The Ultimate Disney Fan Event launched this morning with all the magic you’d expect, as fans filled the massive Hall D23 at D23 Expo 2022 in Anaheim, California, for the incredible Disney Legends Awards Ceremony
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Tommy Kirk, the beloved and iconic star of such Disney family favorites from the 1950s and 1960s as Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog, Swiss Family Robinson, and The Misadventures of Merlin Jones, passed away at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Tuesday, September 28, at the age of 79. Kirk was named a Disney …
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Imagineer Bob Gurr has always been a man on the move. And, for almost 40 years, he helped move many a happy Disney theme park guest aboard vehicles and ride conveyances of his own design. As he’s often quipped, “If it moves on wheels at Disneyland, I probably designed it.” And he certainly has. Bob …
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Producer, lyricist, and Disney Legend Howard Ashman made a huge “splash” in the world of popular culture in 1989 with The Little Mermaid, which he also co-produced. His song “Under the Sea,” co-written with composer and Disney Legend Alan Menken, won an Oscar® that year for Best Song. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 17, 1950, the …
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The monumental career of singer, songwriter, and performer Sir Elton John has made him one of the top-selling solo artists of all time, with more than 200 million records sold worldwide. Winning a wide array of industry awards including Grammys®, Tonys®, and an Oscar®, Elton continues to add to his personal repertoire of 35 gold …
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While Tyrus “Ty” Wong worked at The Walt Disney Studios for only three years, between 1938 and 1941, his impact on the animated classic Bambi endures. As legendary animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston point out in their book about the making of the motion picture, “He set the color schemes along with the appearance …
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In the field of musical theatre, Lea Salonga has been honored with the Olivier, Tony®, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theatre World awards. In addition, she holds the distinction of having performed the vocal roles of two Disney leading ladies—the spectacular singing voices of Princess Jasmine and Mulan. Lea’s breakthrough came on the West …
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For 37 years at Disney, Wing T. Chao played a vital role in designing and developing exceptional and inspiring projects at Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide. Wing served as Vice Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for Asia Pacific Development, as well as Executive Vice President of Walt Disney Imagineering, where he oversaw master …
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“Life is a journey, not a destination,” said Hideo Amemiya, a 30-year cast member and one of Disneyland’s most distinguished senior leaders. Born in Tokyo on September 4, 1944, Hideo graduated from Rikkyo University in Tokyo with a bachelor’s degree in social science, and from the University of Massachusetts, with a bachelor’s degree in hotel …
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In 2018, when Mulan celebrated its 20th anniversary, Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen, voice of Mulan, reflected on the film’s impact: “I am ecstatic to have played a character with such long-lasting influence. Mulan is a role model not just for little girls but little boys, too. And for adults! I love it when the moms …
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By Zach Johnson At last, Disney Legend Jim Henson’s treasured variety series The Muppet Show will be available to stream on Disney+, today. In addition to the first three seasons, fans will also get to enjoy seasons four and five, which were never released on home entertainment. The Muppet Show, which premiered in 1976, stars …
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By Beth Deitchman Yesterday, Disney Legend Alan Menken joined not one but two very elite clubs: He is now an “EGOT”—a winner of an Emmy®, Grammy®, Oscar®, and Tony®—and he is also a “LEGOT,” having also received the Disney Legends Award in 2001. Only 16 people have achieved EGOT status over the years, but the …
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By Jeffrey Epstein On July 22, Disney Legend Ruthie Tompson turns 110, and the birthday celebration is already underway. At the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) campus where Ruthie resides, the staff has decorated the halls where she lives with her two favorite things: Disney and the Dodgers. “She is very excited to celebrate!” …
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By Julia Vargas, Walt Disney Archives The Ink & Paint Department at the Disney studio was an epicenter of artistry and innovation. In 1932, Grace Bailey came to Disney for a tryout when she found out they were looking for artists. She was put in charge of Paint during production of the Silly Symphony series when the studio was moving away from black- and- white pictures to vibrant …
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By Nicole Carroll, Walt Disney Archives Disney Legend Joyce Carlson began her impressive career with The Walt Disney Company in 1944, in the studio traffic department, where she was responsible for delivering mail and other items like pencils, brushes, or coffee to animators and artists. “Traffic was where you could get the lay of the …
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By Jocelyn Buhlman The stories of the Walt Disney Archives and Disney Legend Dave Smith will be forever tied together—Smith’s Disney career began on June 22, 1970, when he founded the Walt Disney Archives. Hired by Walt’s brother—and co-founder of The Walt Disney Company —Roy O. Disney, Smith was responsible for growing the Archives from …
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By Beth Deitchman This morning, the ultimate Disney fan event got off to the ultimate start as fans filled the 6,800-seat Hall D23 at D23 Expo 2019 for the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, sharing in the excitement as 12 incredible visionaries and artists were honored for their significant contributions to the Disney legacy. The special …
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UPDATED JULY 8, 2019 By D23 Team At every D23 Expo, we gather together to celebrate a new class of Disney Legends. The Disney Legends Awards ceremony—just one of the highlights of the ultimate Disney fan event—has honored many of Disney’s brightest stars and notable luminaries, starting with Fred MacMurray in 1987. Since then, The …
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By Francesca Scrimgeour On Friday, October 19, D23 Gold and Gold Family Members are invited to Lunch with a Disney Legend: Ron Logan at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn conference center at Walt Disney World Resort. During the special event, guests can enjoy a three-course luncheon with Ron and ask him about his 23 years at Disney, where he …
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Click here to purchase tickets! By D23 Team Mark your calendars! On Thursday, August 23, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club will begin selling tickets for the next D23 Expo, which will take place August 23–25, 2019, at the Anaheim Convention Center. The largest Disney fan event in the world, D23 Expo celebrates all the …
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By D23 Team All the magic and excitement of the past, present, and future of Disney entertainment will come together once again when D23 presents D23 Expo 2019 at the Anaheim Convention Center the weekend of August 23–25. Each of Disney’s magical worlds—including Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars—will unite under one roof to celebrate what’s …
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By Jocelyn Buhlman When we think of classic Disneyland attractions, many minds wander to haunted houses, salty old pirates, and children of the world. One Imagineer had a hand in bringing all of them to life: Disney Legend Harriet Burns, the first woman ever hired by Walt Disney Imagineering in a creative capacity. A “Model” Imagineer …
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By D23 Team As 2017 draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to look back at some of the most magical Disney memories from this past year. We experienced brand-new immersive attractions at Disney parks around the world, and we were thrilled by blockbuster feature debuts at multiplexes close to home. The last 12 …
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By D23 Team It’s been an exciting year to be a Disney fan, and an even more awesome year to be a D23 Member! Take a look at a few 2017 D23 highlights below––we’ll see you in the new year with even more magic! January: Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men After taking D23 Gold Members …
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By Jim Fanning Stars. They are meant to shine. And even when these bright lights are not necessarily noticed or significantly celebrated, their brilliance continues to sparkle. So it is with the true luminaries of animation as produced by Walt Disney, his top team of elite animators he affectionately nicknamed the Nine Old Men. This …
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Legendary Disney Imagineer Martin A. “Marty” Sklar passed away in his Hollywood Hills home on Thursday. He was 83. During an illustrious career spanning 54 years, Marty worked closely with Walt Disney and was instrumental in creating, enhancing and expanding Disney’s creative vision. Named a Disney Legend in 2001, he is best remembered and revered …
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By Beth Deitchman For a Disney fan, it’s hard to think of a more magical place than Hall D23 at the Anaheim Convention Center on this, the first day of D23 Expo 2017. The ultimate Disney fan event kicked off this morning with a spectacular D23 Expo tradition: the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, where a …
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By Courtney Potter Enter the bustling Anaheim Convention Center, and you’ll feel it. That special “something.” To say there’s excitement in the air is putting it mildly! A bevy of enchanting experiences await guests this weekend at D23 Expo 2017—and just hours ago, we got a special sneak peek of the Expo show floor… and …
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By D23 Team Walt Disney once said, “You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world… but it requires people to make the dream a reality,” and The Walt Disney Company has been honoring these dream makers in a very special way since 1987. The Disney Legends award was first …
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By D23 Team Can you believe we’re just five weeks away from D23 Expo 2017? We’ve already shared some of the exciting panels, presentations, and performances coming to the three-day event, but as D23 Expo veterans know, there’s so much more to explore! From Mousequerade to the making of Hercules, there’s a lot in store …
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