Friday, December 30, 2011

This has become a tradition. Here are the Disney history books I consider as the best ones of the year. The competition was really tough in 2011, which is excellent news.

1. Timothy Susanin, Walt before Mickey: Disney's Early Years, 1919-1928 published by University Press of Mississippi; 2011.

2. David Gerstein (editor), Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: "Race to Death Valley" and Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: "Trapped on Treasure Island" published by Fantagraphics Books; 2011.

3. Don Ballard, Disneyland Hotel 1954-1959: The Little Motel in the Middle of the Orange Grove published by Don Ballard; 2011.

4. William Kallay, The Making of Tron: How Tron Changed Visual Effects and Disney Forever published by William Kalley; 2011.

5. Don Peri, Working with Disney: Interviews with Animators, Producers, and Artists published by University Press of Mississippi; 2011.

6. Lella Smith (editor), Walt Disney Animation Studios The Archive Series: Layout & Background published by Disney Editions; 2011.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

I stumbled recently upon this document designed by the Disney Studio in 1939 on the request of the Missouri Conservation Commision and I thought you would enjoy seeing it.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

This just in from Gunnar Andreassen:

[Recently I bought an issue of Collier's from 1934 with a short story with "Illustrations by Walt Disney Studio". I immediately recognized one of the illustrations, but it was a bit different from the sketch I remembered having seen earlier.

The sketch for this drawing is found in Canemaker's "Before the Animation Begins" It's rather grotesque, and I have thought that this was a drawing that had never been used. See enclosures. The dog sketch by Hurter has a somewhat "Mickey Mouse" looking animal as the lower jaw, and this probably didn't make it through the sensorship. Since Hurter was an inspirational sketch artist, other artists made the finished ones, here probably by someone in the Publicity Department.

I will guess that the other drawings also were based on sketches by Hurter, as all of them really do look Hurteresque.

There's reason to believe that Collier's also published another story where Hurter's sketches were the inspiration for the illustrations.]









Tuesday, December 27, 2011

This just in from Gunnar Andreassen:

[This illustrated chessboard that was sold at an auction some days ago.

It was sold at Bonham's - here's the description:

Lot No: 4400
A chessboard illustrated by various artists from the Disney Studios
1940s, paper adhered to wood, each black square on the chessboard is a reproduction of a drawing done by a Disney artist, representing their artistic style, a key on the reverse identifies each of the artist which include Kay Nielson, Bob Majors, Sola Franco, Gin Herwig, Jack Miller, Gustave Tenngren (sic), Dick Huemer, Martin Provensen, Fini Rudiger, Bill McKee, Dunn Roman, Shirley Soderstrom, Ward Kimball, Berk Anthony, Art Babbitt, Campbell Grant, Albert Hurter, Dick Kelsey, Bill Martin, Martin Provenser, Ford Moore, A.H., Bill Wallert, T. Hee, Jim Bodrero, Milt Kahl, Ernie Nordil, John Walbridge, Tony Rivera and Phil Dyke.

On the reverse is typed In 1940, while working in the story department of the Walt Disney Studio, Campbell Grant wheedled sundry fellow inmates into doing a picture chess board. The lower right picture of a weather vane by Phil Dyke is the key to the other names.18 x 18 in
Sold for US$375 inclusive of Buyer's Premium]






Monday, December 26, 2011

This just in from Ed Mazzilli:

[I was on your blog this morning and the post triggered a thought. Here are a couple of pictures. One of Walt, two of the Disney Day in Levittown schedule and one of the crowds waiting for Walt with a lot of signage. This was the dedication of the Walt Disney Elementary school in Levittown, Pa.

I came across these pictures while doing some research for a blog post I put up about a year ago about schools named after Walt.

I had found a lot of other schools using his name, but the one in Pa. was the only school Walt ever made the trip for the dedication. Note the artwork on the walls in the background. Artists from the Studio had come out to add the finishing touches. The pictures can be found on the PA Sate Museum Web site.









Do not miss today:

- The Disneyland Paris Book "From Sketch to Reality" is Back, and in the Limited Collector's Edition! by Alain Littaye

Friday, December 23, 2011

Jim Korkis recently stumbled upon this music sheet, supposedly illustrated by Floyd Gottfredson.

Merry Xmas to all of you!




Do not miss today:

- Bible Storyland - Some Clips by Todd James Pierce
- Disney History Stocking Stuffers by Jim Korkis
- What's My Crime? by Andreas Deja
- Early Mama Odie by Andreas Deja
- 1935 Mickey Mouse stocking stuffer on Vintage Disneyana Collectibles
- Snow White's premiere - 74 years ago tonight on Vintage Disneyana Collectibles

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Help Needed

Would one of you be able to send me a scan of the following document?

[Hamilton, Bruce, "Carl Barks and John Stanley" / transcribed by Milo George. Comics Journal No. 250 (February 2003) p. 159-162. Barks & Stanley are interviewed together by Bruce Hamilton in 1976 during a joint panel at New Con.]

Thanks in advance



This just in from Gunnar Andreassen:

[Babes in Toyland (also called March of the Wooden Soldiers) has previously been mentioned on your blog as a movie with "Disney contents", but I haven't seen a link to it. It's found on Youtube - even the full version. It can also be bought as a DVD or blu-ray. Here's a link to the colorized version, see "Mickey Mouse" and "The Three Little Pigs" from 01.26:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBKgh7LfiT0

The question is: The actor playing "Mickey Mouse" is he a monkey or a kangaroo ?]

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

This just in from Ralph Eggleston:

[My friend William Kallay put a LOT of effort into the Making of Tron book--and personally interviewed virtually all of the key players. It is, by far, the most informative book on the subject, and a quite intriguing look into Disney Studios in the late '70s-early '80s.]
This just in from Göran Broling:

[As you know I have a lot of Ollie's Christmas cards. I guess I received every one from 1978 until he had to quit making them himself just a couple of years or so before he passed away...

For the Christmas card in 1999 Ollie chose to use a photo of a Pinocchio bronze figurine, and pasted in a drawing of himself instead of Jiminy. His dear wife Marie became the Blue Fairy, always drawn with Mickey Mouse ears(!)

As a bonus Ollie also included a very interesting photo of himself and the sculptor, Disney artist Bruce Lau. The photo is from Ollie's home, and it seems that Ollie together with the sculptor are discussing the final approval look on the model used for making the figurine. As a mather of fact I even recognize what the model is standing on. It is Ollie's cookie box, because I have had cookies from that very same box at the same place with Ollie in 1998. :) Bright memories, I can tell you that!]

Last year, a U.K. group decided to do MouseVent...an audio Advent calendar relating to Disney Christmas with contributions from people like Jim Hill and Jim Korkis. They were so successful that they are doing it again this year. It is on line at www.mousevent.com and each day a new Christmas ornament is highlighted for a four to seven minute selection. You can go back and click on previously highlighted ornaments to hear any that you may have missed. (Jim Korkis will be heard today, December 21.)

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

I just stumbled upon this newly released book today and will order it extremely soon. Clearly a "must-have" as far as I am concerned.


Jim Korkis saw this posted at Mark Evanier's site www.newsfromme.com and felt that Disney fans might enjoy seeing this Movietone newsreel of musician Spike Jones performing Der Fueher's Face during wartime.




Do not miss today:

- Dorse Lanpher (1935-2011) by Jerry Beck
- The Season of Giving: Walt, Kay, and Disney Gifts by David Lesjak
- OSWALD AD - June 25, 1927 by Mark Sonntag
- 1932 - MICKEY MOUSE TRADE AD by Mark Sonntag
- In Memorium by Mark Sonntag
- More Early Walt by Mark Sonntag

Monday, December 19, 2011




I just discovered this book through the Laughingplace site and thought some of you might want to know that it exists.



Do not miss today:

- Ward Kimball’s 1958 Holiday Card Photo by Amid Amidi
- Remembering Pres Romanillos Through his Artwork by Amid Amidi
- An interview with author Amid Amidi by Jérémie Noyer

Friday, December 16, 2011

Beautiful concept painting created by Walt Peregoy for The Jungle Book and being sold at the moment by Van Eaton galleries.



Do not miss today:

- Disneyland Hotel History: Bonita's Scrapbook (Thanks to Jim Korkis for the link)
- A Carousel of Progress Christmas by Jim Korkis
- Walt Disney, the maverick: A guest essay by Jon Favreau (Thanks to Jim Korkis for the link)
- A Very Merry Musical: Walt Disney’s Babes in Toyland by Jim Fanning

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Gunnar Andreassen attracted my attention towards thise two photos that were recently sold on ebay and which I don't remember having seen before.





Wednesday, December 14, 2011



This just in from Gene Sands:

[Don't know if you heard, but Wally Boag and Betty were inducted into the International American Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions' Hall of Fame in November. Betty was the first woman to be inducted. Marty Sklar attended and he said it was a beautiful ceremony. ]


Do not miss today:

- 1934 Kamen / Disney Christmas store display advertising on Vintage Disneyana Collectibles
- "A Christmas gift from Mickey Mouse" - 1934 on Vintage Disneyana Collectibles

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

And David Lesjak kindly sent me this article released in the Emporia Daily Gazette from February 20, 1942, which is directly linked to my previous post.




Reader of the blog FrenchDisneyFan, just sent me a link to this marvelous photo that I had never seen before and which he found in the Kansas City Public Library website.

The caption reads:

[February 13, 1942 - Walt Disney and others posing at the head table of a South Central Business Association luncheon at the Blue Bird Cafeteria. The individuals are, from left to right: Homer L. Blackwell of the National Screen Service Corp.; Clarence Nash, the voice of Donald Duck; Mrs. Lillian Bounds Disney, Walt Disney's wife; Kansas City Mayor John B. Gage; Walt Disney; SCBA President Edwin J. Barnes, Sr.; Frank S. Land, founder of the Grand Council of DeMolay; Mrs. Joseph C. Wirthman; Keith Martin, Director of the Kansas City Art Institute; and three of Disney's classmates from Benton School--George L. Williams, Louis G. Lower, and Donald Monroe. ]

Monday, December 12, 2011

3 Is a Family



A good friend of the blog sent me the opening sequence of the movie, created by the Disney Studio. Enjoy!


The movie itself does not seem to be worth watching, by the way.

The Disney Books Network was updated this weekend.


Do not miss today:

- The Luckiest Kids In The World on Daveland
- "A Christmas gift from Mickey Mouse" - 1934 on Vintage Disneyana Collectibles

Friday, December 09, 2011

A few days ago Gunnar Andreassen discovered this amazing page about Pinto Colvig. I know you will all enjoy it.

Thursday, December 08, 2011

I love to stumble upon those off-the-beaten-path autobiographies which include small sections aboutr someone's career at Disney. Michael Hoey worked at an editor at the Studio in the late '50s, on quite a few live-action movies. I have not yet read this book, but it seems to contain a few fun stories. For the "completists" only, though.



Do not miss today:

- Mickey Mouse at Toyfair - Christmas 1933 on Vintage Disneyana Collectibles
- Remember Pearl Harbor on Toons at War
- Walt in Disneyland: Happy 110th Birthday, Walt on MiceChat
- DLP Twenty by Maxime Bogaert

Wednesday, December 07, 2011



This just in from Julie Svendsen:

[Thought you might be interested in seeing the attached photo of some of the "dinosaurs" upon whose shoulders we all stand. It was taken at an event in the WDI Library to celebrate (I don't remember what it was celebrating) circa 1995.

Back row (from left to right): (1) Fred Joerger (2) Ward Kimball (3) Ray Aragon (4) Fred Hope (5) Bill Martin (6) Rolly Crump (7) Don Edgren (8) Clem Hall (9) Bill Evans (10) John Hench (11) Bill Justice (12) Collin Campbell (13) Sam McKim

Front row is X. Atencio, Marc Davis and Alice Davis.]

Do not miss today:

- Walt's 110th by Michael Barrier
- A Duckburg Christmas....a daily posting of comic book covers of Disney ducks celebrating Christmas (Thanks to Jim Korkis for the link)
- Five Things I Miss About a WDW Christmas by Jim Korkis

Tuesday, December 06, 2011


I doubt that this book is worth buying (but I admit I may be wrong). At least now you know that it exists. The description reads:

[Walt Disney World is known for its attention to detail. Never is it more evident than during the Christmas season. Each year brings changes around the parks and resorts. Take a photo journey with us that includes extinct guest favorites such as the Country Bear Christmas Special, an overnight visit to the Cinderella Castle Suite from Christmas week 2007, and a look around the Walt Disney World theme parks and resorts as you may see the decorations now. If you are heading to Walt Disney World for the holiday season, you'll enjoy using this book as a guide to finding decorations and displays! Over 300 color photos are included.]
This just in:

[Part 3 of Disney Auction Collection of books and Collectibles. Auction willalso contain many items from the Disneyana Conventions.

After being in business for over 35 years. Cohen books and Collectibles.is continuing to auction his collection of Disneyana. His web site iswww.weissauctions.com

Part 3 of this auction will be held on December 17, 2011 atwww.weissauctions.com There will be 39 lots of some of books ephemera andvintage collectibles. Please bid if you want, the reserves are very low.

Detailed descriptions are of the lots are shown in the Weiss Auctioncatalog. Please pass this note on to others who might be interested. Weiss AuctionGallery will have other Disneyana.View the jpeg I have included in this note of a collage of the 39 lots.

Good luck

Joel Cohen]

Do not miss today:

- My Dad Works At Disneyland: Plaza Garden Memories on Daveland
- Happy Birthday, Walt! (Unreleased Audio of Walt -- 1937) by Paul F. Anderson and Todd Pierce
- Happy Birthday, Walt Disney by Jerry Beck

Monday, December 05, 2011



Today, don't forget to follow the special events scheduled by Paul F. Anderson and Todd Pierce for Walt's birthday on the Disney History Institute.


If like me you really want to watch ever single animated sequence ever produced by Disney, you might want to try and track down one more non-Disney movie: Three's a Family (1944) directed by Edward Ludwig and produced by Sol Lesser (above). Apparently, according to this article in the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette from June 19, 1944, the movie contains a sequence with storks animated by the Disney Studio. This is confirmed by the Disney records, which list the project as production number 2692.

I would love to see it!



Do not miss today:

- COVERING DISNEY~Walt South of the Border by Paul F. Anderson

Here is the translation of the article:

[The Clippers of Pan American Airways which unite the continent were invaluable vehicles for Walt Disney, who, with a group of artists and photographers, made a trip to the countries and Center America and South America to get data, impressions and panoramic views for the color pictures that he is planning and that he is developing with the CIAA.

This long trip, which would have usually taken months to achieve using other ways of transport, was done in just a few days thanks to the Pan American Clippers.

In the Andes, in the pampas of Argentina, in the forests of Brazil and in the beautiful lakes of Guatemala, the creator of Mickey, Donald, Pluto, Jose Carioca, Dumbo, and many other characters, became the guest of honor of his fans.

Walt Disney crowned his trip to Latin America with a visit to Mexico.

With a group of landscape painters, artists, caricaturists, composers, photographers, and script writers, Walt Disney traveled from Los Angeles to Mexico City aboard the Clippers of the Compañía Mexicana de Aviación.

Along with Walt Disney and his wife, who took the CMA road, which reaches the principal cities of the Republic along the Pacific Coast, arrived the producer Norman Ferguson, the Foreign Department Chief of the Studio, Jack Cutting, the composer Charles Wolcott, the watercolorist Mary Blair, the animator Fed Moore, the landscape painter Ken Anderson, the caricaturist Ernesto Terrazas, the storyman Homer Brightman, and the technical consultant Edmundo Santos.

When they arrived in the capital, the party was greeted by the Head of the Tourism Department, Mr. Alejandro Buelna, a mariachi who played regional music in the airport, and many people of all sexes and ages who wanted to welcome the travelers.

Without losing time, Walt Disney and his artists, who stayed at the hotel Reforma where they granted interviews to the local press, started working earnestly and with heart on the sketches on the new picture with a Mexican theme which will be called Piñata.

[Caption: Despite the rain, a cordial welcome for the arrival of Walt Disney on the California Clipper of the Compañía Mexicana de Aviación.]

One group visited Cholula and Puebla, another Cuernavaca and Taxco, and another Morelia and Patzcuaro. The watercolorist Mary Blair and storyman Homer Brightman made a special trip on the CMA route to Ixtepec, Oaxaca, to discover Jucitán and Tehuantepec, and were helped during their trip by the PR Department of the Compañía Mexicana de Aviación.

During his stay in the Mexican capital, which lasted 11 days, Walt Disney was treated as a guest of honor and received many awards: he was received by the president, General Manuel Avila Camacho, by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Ezequiel Padilla, by the United States Ambassador, Mr. George Messersmith, and was guest of honor of a bullfight organized by the Compañía Mexicana de Aviación, which left him “amazed,” according to his own words.

Before leaving the country and starting to work on his new Mexican-theme movie, Disney summarized his impressions of Mexico:

“I was delighted by Mexico, its people and its natural beauties. I aim to come back to spend a long vacation here with my wife. Of course I will use the Clippers of the CMA: I was extremely happy with the service and the security of the trip, and with the cares that I enjoyed.”

[Caption: Jose Carioca, Donald, and other Disney characters receive the visit of Ezequiel Padilla.]

Friday, December 02, 2011

Here is an interesting excerpt from BoxOffice Magazine, thanks to Jim Korkis:

[Boxoffice - November 20, 1943
Pg 40-C

Disney Museum Trustee
New York—Walt Disney has been named a trustee of the Museum of Modern Art. Other new trustees appointed are William A. M. Burden, Henry Allen Moe and Mrs. George Henry Warren jr.
Disney was one of the first sponsors of the museum and one of the first to donate his films to its collections.]