What happened in history on this day: February 3?
On February 3 in …Disney History
1926 – Disney ships the 30th Alice Comedy film, Alice’s Mysterious Mystery, to to M.J. Winkler Productions.
1929:
The Film Daily announces that Mickey Mouse cartoons
will be distributed internationally:
“Mickey Mouse” Goes Abroad
Contracts were closed this week between International Photo Play Distributors and Charles J. Giegerich, eastern representative for Walt Disney, whereby International secures foreign rights to the Disney “Mickey Mouse” animated sound cartoons.
1930 – Roy Disney signs a contract for Disney merchandising, with George Borgfeldt & Company of New York, to produce toys with Mickey and Minnie Mouse characters.(Many consider this the beginning of Disney merchandising.) The Disney Company will receive 2 ½% royalties on items of 50₵ or less, 5% for more expensive items. Unfortunately as
the Disney organization is small, it will have a difficult time controlling the quality of the merchandise.
1931 – The Silly Symphony film Birds of a Feather is released to theaters.
1939 – The Mickey Mouse film Society Dog Show is released to theaters. Pluto and Fifi also appear.
1941:
Disney’s animated feature Pinocchio is released in Sweden.
1945 – RKO Radio Pictures releases Disney’s animated and live-action feature film The Three Caballeros to theaters in the US. After a brief initial run, Walt pulls the film from general release, due to bad press reviews. It includes the animated short films The Cold-Blooded Penguin, The Flying Gauchito, Baia, and Le Pinata, all with Donald Duck.
1963 – The NBC TV network airs the Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color show, entitled Greta, The Misfit Greyhound.
1967:
The article “Disneyworld Amusement Center with Domed City Set for Florida”
appears in the New York Times the day after Walt Disney Productions announces
plans to build the world’s first glass-domed city.
1974 – The NBC TV network airs The Wonderful World of Disney show, entitled Carlo, the Sierra Coyote.
1977:
On this day’s episode of The New Mickey Mouse Club, Mickey Mouse’s life story is traced from Steamboat Willie to his role as leader of the Club!
1985 – The Disney Channel airs the Disney Channel Premiere Film Lots of Luck.
1986:
Pixar ceases being part of the Lucasfilm empire and becomes an independent company. At this time, the new enterprise, owned mostly by Steve Jobs (as of January 30) along with Ed Catmull & Alvy Ray Smith, is in the advanced computer hardware business. Pixar was founded as the Graphics Group, one third of the Computer Division of Lucasfilm that was launched in 1979 with the hiring of Catmull. (It will be nearly a decade until Pixar Inc. becomes Pixar Animation Studios, known for producing some of the greatest animated films ever.)
1989 – Disney issues new $1 and $5 Disney Dollars at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. The $1 bill depicts Mickey Mouse on one side, and Sleeping Beauty Castle on the other. The $5 bill depicts Goofy on one side, with the other side showing EPCOT Center’s Spaceship Earth and the Empress Lilly Riverboat.
1993 – The Touchstone Pictures live-action feature film The Cemetery Club premieres in the US.
1993 – Buena Vista releases the Walt Disney Pictures live-action feature film Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey to delected theaters in the US. The film is a remake of the 1963 film The Incredible Journey.
1993 – CBS TV airs the Disney special The Best of Disney Music: A Legacy in Song, part one.
1995 – Buena Vista Pictures releases the Hollywood Pictures live-action feature film Miami Rhapsody to theaters in the US.
1998 – Buena Vista Home Video releases the film G.I. Jane on videocassette.
1998 – Buena Vista Home Video releases the film Hercules on videocassette.
1998:
The soundtracks to both the animated features Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Peter Pan are both reissued to CDs.
2001:
The animated series Disney’s House of Mouse airs the 3rd episode
“The Three Caballeros.” When no one remembers Donald Duck is the third member of the Three Caballeros, he sets out to redefine himself as the big star of the group… much to the chagrin of Mickey and everyone else!
A smoking electrical panel triggers a fire alarm at Disneyland, prompting an evacuation of the new California Adventures attraction. Employees evacuate a movie theater and simulation ride when smoke coming from a ventilation system clouds an IMAX giant screen. Moviegoers experiencing the “Soarin’ over California” hang-gliding film are ushered out. Firefighters are called but thankfully no one is hurt.
2002:
Super Bowl XXXVI MVP Tom Brady of the New England Patriots proclaims “I’m going to Walt Disney World!” following his team’s 20-17 victory over the St. Louis Rams in New Orleans. The twenty-four-year-old quarterback tapes the 32nd episode of the famous Disney commercial following the game.
2004:
Disney’s The Lion King 1 1/2: Songs from Timon & Pumbaa’s Hilarious Adventure is released on Walt Disney Records. The collection includes a pop rendition of “Grazing in the Grass” performed by Raven, and a new track “That’s All I Need” by Elton John and Tim Rice.
2005:
It is announced that Rotten Tomatoes, the online source for gauging the critical reaction for movies, has given The Incredibles its Golden Tomato Award for 2004 in the Wide Release category. (The Golden Tomato Award is handed out annually by Rotten Tomatoes in recognition of the year’s best-reviewed films.)
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and his entourage visit Walt Disney World.
It is reported that DisneyHand, worldwide outreach for The Walt Disney Company, WLS-Channel 7, WLS-AM (890), WZZN-FM (94.7), WMVP-AM (1000) and WRDZ-AM (1300), have committed $500,000 in cash and public service air time to the Museum of Broadcast Communications. The donation will support the development of the new Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago.
2007:
The Walt Disney Company announces a $50,000 donation to the American Red
Cross to aide in relief efforts following the severe storms and tornados that struck
Central Florida the night before.
In Los Angeles, the DGA Awards are presented by Directors Guild of America.
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs goes to Kenny Ortega, Don Schain, Matias Alvarez & Tobijah Tyler for High School Musical.
2008:
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning declares, “I’m going
to Disneyland!” following his team’s dramatic 17-14 win over
the New England Patriots at Super Bowl XLII.
Disney Channel debuts “Lights, Candace, Action!” the 5th episode of Phineas and Ferb.
2010:
Volume II issue I of D23’s magazine Disney twenty-three
premieres. The Spring 2010 issue features a celebration of the Disney
Studio Lot on its 70th anniversary
2011:
Pixar Animation Studios celebrates its 25-year anniversary.
2013:
Quarterback Joe Flacco leads the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl win in New
Orleans. Immediately following his team’s 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Flacco stares into a
camera and shouts “I’m Going To Disney World!” The iconic moment will be used as part of a national TV
commercial the following day. Flacco will have the honor of starring in the 46th version of the famous TV spot
2014:
Disney’s latest “Going to Disney World” ad premieres during this morning’s edition of
“Good Morning America” and ESPN’s “SportCenter.” Super Bowl XLVIII MVP Malcolm Smith of the
Seattle Seahawks is the newest in a long line of victors to proclaim he’s “going to Disney World!” As a linebacker,
Smith is the first defensive player ever to star in the Disney World / Disneyland commercial.
Also featured in the ad is the singing voice of Idina Menzel (known to fans of Disney’s Frozen).
Later in the day Smith rides with Mickey Mouse in a parade through the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World
2017:
The former Fulton’s Crab House — which was once the Empress Lilly riverboat
restaurant — hosts a grand opening event as the redesigned Paddlefish at Disney
Springs. (Walt Disney World’s shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, which had been known as
Downtown Disney for a couple of decades, has been undergoing a major expansion and transformation. Now
dubbed Disney Springs, visitors have about twice as many locations to shop and eat.)
Births on February 3
1918:
Animator Don Griffith is born in Butte, Montana (though his family moved to Hollywood after the passing of his father). His career began at the age of 19 as an inker at Disney Studios on Hyperion Street in Los Angeles. Griffith’s nearly 50 years at Disney included teaching at Cal Arts and working as a layout, background and art director on such features as Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, The AristoCats and The Black Cauldron. Despite a lack of training as an artist before he started working for Disney, Griffith became one of the studio’s key Art Directors.
1925:
John Fiedler, the original voice of Piglet in many of Disney’s
Winnie the Pooh movies and TV programs, is born in
Platteville, Wisconsin. An actor in stage, film, television and
radio, Fiedler’s four decade career included the original cast of A Raisin
in the Sun and the role of Mr. Peterson, one of Dr. Hartley’s more
likable patients, for five seasons on the 1970s The Bob Newhart Show,
a classic CBS sitcom. He also appeared in The Odd Couple (both the feature
and TV series) and two episodes of The Twilight Zone
1956:
Tony Award-winning actor of stage and screen Nathan Lane is born
Joseph Lane in Jersey City, New Jersey. He is the voice of Timon in Disney’s
1994 The Lion King (and countless spin-offs) and the voices of both Spot & Scott in Disney’s
2004 feature Teacher’s Pet. He received three nominations and won two Daytime Emmy Awards for Timon and Pumbaa and TV’s Teacher’s Pet. Lane is also the voice of Tom Morrow, the Audio-Animatronic
host of Epcot’s Innoventions. (You may know him as Albert in The Birdcage, Max Bialystock in the musical
The Producers, and Ernie Smuntz in MouseHunt.)
1978:
Actress, songstress, and historian Eliza Schneider is born. Her Disney credits include Finding Nemo,
Kingdon Hearts II, and the video game Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (as the voice of Elizabeth Swann).
Actor Adrian R’Mante, best known for his role as Esteban Julio Richardo Montoya De La
Rosa Ramirez on the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody,
is born in Tampa, Florida.
1982:
Actress Ashley Brown is born in Gulf Breeze, Florida (near Pensacola). Her Disney credits include the live stage shows On the Record (as Kristen), Beauty and the Beast (as Belle), and Mary Poppins (originating the title role on Broadway). In October 2009, Brown performed the role of Snow White in the world symphonic premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – A Symphonic Retelling, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
1989 Actor Ryne Sanborn, known for his role of Jason Cross in the Disney High School Musical films, is born in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Deaths on February 3
1969:
Cartoonist Al Taliaferro, known as the first artist of Donald Duck newspaper comics, passes away in Glendale, California, at age 63. Born in 1905, he initially was hired by Disney in 1931 as an animator. Later transferred to the comic strip department, he first lettered the Mickey Mouse strips (from March 1931 to July 1932) and then drew the Bucky Bug comics as well as Silly Symphonies pages (from 1932 to 1939). Among the Silly Symphonies adaptations was “The Little Red Hen” – the debut of Donald Duck. While working on the Donald Duck strips, he also created Donald’s nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie! Taliaferro created the Donald Duck pantheon and established the elements upon which Carl Barks and other Disney artists would draw. Until Barks began creating original stories for comic books, Taliaferro’s work offered the definitive portrait of Donald Duck. Charles Alfred Taliaferro was posthumously honored a Disney Legend in 2003.
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