Q : My family was lucky enough to have a tour of the Disney Studios with animator Floyd Norman in March. We had a wonderful visit. When we were outside of the animation office 1D where Walt’s Nine Old Men worked, Floyd said that he was honored to share the office with such distinguished animators. He mentioned that he wished he had taken a picture of the placard outside of the office with his name added with the Nine Old Men. Do you have any pictures of the placard (or the office directory, or whatever it is called)? If so I would love for you to make Floyd happy with a picture of it.
Betsy, Kennewick, Washington
A: It is a building directory, which is changed as staff members move into or out of the building. I know of no photos.
Q : Dave, we just returned from the Seattle Fanniversary, and the Archives speaker Justin and the D23 speaker Billy got me thinking about the curatorship each of you have! So how many of you are there? Do you search the country (possibly the world) for Disney artifacts? Are there many items that were given away in the early days that are sought after? Does your team do actual restorations?
Keith, Port Orchard, Washington
A: While the number changes from time to time, there are currently about a dozen people in the Archives/Photo Library. The Archives staff is constantly on the lookout for materials for the collection—some things come on regular distribution lists and others are asked for separately. The Archives has been around long enough that it is well known within the company, and many cast members remember to call the Archives when they become aware of something that might add to the archival collections. There are indeed some items that were given away in the past that today would be kept for the Archives—one example being the camera and camera stand used to film Steamboat Willie. The staff does oversee restoration of fragile items.
Q : I read in the book Walt Disney and Europe by Robin Allan, on page 209, that in an interview (probably made by Robin Allan himself), Claude Coats stated that John Hench and Mary Blair had traveled in France to obtain first-hand impressions of the country houses, farms, and the general atmosphere for the movie Cinderella. What do we know exactly about the French places, castles, towns, and villages that were visited by these two artists, and what inspired them?
Michael, France
A: The Archives has no information on where they may have traveled.
Q : I recently acquired some photos in northern Michigan of an artist who supposedly worked at Disney in the ’40s or ’50s. His name is Ferris Parsons. Do you have any record of such a person working there? If so, in what capacity? I may try to write an article about him, if I can find enough information.
Brian, Brooklyn, New York
A: Ferris Parsons was not an artist at the Disney Studio, but rather a cameraman. He only worked in the Disney Camera Department for a little over three months, from September 21, 1942, to January 4, 1943.
Q : Dave, why didn’t Disney honor any new Disney Legends last year? It’s the first time they haven’t announced any new honorees since the program began, isn’t it?
Shaun, Kissimmee, Florida
A: Beginning in 2009, Disney started naming a new group of Legends every other year, at the D23 Expo.  So after 2009 there was a group in 2011 and there will be a group this year. There was no Legend ceremony in 1988, and in 1997 and 2002 the ceremonies were held in France for European Legends.  Two Legends were named in Japan in 1998. The 2001 ceremony was held at Walt Disney World; all the rest have been in California.