Take note that on this day in 1940 the animated musical extravaganza Fantasia held its world premiere at the Broadway Theatre in New York. Not resting on his laurels after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney decided to create “an entirely new form of entertainment,” as music critic, composer, author, …
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When Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip opens, we see Mickey at a train depot, at the Burbank, California home of the Disney Studios. The happy-go-lucky mouse is ready to board a train with his pup pal, Pluto, until the conductor, that dastardly Pete, literally kicks the duo to the ground, proclaiming, “No dogs allowed!” Sneaking …
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In Window Cleaners, the 26th of 128 Donald Duck cartoon shorts, Donald learns that cleaning the windows of a skyscraper can be a real “pane.” If it’s not Pluto who is causing him misery, it’s a pesky bee. This would not be the last time a bee would play nemesis to Donald. By 1948 the …
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Even a big Hollywood star needs a vacation, so Donald took to the great outdoors in the 25th Donald Duck cartoon short, Donald’s Vacation, which was released on this day in 1940. In this hysterical short, encountering a waterfall while kayaking is our beloved duck’s first annoyance—and after that things just got worse. Although Chip …
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In the hilarious Mr. Duck Steps Out, Donald learns a valuable lesson: That when it comes to love, two is company and three is a crowd — especially when three is in the form of Huey, Dewey, and Louie, Donald’s irascible trio of nephews. In the short, Donald is first seen at the height of …
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On this day in 1940, Disney employees completed their move to the current Burbank home of the Walt Disney Studios, but Associated Press reporter Robin Coons was not sure if this meant big change in the future of Disney’s work. She wrote at the time, “I was worried because the removal to the new factory, …
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One of Tugboat Mickey‘s pure joys is seeing Mickey, Donald, and Goofy together in one short — and the madcap trio light up the screen in this cartoon just as they had to highly comedic effect in shorts such as The Whalers (1938) and Clock Cleaners (1937) all the way back to Mickey’s Service Station …
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When the legendary Studio Theatre opened its doors at 7 p.m. on this day in 1940 at the Disney Studio Lot, guests enjoyed a special lineup of films, which included an RKO Pathé Newsreel, MGM’s Mad Maestro cartoon, an episode of the RKO short-movie series Information Please and a double feature of Shirley Temple in …
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Many a celebrity has enjoyed dining at the commissary at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, including Walt Disney himself. And while the commissary interior has seen major changes over the years, it remains a comfortable place to take a break for a bite to eat. In 1979, actress Cloris Leachman made no secret that …
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In the Donald Duck cartoon short The Riveter, released in theaters on this day in 1940, evil Pete, this time a construction foreman, fires a pig who is a riveter, and Donald Duck quickly applies for the job. Inexperienced, Donald soon has problems with the riveting gun, causing all kinds of high-rise havoc. Although silly …
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