This English nursery set from the '30s by Lines Bros. Ltd. was being sold on ebay last week. It is the first time I ever see it in 25 years of collecting.

This just in from Jim Korkis:

[Here is a link to some publica domain Disney newsreels.]

Not sure how I forgot to mention this upcoming book about Maurice Noble by Tod Polson to be released next year by Chronicle Books. Definitely a volume I am looking forward to.

Do not miss today:

- Mickey Mouse’s Cartoon Band by Jerry Beck
- Why For did Phase II of Epcot's World Showcase never get built? by Jim Hill

This just in from Dana Gabbard (through Jim Korkis):

I have finally posted my entry for George Sherman on Wikipedia. His daughter is delighted at the results. Hope you like it.

Do not miss today:

- D23 Expo: Western River Expedition Virtual Ride-Through Video by Alain Littaye
- Disney Rescuers Lost Song Louis Prima SITTIN' IN MY FAVORITE POSITION (Thanks to Jerry Beck for the link)

I have just received a review copy of the upcoming book Walt Disney Animation Studios The Archive Series: Layout & Background. Like the 3 previous volumes in the series it is a beautiful book filled with fascinating artwork. Like the 3 previous volumes it is a must-have.

But like the 3 previous volumes the book is also slightly frustrating. The fact that close to 50% of the artwork comes from post-1984 movies is to be expected but is nonetheless a bit of an issue for Disney history enthusiasts. The main issue however is the fact that an extremely large amount of the art is not credited to anyone. When we are talking about the early shorts I can understand this to some extent, but when it comes to some of the clearly recognizable layouts and backgrounds from The Aristocats, Jungle Book, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, or even Alice in Wonderland, one wonders how the names of Ken Anderson, Walt Peregoy and Claude Coats are not mentioned. Annoying and slightly shocking.

This being said, should you buy the book? My answer is an unqualified "yes". But this does not erase the frustration.

The Disney Books Network has been updated.

In 1939, DeSoto offered Walt a new car if he would advertise their latest model. At first, Walt did not want to do the advertisement because he did not drive a DeSoto. However, his mother Flora said that she and Walt's dad would like a new car so Walt did do the ads that appeared full sized and in color in LIFE magazine. He gave the car to his folks who loved it.

For years, everyone assumed that there were only two ads: Walt in a suit walking out of his Woking Way house to the car and Walt sitting on a lawn chair while a butler appeared on the other side. Just this week, Disney Historian Jim Korkis uncovered there was a third ad.....Walt with a tennis racket in front of the car. Walt's pants and shoes are the same in all three photos so it is reasonable to assume they may all have been shot the same day in the same general location with Walt just changing his shirt.

"I have never seen this third ad ever before in all my years of collecting which, of course, brings up the question if there is even another version of the ad out there. The text copy in all three ads is exactly the same. Only the picture is different," said Jim. "I wasn't even looking and just stumbled across the ad by accident which is how alot of new Disney history is being discovered these days."

Do not miss today:

- Introducing the Museum's New CEO: Gabriella C. Calicchio!
- How to Capture a Disneyland Dragon by Todd James Pierce
- Aristocats by Andreas Deja
- Ward Kimball and UFOs by Jim Korkis
- The Walt Disney Family Museum and the Incredible Growing Walt! by Tim Callaway

Great news: Don Ballard's new book has now been released and can be ordered here.

This is a new book I will definitely pick up in the near future.

Can you help? Amid Amidi is looking for one episode of Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color that Ward Kimball was heavily involved with: “A Salute to Alaska” (1967).

Do not miss today:

- The Bear that never was by Andreas Deja
- Disney's ARISTOCATS "SHE NEVER FELT ALONE" Eva Gabor RARE "Lost" Demo by Huston Huddleston (Thanks to Jerry Beck for the link)
- U.S Steel 1971 Disney World Commercial (Thanks to Rob Herdon Jr. for the link)
- TV Guide on Jiminy Cricket (1955) by Jerry Beck
- Kimballana by Amid Amidi
- On e-bay by Mark Sonntag

I am not spending at all at the moment, but if I were I would probably pick up this extremely unusual Spanish or Mexican butter box from the '30s.

Very interesting photo of Roy and the Cinephone trucks being sold at the moment on ebay. Way too expensive though (and that's an understatement).

There is a good article on the subject at this link.

If you do not yet know about the great WEDway Radio site, you should. It is managed by Nate Parrish and his brother and the shows are a real delight. I asked Nate to tell me what he considers as the best shows and he mentioned the following:

[We did a show on the roots of the Tahitian Terrace Restaurant at Disneyland. Its episode 75 of WEDway Radio. Heres a link to that show.

We did a show that started a series for Walt Disney Worlds 40th Anniversary back in May. It was episode 72 of WEDway Radio. Heres a link to that show.

We did a show on the story of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit from 1926-2006. It was episode 55 of WEDway Radio. Heres a link to that show.]

Do not miss today:

- EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A CAT Original Demo 1968 Disney Aristocats (Thanks to Jerry Beck for the link)
- Memories of Bob Hope and Disney by Jim Korkis

Unfortunatelly I just heard this weekend from Steven Hartley that artist Del Connell had just passed away. For more information about his life and career, follow this link.

Do not miss today:

- Lost Louis Prima Disney Song by Jerry Beck
- Designing "it's a small world" - The 1964 New York World's Fair by Maxime Bogaert
- Robbie Sherman Talks About His Father, the Sherman Brothers and the Kennedy Center Honors by Tim Callaway