Fess Parker

Legendary Handprints – Fess Parker

By Julia Vargas, Walt Disney Archives To those who grew up in the 1950s, he was known as the “King of the Wild Frontier.” While not initially considered for the role, Fess Parker was handpicked by Walt Disney to play Davy Crockett in the new Disneyland television series after spotting him in the 1954 sci–fi …

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laugh-o-gram

Laugh-O-Gram Megaphone

By Rick Lorentz, Walt Disney Archives As an Archivist at the Walt Disney Archives, I’m often asked, “What is your favorite thing in the Archives?” and “What is the oldest object in the Archives?” For me, the most interesting pieces are the assets that were once the personal property of Walt Disney.  One example that …

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fantastic mr. fox

Fantastic Foxes

By Cesar Gallegos, Walt Disney Archives Wes Anderson’s Academy Award® nominated film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, follows the adventures of a clever fox and his family. The 2009 film also pays a nice homage to another film featuring an animated fox as its main character—Disney’s Robin Hood (1973). The scene in question shows Mr. Fox and …

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robin hood

What the Walt Disney Archives Staff is Watching on Disney+, Part Two

By The Walt Disney Archives Last week, we shared some of the Disney+ picks from the Walt Disney Archives Staff. Need more ideas for your watchlist?  The Archives team has selected a few of their favorites, and the reasons behind their picks, to help you make a selection in a pinch. From vintage classics to …

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pollyanna

Glad Tidings: The Walt Disney Archives Finds a Lost Treasure

By Becky Cline, Director, Walt Disney Archives Reverend Paul Ford: [reading Pollyanna’s locket] When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will. – Abraham Lincoln. Pollyanna: He was the President. Reverend Paul Ford: Yes, yes I know … but I never heard that before. Pollyanna:  Neither had my father. …

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20,000 leagues under the sea

What the Walt Disney Archives Staff is Watching on Disney+, Part One

By The Walt Disney Archives Grab some snacks and your remote and get ready to surf Disney+ with this movie guide from the staff of the Walt Disney Archives. With hundreds of titles to pick from, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the offerings found on the streaming service—the Archives team has selected …

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mary poppins archives

Practically Perfect Concepts

By Kevin Kern, Walt Disney Archives Mary Poppins represents a monumental work of artistry. From inception through development and production, the end result embodies a filmic experience so grand and unique that no one artistic stroke can take responsibility for the final product. Walt Disney’s keen sense of craftsmanship and eye for quality helped him …

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archives

History at Work: Disney Insider Goes Inside the Walt Disney Archives

By Robert Maxhimer, Walt Disney Archives One of the greatest benefits of developing and producing exhibitions for the Walt Disney Archives is having access to the seemingly endless resources from the rich and timeless history of The Walt Disney Company’s last 97 years. In fact, one of our greatest challenges in curating exhibitions is how …

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the princess bride

As You Wish: The Princess Bride and the Art of John Alvin

By Natalie Auxier, Walt Disney Archives In celebration of the release of The Princess Bride on Disney+, the Walt Disney Archives would like to shine a spotlight on John Alvin, the film’s talented poster artist. Born in 1948, he would go on to revolutionize the world of motion picture promotion and marketing. He had a …

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Jim Henson Muppet Vision

What’s in a Name? – Jim Henson

By Kevin Kern, Walt Disney Archives One of the more unique pieces found in the collections of the Walt Disney Archives represents a rather “out of the box” aspect of our operation… our Guest Book! Since being founded in 1970, we’ve had quite an array of special guests stop by to take a peek at …

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