Second Star to the Right, and Straight on ‘Til Morning
Good afternoon readers, and happy Daylight Savings! Hopefully everyone enjoyed an extra hour of sleep, and you’re ready to tackle the week.
Toys for Tots
This year, the Walt Disney company is taking its relationship with Toys for Tots to the next level with its first ever Ultimate Toy Drive.
Walt Disney and the animation studio first established their relationship with the United States Marine Corps charity in 1947, when Walt Disney animators designed the original Toys for Tots logo, which features a red train. This year, Disney is kicking off the toy drive with a $500,000 donation, and launching its digital toy drive.
This Week in Disney History: November 7th-November 13th
November 8, 1973
Disney's 21st animated feature film, Robin Hood, is released in theaters. The idea to adapt Robin Hood into an animated feature, with animals, dated back to Walt Disney’s interest in the tale of Reynard the Fox during his first full-length feature production, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).
The story of Reynard the Fox dates back to the 12th century, and focuses on the main character of Reynard, an anthropomorphic red fox and trickster figure. His adventures usually involve him deceiving other anthropomorphic animals for his own advantage or trying to avoid their retaliatory efforts.
The idea of a fox-like Robin Hood was repeatedly shelved until writer and production designer Ken Anderson incorporated ideas from it in a pitch to the studio for the legend of Robin Hood, using anthropomorphic animals rather than humans, during the production of The Aristocats (1970).
November 10, 2010
Songwriter Alan Menken received the 2,422nd star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard, in a ceremony near the El Capitan Theatre, honoring a career in which he has won eight Oscars and 10 Grammy Awards. Menken’s prolific Disney career includes work on the following films: The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Newsies (1992), Aladdin (1992), Pocahontas (1995), Hercules (1996), The Hunchback of Norte Dame (1996) and Enchanted (2007).
November 11, 1956
Walt Disney appears as a mystery guest on the TV game show “What’s my Line?” hosted by John Daly. The show featured a group of four blindfolded panelists who would determine guests' occupations - and, in the case of famous guests, while blindfolded, their identity through "yes" or "no" questions. Notable guests included: Elizabeth Taylor, Bob Hope, Ginger Rogers and Sammy Davis, Jr.
November 11, 1971
Disney's Bedknobs and Broomsticks opens at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. A combination of live-action and animation, the film is based on two books: The Magic Bed-Knob or How to Become a Witch in Ten Easy Lessons, and Bonfires and Broomsticks, both by author Mary Norton.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks is considered by some to be the end of an era in Disney film making, and the beginning of a new chapter. Production on the film began to ramp up after the success of Mary Poppins, and shortly after Walt Disney passed away. The film shares a lot in common with it’s predecessor. There is a combination of both live action and animated characters, and at one point Julie Andrews was slated to star in the film.
The dynamic song-writing team, The Sherman Brothers, would come together to compose the film’s songs before taking a 29 year break from the studio. They would later return in 2000 for The Tigger Movie. Bedknobs and Broomsticks would be the final live action film to be released during the lifetime of Roy O. Disney, Walt Disney’s brother, before he passed away in December 1971.
On August 14, 2021, Bedknobs and Broomsticks was adapted into a stage musical, and premiered at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle upon Tyne in Northern England. The musical was originally due to premiere at The Yard at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre from May 30th to July 28, 2019 as part of its 2018/19 season, but was delayed.
November 12, 1957
Disney stock is first listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
The company held its New York Stock Exchange IPO in 1957 and sold each share for $13.88. An initial investment of $1,000 in 1957, would have purchased 72 whole shares. During its company history, Disney has had six stock splits. The original 72 shares of stock would equal 27,648 shares today. At the end of the second quarter of 2018, Disney stock closed at $108.85 a share, making an initial 1957 $1,000 investment in Disney stock worth $3 million today. (Numbers based on 2018 third quarter reporting).
November 13, 1997
Disney's Broadway musical, The Lion King, opens at the New Amsterdam Theater in New York City to critical acclaim. Celebrities in attendance on opening night included, Sir Elton John (who wrote the show's music), Julie Andrews, and Mary Tyler Moore.
The ground-breaking production was directed by Julie Taymor, and featured original puppet design by Julie Taymor & Michael Curry. The musical featured an award-winning musical score and original songs by Sir Elton John and Tim Rice. The Lion King was nominated for 11 Tony Awards, taking home six awards, including Best Musical and swept the technical awards.
Watch Jason Raize bring the house down performing the original song, Endless Night.
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Disney in the News…
Air Force Colonel holds his promotion ceremony at EPCOT
This week the Disney Park’s Blog featured a story about Air Force Colonel Alex Fafinski receiving his military promotion at the American Adventure pavilion at Epcot. The Ceremony was held a few days ago and was attended by Colonel Fafinski’s family and a few close Disney friends. The Colonel chose Epcot as the site of his promotion ceremony because of his love of Disney.
Fafinski started visiting the resort as a young child with his parents, and he continued the tradition of Disney vacations with his family. Fafinski surprised his family in 2017 at Epcot, when he returned home from active duty. The Fafinski family has celebrated several milestones at Disney, and decided to include some of their Disney friends in his promotion story.
Click here to read the full story on the Disney Parks Blog.
Drawn to Life, premiering November 18, 2021
After being postponed due to the pandemic, Drawn to Life, a new show by Cirque du Soueil and inspired by Disney animation, will be taking up residence at Disney Springs this November. The show will have its grand opening on November 18, 2021, and is currently in previews.
The Show will be presented at Disney Springs, housed in the theater originally built for Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba. The theater was the first free-standing permanent structure built for a Cirque du Soleil show. The theater was designed by Michel Crête, Michel Aubé, Walt Disney Imagineering, and the architects of the Rockwell Group of New York. The building incorporated elements of fabric and tension reminiscent of the form of a circus tent.
Drawn to Life celebrates Disney’s extraordinary legacy in the art of animation, from the earliest pencil sketches to the feature films of today. The classic characters and moments from Disney Animation are reinterpreted through Cirque du Soleil’s innovative design, acrobatic performances, dazzling choreography and creative costuming alongside an original score inspired by timeless Disney music.
For more information, or to book tickets, please visit DisneySprings.com/Cirque.
Gingerbread is Back!
As of the beginning of November 2021, the holiday gingerbread houses have returned to The Walt Disney World Resort! Only the Christmas Trees were up last year due to the pandemic, so it is exciting to see the gingerbread houses return.
Using a classic Austrian gingerbread recipe, the Grand Floridian pastry chefs spend over 400 hours baking the 10,000 gingerbread pieces it takes to create the display. Once the base structure is complete, the chefs spend an entire week decorating the house with over 1,000 pounds of honey, 700 pounds of chocolate, 600 pounds of confectioner’s sugar, and many more ingredients! You might even find a few hidden Mickeys sprinkled throughout the decorations.
The Gingerbread house also acts as a sweet shop. Guests can purchase gingerbread and other confections from the small store located inside the house.
Coming later this week…
On November 13, 1940: Fantasia debuted to audiences in New York City
Walt Disney’s third full-length animated feature film, Fantasia, debuts in the Broadway Theatre in New York City. Conductor Leopold Stokowski, and the Philadelphia Orchestra are featured throughout the film. Fantasia contains eight animated segments set to famous works of classical music, including the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Night on Bald Mountain. It was rumored Bella Lugosi made several visits to the studio and acted as a live-action double for Chernabog in the Night on Bald Mountain sequence.
Fantasia is also notable because it marks the first time Mickey Mouse appears in a full length feature film. Up until this point, Mickey had only appeared in short cartoons and Silly Symphonies. Join us later this week as we explore the history behind the film.
Disney Trivia XII: A Veterans Day Salute
Check your email this Friday as we offer a salute to our veterans with Disney military trivia. Walt Disney loved the military, and wanted to enlist in the United States Army during World War I. While Walt was too young to enlist, his older brother, Roy, served in the United States Navy from 1917-1919. Walt was later accepted into the American Red Cross, and served as an ambulance driver during World War I.
“Tomorrow will be better as long as America keeps alive the ideals of freedom and a better life.”
-Walt Disney
In 1941, the Walt Disney Studio played an active role during World War II by producing war propaganda films for each branch of the US armed forces. Soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii, the US Army occupied the Walt Disney Studio to protect a nearby Lockheed aircraft plant from enemy air raids. The Disney Studio was the only studio in Hollywood under military occupation during the war. Soon after the start of the occupation, Walt Disney was approached with requests from the US Armed Services to produce propaganda films. On December 8, 1941, the studio settled on its first film contract with the US Navy.
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Stay optimistic, and see you real soon!
Sincerely,
Harper