney Legend, animator and engineer Bill Justice is born in Dayton, Ohio. Moving to California in 1935, he first joined Disney in 1937 as an animator and worked on such features as Saludos Amigos, Victory Through Air Power, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music and Peter Pan. Justice later went on to work as a programmer (starting in 1965) for Audio-Animatronics figures for such Disneyland attractions as Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Mission to Mars, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Haunted Mansion. He also designed the floats and costumes for one of the first Disneyland Christmas Parades. Justice retired in February 1979 and chronicled his 42 years at Disney in the book Justice for Disney.
1940:
Disney's animated feature film, Pinocchio opens in Los Angeles theaters (2 days after premiering in New York). Actor Dickie Jones supplies the voice of the living puppet. The film will win 2 Academy Awards. (Although it is Disney's first treatment of the classic story it is actually the second filmed version of it. In 1911 a silent black-and-white Pinocchio was produced in Italy.)
1951:
Disney's Pluto cartoon Cold Storage is released.
1955:
The Disneyland television series airs A Progress Report, featuring a report on the Anaheim theme park's construction and the True Life Adventure Nature's Half Acre.
1964:
Singer-actor Scott Craig, a member of the 70s TV series The New
Mickey Mouse Club, is born in Los Angeles, California.
Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color airs part one of a
3-part story called "The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh" (a combination of the Robin Hood and Scarlet Pimpernel stories). The 1-hour episode features
Patrick McGoohan as the Reverend Doctor Christopher Syn.
(Unfortunately for Disney more than 73 million television viewers are watching the much anticipated
American debut of The Beatles on CBS-TV's The Ed Sullivan Show.)
1979:
Disney's live-action comedy The North Avenue Irregulars, starring Edward Hermann,
Barbara Harris, Karen Valentine, Michael Constantine and Cloris Leachman, is
released in U.S. theaters. When crooks set up operations in a small town, a minister and a group of
church ladies are willing to do anything, no matter how wacky, to drive them out!
1986:
Magic Journeys, a 3D film shown in Epcot's Journey Into Imagination Pavilion, closes. It will reopen at the Magic Kingdom in December 1987.
1996:
The Disney Institute opens at Walt Disney World, Florida. The Institute (inspired by the Chautauqua Institution in Jamestown, New York) offers more than 60 programs in 8 interest areas such as animation, culinary arts, rock climbing and wilderness exploration. Guests stay in Villas (previously part of the Disney Village Resort) on a 75 acre, 457 room resort. The Institute is an attempt to allow guests to have a vacation ... with a dose of educational entertainment.
1999:
Disney's Mulan and the Disney/Pixar A Bug's Life both receives Academy Award nominations for Achievement In Music Written For Motion Pictures (Original Musical or Comedy Score). The 71st Academy Awards ceremony will take place March 21.
2003:
Disney's The Jungle Book 2 has its premiere at the El Capitan
Theatre in Hollywood, California.
2006:
The Walt Disney Company re-acquires the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit back from NBC Universal along with sports considerations for ESPN. The rights are obtained as part of a transaction permitting football play-by-play analyst Al Michaels to contract with NBC.
1946:
Vincent Francis Papale, a former part-time bar tender/substitute teacher who went on to play professional football with the Philadelphia Eagles, is born in Pennsylvania. Despite playing just one year of high school football and having no college football experience, Papale went on to play in the NFL at age 30 - making him the league's oldest rookie! His story is the basis for the 2006 Disney live-action film Invincible starring Mark Wahlberg.
2007:
Disney World's Pleasure Island becomes Sweetheart Island today,
tomorrow and February 14 in honor of Valentine's Day.
Singer-songwriter Paul McCartney (best known as one of The Beatles) names Lady and the Tramp as his all-time Disney favorite! McCartney
appeared on the
October/November
1992 issue of
The Disney
Channel Magazine.
1773:
William Henry Harrison, the ninth United States President, is
born at the Berkeley Plantation in Charles City County, Virginia.
The oldest president elected (until Ronald Reagan in 1980) Harrison is also the last
President to be born before the United States Declaration of Independence. Sadly, he
died on his 32nd day in office of complications from a cold – the shortest tenure in
United States presidential history. Visit him and all the U.S. Chief Executives at Disney
World's The Hall of Presidents.
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FEBRUARY 9
FEBRUARY 09
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Pinocchio debuts in Los Angeles
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The Disney Institute opens
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SEASON 1 EPISODE 16
2009:
Disney announces an exclusive long-term distribution and marketing deal
with Steven Spielberg's production company, DreamWorks Studios.
1942:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominates Disney's Dumbo
for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture and Best Music, Original Song (for "Baby Mine"). Also nominated are Lend a Paw and Truant Officer Donald, both for Best Short Subjects, Cartoons.
Oscar night is February 26.
"There is nothing more corrupting, nothing more destructive of the noblest and finest feelings of our nature, than the exercise of unlimited power." -William Henry Harrison
"One of the most enjoyable Disneyland projects was the Pirates of the Caribbean. Manipulating the figures
in each vignette was a multiple challenge." -Bill Justice
1953:
Disney's Water Birds is nominated for an Oscar Award in the category Short Subjects, Two Reels. Winners will be announced March 19.
1962:
Disney premieres the live-action feature film Moon Pilot, starring Tom Tryon as
astronaut Richmond Talbot. Based on Robert Buckner's 1960 novel Starfire, it is directed by James
Neilson (his first of many films for Disney) and reflects Disney's interest in America's early space program. Talbot,
an Air Force captain, inadvertently volunteers to make the first manned flight around the moon! The cast includes
such familar Disney actors as Brian Keith and Tommy Kirk and features 3 songs written by the Sherman Brothers.
1977:
Greg Wilson, son of celebrated magician Mark Wilson, brings a hatful of magical tricks for Surprise Day on episode 18 of The New Mickey Mouse Club. Donald Duck reminisces about the first time her met Daisy in the Mousekartoon, Donald's Diary.
1972:
"Folk Tale Favorites," episode 3 of The Mickey Mouse Factory, airs on telelvision.
Guest host Johnny Brown (comic actor and singer known for his appearances on Laugh-in) takes a look at
songs and stories written about some of our most popular folk heroes.
Feb 09, 1964 - the beginning of a new era in popular culture.
FEBRUARY 09
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