The Disney Look... to the Past! (June 21-27)

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: June 21-27

June 22, 1970 - The Walt Disney Archives is founded

After Walt Disney’s passing, his brother and Disney chairman Roy O. Disney wanted to ensure that the company’s history wasn’t lost as key Imagineers and animators retired. Dave Smith, then a researcher at UCLA, overheard Disney executives discussing the idea of a company archive and pitched them a plan to start one. On this date, Dave was hired as Disney’s first archivist, and the department he created, the Walt Disney Archives, continues to curate the company’s history and some of the most important items from it. Based on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, Cast Members can visit the lobby in the Frank G. Wells building and see many unique artifacts, including one of the multi-plane cameras used in Disney animated shorts and features (and yes, it still works). The department also curates exhibitions including “Treasures of the Disney Archives,” coming to the D23 Expo in Anaheim this August. At D23.com, the Archivist Emeritus and Disney Legend answers fan-submitted questions in his “Ask Dave” column.

June 22, 1988 - Touchstone Pictures releases “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”

Hollywood, 1947! Cartoon actors are some of the biggest movers and shakers in Tinseltown, working and living side-by-side with their human counterparts. One of the town’s brightest stars, Maroon Studios contract player Roger Rabbit, becomes the prime murder suspect when the man his wife Jessica Rabbit is “playing patty cake” with on the side is found dead. His only hope is Eddie Valiant, a private investigator with good reason to hold a grudge against ‘toons. But he’ll have to set it aside to keep an evil judge from wiping Roger and all of Toontown off the map with his dreaded “dip.” With Steven Spielberg co-producing, Robert Zemeckis directed the live-action sequences, and Richard Williams won a special Academy Award for directing the animation - one of four Oscars the film collected. The downtown sections of Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland Park, and the dark ride Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, were both inspired by the film.

Also this week in Disney history:

June 21

1961 - “The Litterbug” (the last Donald Duck cartoon made) debuts

1961 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Parent Trap”

1991 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Rocketeer”

1996 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”

2002 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Lilo & Stitch”

June 22

1955 - Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp” is released 

1977 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Rescuers”

1985 - Videopolis opens at Disneyland Park

2005 - Disney’s Soda Fountain and Studio Store open on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles

2012 - Disney•Pixar releases “Brave”

June 23

1944 - “Springtime for Pluto” (Pluto cartoon short) debuts

1956 - The Skyway attraction opens at Disneyland Park

1963 - Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room opens at Disneyland Park (look for 50th anniversary coverage in the Disneyland Resort Line on Thursday, June 27)

1967 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Happiest Millionaire”

1989 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Honey I Shrunk the Kids”

1995 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Pocahontas”

1996 - Dreamflight officially becomes Take Flight at Magic Kingdom Park

1999 - Tarzan’s Treehouse opens at Disneyland Park

2005 - The No. 5 Ward Kimballengine is dedicated on the Disneyland Railroad

June 24

1893 - Roy Oliver Disney, Walt Disney’s brother, is born 

1994 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “The Lion King”

1994 - The Electric Umbrella restaurant opens at Epcot

2006 - Disneyland Park hosts the world premiere of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”

2011 - Disney•Pixar releases “Cars 2”

June 25

1930 - “The Fire Fighters” (Mickey Mouse cartoon short) debuts

1967 - “America the Beautiful” (CircleVision 360 film) opens at Disneyland Park

June 26

1957 - The Viewliner train opens at Disneyland Park

1959 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Darby O’Gill and the Little People”and “Donald in Mathmagic Land”

1989 - Delta Dreamflight officially opens at Magic Kingdom Park

2006 - Pirates of the Caribbean officially re-opens at Disneyland Park with Captain Jack Sparrow and Barbossa Audio-Animatronic figures added to the attraction

June 27

1986 - Big Thunder Ranch opens at Disneyland Park 

1997 - Walt Disney Pictures releases “Hercules”

2008 - Disney•Pixar releases “WALL•E”

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Thank you for reading, and enjoy the rest of this special Hidden Mickey's Week!

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