Walt Disney's Disneyland - A Tribute to Joel Chander Harris (1956)
1956 marked the first rerelease of Song of the South. The Academy Award winning film had been first released in 1946 and the characters were a beloved Walt Disney property. The Uncle Remus comic strip had been running since 1945 and would run until 1972. Walt had included animated segments from the film on his two Christmas special in the early 1950’s as well as his debut Disneyland episode. The Song of the South characters were a major part of Walt Disney’s stable of stars just like Pinocchio, the 7 Dwarfs, and the 3 Little Pigs.
For the 1956 rerelease, the film campaign revolved around Uncle Remus and his characters. It was a major campaign where a contest was held to send a few lucky families to the recently opened Disneyland. Due to war time shortages, far more merchandise was produced for this reissue than the film’s original release.
For his TV show, Walt produced a segment suggested by the childhood of author Joel Chandler Harris to advertise the film. Walt would produce similar segments on his show about authors Hans Christian Andersen, Washington Irving, composer Peter Tchaikovsky, and others. These types of segments interested children into reading more about the real figures’ lives and share a little bit on where these stories originally came from.
Here we present the Joel Chandler Harris episode as it originally aired commercials and all.
Starring
Jonathan Hale as J.A. Turner
Sam McDaniel as Herbert
Harry Shannon as Mr. Wilson
David Stollery as Young Joel
Barbara Wooddell as Mrs. Harris (as Barbara Woodell)
Original air date January 18, 1956
Celebrate stolen history by nominating a classic film, Song of the South, to the National Film Registry as Woke Disney is purging every aspect of it from existence. In theory, that's why the National Film Registry exists.
Walt Disney's Song of the South is the first Technicolor feature film made that blended live action with animation throughout the film.
The popular song Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah won the Oscar for Best Song. Woke Disney has purged this song from the theme parks and elsewhere.
Actor James Baskett is the first black actor to win an Oscar and it was for this film! He was honored with an eternal Oscar for his portrayal of Uncle Remus in Song of the South.
Actor Nick Stewart played Br'er Bear, started the Ebony Showcase Theater with the earnings from this film. He returned to play Br'er Bear again in Splash Mountain and remodeled the theater. He was a Civil Rights pioneer and said "Walt Disney treated us like kings."
Oscar winner Hattie McDaniel plays a major character in this film. She's the first black actress to win an Oscar for Gone with the Wind.
The characters from this film were a major part of Walt Disney's stable of stars and he frequently revisited them again and again in his television, commercial, theme park ventures and more. The Uncle Remus stories were very special to Walt and so was this film inspired by them.
Don't let Woke Disney erase important black, American, and cinematic history!
Please nominate this historic film to the National Film Registry as Woke Disney purges every aspect of this special film from pop culture.
The form is below.
https://www.research.net/r/national-fim-registry-nomination-form
Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.
64
views
2
comments
Walt Disney Pictures' Hercules (1997) Trailers & TV Ads
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.
40
views
Was Walt Disney A Freemason? A Rediscovering Walt Disney History 101 Video Essay #33
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.
145
views
Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain (1989)
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.
44
views
Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade (1985)
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.
78
views
Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade (1986)
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 second 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.
73
views
Disneyland 35th Anniversary Celebration (1990)
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.
33
views
The Disneyland Story with Harry Anderson (1990)
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.
25
views
Mickey Mouse's 60th Birthday Bash (1988)
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.
98
views
Walt Disney's Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs Golden Anniversary with Dick van Dyke (1987)
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.
81
views
2
comments
Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade (1984)
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.
42
views
The Making of The Little Mermaid (1989)
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.
36
views
The Making of Beauty & the Beast (1991)
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.
18
views
Walt Disney's Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs Live at Radio City Music Hall (1979)
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.
195
views
Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade (1985)
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.
26
views
Walt Disney World Happy Easter Parade (1986)
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.
33
views
Walt Disney World Very Merry Christmas Parade (1983)
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.
179
views
3
comments
Walt Disney Interview - Hollywood Past (1959)
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.
52
views
Walt Disney Pictures' Hercules (1997) Trailer
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.
75
views
Walt Disney Pictures' The Hurchback of Notre Dame (1996) Trailer
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.
21
views
Walt Disney Pictures' The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) Teaser Trailer
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.
22
views
Walt Disney Pictures' Pocahontas (1995) Trailer
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.
42
views
Walt Disney Pictures' Hercules (1997) Teaser Trailer
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.
27
views
Walt Disney Pictures' The Rocketeer (1991) Trailer
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.
69
views
Walt Disney's General Electric Industrial Film (1964)
This promotional film was produced to send General Electric executives to show them an update on the attraction they'd sponsored for the NY 1964-65 World's Fair, the Carousel of Progress. This is the debut of when anyone outside of the studio first heard the song Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow, here sung by Walt Disney with the Sherman Bros, his right-hand songwriting team. The Shermans said they viewed this song as Walt's theme song and a still from this short was used for the cover of their 1998 autobiographical scrapbook Walt's Time. It also inspired the cover of an early 90's compilation CD of their music. It should also be noted that while Bob Sherman (standing) walked with a cane due to a wound he suffered during WWII, he not only walks without it but does a little jump kick in the end exiting the film. He was willing to do that for Walt.
Posted for historical purposes. This channel is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.
22
views