It’s no secret that creativity runs in the Disney family. From animation and engineering to storytelling, design, and many other schools of expression, channeling the imagination runs in the blood of Disney cast members, employees, and Imagineers. Disney Family Album, which continued the unique tradition of letting the public in on Disney’s behind-the-scenes magic, premiered on Disney Channel in 1984. Narrated by Hollywood superstar and comedian Buddy Ebsen, the Disney Channel television series celebrated a “who’s who” of the Company’s most extraordinary talent. Disney Legends Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, Marc Davis, Fess Parker, Annette Funicello, and Wally Boag and more told their stories in the series’ 20 episodes. Each began with a book, the hallmark of Disney storytelling, which opened up and revealed images from the Walt Disney Archives and another chapter from the Company’s storied past. As the half-hour documentary series eventually came to a close, Disney recognized the need to pay tribute to its most beloved individuals in an everlasting way—and the Disney Legends program was established in 1987 to recognize those individuals and their legacies.
