Yesterday, the Walt Disney Archives turned 55 years old. As part of the celebration of its 55th anniversary, the Walt Disney Archives created a film that shows how artifacts are added to the Walt Disney Archives collection. In this case, the artifact in question is a small Pinocchio figure. The idea for making a video that tells the story of an artifact came from Walt Disney’s legacy of being a storyteller.
“Walt Disney always intimated that great storytelling was at the heart of everything we do,” Rebecca Cline, Director, Walt Disney Archives, noted. “And that is still true today.”
As the Walt Disney Archives looked to celebrate its 55th anniversary, it seemed only fitting to follow in the company’s founder’s footsteps and tell a story. That story has come to life in the form of A Daring Journey into the Walt Disney Archives. This tells the story of a Pinocchio animator’s model that was used during the 1940 film. The video tells the story of this model that is filled with Easter eggs. Check it out here:
After the decision to tell the story through the eyes of an artifact was made by the Archives team, Joanna Pratt, Director, Operations & Business Strategy, Walt Disney Archives, came up with the idea to use the Pinocchio model. The result is the story being told of how this Pinocchio model goes from discovery to display, and all of the different things that go into preserving this piece of Disney’s legacy.
“Once acquired by the Archives, the asset is properly condition-reported, catalogued, and stored so we can associate a location and any condition details with that item,” Pratt explained. “Often, the item is extensively researched, so we know where, when, and how it was used prior to coming into the Archives. This is especially important so we have documentation to support any future use of the item, such as exhibition or display.”
The film follows the Pinocchio model’s visit to the Archives’ Digital Preservation lab, where it is captured in high detail and 3D scanned. Then, as should come as no surprise from a Disney story, things take a surprising turn as the model races away through the Archives. This offers an opportunity to see quite a few different things, including Mary Poppins’ Jolly Holiday dress. “We wanted to use this opportunity to showcase the breadth of our collection and, of course, a few of our ‘crown jewels,’” Pratt said.
The Walt Disney Archives also shared how the team has grown from a team of one to 40 members. “Our team has grown exponentially since 1970,” Pratt said. “What began as a department of one in 1970 has grown to over 40, and we are thrilled to feature them in this film.”
Disney Legend Dave Smith makes a cameo in the film as well. He is the one who founded the Walt Disney Archives in 1970. This came after Walt Disney’s passing, and Roy O. Disney approached Smith with the idea to create a business archive to preserve the history of the Disney organization.
“Together, the two men created the first entertainment archive in Hollywood,” Cline said. “Now, 55 years later, it is a model for corporate archives all over the world.”
The conclusion of the film shows Theodore (Ted) Thomas, the son of Disney Legend Frank Thomas (who helped animate Pinocchio in the 1940 film) as he admires the character model in its new home: A featured display case in Disney California Adventure. Ted Thomas is a motion picture director and producer in his own right.
“It was especially touching to work with Ted on this video since the model we feature in the display was likely among the few used by his father some 85 years ago,” Pratt shared.
55 years after being founded, the Walt Disney Archives is still looking to the future while being rooted in the past. “The Walt Disney Archives was founded on June 22, 1970—55 years ago—to protect, preserve, and share the history and legacy of The Walt Disney Company,” Cline said. “At that time, longtime employees and staff were retiring and passing on, so it became very important to save the historical documents, assets, and vast institutional knowledge that would have been otherwise lost.”
The Walt Disney Archives continues to hold a pivotal role in preserving the legacy of The Walt Disney Company and sharing its history with fans around the world. “We create wonderful historic programming to share that rich history, and also beautiful exhibits of actual artifacts,” Cline said. “Fans love to see the props, costumes, attraction vehicles, and art that were such an important part of their own childhoods and further life experiences.”
The Archives continues to preserve the ideals that have guided Disney for over a century.
“Today, the company still follows in the footsteps of Walt Disney, creating timeless stories, believable characters, and enchanting experiences,” Cline remarked. “It’s our job here at the Walt Disney Archives to make sure that everyone can learn how Walt himself made magic—and by keeping Walt’s legacy alive, we can make sure that we, as a creative company, are able to continue ‘making the magic’ in new and innovative ways.”
While the Archives continues to protect and preserve the past, it also looks towards the future. “The new stories that we tell at Disney today will be tomorrow’s history and legacy,” Cline said. “If we keep to our mission to protect, preserve, and share the history of The Walt Disney Company, we will continue to make sure that there is always Disney magic in the world—for the next 55 years, and beyond.”
