1950:
Disney's Treasure Island - starring Robert Newton in the role of Long John Silver & based on the book by Robert Louis Stevenson - is released in the U.S. and the U.K.
A young boy gets caught up with Long John Silver in search of the buried treasure of the buccaneer Captain Flint. Treasure Island is the first Disney live-action film without any animation (although Walt Disney's original plan was to make the movie as a full-length cartoon). Treasure Island is also the first Disney film to be shot in England. The decision to film in there, rather than the West Indian setting of the story, was financially motivated. Sales of Disney product had stockpiled a large sum of money in the UK - whose laws prevented their pounds sterling from being exchanged totally into American dollars - so the studio decided to use the frozen funds to make the film in England.
Treasure Island cast:
Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins
Robert Newton as Long John Silver
Basil Sydney as Captain Smollett
Walter Fitzgerald as Squire Trelawney
Denis O'Dea as Dr. Livesy
Finlay Currie as Capt. Billy Bones
Also released is the True-Life Adventure Beaver Valley about a two-year-old beaver who sets forth into the wild world to establish a home with a young widow beaver and her baby. (It will win the Academy Award® for
Best Two-Reel Short Subject.)
2002:
The Walt Disney Company signs a letter of intent with the city of Shanghai to builds its third Asian theme park there.
The Lizzie McGuire episode "Best Dressed for Much Less"
debuts on Disney Channel.
2005:
A tragedy is averted when famed sports agent Drew Rosenhaus performs life-saving CPR on a 3-year-old at Walt Disney World. After being pulled from the kiddie pool at the Grand Floridian, the young child from Chicago is revived by Rosenhaus (who is in town for a function at ESPN Club).
1919:
Dal McKennon - the voice of Benjamin Franklin in Disney's
American Adventure (located at Epcot) and the narrator of the
now-retired Disneyland attraction Mine Train thru Nature's
Wonderland - is born in Oregon. Best known for the famous Big Thunder
Mountain Railroad safety announcement, his Disney credits also include the
voice of the animated bear in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and appearances in
the films Son of Flubber, The Misadventures of Merlin Jones, and The Cat from Outer Space. (McKennon's best-
known non-Disney voice roles include Gumby for Art Clokey, and Archie Andrews for Filmation's Archie series.)
1934:
Disney signs a contract with the Lionel Corporation to produce a Mickey
Mouse wind-up hand-car. Lionel Corporation, an American toy manufacturer and
retailer, first began as an electrical novelties company in 1900. Lionel specializes in various
products, but toy trains and model railroads are its main claim to fame. At this time the company is
attempting to avoid bankruptcy (due to the Great Depression). The wind-up handcar will be widely credited with saving the company as Lionel will manufacture 250,000 units ... and still be unable to keep up with demand!
1942:
Character actor and future Disney voice star Sterling Holloway enlists in the U.S.
Army at the age of 37. He will be assigned to the Special Services and help develop a show called
"Hey Rookie", which will run for nine months and raise $350,000 for the Army Relief Fund.
1999:
Disney fans, railroaders, members of the Disney family, local government officials and press gather in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, for the official dedication of Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn. (Disney had a miniature railroad in his backyard on Carolwood Drive and this exact barn where he could monitor and control the 2,615 feet of track that made up his railroad. The barn also served as a workshop and a place for Walt to relax.)
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1955:
A 12-year-old Californian named Tom Nabbe starts his job as a "newsie" -
hawking The Disneyland News at the new Anaheim park. Published monthly, it covers the
ongoing events happening at Disneyland and costs a dime - Nabbe earns 3 cents per copy. Nabbe will go on to
become Disneyland's first Tom Sawyer, a monorail manager and later manager of distribution
services at Disney World ... and ultimately a Disney Legend in 2005!
1957:
The Disney animated short The Story of Anyburg, U.S.A., directed by Clyde Geronimi, is released. A "humorous message on auto sanity," it features the voices of Hans Conried, Thurl Ravenscroft, and Bill Thompson.
1940:
Disney's Donald Duck short Put Put Troubles is released. Directed by Riley Thompson, Donald and Pluto go boating ... but have nothing but trouble at sea!
JULY
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JULY 19
JULY 19
THIS SITE MADE
IN THE
USA
Most of Jack Wagner's Disney
recordings were made at his own
house where he had a recording
studio (which was installed by
Disney in the 1970s).
A voiceover booth in his home was
connected to Studio D at
Disneyland in Anaheim. At the
time, Jack's home in Southern
California was one of the first to
use a direct audio link from a
remote recording
studio!
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1989:
Treasure Island released
"I don't want the public to see the world they live in while they're in the park.
I want to feel they're in another world." -Walt Disney
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1946:
The Pluto cartoon The Purloined Pup, directed by Charles Nichols, is relesed. Pluto the policedog must save Ronnie (a Saint Bernard puppy) who has been kidnapped by a bulldog named Butch!
2011:
Cars 2 star Lightning McQueen joins Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the first time.
Buena Vista Records releases the soundtrack for Captain America: The First Avenger on the day the film (distributed by Paramount Pictures) has its world premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California. The soundtrack includes the original score by Alan Silvestri, as well as an original song titled "Star Spangled Man" written by Alan Menken (music) and David Zippel (lyrics). (The film will be screened two days later at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con and be generally released in North America July 22.)
