This Day in Disney History: FEB 25

2005:

Walt Disney World hosts the second annual "ESPN The Weekend Presented

by Speed Stick 24/7" at Disney-MGM Studios. The 3-day event offers fans the

opportunity to see and hear ESPN personalities and several legendary athletes.

Singer Cyndi Lauper guest stars (as Ms. Patuto) on the That's So Raven

episode "Art Breaker."

1913:

Actor Jim Backus, who appears in Disney's 1977 Pete's Dragon as the Mayor, is born in Cleveland, Ohio. (Television fans may remember him as the voice of Mr. Magoo and for his role as Thurston Howell III on the sitcom "Gilligan's Island.")

1927:

Actor and Disney Legend Dickie Jones is born in Snyder,

Texas. He will go on to supply the voice of Pinocchio for

Disney's 1940 classic animated film.

1938:

Disney's Mickey Mouse cartoon Boat Builders, featuring the voices of Walt Disney (as Mickey), Pinto Colvig (as Goofy), Marcellite Garner (as Minnie Mouse), and Clarence Nash (as Donald Duck) is released. The seven-minute short is directed by Ben Sharpsteen (who will go on to direct Dumbo).

1962:

The NBC-TV series Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color airs part 2 of "Comancho."

1965:

Disney's film Mary Poppins is nominated for 13 Academy

Awards including Best Picture.

Shawnte Northcutte, a member of the 1977-1978 TV show

"The New Mouseketeers," is born.

1980:

Disney's The Black Hole is nominated for 2 Academy Awards.

1981:

Walt Disney Productions and CBS agree to move Disney's

long-running show to CBS-TV.

1999:

Disney replaces Robert Iger at the helm of ABC with Steve Bornstein and names Iger the President of Walt Disney International, the business unit that oversees Disney's international operations, as well as Chairman of the ABC Group.

Disney's Mulan wins "Best Children's Movie" at the 22nd Annual International Angel Awards.

2000:

The first preview of Disney's pop-opera Aida takes place at the Palace Theater

in New York City. The show (which will have 29 more previews before an

official opening March 23, 2000) features new songs by Elton John & Tim Rice.

2001:

Disney launches their new "Magic Happens" advertisement campaign during ABC-TV's Wonderful World of Disney. The corporate image campaign features something rarely seen in the advertising business; a richly detailed 90-second commercial.

2003:

Monkees singer/drummer Micky Dolenz begins touring as

Zoser in Disney's Aida at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers, Florida. (In 2004 he will play the role on Broadway.)

2006:

Disney invites fans to meet the stars of the new family comedy feature

The Shaggy Dog at New York City's World of Disney Store.

Actor Darren McGavin passes away in California at age 83. He appeared in the 1976 Disney feature No Deposit, No Return and the 1979 Disney made-for-TV-movie Donovan's Kid. (McGavin also starred in the 1950s series Mike Hammer and the 1970s series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. He may be best remembered for his role in the holiday comedy favorite A Christmas Story.)

1991:

The Bearly Asleep shop, located in Disney World's Frontierland, closes.

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1939:

One of the most prominent and influential architects of the first half of

20th century, Frank Lloyd Wright visits the Disney Studios on

Hyperion Avenue in Hollywood for an informal discussion with Walt's staff.

"Walt Disney is something unique. He is what he is. I think that he happened to stumble upon the future development of the cinema. I don't think that was his fault. He happened in on it with this peculiar gift of his, which I think is precious."

- Frank Lloyd Wright, This Day in Disney History 1939

2007:

The Oscar for Best Achievement in Visual Effects is awarded to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest at the 79th Annual Academy Awards.

1971:

Recording artist Daniel Powter is born British Columbia. Best known for his piano driven pop single "Bad Day," the singer-songwriter penned "The World You've Dreamed of Lately" - a song for Disney's "Where Dreams Come True" marketing campaign.

The Haunted Mansion song

"Grim Grinning Ghosts" is sung

by the Mell-O Men, a

barbershop-type

Quartet (made up of

Max Smith, Bill Cole

Stevens, Bill Lee and

Thurl Ravenscroft).

FEBRUARY 25

FEB

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