Tag: Puppet
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Frank Oz | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 25, 1944
On this day in 1944, puppeteer, actor, and director Frank Oz was born. Oz was recruited away from journalism school for a six-month tryout with the Muppets in 1963 and stuck with it ever since. You might know him as the human behind such iconic Muppets as Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Sam Eagle, Animal, Bert,…
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John C. Reilly | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 24, 1965
On this day in 1965, actor, comedian, and musician John C. Reilly was born. He is known for voicing Ralph in ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ and the sequel, ‘Ralph Breaks the Internet.’ In addition, Reilly contributed to the story for ‘Wreck-It Ralph.’ He lent his voice to Disneynature’s ‘Bears’ and appeared as Corpsman Rhomann Dey in the…
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X-Men Days of Future Past | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 23, 2014
On this day in 2014, ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ was released by 20th Century Fox. It was the seventh X-Men film in the franchise. The story jumped between 1973 and 2023, making it the second film in chronological order. The X-Men send Wolverine back in time to change history and prevent an apocalyptic future…
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The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 22, 2009
On this day in 2009, ‘The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story,’ also known as simply ‘The Boys,’ began a limited run in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Palm Desert, California. The documentary chronicled the complex backstories and family lives of brothers Richard and Robert Sherman, the composers known for some of Disney’s…
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New Tomorrowland | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 21, 1998
On this day in 1998, New Tomorrowland was dedicated in Disneyland. Astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Wally Schirra were among the honored guests. New Tomorrowland was a retro-futurist retheme loosely inspired by Jules Verne and similar to Discoveryland in Disneyland Paris. The buildings, including Space Mountain, were repainted in bronzes, golds, and dark browns. The changes…
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Plaza Swan Boats | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 20, 1973
On this day in 1973, the Plaza Swan Boats first set sail on scenic journeys around the central waterway in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The Swan Boats were a ‘D’ ticket attraction. Round-trip tours included views of Cinderella Castle, the Swiss Family Treehouse in Adventureland, and Tomorrowland. There were 12 boats at…
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Donald’s Cousin Gus | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 19, 1939
On this day in 1939, the Donald Duck short ‘Donald’s Cousin Gus’ was released. Gus Goose, Donald’s cousin, surprises him at home. Gus has a generous appetite and decides to take advantage of Donald’s hospitality! This debut was both the first cartoon and the first pre recorded program to be broadcast in the U.S. on…
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EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 18, 2014
On this day in 2014, the 21st EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival would come to an end. Perhaps the most beautiful festival of the year at EPCOT, there are lots of flowers, topiaries, food, beverages, presentations, and performances! This festival also led to the arrival of the garden railway next to the Germany pavilion…
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Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 17, 2004
On this day in 2004, the first phase of Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa opened at Walt Disney World. It would be the seventh and largest Disney Vacation Club property to debut. The initial phase was called Congress Park, a reference to the city of Saratoga Springs, New York and its famed thoroughbred horse…
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Million Dollar Arm | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 16, 2014
On this day in 2014, the biographical sports drama ‘Million Dollar Arm’ was released by Walt Disney Pictures. Starring Jon Hamm, the film adapts the true story of two Indian cricket athletes who were discovered by a sports agent after winning a reality show competition. The agent’s goal is to train the players to become…
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Donald and Donna | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 15, 1937
On this day in 1937, “Donald and Donna,” the first Donald Duck comic book serial, was published in ‘Mickey Mouse Weekly’ #67 in the United Kingdom. The story was 15 pages long and was released in weekly episodes. Donald was joined on an adventure by Donna Duck, a predecessor to Daisy. After the first story,…
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Robert Zemeckis | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 14, 1954
On this day in 1952, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis was born. He is known for using visual effects in new and innovative ways. For Disney, Zemeckis directed 1988’s ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit,’ where he combined hand-drawn animation with live-action footage. He integrated groundbreaking performance capture techniques in his direction of 2009’s ‘A Christmas Carol.’…
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Up | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 13, 2009
On this day in 2009, the 62nd Cannes Film Festival opened with Disney-Pixar’s newest feature, ‘Up’ shown in 3D. It was the first time that either an animated or a 3D movie took the keynote position at the opening ceremonies. ‘Up’ was one of eight Out-of-Competition films to be screened that year. It was Disney-Pixar…
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Main Street Horseless Carriage | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 12, 1956
On this day in 1956, the red Main Street Horseless Carriage debuted at Disneyland. Imagineer Bob Gurr built the car from scratch using parts he sourced himself. He and fellow Imagineer Roger Broggie decided this was the best approach after scouting antique cars at a lot in San Bernardino. Many of the cars were in…
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Wishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 11, 2017
On this day in 2017, the fireworks spectacular ‘Wishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams’ held its final performance at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. A fan favorite show, ‘Wishes’ ran for over 13 years. It had several holiday adaptations, including for Halloween, the holiday season, the Pirate and Princess Party, and New…
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Tarzan the Musical | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 10, 2006
On this day in 2006, the ‘Tarzan’ musical opened on Broadway inside the Richard Rodgers Theatre. The plot stayed true to the storyline of the 1999 animated film with only minor changes. Phil Collins returned to write nine more songs for the musical in addition to the five original songs from the film. ‘Tarzan’ ran…
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Billy Joel | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 9, 1949
On this day in 1949, singer-songwriter Billy Joel was born. He is affectionately known as the “Piano Man,” after the hit song and album of the same name, as well as his extensive catalog of music. Joel branched out from musician to actor with his role as Dodger in Disney’s ‘Oliver & Company’ – a…
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Aladdin | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 8, 2019
On this day in 2019, the live-action adaptation of ‘Aladdin’ held its world premiere in Paris, France at the Le Grand Rex, a film and concert venue. The movie would be released in the U.S. on May 24. It would earn over $1 billion worldwide, making it the third-highest-grossing remake to date! The story was…
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Lady and the Tramp | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 7, 1988
On this day in 1988, the Disney Channel aired Lady and the Tramp for the first time. Not only would this be the first time that this love story about dogs aired on the Disney Channel, it would be the first time this show aired on television anywhere! The movie was originally released in theaters…
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Walt Disney World Railroad | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 6, 1969
On this day in 1969, Imagineers Roger Broggie and Earl Vilmer purchased five railroad engines from Yucatan, Mexico to be used for the future Walt Disney World Railroad.
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Soarin’ at EPCOT | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 5, 2005
On this day in 2005, the Soarin’ attraction opened inside The Land Pavilion at EPCOT.
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May the 4th | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 4, 1979
On this day in 1979, nearly two years after ‘Star Wars: A New Hope’ was released, the first known use of the pun, “May the Fourth Be with You” was published in ‘The London Evening News.’ The saying was a play on the phrase, “May the Force Be with You.” It came in an ad…
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When the Cat’s Away | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 3, 1929
On this day in 1929, the Mickey Mouse cartoon short ‘When the Cat’s Away’ was released. It was unique as the only classic cartoon to depict Mickey and Minnie as the size of regular mice. They are much larger in all other appearances. ‘When the Cat’s Away’ is also the last time that Minnie can…
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Iron Man | DISNEY THIS DAY | May 2, 2008
On this day in 2008, the Marvel Studios film ‘Iron Man’ was released in theaters. It was the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The plot follows billionaire playboy genius Tony Stark who is injured behind enemy lines when a weapons presentation goes wrong. He builds a primitive suit to escape captivity and then…