By Holly Brobst, Walt Disney Archives
This December we celebrate the 55th anniversary of the release of one of my favorite Disney films, That Darn Cat!
A 1965 “cops and robber” comedy from Walt Disney Productions, the film was produced by the inimitable trio of Walt Disney, Bill Walsh, and Ron Miller. Studio stalwart Robert Stevenson directed the star-studded…
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By Francesca Scrimgeour, Walt Disney Archives
Infinite Mystery! Unearthly Beauty! Fathomless Oceans! Claimed as “the mightiest motion picture of them all,” 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) is one of the most ambitious films ever created at The Walt Disney Studios. Both challenging to produce and legendary in its creative legacy, the movie is replete with…
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By Melissa Pankuch, Walt Disney Archives
Adapted from the 1962 novel written by Madeleine L’Engle, Disney’s 2018 film A Wrinkle in Time takes teenager Meg Murry, her little brother Charles Wallace, and friend Calvin to fantastical worlds in search for Meg’s missing father. Led by a trio known as the Mrs.’s – Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which – the…
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By Francesca Scrimgeour, Walt Disney Archives
“Absolutely, under no condition, whatsoever, is anyone in this family to fall in love with that baby!” Those were some of Willow Ufgood’s famous last words before embarking on a most remarkable adventure to protect little Elora Danan from the evil sorceress, Queen Bavmorda. As the story of Willow’s epic…
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By Rebecca Cline, Director, Walt Disney Archives
Inspired by the Mickey Mouse compilation film Mickey’s Birthday Party, which was itself released to celebrate Mickey’s 25th anniversary in 1953, Walt Disney Productions released this fun pamphlet for families. This vintage publication, sponsored by Weather-Bird Shoes, is full of ideas, games, and directions for a…
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By Katie Strobel, Walt Disney Archives
Fantasia (1940) celebrates its 80th anniversary on November 13, 2020, and is remembered to this day for its beautiful marriage of images to music. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences even honored conductor Leopold Stokowski and his associates with a Special Award for creating this new form of visualized music….
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By Christina Pappous, Walt Disney Archives
Today marks the 80th anniversary of the 20th Century Fox film The Mark of Zorro (1940), directed by Rouben Mamoulian and starring Tyrone Power as Don Diego Vega and his masked alter ego, El Zorro! Set during the days of Spanish California, The Mark of Zorro tells the story of the title character’s fight against the…
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By Katie Strobel, Walt Disney Archives
Mickey Mouse Book, published by Bibo and Lang in 1930, was the first Disney book. Along with being sold to the public, the book was also distributed to theaters that hosted Mickey Mouse Clubs and was given to the members. It begins with a story and a board game, both created by the publisher’s own 11-year-old daughter,…
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Original Story by: Ken Anderson
Compiled and Edited By: Amy Opoka, Walt Disney Archives
In early 1957, Walt Disney asked Imagineer and story artist Ken Anderson to come up with a haunted house experience for Disneyland. Ken conceived multiple early concepts for what would become the Haunted Mansion attraction, and pitched them to Walt Disney. Getting into the…
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By Heather Hoffman, Walt Disney Archives
With Halloween just around the corner, it is the perfect time to grab a cozy blanket, a big bowl of popcorn, and settle in to watch some classic spooky movies. If you’re a fan of suspenseful melodrama mixed with comedic satire, one classic film that should definitely be on your watchlist this season is Young…
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