1926:
Legendary comedian/actor Don Rickles - the voice of Mr. Potato Head in Pixar's
Toy Story films and the voice of William in Disney World's Enchanted Tiki Room
attraction - is born in Queens, New York. Rickles' Mr. Potato Head is also featured in the Toy
Story Midway Mania! attraction at both Disney's California Adventure and Disney's Hollywood Studios.
Rickles has acted in comedic and dramatic roles, but is best known as an insult comic.
2005:
Live with Regis and Kelly tape 2 shows at Disneyland to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the park. The episodes will air on ABC-TV May 9 and 10.
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1960:
Jennifer Miller-Goff, Walt Disney's granddaughter, is born in Los Angeles County, California.
1989:
Episode 11 of MMC airs on the Disney Channel. Today is Music Day!
2000:
Two-thousand young visionaries from around the world meet at Walt Disney World for the 3-day Millennium Dreamers Celebration.
2002:
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band begin a 2-day engagement at Epcot (as part of the Flower Power Concert Series). They perform at the America Gardens Theatre.
2006:
It is reported that Ashley Brown and Gavin Lee will play the roles of Mary Poppins and Bert on Broadway when the production of Mary Poppins arrives at the New Amsterdam Theatre this fall. The stage production (which is currently a hit in London) is produced by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh.
In 1972, rooms for
Disney World's Polynesian
Village Resort
Hotel ranged from
$29 to $44.
1884:
Farmer, railroad worker, clerk and 33rd President of the United States,
Harry S Truman is born in Lamar, Missouri. In 1957 he will visit Disneyland
and later be immortalized in Disney World's The Hall of Presidents.
2007:
Disneyland Golden Horseshoe performer Fulton Burley passes away at age 84 in California. In 1962, while performing at the Hacienda Hotel in Las Vegas, Burley received a call from his pal Wally Boag, with whom he had worked as a contract player at MGM. Wally, who had been performing in the Golden Horseshoe Revue for seven years, needed to replace one of his fellow cast members. Burley went on to appear in the popular show through October 1986! He also supplied the voice of Michael, the Irish parrot, for the Enchanted Tiki Room attraction. Burley was honored as a Disney Legend in 1995.
"Working with Fulton was a joy; it was never work for us. We loved what we were doing and we genuinely enjoyed performing for the guests. I loved his humor and it was always fun to be on stage with him. Every time you passed his dressing room, you would hear laughter going on. He was always pulling a good gag, and he was popular with everyone. I’ll miss him and cherish the wonderful times we had together."
- Wally Boag, Burley’s longtime Golden Horseshoe partner
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2008:
One hundred Central Florida students are honored as Disney Dreamers & Doers during its 25th anniversary ceremony at Epcot. The finalists were selected from 400 students nominated by schools in Orange, Lake, Polk, Osceola and Seminole counties.
1930:
Frolicking Fish, a Silly Symphony short directed by Burt Gillett,
is released. The frolicking marine life at the bottom of the ocean are having a
wonderful time, swimming & dancing about - until a hungry octopus threatens to disrupt their fun.
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MAY
MAY 8
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Don Rickles born
2009:
The Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale, California presents "The Art of Marc Davis" (through July 26). The exhibit features drawings and paintings by distinguished artist and original Disney animator Marc Davis, one of Walt's "Nine Old Men."
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MAY 08
THIS DAY MADE IN THE USA
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"Ages three and up! It's on my box! Ages three and up! I'm not supposed to be babysitting Princess Drool!"
-Don Rickles as Mr Potato Head
"One of the most famous overage kids was (former President of the United States) Harry S. Truman, who went on
almost all the rides except Dumbo, during his Disneyland visit. Mr. Truman wanted nothing to do with any elephant,
even Dumbo. When he decided to see the miniature fairy tale settings in Storybook Land, there was a slight delay.
The canal boat was fully loaded, but, for some reason, the pretty young operator seemed unable to get it going.
Finally, she turned to her noted guest -'Pardon me, Mr. Truman,' she said. 'If you would lift your foot off the brake,
we could start.' "The former President of the United States instinctively lifted his right foot and the boat took off.
He looked down at the brakeless floorboard; then joined the laughter at having fallen for this old wheeze that
operators on many of the rides frequently pull on unsuspecting patrons." -Walt Disney (June 1958)
1991:
Newspapers report that Disney has proposed a $3.1 billon project to build a new theme park called WESTCOT in Anaheim. The tentaive plans call to build hotels, retail space and a second theme park (patterned after Epcot) on 470 acres.
"If I were to insult people and mean it, that wouldn`t be funny." -Don Rickles
2011:
At 4:30AM Kelsey Czako, Samantha Ogden, Kirk Moore, and James Moore become the last four guest to leave the Magic Kingdom for Walt Disney World's very last Grad Nite. The final attraction to run at Grad Nite 2011 is Mickey's PhilharMagic. The after-
hours event tailored to high-school seniors began last night, May 7 at 10PM. (A yearly event since 1972, WDW has decided to retire Grad Nite.)
