The Disney Look... to the Past! (January 25-31)

Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of the weekly feature known as "The Disney Look... to the Past!"
Enjoy reading all of the following interesting facts about the Walt Disney Parks, Resorts, Movies, and more:
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This Week in Disney History: January 25-31

Jan. 25, 1961 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “One Hundred and One Dalmatians”

Fed up with the single life in London, a clever dalmatian named Pongo takes his songwriting owner Roger for a walk in the park, where they intertwine with the charming Anita and her dalmatian, Perdita. Before long, their owners are married and the dogs have become proud parents of fifteen dalmatian pups. Unfortunately, fur aficionado Cruella De Vil would kill to have this litter, and she doesn’t take no for an answer. When the pups go missing, animals across England join forces to reunite Pongo and Perdita with their progeny - plus the 84 extra dalmatians they happened to be harbored with. Bill Peet adapted the screenplay from the novel by Dodie Smith, and the veteran trio of Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske and Wolfgang Reitherman co-directed. The Xerox process was used to help animate more than six million dalmatian spots: Pongo sports 72, Perdita has 68 and each dalmatian puppy wears 35.

Jan. 26, 2003 - “Jimmy Kimmel Live” debuts on ABC

Jimmy Kimmel honed his comedic chops as a morning radio personality and an Emmy-winning game show emcee, then scored his dream job as host of his own late night network talk show. Broadcasting from the historic former Hollywood Masonic Temple next to the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, Jimmy’s first guests were actor George Clooney and the band Coldplay. Over its first decade, “Jimmy Kimmel Live” has won acclaim for its celebrity-filled viral videos, viewer-filmed YouTube Challenges (sample prompt: “Hey Jimmy, I told my kids I ate their Halloween candy,”) comedy pieces from “Cousin” Sal Iacono and parking attendant Guillermo Rodriguez, plus impromptu experiments like Jimmy shooting an entire episode on his laptop webcam after a studio power failure. There’s a long-running joke that Jimmy ends each show with, but our apologies to Matt Damon for not explaining it; we’re out of time.

Also this week in Disney history:

Jan. 25

2002 - Touchstone Pictures releases “The Count of Monte Cristo”

Jan. 26

1945 - “The Clock Watcher” (Donald Duck cartoon short) debuts

1975 - Flight to the Moon closes at Disneyland Park

2011 - The Disney Dream cruise ship departs from Port Canaveral, Fla. on its official maiden voyage

Jan. 27

1996 - The first Indy 200 race is held at the Walt Disney World Speedway

2012 - The inaugural Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend kicks off at the Disneyland Resort

Jan. 28

1932 - “The Duck Hunt” (Mickey Mouse cartoon short) debuts

1944 - “How to Be a Sailor” (Goofy cartoon short) debuts

1982 - Wally Boag gives his final performance in the Golden Horseshoe Revue at Disneyland Park

2010 - The ESPN Wide World of Sports facility is relaunched at the Walt Disney World Resort

2012 - Kellie Nickerson of Albuquerque, N.M. wins the inaugural Tinker Bell Half Marathon at the Disneyland Resort

Jan. 29

1943 - “Donald’s Tire Trouble” (Donald Duck cartoon short) debuts

1959 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Sleeping Beauty”

1959 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Grand Canyon” (featurette)

1998 - The Southern Seas makes its last cruise on Seven Seas Lagoon at the Walt Disney World Resort

Jan. 30

1998 - Hollywood Pictures releases “Deep Rising”

1998 - “Illuminations” debuts at Epcot

Jan. 31

1986 - Touchstone Pictures releases “Down and Out in Beverly Hills”

1996 - Olde World Antiques and Silversmith Shop closes in Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom Park

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Thank you for reading, and have a great rest of your weekend!

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