1928:
Walt Disney copyrights his Mickey Mouse film Plane Crazy.
2005:
Actor & singer Eddie Albert passes away at age 99 in California. Best known for his role on
the classic television series Green Acres, Albert's Disney credits include the 1975 Escape to Witch Mountain and
the 1963 Miracle of the White Stallions. (Born in 1906, Albert was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1954 for his performance in Roman Holiday, and in 1973 for The Heartbreak Kid.)
1915:
Radio, film & TV character actor Sam Edwards is born in Macon,
Georgia. His Disney voice credits include adult Thumper for Bambi, Ollie the Owl for the America Sings attraction and Heffalumps & Woozles, as well as Owl & Tigger for Winnie the Pooh LP records. Edwards also narrated & provided voices for numerous Disneyland Storyteller albums and appeared in the live-action features The Boatniks, The Absent-Minded Professor, and Escape to Witch Mountain. (Edwards' son William Edwards - a professional ragtime pianist known as "Perfessor" Bill Edwards has performed at Disneyland!)
1920:
Singing legend and actress Peggy Lee, who contributed greatly to
Disney's 1955 animated feature Lady and the Tramp, is born in
Jamestown, North Dakota. Lee was the speaking and singing voices of
Darling, Peg, and the two devious cats Si and Am. She also co-wrote all of the
film's songs with her friend and Decca Records colleague Francis "Sonny" Burke. (A
multi-faceted artist and performer, Lee had her first #1 hit in 1942 with "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place.")
1949:
Actress and model Dayle Haddon, who appears in the 1973 live-action feature The World's Greatest Athlete, is born in Canada.
1962:
Comedian Bob Goldthwait, the voice of Pain in Disney's 1997 feature
Hercules and the TV series House of Mouse, is born in Syracuse, New
York. His voice credits also include Lilo & Stitch: The Series and Buzz Lightyear of Star
Command. (Ranked as the 61st greatest comedian of all time by Comedy Central, film fans
know him for his role of Zed in the humorous Police Academy movies.)
1963:
The 15th Emmy Awards, hosted by Annette Funicello (an original Mouseketeer) and
Don Knotts (known for his role on The Andy Griffith Show), is held. Walt Disney's
Wonderful World of Color NBC-TV series wins 2 Emmy Awards - one for Outstanding Program Achievement in
the Field of Children's Programming and a second for Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction and Scenic
Design (Carroll Clark - Art Director, Marvin Aubrey Davis - Scenic Designer).
1986:
EPCOT's Spaceship Earth reopens with a new narration by legendary newsman Walter Cronkite, a new finale song titled "Tomorrow's Child," and a new sponsor - AT&T. It is the attraction's second version.
1989:
Disney Channel airs the 25th episode of MMC. Today is Hall of Fame Day!
1990:
Mickey's Starland opens in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
(Originally known as Mickey's Birthdayland in 1988, it will later be renamed Mickey's Toontown Fair.)
2001:
Veterans of World War II and Pearl Harbor survivors are honored at a special screening of the new Disney/Touchstone movie Pearl Harbor at 8 a.m. at the Edwards Big Newport Theatre in Newport Beach, California. All proceeds from the event, being hosted by a group of World War II veterans, will be contributed to the Orange County Veterans Charities.
The ABC-TV series House of Mouse airs the episode
"Everybody Loves Mickey."
2003:
Memorial Day
Herman's Hermits featuring Peter Noone finish up their successful 4-day engagement at Epcot with 3 final shows at the America Gardens Theater.
2006:
Disney/Pixar's Cars stages its world premiere at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. NASCAR legends Richard Petty
& Darrell Waltrip, and others from the voice cast of the film
are joined by a host of stars from the racing world.
Disney Channel premieres the Hannah Montana episode "Mascot Love."
It is the eighth episode of the hit series starring Miley Cyrus.
Disney-MGM hosts the second (of 4) Star Wars Weekends.
Celebrity guests include Jake Lloyd and Matthew Wood.
1983:
The EPCOT Outreach information area opens in Communicore West. It is an educational cul-de-sac where guests can investigate at length any of EPCOT Center's major themes, or other Disney-related information. Graphic displays line the walls leading up to a counter where a staff of researchers (including a librarian) can attempt to answer any questions guests may have.
Over at Disneyland, the Cast Premiere of The New Fantasyland called "Unlock the Magic" begins at 8:30PM.
1999:
Exactly 44 years to the day since he joined the Disney Company, Dick Nunis retires as chairman of Walt Disney Attractions.
Mickey's Toontown opened in
Disneyland in 1993. It is themed
on the Toontown seen in the film
Who Framed Roger Rabbit. At
Disney World, a Mickey's Toontown
Fair first opened as Mickey's
Birthdayland in 1988. Its storyline
portrayed the land as the holiday
home for the characters who
reside at Mickey's Toontown in
California.
2008:
Today is Memorial Day.
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MAY
MAY 26
2009:
An advanced screening of the new Disney-Pixar animated feature Up takes
place at AMC Star Grand Rapids in Michigan. (The film officially opens May 29.)
Walt Disney Records releases Disney Pixar Greatest, a collection of the greatest songs and scores from favorite Disney·Pixar films. It includes song performances by such artists as Randy Newman, Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, and Rascal Flatts, plus scores by Thomas Newman, Michael Giacchino, and Randy Newman.
Spaceship Earth reopens
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MAY 26
THIS DAY MADE IN THE USA
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"I don't really care how I am remembered as long as I bring happiness and joy to people."
-Eddie Albert
1966:
Actress Helena Bonham Carter, Red Queen in Disney's 2010 Alice in Wonderland, is born in London, England. (Harry Potter fans will know her as Bellatrix Lestrange. Director Tim Burton is Carter's "domestic partner" and father to her children.)
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Mickey's Starland opens at WDW
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"Walt believed strongly that what would make Disneyland different was the people - he wanted them to feel that they were part of the
organization. That's why he established the first-name policy - he was Walt, I was Dick, and so on. From an overall operations point of view,
the most important thing is to work together to make sure that when guests come, they have a wonderful experience." -Dick Nunis
2010:
Lee DeWyze tapes the famous "I'm Going to Disney World!" television
commercial for Disney Parks at the Nokia Theater after being crowned
the newest American Idol in Los Angeles, California.
Art Linkletter, a legendary star of radio and television (for more than 75 years)
who served as Master of Ceremonies for the opening day of Disneyland in 1955,
passes away at age 97. A close friend of Walt Disney, he also hosted the 1959 television special for
Disneyland’s first New Tomorrowland and was later inducted a Disney Legend in 2005. Born in 1912, Linkletter
was best known for his funny interviews with children and ordinary folks on such 1950s and '60s TV shows as
People Are Funny and House Party.
Disney quietly introduces Disney Tickets Together - an application allowing
Facebook users to buy tickets to Toy Story 3 without leaving the social networking
site and while, at the same time, prodding their friends to come along. Believed to be
a first-of-its-kind, Disney Tickets Together could transform how Hollywood sells movie tickets.
2000:
The final Star Wars Weekends of the 2000 season begins at Disney-MGM.
Celebrity guests include Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia, Saturday and Sunday) and Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett).
2011:
The day following Scotty McCreery's win on American Idol, Disney
announces the 17-year-old country crooner will visit Disney's
Hollywood Studios on Monday, May 30. Although he didn't exclaim "I'm going to Disney World" after his victory Wednesday night, McCreery will take part in a 10 a.m. parade at the Florida theme park.
Disneyland guests get an unannounced preview of "Mickey’s Soundsational Parade," a new nine-float affair featuring Mickey Mouse and such favorite characters as Peter Pan, Aladdin and Ariel. Accompanied by dancers and musicians, the highlight is Mickey actually playing an acoustic drum set on the lead float ... a Disney first! "Mickey's Soundsational Parade" will officially step off the following day.
1991:
The soundtrack for The Rocketeer is released on Hollywood Records. It features the whimsical music of James Horner and two vocal tracks performed by actress/singer Melora Hardin.
The Rocketeer will premiere June 19 in Hollywood.
