Do not miss this post today:

- Firehouse Five and the Cinderella Surprise

Reposting this

I suspect that one of you picked up those exceptional documents pertaining to Bill Tytla in the the auction by Heritage back in December. 

If that is the case, could you please, please email me at didier.ghez@gmail.com? I would love to get access to some of the info they contain and have some incentives that you may like to motivate you. Thanks in advance.

 

Most of you may already be aware of this but I just realized that the new Disney documentary, "Nai Nai & Wai Po," which has been nominated for the Academy Awards has been officially released by Disney under the "People and Places" header.

I find this to be absolutely fascinating.

 Do not miss Kamden Spies's wonderful article om CartoonResearch, "Mort Walker’s Bambi!"

I am scanning the Larry Lansburgh collection as part of the preservation efforts of the Hyperion Historical Alliance. At the top of the best discoveries of the month: some new never-seen-before photographs of the 1946 trip to Ireland for the making of "Darby O'Gill and the Little People," and the diary of Larry Lansburgh from that trip (the pages were hidden in a totally unrelated folder!). 

All this trip-related material will be included in the monograph about "The Making of Darby O'Gill and the Little People" that Jim Hollifield and I are writing at the moment for release by the Hyperion Historical Alliance Press in 2025.

As a reminder, if you want to support financially the efforts of the HHA, you can do it at this link. 

The other book I am very much looking forward to this year is the autobiography of Bob Weis, Dream Chasing: My Four Decades of Success and Failure with Walt Disney Imagineering.

Coming up in September and finally available for pre-order on Amazon! I am so looking forward to this book by my friends and fellow Disney historians Don Peri and Pete Docter!

The new Hyperion Historical Alliance Annual has just been released and I believe you will want to pick up your copy right away!

The 2023 HHA Annual is the fourth in a series of publications featuring in-depth articles on Disney history-related subjects authored by members of this professional association. This edition's articles include:

• "Woolie Reitherman Needs to Fly: A Disney Artist Goes to Work," the definitive account of the aeronautical accomplishments and World War II heroism of Disney animator and director Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman;
• "Oswald the Laemmle Rabbit," a look at the development and business-related management of the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit character in his early years;
• "Walt Disney and The Life of Hans Christian Anderson," a history of the unrealized Disney projects related to the life and creations of the beloved author;
• "1945-46: Edgar Bergen and Disney's Story Department," an exploration of unmade projects that would have featured ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his beloved characters prior to the release of Fun and Fancy Free (1947);
• "Direct from the Islands: The Polynesian Magic of Pete Seanoa," a celebration of the life and career of a live entertainment pioneer whose work at Disneyland coincided with a post-war interest in Polynesian culture.

Are you missing back issues of the best Disney history magazine ever, Persistence of Vision? Would you like to pick up signed Disney history books? 

Paul F. Anderson has decided to sell part of his collection via the trustworthy store Saturday's Toys. 

You can find a list of what is being sold at this link.

 

 Coming very soon (better a little late than never)... More details in a few days.

Remembering Disney Legend Dick Nunis

I suspect that one of you picked up those exceptional documents pertaining to Bill Tytla in the the auction by Heritage this weekend.

If that is the case, could you please, please email me at didier.ghez@gmail.com? I would love to get access to some of the info they contain and have some incentives that you may like to motivate you. Thanks in advance.

Ken Bruce's spectacular new book about Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, Before the Birds Sang Words, had just been released and it is a great read and a must-have. My only regret is the lack of endnotes, but not all books can be perfect. This one is like Mary Poppins: "almost perfect in every way."

I have not yet watched "Wish" but I just got the book The Art of Wish and I absolutely love it.

First, there is a lot more text than in previous installments of "The Art of" series, and then there is the stunning concept artwork by Lisa Keene (who never ceases to stun me), Camille Andre, Griselda Sastrawinata-Lemay and many more immensely talented concept artists.

I hope the movie is as good as the art book.

Quick a few astounding treasures in the upcoming auction by Heritage in a few days, including this stunning piece by Gustaf Tenggren, which I had the pleasure of seeing in person for the first time about 10 years ago at the house of Eric Gurney's son.

A heads up to our French readers: Christian Renault's new book is now also available in French :-)
 

While researching something else, I stumbled upon this photograph of Walt in New York by Colombian photographer Leo Matiz.
 

This is an article that I found recently in a French magazine from the early 1930s. The article itself does not contain anything of interest, but I thought you would enjoy the three illustrations. The two on the left come from local Mickey Mouse posters. I had never seen the one on the right.

 I am wondering if some of you collect the Hallmark cards created by Mary Blair in the 1940s, especially the Mexican Posadas series. If so, could you please email me at didier.ghez@gmail.com? I need scans of some of them for a book project. Thanks in advance!

One of the most intriguing books about Disney history coming up in 2024 is The Art of Hercules by Gerald Scarfe to be released by Insight Editions in August.