Rediscovering Walt Disney

Starting with Pocahontas, the Walt Disney Company kept trying to top the release events of each successive film. The Hunchback of Notre Dame had an epic release in New Orleans with a parade and a stage show before the film's premiere in the New Orleans Superdome. For Hercules, Disney brought the recently dismantled Main Street Electrical Parade out of retirement, trucked it to New York City, and held an epic event there. This would be the final of these epic premieres for a Disney animated feature as both Hunchback and Hercules each just broke 100 million dollars. At the time, there was a boycott going on against Disney by multiple Christian groups that never gets mentioned in the history books but, by the timing, it must have had an impact. Although Hercules was a departure from the animated epics that Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame had been, it was still set in epic settings with a cast of thousands. In some ways, it was a return to the animated comedies of the Disney animated films from the late 80's and early 90's. As a film, it's a solid story with actor James Woods stealing the show as Hades. This was the first of the animated features to have a stylized look that many audiences thought made the Disney animated features look cheap instead of having a unique artistic style. It took a lot more effort to successfully pull off the look of these stylized films but audiences didn't appreciate that effort. They wanted the more traditional Walt Disney look. Hercules had the largest marketing campaign of any 1990's animated feature, starting nearly a year before the release and including numerous tie-ins. After the dismal returns on the film, Disney scaled back the scope of their releases after this. When Mulan debuted the following summer, it was a much smaller release with a more modest marketing campaign. This was the last of an era as the decline of Walt Disney Feature animation by the politically correct management would eventually march it off a cliff and finally close its doors in the early 2003. Hercules Strikes Manhattan is the Disney Channel special that aired the festivities of the film's premiere. Like the previous two events, there were interviews and behind the scenes segments about the making of the film. These film premieres were major cultural events like a holiday and these television special broadcasts were a big part of that. Hercules isn't a bad film and worth revisiting by future generations if only to enjoy the performance of James Woods as Hades. Original air date June 14, 1997 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

After the success of The Lion King, there were high hopes for Pocahontas. The project originated as a traditional animated feature where the animals talked with John Candy portraying Redfeather the turkey and Stephen Fry as Percy the pug. After Beauty & the Beast was nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award, studio chief Jeffrey Katzenberg rebooted the movie hoping to tailor make an Oscar winner. The tone of the film shifted from a traditional family film packed with Disney fun to a much more serious in tone drama. It was essentially a Romeo & Juliet story set in the first long-term settlement in America. The Walt Disney Company collaborated with several leftist activists in shaping this film and this was really the start of political correctness entering the animated films. Pocahontas was also the first of the animated features to inject leftist ideological beliefs into the narrative. Here, we find an extreme environmentalist message overpowering the film. Lyricist Tim Rice refused to work on the film finding the concept to be anti-western culture. While the decedents of the real-life Pocahontas had initially collaborated with Disney on film, they became some of its loudest critics. The real-life Pocahontas was a pagan woman who converted to Christianity and united her people with the settlers in Christ. Her baptism into Christianity is one of the paintings of the most significant moments in American history that's depicted in the Capitol rotunda. In the Disney version, Pocahontas converts Captain John Smith to paganism in a reversal of the historical record. When the film was released, it was a much hyped affair -- the biggest to date. One of the promotional events was the film's premiere marketed as the largest film premiere in history. The film was screened drive-in theater style at Central Park in New York City. Here's broadcast of the premiere edited with an introduction from the laserdisc release on what the premiere entailed along with a local news report from that evening. This is to give modern audiences an idea just how big the Walt Disney animated features were at the time. These were major cultural events when the world stopped to take notice. Throughout the broadcast are behind the scenes segments on the making of the film. While Pocahontas is regarded as a flop today, it wasn't. The film made more than Aladdin, Beauty & the Beast, and The Little Mermaid. It just didn't top The Lion King, which was the most successful animated feature ever released up to that time and one of the highest grossing films ever made. Pocahontas marked the beginning of the decline for Walt Disney Feature Animation. For a variety of reasons, the hand drawn films would never again enjoy the popularity they shared in the early 90's. What's interesting about Pocahontas is even though the Walt Disney Company bent over backwards to placate the activists at the time, the woke of today smear this film as racist for the very same points leftist activists praised the film for in the 90's. That's why you just make the best film you can produce and ignore the critics. That's what Walt Disney did. Original air date June 10, 1995 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

Trailers & TV Spots for the 1997 musical comedy adventure based on ancient Greek mythology. Plot: Hercules is on a quest to become a true hero while facing the menacing Hades. This film was an anomaly for the time in that it was primarily a comedy film among a sea of animated epics but it still retained the epic scale of the post-Beauty & the Beast period. The film was a box office disappointment, perhaps in large part due to the Christian boycott of Disney that was ongoing at the times. It's really James Woods' masterful performance as Hades that carries this film and it deserves to be more than only a cult classic. This video gives you a historic sampling of what the ad campaigns for the Walt Disney Animated Features was like at the height of the 1990's. Starring Tate Donovan as Hercules Josh Keaton as Young Hercules Roger Bart as Young Hercules' Singing Voice. Danny DeVito as Philoctetes James Woods as Hades Susan Egan as Megara Rip Torn as Zeus Samantha Eggar as Hera. Lillias White as Calliopes Cheryl Freeman as Melpomene LaChanze as Terpsichore Roz Ryan aa Thaila Vaneese Thomas as Clio Bobcat Goldthwait as Pain Matt Frewer as Panic Patrick Pinney as the Cyclops Hal Holbrook as Amphitryon Barbara Barrie as Alcmene Amanda Plummer as Clotho Carole Shelley as Lachesis Paddi Edwards as Atropo Paul Shaffer as Hermes Jim Cummings as Nessus, Tall Theban, & Elderly Theban. Wayne Knight as Demetrius Mary Kay Bergman as the Earthquake Lady Corey Burton as the Burnt Man Kathleen Freeman as the Heavyset Woman Keith David as Apollo Charlton Heston as opening narrator. Frank Welker as Pegasus. Songs be Alan Menken & David Zippel Screenplay by Ron Clements, John Musker, Donald McEnery, Bob Shaw, & Irene Mecchi Directed by John Musker & Ron Clements Release date June 13, 1997 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

For many years there’s been an urban legend that Walt Disney was a freemason and in league with the worst of the worst groups in humanity. If you look online, you’ll find numerous sites and a few videos dedicated to this conspiracy theory. However, what they either present are examples from long after Walt Disney died or untrue assumptions about what they’re seeing. This is a video essay on the topic featuring the genuine words of Walt Disney on the topic recreated in his voice with AI. We cover the "freemason" photos, Mickey Mouse, Club 33, and more. Here you'll get the historical record with factual evidence. Please consider contributing to our Give/Send/Go so we can continue preserving Walt Disney history like this. https://www.givesendgo.com/RediscoveringWaltDisney Posted for historical purposes. Walt Disney's voice is recreated with AI. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

Everyone's favorite redneck, Ernest P Worrell, started out as a character used in local TV commercials in Nashville, Tennessee in 1980. Played masterfully by comedian Jim Varney, Ernest was a throwback to the sorts of characters that were seen in theatrical comedy shorts in films in the 1930's though the 1960's such as the Three Stooges, Abbott & Costello, and Ma & Pa Kettle. The character caught on and became so popular that he started appearing in national TV commercials. Soon Varney was making appearances as Ernest on talk shows and TV specials and, by 1983, the Ernest character was appearing in direct to video films that built his audience in the fledgling VHS rental market. By 1985, Ernest was appearing in theatrical films and the Walt Disney Company signed Varney as Ernest to make a film. That first film, Ernest Goes to Camp (1987) was a Touchstone Pictures release and a surprise hit. Varney was signed to a 7 picture deal with Disney, although only three more films were ever made. Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) was the top grossing film of the series, having been adapted into an Ernest film from another project. It was also the first film to be show at the Disney/MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida. That same year Ernest also got his own two-time Emmy award-winning Saturday morning TV show, Hey, Vern, It's Ernest!, on CBS. Several similar characters of the time had Saturday morning TV shows as well like PeeWee Herman, Ed Grimley, and ALF. Ernest Goes to Jail (1990) and Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) proved to be less than popular and the Disney deal ended before Ernest & the Voodoo Curse and a space parody with the character were filmed. Ernest made one final theatrical film, Ernest Rides Again (1993.) When it too bombed there were no more Ernest theatrical films and Ernest returned to the home video market for a string of annual releases. He still remained popular to a loyal base of fans who'd been with him since his pre-Disney days. All Ernest productions were primarily filmed in the Nashville area and included the same team from the days of the commercials until the very end. John Cherry and Coke Sams often co-write and directed the Ernest films with the same cast of character actors often appearing in many of the films. Varney took everyone up with him on his ride of success. The Ernest format usually featured Varney portraying multiple characters, many of whom were from the Worrell clan. Another feature was Ernest's best "friend," Vern, who was in the POV of the camera. Ernest was always trying to help Vern out in completing a project with disastrous results. Ernest's catchphrase was "Knowhutimean?" In the golden age of Disney's Ernest deal, they often featured the character in their parade broadcasts and TV specials and that's where this TV special comes in. When Disneyland opened Splash Mountain in 1989, they brought in Varney to play his Ernest character as the first person to take the first test pilot plunge as a "Splashtronaut", on Disneyland's new thrill ride. Given that Ernest was a southerner and Splash Mountain is based on a property centered around southern stories it made sense to Disney synergy to marry the two. The special aired on the Disney Channel and then on the Magical World of Disney before returning for a short run on the Disney Channel. In it, you'll see a few real life Imagineers who worked on the ride in cameos such as Bruce Gordon. The intent of this special was to get people interested in the ride and go to Disneyland. It's likely never to be seen again given all things Splash Mountain have been purged from Disney. It's great to see the ride when it first opened. Jim Varney was a great dramatic actor who was much more than the Ernest character that made him famous but he never gave up on him. He also returned to Disney to voice two animated characters. He was Slinky Dog in the Pixar films Toy Story and Toy Story 2 and Cookie in Atlantis: the Lost Empire. Jim Varney died of lung cancer on February 10, 2000. He was only 50 years old and by all account, he was just a good decent man. He would love that people are still enjoying his work decades after he's been gone. Knowhutimean, Vern? Knowhutimean? Original airdate July 7, 1989 Incidentally, please consider nominating Song of the South to the National Film Directory at the following link. Perhaps Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain would one day be a bonus feature on an official release. It's the only Ernest project to not have an official release. https://www.research.net/r/national-fim-registry-nomination-form For more information on Song of the South go here: https://rumble.com/v4q7fjc-walt-disneys-uncle-remus-foreword-1945.html Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the third Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade to be aired on network television from 1984. This parade would become a staple for decades and something important in growing up Disney in the 80's and 90's, although the "Christmas" name would be dropped near the end of the Eisner age. The Christmas parade telecast really became a 2 hour infomercial for what the Walt Disney Company had in the works for the upcoming year. Eventually annual Easter and Independence Day Parade telecasts would join the Christmas Parade and the Christmas Parade itself would expand to a 2 hour Christmas morning broadcast tradition. Regis Philbin became the figure most associated with these parades and this is his debut parade. (The Easter and Independence Day Parade broadcasts were dropped near the end of the Eisner years as well.) The Christmas and Easter parades always aired on the ABC Network. The previous year's parade had been ta 90 minute broadcast and proved so successful that this year it was a 90 minute one as well and expanded to include Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland. We also get to see a preview of the then then upcoming Living Seas at EPCOT Center. This is also the first Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade to feature Christmas Day greetings from world leaders. In the years to follow, only the President of the United States would hold this honor. This is a time capsule into Walt Disney history past. This is where the Eisner regime really took control of the company and you can start to see their influence coming through. Here, we get a glimpse at what Disney was like in these earlier years BEFORE Pixar, before The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty & the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and the other beloved properties that came later and they could only rely on the characters that Walt Disney personally created. Walt had been dead for nearly 20 years at this point, and they were STILL coasting on the fumes he'd left behind. You can see how this was still a small company that was run like a family on the verge of becoming the global conglomerate people think of today. Many of these characters you don't see any more either and they STILL cared about the legacy of Walt Disney. What a tremendous time capsule this is. Joan Lunden and Ben Vereen co-host this parade with Regis Philbin. Lunden was then the current co-host of Good Morning America and Vereen was a popular stage, TV, and film actor at the time. Regis was a well known talk show host vet even then. This archetype of hosts for the parade broadcasts would continue with the parade for decades even though the hosts would change. Joan Lunden is the longest-running host of the Disney parade broadcasts. Original air date December 25, 1985 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the fourth Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade to be aired on network television since 1984. This parade would become a staple for decades and something important in growing up Disney in the 80's and 90's, although the "Christmas" name would be dropped near the end of the Eisner age. The Christmas parade telecast really became a 2 hour infomercial for what the Walt Disney Company had in the works for the upcoming year. Eventually annual Easter and Independence Day Parade telecasts would join the Christmas Parade and the Christmas Parade itself would expand to a 2 hour Christmas morning broadcast tradition. Regis Philbin became the figure most associated with these parades and this is his debut parade. (The Easter and Independence Day Parade broadcasts were dropped near the end of the Eisner years as well.) The Christmas and Easter parades always aired on the ABC Network. The previous year's parade had been ta 90 minute broadcast and proved so successful that this year it was a 90 minute one as well and expanded to include Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland. We also get to see a focus on the then current 15th anniversary of Walt Disney World and the upcoming 50th anniversary of Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs in 1987. This is also the first Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade to feature Christmas Day greetings from world leaders. In the years to follow, only the President of the United States would hold this honor. This is a time capsule into Walt Disney history past. This is where the Eisner regime really took control of the company and you can start to see their influence coming through. Here, we get a glimpse at what Disney was like in these earlier years BEFORE Pixar, before The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty & the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and the other beloved properties that came later and they could only rely on the characters that Walt Disney personally created. Walt had been dead for nearly 20 years at this point, and they were STILL coasting on the fumes he'd left behind. You can see how this was still a small company that was run like a family on the verge of becoming the global conglomerate people think of today. Many of these characters you don't see any more either and they STILL cared about the legacy of Walt Disney. What a tremendous time capsule this is. Joan Lunden and Ben Vereen co-host this parade with Regis Philbin. Lunden was then the current co-host of Good Morning America and Vereen was a popular stage, TV, and film actor at the time. Regis was a well known talk show host vet even then. This archetype of hosts for the parade broadcasts would continue with the parade for decades even though the hosts would change. Joan Lunden is the longest-running host of the Disney parade broadcasts. Original air date December 25, 1986 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

1990 marked a year long celebration for the 35th anniversary of Disneyland. TV star Tony Danza hosts this star-studded experience from the Magical World of Disney on NBC. Guest stars include the cast of Cheers, the Muppets, Ernest, Charles Fleischer, President Ronald Reagan, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and C3PO. Many of these figures had a reason to be there. Cheers was the highest rated show on television at that time. Tony Danza was the star of the popular sitcom Who's the Boss. Will Smith was about to launch his own sitcom the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Ernest was enjoying a multi-picture deal with Disney. The Muppets were about to merge with Disney. Charles Fleischer was a comedic actor who'd been the voice of Roger Rabbit and appeared in Back to the Future Part II. President Reagan had just completed his two terms at President of the United States and had co-hosted the opening day festivities at Disneyland in 1955. There was a lot of cross market synergy at play here. On top of that, this special was directed by John Landis. For a time, TV specials like this on network television were a staple of the Walt Disney Company in both celebrating their historical milestones and their new releases this 35th celebration of Disneyland was typical for the time. It's like a scrapbook of what the park and pop culture was like at the time. Audiences today have no idea how revered Walt Disney’s history was back then when many of the people who’d participated in it were still with us. It’s certainly not like this anymore under Woke Disney. Original air date February 4, 1990 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This excellent documentary special was produced for Disneyland's 35th anniversary celebration and aired on The Disney Channel. Sitcom actor and magician, Harry Anderson takes us on a time traveling train ride into Disneyland's past and gives us a glimpse at its future by showcasing numerous attractions that were never built in the end. This special is filled with general basic information on the history of Disneyland dispersed with archival footage and clips from the animated features. You can see that this was produced by people who genuinely cared about Walt Disney and his overall legacy. A highlight of the production is a montage of Walt Disney footage set to Louis Armstrongs What A Wonderful World that's done as a tribute to Walt's memory. This special also uses some of the score from Back to the Future as well as a time travelling train as what moves the basic plot. This was mere months BEFORE the premiere of Back to the Future Part III which features a time travelling train in the finale. Coincidence? Hmmm... This special hasn't aired in decades and was never released to VHS or DVD but it should be. In hopes of generating interest in it again, we present it here for your rediscovery. Original air date February 3, 1990 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

1988 marked a year long celebration for the 60th birthday of Mickey Mouse. There were publicity events throughout the year including many you see in this special. There was a Mickey Mouse hot air balloon sailing around the world, a cow with Mickey Mouse's head shape in its spots, a farmer's field with a Mickey Mouse silhouette that could be viewed from outer space and more. At Disneyland Mickey Mouse's Birthdayland debuted, it would later become Mickey Mouse's Toontown. A highlight of this 1988 celebration was a one hour TV special that aired on NBC. Because this was an NBC spectacular, the show includes the casts of several contemporary NBC television shows from that time, including Family Ties, Cheers, Hunter, L.A. Law and The Cosby Show. You also see cameos by such celebrities as Carl Reiner, John Ritter, Cheech Marin, Jill Eikenberry, and more. Several real life NBC affiliate newscasters also cameo throughout the special. The plot of the special is simple enough. Mickey Mouse steals the hat from the sorcerer used in the infamous Sorcerer's Apprentice short and the sorcerer casts a spell on Mickey so no one recognizes them. (Oddly enough, this sorcerer isn't Yen Sid from the cartoon but a new design.) The world tries to find the hidden Mickey in time for his big birthday bash and Donald Duck is suspected of murdering the mouse to take his place. The new animated star is also presented as Mickey's best friend, a role that would have been much better suited for Goofy. Who Framed Roger Rabbit had just premiered a few months before this and there was already high hopes for all on the future of this character. At the time, Roger had been integrated into the stable of main Disney shorts characters. Because the copyright on the character is shared with Steve Spielberg, Roger was eliminated after Dreamworks was founded as Disney's greatest competitor of the 1990's and 2000's. This imaginative special demonstrates just how important Disney and Mickey Mouse was to American pop culture in 1988. It also shows how the past and Walt Disney's legacy was still very much revered. This special only aired once and was never released to VHS or DVD but it should be. In hopes of generating interest in it again, we present it here for your rediscovery. Starring Carl Reiner as Mel Fellini Charles Fleischer as Charlie the Stage Manager & Roger Rabbit John Ritter as Dudley Goode Jill Eikenberry as Mia Loud Michael Eisner as Himself Brian Bonsall as Andy Keaton Justine Bateman as Mallory Keaton Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton Tina Yothers as Jennifer Keaton Ed McMahon as Himself Fred Dryer as Sergeant Rick Hunter Michael Tucker as Stuart Markowitz Jimmy Smits as Victor Sifuentes Alan Rachins as Douglas Brackman, Jr. Richard A. Dysart as Leland Mackenzie Corbin Bernsen as Arnie Becker Blair Underwood as Jonathan Rollins Harry Hamlin as Michael Kuzak George Wendt as Norm Peterson Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd Ted Danson as Sam Malone Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane Rhea Perlman as Carla Tortelli John Ratzenberger as Cliff Clavin Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe Cheech Marin as the Disneyland custodian Phylicia Rashad as the Disneyland dancer Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux Betty White as Rose Nylund Burt Reynolds as Himself Dyan Cannon as Herself Phil Collins as Himself Annette Funicello as Herself Bette Midler as Herself Barbara Hershey as Herself Wayne Allwine as Mickey Mouse Tony Anselmo as Donald Duck Peter Cullen as the Wizard Russi Taylor as Minnie Mouse Original air date November 13, 1988 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

1987 was the year of Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs. It was the films 50th anniversary and being the first major film to enjoy such a milestone, the pop culture red carpet was brought out to observe it. (MGM’s The Wizard of Oz, always following in Snow White’s foot steps would follow this same template in 1989.) There was merchandise, sweepstakes, high-end collectibles, even the declaration of a Snow White week made by act of congress! A high point of the celebration was this TV special that aired on NBC in celebration of the film. Several such TV specials were produced at Disneyland in this era when Disney was just starting its transition away from a family feeling company and into the global entertainment conglomerate we know today. It was still a company with a heart because there were still a lot of people around from the Walt/Roy/Ub era who cared. This wasn’t just a job for them, this was an institution and it showed. For Snow White’s 50th anniversary a special program was created that was part narrative story, part documentary, and part pop culture celebration. The major plot of the story is Dick van Dyke is hanging out with his buddies, the seven dwarfs, when the evil Queen, played by Jane Curtin, casts a spell on Grumpy so he’ll retire and she can finally do away with Snow White. Sherman Helmsley plays the Slave in the Magic Mirror (Yeah, that certainly wouldn’t fly today...) and does so in an urban update of the original, much like Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio or even the Magic Mirror as played by Hans Conreid on Walt’s TV show. Through the course of the story, van Dyke convinces Grumpy and the others to stay in the film by reminding them of the story on its making. Through the course of the production we get to see historical footage and animation art from the original production, including glimpses of deleted scenes. In the end Dick van Dyke and the Dwarfs celebrates in singing a deleted song from the film, You’re Never Too Old To Be Young. Throughout the show there’s cameos of then current TV stars celebrating Snow White and finally Linda Ronstadt sings Someday My Prince Will Come for the finale. For a time, TV specials like this on network television were a staple of the Walt Disney Company in both celebrating their historical milestones and their new releases but Snow White’s Golden Anniversary is one of the most special among them. Audiences today have no idea how revered Walt Disney’s history was back then when many of the people who’d participated in it were still with us. It’s certainly not like this anymore under Woke Disney. Original air date May 22, 1987 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the second Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade to be aired on network television from 1984. This parade would become a staple for decades and something important in growing up Disney in the 80's and 90's, although the "Christmas" name would be dropped near the end of the Eisner age. The Christmas parade telecast really became a 2 hour infomercial for what the Walt Disney Company had in the works for the upcoming year. Eventually annual Easter and Independence Day Parade telecasts would join the Christmas Parade and the Christmas Parade itself would expand to a 2 hour Christmas morning broadcast tradition. Regis Philbin became the figure most associated with these parades and this is his debut parade. (The Easter and Independence Day Parade broadcasts were dropped near the end of the Eisner years as well.) The Christmas and Easter parades always aired on the ABC Network. The previous year's parade had been a 1 hour broadcast and proved so successful that this year it became a 90 minute one and expanded to include Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland. We also get to see a preview of the then brand new featurette, Mickey's Christmas Carol. This is a time capsule into Walt Disney history past. This is the transitional Walt Disney World Christmas Parade as the Eisner regime took over the company. Here, we get a glimpse at what Disney was like BEFORE Pixar, before The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty & the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and the other beloved properties that came later and they could only rely on the characters that Walt Disney personally created. Walt had been dead for nearly 20 years at this point, and they were STILL coasting on the fumes he'd left behind. You can see how this was still a small company that was run like a family. It wasn't anywhere near the global conglomerate people think of today. Many of these characters you don't see any more either and they STILL cared about the legacy of Walt Disney. What a tremendous time capsule this is. Joan Lunden and Bruce Jenner co-host this parade with Regis Philbin. Lunden was then the current co-host of Good Morning America and Jenner was a former Olympic athlete. Regis was a well known talk show host vet even by this time. This archetype of hosts for the parade broadcasts would continue with the parade for decades even though the hosts would change. Joan Lunden is the longest-running host of the Disney parade broadcasts. Original air date December 25, 1984 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the first of the Making Of specials that aired on the Disney Channel at the time of their latest animated film releases. As each successive film was released, some felt they became monotonous but each film is a different story with different challenges behind it. The objective of The Little Mermaid was the jumpstart Walt Disney Feature Animation with a classic film and this documentary demonstrates how much the filmmakers revered those earlier films from Walt's time. As we all know, they succeeded. A Highlight of this documentary include the only interviews with Howard Ashman who died before Beauty & the Beast and Aladdin were released. He was regarded as the instrumental figure in rebooting Disney animated features. He understood the past and was able to build the future on it. Many of the filmmakers who worked with him were still utilizing lessons he'd taught them on story, character, and music well into the 2000's. He only cared about story and character, he wasn't for this wokeness. In recent years, there's been a push by the woke to make Ursula a drag queen in reimaginings and performances of the music because one of Ashman's inspirations for the character was a drag queen known as Divine. However, this was NOT the only inspiration for the character and when the animators were going too far with the Divine influence, it as Howard who told them to pull it back. Howard Ashman didn't just write the songs and work on the stories and characters for The Little Mermaid. He was one of the film's producers and that made a huge difference in what came later in the late 90's and early 2000's. His influence was pivotal in restoring Walt Disney animated features to the artform they became known for again. In this documentary, you also get to see many of the actors and artists who worked on this special film. It's interesting to see these people at the beginning of their journey, not realizing just how much Walt Disney history legacy was before them that they'd all play a role in rebuilding. Alyssa Milano is the host as she was one of the models for the design of Ariel but not the only one. Original air date November 11, 1989 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the second of the Making Of specials that aired on the Disney Channel at the time of their latest animated film releases. As each successive film was released, some felt they became monotonous but each film is a different story with different challenges behind it. The objective of The Little Mermaid had been to jumpstart Walt Disney Feature Animation with a classic film, the objective of Beauty & the Beast was to solidify it. This documentary demonstrates how that was accomplished. The Walt Disney Studios knew they had something extra special with Beauty & the Beast and that would be affirmed in the coming months with unprecedented box office returns, award wins and nominations. David Ogden Stiers, who plays Cogsworth and the Narrator in the film, hosts this documentary in what would become the standard template for such Making of specials. Stiers would go one to portray several more characters in both Disney live action and animated films but Cogsworth was his first Disney role. We meet the voice cast, the animators and many of the behind the scenes figures who produced this film. Given how much of this sort of thing we see today, the unique novelty of this may have worn off. There was still a lot of Walt Disney history legacy ahead of this team and it's exciting looking back at this time knowing the heights they would reach in only a few short years. Original air date November 16, 1991 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

In the late 1970's, Radio City Music Hall was in danger of being torn down. They needed a miracle. They found it with Snow White Live! Walt Disney had a history with Radio City Music Hall going back to the beginning of his career. That relationship remained in place after he died with many Walt Disney films premiering there. That loyalty carried on when the Music Hall needed an attraction to bring in audiences and remain open. That attraction was a Broadway show based on Walt Disney's Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs and it saved the Music Hall at a time when movie palaces were being demolished across the country. While there had been traveling stage productions using Disney characters for some time, this marked the first time Walt Disney Productions allowed an outside company to adapt one of their films in a stage production. That production was overseen by longtime Disney Parks vet, Robert F. Jani and first debuted in St. Louis in 1969 returning again in 1972. The decision was made to bring this production to New York City at a time when America's future looked bleak. Originally only intended for a 14 day run, it proved immensely popular and was not only held over but returned after Christmas. The original production opened on October 18, 1979, closing November 18, 1979 after 38 performances in order to put on the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. It then reopened on January 11, 1980 running 68 performances and closed on March 9, 1980, a total of 106 performances. It also went on national tour. A cast recording LP was released in 1979 and was the final Buena Vista label LP record release. The performance was recorded and released on home video as Snow White Live! at Radio City Music Hall in 1981. The Walt Disney Company had stated they would never release Walt's actual animated feature to home video and this took the place of it. This stage production was the only way to see Walt Disney's Snow White story for a generation of people. It aired on HBO in the early 1980's and, starting in 1987 to coincide with the original film's 50th anniversary, it aired on the Disney Channel. The VHS of this production is long out of print, fetching hundreds of dollars on Ebay and has never been released to DVD. The entire production is here. While the Walt Disney Company began a string of Broadway adaptations of their modern day animated features, this is the original and a faithful adaptation it is. The story was expanded to give the Prince more to do and added a great character moment for Dopey in the finale. It also added additional characters such as Luna, the servant of the evil Queen, and for the first time we got to meet Snow White's father the King. Verses to the established songs cut from the animated film were restored and new songs were written adding to the score and they fit rather well. In casting the role of Snow White a national casting call went out looking for an unknown to create the PR of the fairy tale discovery story. A fan produced documentary on the stage production featuring interviews with man of the key players can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WR-AyeartfM It should also be noted that Howard Ashman attended a few of these performances. He would go one to revitalize Walt Disney animated features starting with 1989's The Little Mermaid. Cast Mary Jo Salerno as Snow White Richard Bowne as The Prince Anne Francine as The Evil Queen Charles Hall as The Hag & Magic Mirror Don Potter as Doc Benny Freigh as Grumpy Richard Day as Happy Jay Edward Allen as Bashful Louis Carry as Sneezy Jerry Riley as Sleepy Michael E. King as Dopey Bruce Sherman as The Huntsman Thomas Ruisinger as The King Yolande Bavan as Luna Heidi Coe as Greta Lauren Lipson as Mother David Pursley as Chamberlain Songs by Frank Churchill, Leigh Harline, & Paul Smith Additional songs by Joe Cook & Jay Blackton Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the very first Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade to be aired on network television from 1985. This parade would become a staple for decades and something important in growing up Disney during the 80's and 90's, before being abandoned in the early 2000's by the Eisner regime. This is the only nighttime Easter Parade that aired. From here on out it always aired on Easter afternoon after most Americans had returned home from attending morning church services. The parade always ended with the crowd singing Irving Berlin's Easter Parade as they dispersed after the festivities. This unique parade in the history of the Easter parade, is more of a concert format with some parade edited in. Although this is a format is much more common today, it was unusual at the time. The Independence Day Parade that would begin airing a few years later was always a nighttime parade closer in format to this debut Easter parade. It's still a time capsule into Walt Disney history past and pop culture past. Joan Lunden and Rick Dees co-host this parade with magician Doug Henning appearing throughout. There's also an appearance by the dinosaur animatronic from the then upcoming Touchstone Pictures release Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend. The studio had high hopes for this film as their answer to Raiders of the Lost Ark centered around the mythos of the cryptid creature known as Mokele mbembe. Lunden was then the current co-host of Good Morning America while Dees was a popular comedian and radio personality of the day. Henning was a well-known magician of the time. He later got involved in politics before passing away of liver cancer in 2000. This archetype of hosts for the parade broadcasts would continue with the parade for decades even though the hosts would change. Joan Lunden is the longest-running host of the Disney parade broadcasts. She would co-host the Easter Parade until 1996. This parade broadcast was executive produced by Walt Disney's grandson Walter Miller. Original air date April 7, 1985 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the second Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade to be aired on network television from 1986. This parade would become a staple for decades and something important in growing up Disney during the 80's and 90's, before being abandoned in the early 2000's by the Eisner regime. This is the only time the parade was merged with the New York City Easter Parade in a joint broadcast, making it a unique parade broadcast in its history. The New York City Easter Parade had debuted on TV the year before on CBS while the Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade aired later that night on ABC. This broadcast aired on CBS and alternated between the two parades. After this year, the Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade always aired on Easter afternoon after most Americans had returned home from attending morning church services. The parade always ended with the crowd singing Irving Berlin's Easter Parade as they dispersed after the festivities. It's a time capsule into Walt Disney and America's history past and pop culture past. Robby Benson and Anna Alicia co-host the Disney World portion of the parade with Ken Kercheval and Susan Howard hosting the New York City Easter Parade portions of the show. Benson was a movie star at the time and would go one to be the voice of the Beast in the 1991 Disney animated feature Beauty & the Beast. Alicia was one of the main cast members on the soap opera Falcon's Crest. Original air date March 30, 1986 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

This is the very first Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade to be aired on network television from 1983. This parade would become a staple for decades and something important in growing up Disney in the 80's and 90's, although the "Christmas" name would be dropped near the end of the Eisner age. The Christmas parade telecast really became a 2 hour infomercial for what the Walt Disney Company had in the works for the upcoming year. Eventually annual Easter and Independence Day Parade telecasts would join the Christmas Parade and the Christmas Parade itself would expand to a 2 hour Christmas morning broadcast tradition. Regis Philbin became the figure most associated with these parades, but this was before that. (The Easter and Independence Day Parade broadcasts were dropped near the end of the Eisner years as well.) The Christmas and Easter parades always aired on the ABC Network. This is a time capsule into Walt Disney history past. This is the final Walt Disney World Christmas Parade before the Eisner regime took over the company. Here, we get a glimpse at what Disney was like BEFORE Pixar, before The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty & the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and the other beloved properties that came later and they could only rely on the characters that Walt Disney personally created. Walt had been dead for nearly 20 years at this point, and they were STILL coasting on the fumes he'd left behind. You can see how this was still a small company that was run like a family. It wasn't anywhere near the global conglomerate people think of today. Many of these characters you don't see any more either and they STILL cared about the legacy of Walt Disney. What a tremendous time capsule this is. Mike Douglas and Joan Lunden co-host this parade with Carol Lawerence. Douglas was a popular talk show host of the day while Lunden was then the current co-host of Good Morning America. Lawerence was a well-known actress and singer of the time. This archetype of hosts for the parade broadcasts would continue with the parade for decades even though the hosts would change. Joan Lunden is the longest-running host of the Disney parade broadcasts and Mike Douglas was later replaced by Alan Thicke with Regis Philbin was later added as an on-street interviewer. Original air date December 25, 1983 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

In 1959 Tony Thomas interviewed Walt on his early career for the radio show Hollywood Past. This is one of the rare interviews Walt gave that still exists. Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

Trailer for the 1997 musical comedy adventure based on ancient Greek mythology. Plot: Hercules is on a quest to become a true hero while facing the menacing Hades. This film was an anomaly for the time in that it was primarily a comedy film among a sea of animated epics but it still retained the epic scale of the post-Beauty & the Beast period. The film was a box office disappointment, perhaps in large part due to the Christian boycott of Disney that was ongoing at the times. It's really James Woods' masterful performance as Hades that carries this film and it deserves to be more than only a cult classic. Starring Tate Donovan as Hercules Josh Keaton as Young Hercules Roger Bart as Young Hercules' Singing Voice. Danny DeVito as Philoctetes James Woods as Hades Susan Egan as Megara Rip Torn as Zeus Samantha Eggar as Hera. Lillias White as Calliopes Cheryl Freeman as Melpomene LaChanze as Terpsichore Roz Ryan aa Thaila Vaneese Thomas as Clio Bobcat Goldthwait as Pain Matt Frewer as Panic Patrick Pinney as the Cyclops Hal Holbrook as Amphitryon Barbara Barrie as Alcmene Amanda Plummer as Clotho Carole Shelley as Lachesis Paddi Edwards as Atropo Paul Shaffer as Hermes Jim Cummings as Nessus, Tall Theban, & Elderly Theban. Wayne Knight as Demetrius Mary Kay Bergman as the Earthquake Lady Corey Burton as the Burnt Man Kathleen Freeman as the Heavyset Woman Keith David as Apollo Charlton Heston as opening narrator. Frank Welker as Pegasus. Songs be Alan Menken & David Zippel Screenplay by Ron Clements, John Musker, Donald McEnery, Bob Shaw, & Irene Mecchi Directed by John Musker & Ron Clements Release date June 13, 1997 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

Trailer for the 1996 musical drama based on the 1831 novel by Victor Hugo. Plot: A physically disabled shut in seeks for a life accepted within the community This film was another animated epic but is reminiscent of the more experimental animated features Walt Disney attempted to make with Fantasia and the unproduced Hiawatha. The film was released during the height of a national Disney boycott by several Christian denominations over some of the unbiblical agenda that the company was pushing via policies, films, and theme parks. Though written out of history, it's interesting to compare the box office income with this film to its predecessors and ask how could it have not played a role. Starring Tom Hulce as Quasimodo Demi Moore as Esmeralda Heidi Mollenhauer as Esmeralda's singing voice Tony Jay as Judge Claude Frollo Kevin Kline as Captain Phoebus Paul Kandel as Clopin Jason Alexander as Hugo Charles Kimbrough as Victor Mary Wickes & Jane Withers as Laverne David Ogden Stiers as the Archdeacon Songs be Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz Screenplay by Tab Murphy, Irene Mecchi, Bob Tzudiker, Noni White, & Jonathan Roberts Directed by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise Release date June 19, 1996 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

Trailer for the 1996 musical drama based on the 1831 novel by Victor Hugo. Plot: A physically disabled shut in seeks for a life accepted within the community This film was another animated epic but is reminiscent of the more experimental animated features Walt Disney attempted to make with Fantasia and the unproduced Hiawatha. The film was released during the height of a national Disney boycott by several Christian denominations over some of the unbiblical agenda that the company was pushing via policies, films, and theme parks. Though written out of history, it's interesting to compare the box office income with this film to its predecessors and ask how could it have not played a role. Starring Tom Hulce as Quasimodo Demi Moore as Esmeralda Heidi Mollenhauer as Esmeralda's singing voice Tony Jay as Judge Claude Frollo Kevin Kline as Captain Phoebus Paul Kandel as Clopin Jason Alexander as Hugo Charles Kimbrough as Victor Mary Wickes & Jane Withers as Laverne David Ogden Stiers as the Archdeacon Songs be Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz Screenplay by Tab Murphy, Irene Mecchi, Bob Tzudiker, Noni White, & Jonathan Roberts Directed by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise Release date June 19, 1996 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

Trailer for the 1995 musical epic suggested by the American historical figure Pocahontas. Plot: Romeo & Juliet set in the settling of America This film began as a traditional animated feature where the animals talked. Kohn Candy was a deleted turkey character named Redfeather and Stephen fry was the voice of Percy the pug. After the Best Picture Oscar nomination of Beauty & the Beast, Jeffery Katzenberg aborted that version in an attempt to pander for Oscar gold with a tailor-made Best Picture. It was not successful and very few people cite Pocahontas as their favorite Disney film. In recent years, the film is even attacked as being racist even though Disney pandered to every PC "expert" of the time. Katzenberg left Disney before the competition of this film and his debut animated feature there would be another animated epic based on the story of Moses called the Prince of Egpyt. Starring Irene Bedard as Pocahontas Judy Kuhn as singing voice of Pocahontas Mel Gibson as Captain John Smith David Ogden Stiers as Governor John Ratcliffe & Wiggins John Kassir as Meeko Russell Means as Chief Powhatan Jim Cummings as singing voice of Chief Powhatan & Kekata Christian Bale as Thomas Billy Connolly as Ben Joe Baker as Lon Linda Hunt as Grandmother Willow Danny Mann as Percy Frank Welker as Flit, Michelle St. John as Nakoma James Apaumut Fall as Kocoum Gordon Tootoosis as Kekatan. Songs be Alan Menken & Stephen Schwartz Screenplay by Carl Binder, Susannah Grant, & Philip LaZebnik Directed by Mike Gabriel & Eric Goldberg Release date June 10, 1995 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

Trailer for the 1997 musical comedy adventure based on ancient Greek mythology. Plot: Hercules is on a quest to become a true hero while facing the menacing Hades. This film was an anomaly for the time in that it was primarily a comedy film among a sea of animated epics but it still retained the epic scale of the post-Beauty & the Beast period. The film was a box office disappointment, perhaps in large part due to the Christian boycott of Disney that was ongoing at the times. It's really James Woods' masterful performance as Hades that carries this film and it deserves to be more than only a cult classic. Starring Tate Donovan as Hercules Josh Keaton as Young Hercules Roger Bart as Young Hercules' Singing Voice. Danny DeVito as Philoctetes James Woods as Hades Susan Egan as Megara Rip Torn as Zeus Samantha Eggar as Hera. Lillias White as Calliopes Cheryl Freeman as Melpomene LaChanze as Terpsichore Roz Ryan aa Thaila Vaneese Thomas as Clio Bobcat Goldthwait as Pain Matt Frewer as Panic Patrick Pinney as the Cyclops Hal Holbrook as Amphitryon Barbara Barrie as Alcmene Amanda Plummer as Clotho Carole Shelley as Lachesis Paddi Edwards as Atropo Paul Shaffer as Hermes Jim Cummings as Nessus, Tall Theban, & Elderly Theban. Wayne Knight as Demetrius Mary Kay Bergman as the Earthquake Lady Corey Burton as the Burnt Man Kathleen Freeman as the Heavyset Woman Keith David as Apollo Charlton Heston as opening narrator. Frank Welker as Pegasus. Songs be Alan Menken & David Zippel Screenplay by Ron Clements, John Musker, Donald McEnery, Bob Shaw, & Irene Mecchi Directed by John Musker & Ron Clements Release date June 13, 1997 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.

Trailer for the 1991 science-fiction historical adventure film based on the comic books by Dave Stevens. Plot: A pilot finds himself thrust into an adventure with Chicago gangsters, Nai spies, government agents and more when he discovers a wearable engine stowed away in his airplane hanger. There was a stretch in the late 1980's/early 1990's where the Walt Disney Company was striving to produce films in the tradition of Walt and this is one of them. There was high hopes that this film would launch a new franchise in the tradition of Indiana Jones. Due to a variety of factors, the film didn't find an audience upon initial release but gained a cult following in the years since. Director Joe Johnston was hired to direct the first Captain America movie because of his work on this film. Starring Billy Campbell as Clifford Secord ("The Rocketeer") Alan Arkin as A. "Peevy" Peabody Jennifer Connelly as Jenny Blake Paul Sorvino as Eddie Valentine Terry O'Quinn as Howard Hughes Timothy Dalton as Neville Sinclair Ed Lauter as FBI Agent Fitch James Handy as FBI Agent "Wooly" Wolinski Jon Polito as Otis Bigelow Eddie Jones as Malcolm Robert Guy Miranda as Spanish Johnny Nada Despotovich as Irma William Sanderson as Skeets Margo Martindale as Millie John Lavachielli as Rusty Clint Howard as Monk Melora Hardin as South Seas Singer Rick Overton as South Seas Patron Max Grodénchik as Wilmer Tiny Ron Taylor as Lothar Don Pugsley as "Goose" America Martin as Patsy Michael Milhoan as Jeff Daniel O'Shea as Mike Joe D'Angerio as Stevie Tommy J. Huff as Lenny Pat Crawford Brown as Mrs. Pye Paul DeSouza as Pauly Gene Daily as Clark Gable Bob Leeman as W.C. Fields Julian Barnes as Charlie Songs by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman & Mel Leven and George Bruns. Story by Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo, & William Dear Screenplay by Danny Bilson & Paul De Meo Directed by Joe Johnston Release date June 21, 1991 Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.