Tag: Puppet
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20th Century Music Company | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 20, 1999
On this day in 1999, the 20th Century Music Company opened on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland. At its debut, the shop sold Disney CDs and videos. Today, one can find a selection of Disney pins. The location formerly housed the Tobacco Shop from opening day until 1990. The Main Street Chief statue still stands…
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Bill Barretta | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 19, 1964
On this day in 1964, Muppets puppeteer Bill Barretta was born! He has performed with the Jim Henson company since 1991 and has taken on many of Jim Henson’s roles in the Muppets, including Dr. Teeth, Rowlf, Mahna Mahna, and the Swedish Chef! He performs quite a few other characters and has been a part…
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Tarzan | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 18, 1999
On this day in 1999, ‘Tarzan’ was released in theaters. It was Disney’s 37th animated feature and the last movie considered to be part of the Disney Renaissance. The plot of the film was based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’s novels, ‘Tarzan of the Apes.’ It would be the first film to use Deep Canvas, a…
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Finding Dory | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 17, 2016
On this day in 2016, Disney-Pixar’s ‘Finding Dory’ was released in theaters. It was a sequel to 2003’s ‘Finding Nemo’ and brought back most of the original cast. Its plot focused on Dory’s journey to reconnect with her family and find her origins. ‘Finding Dory’ would become the third highest grossing movie of 2016, only…
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Magic Journeys | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 16, 1984
On this day in 1984, the 3D film ‘Magic Journeys’ began a two-year run in Tomorrowland at Disneyland, first on the outdoor Space Stage and later in the Magic Eye Theater. The show originally premiered in EPCOT in 1982 and was Walt Disney Imagineering’s first 3D film for a Disney theme park. ‘Magic Journeys’ looked…
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Mad T Party | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 15, 2012
On this day in 2012, guests of the Mad T Party fell down the rabbit hole for the first time at Disney California Adventure. Visitors entered a modernized, off-kilter version of the Alice in Wonderland universe, complete with a live band, a DJ spinning the hottest tracks, curious entertainment, arcade games, dance parties, and specialty…
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Matterhorn Bobsleds | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 14, 1959
On this day in 1959, the Matterhorn Bobsleds opened at Disneyland, along with the Monorail and the Submarine Voyage. Disney’s scale version of the real Matterhorn in Switzerland stands 147 feet tall. It has two separate tracks that were laid out by Imagineer Bob Gurr, a project he cites as his most complicated. The bobsleds…
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The Incredible Hulk | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 13, 2008
On this day in 2008, ‘The Incredible Hulk’ was released. Although the movie was distributed by Universal Pictures, it was produced by Marvel Studios and is considered the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after ‘Iron Man.’ Self-professed Hulk fan Edward Norton took on the title role in this reboot, also rewriting much of…
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Tarzan | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 12, 1999
On this day in 1999, ‘Tarzan’ held its U.S. premiere at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood. Over 2,000 fans packed bleachers around the theater where celebrities and filmmakers paraded along a 100-foot red carpet. Three city blocks were cordoned off for the occasion. After the film, the 1,000 lucky attendees were treated to a…
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Silly Symphony Swings | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 11, 2010
On this day in 2010, the Silly Symphony Swings opened at Disney California Adventure. It is themed to the 1935 Mickey Mouse short ‘The Band Concert,’ which was not actually part of the Silly Symphony series. Following the plot of the short, a tornado arises that spins guests to either the “William Tell Overture” or…
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Kevin “Moochie” Corcoran | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 10, 1949
On this day in 1949, child actor and Disney Legend Kevin “Moochie” Corcoran was born. He acted in many memorable Disney projects between 1957 and 1963, including ‘Old Yeller,’ ‘The Shaggy Dog,’ ‘Swiss Family Robinson,’ ‘Toby Tyler,’ and ‘Pollyanna.’ Corcoran even appeared on three episodes of ‘The Mickey Mouse Club,’ although he was never considered…
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Don Grady | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 8, 1944
On this day in 1944, Mouseketeer, actor, and musician Don Grady was born. He joined the Mickey Mouse Club in 1957 at the age of 13. He also played Robbie Douglas on the classic sitcom, ‘My Three Sons’ between 1960 and 1972. Later in life, he became a composer. His work can be heard in…
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Tale of The Lion King | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 7, 2019
On this day in 2019, “Tale of the Lion King” made its debut at Disney California Adventure. The 25-minute show tied into the live-action ‘The Lion King’ film, released that year. An 18-performer troup called the Storytellers of the Pride Lands dramatized the classic tale through music, dance, and narration. The show closed at the…
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Susie the Little Blue Coupe | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 6, 1952
On this day in 1952, the cartoon short ‘Susie the Little Blue Coupe’ was released. It tells the story of Susie, a car that catches the eye of a high society man. She lives a pampered life until she gets too old and is traded in. Susie’s second owner is unkind and she is stolen…
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Mulan | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 5, 1998
On this day in 1998, ‘Mulan’ had its premiere at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The movie was produced on special DTS 70mm film, printed lighter to account for ambient light at the Hollywood Bowl. It was projected on an 85-foot screen that rose from the floor. Because the audience’s distance from the screen…
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The Three Lives of Thomasina | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 4, 1964
On this day in 1964, ‘The Three Lives of Thomasina’ had its wide release in theaters. Set in Scotland, Thomasina the cat brings an estranged family together with her death and mystifying reappearance. Added to the mix is a lovely but mysterious woman who seems to be able to heal animals. This would be the…
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Norway Pavilion | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 3, 1988
On this day in 1988, The Norway Pavilion opened at EPCOT, the second and most recent new pavilion to be added after opening day. The pavilion recreated a Norwegian village, complete with four authentic styles of architecture. Then-Crown Prince Harald V of Norway performed the dedication, which was broadcast live back home. Norway partially funded…
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Commando Duck | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 2, 1944
On this day in 1944, the Donald Duck short ‘Commando Duck,’ was released. It was made during World War II and was the only time that a regular character engaged in warfare. Donald parachutes into Japan with orders to destroy an airfield. He loses most of his gear except a rubber raft. It collects so…
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Typhoon Lagoon | DISNEY THIS DAY | June 1, 1989
On this day in 1989, the Typhoon Lagoon water park opened at the Walt Disney World Resort. In the park’s legend, a furious storm jumbled ships and gear across an idyllic paradise. Miss Tilly is the park’s icon–a shrimp boat that was impaled on Mount Mayday. Every half hour, a 50-foot geyser erupts from her…
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Colin Farrell | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 31, 1976
On this day in 1976, actor Colin Farrell was born in Dublin, Ireland. For Disney, Farrell has played Travers Goff, P.L. Travers’s troubled father, in 2013’s ‘Saving Mr. Banks,’ Holt Farrier in the 2019 live-action reimagining of ‘Dumbo,’ and Artemis Fowl Sr. in 2020’s ‘Artemis Fowl.’ His father and uncle were both professional soccer players,…
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Dick Nunis | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 30, 1932
On this day in 1932, Disney Legend and former chairman of Walt Disney Attractions Dick Nunis was born. Nunis played a significant part in transforming Disney Parks into a global enterprise over his 44-year career. He applied for a summer job at Disneyland on a whim. There he helped train the new park’s employees, including…
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Sister Act | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 29, 1992
On this day in 1992, Touchstone Pictures released the musical comedy ‘Sister Act.’ Whoopi Goldberg stars as Deloris, a nightclub singer who is forced to hide from the mob after witnessing a murder. She reluctantly takes refuge in a convent. Although Deloris is a fish out of water, her musical talent and free-spirited nature prevail.…
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Seven Dwarfs Mine Train | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 28, 2014
On this day in 2014, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opened at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom! It was part of the multi-year New Fantasyland expansion. The family-friendly coaster recreates scenes from 1937’s ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ inside both the queue and the attraction itself. Most of the Audio-Animatronics from the former Snow White’s…
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Pandora – The World of Avatar | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 27, 2017
On this day in 2017, Pandora – The World of ‘Avatar’ opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The land brings the Valley of Mo’ara from the world of Pandora to life, a generation after the events of the ‘Avatar’ movies. It features two headline attractions, Na’vi River Journey and ‘Avatar’ Flight of…