1859 - Washington Irving, writer of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, dies in New York on the eve of the American Civil War. He will be buried in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery at the Old Dutch Church in Sleepy Hollow, New York. (His classic story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow will be re-told 90 years later in Disney's animated feature The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.)

1907 - Boston scrap-metal dealer Louis B. Mayer purchases a small rundown movie theater in Haverhill, Massachusetts. (Within a few years, he will own the largest theater chain in New England and begin distributing films. In 1917, he will start his own production company, which, through a series of mergers, will become part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM.)

1927 - Disney's Oswald the Lucky Rabbit black & white short The Banker's Daughter is released.

1943 - Academy-award-winning singer-songwriter Randy Newman, who scored the music for many Disney films such as Toy Story, James and the Giant Peach, A Bug's Life, and Monsters, Inc. is born in Los Angeles, California. He will be named a Disney Legend in 2007.

1944 - Walt Disney writes a birthday letter to his younger sister Ruth. He writes of his next feature-length release; The Three Caballeros. Along with his birthday wishes is a check because he "hasn't the slightest idea what to send."

1955 - The Mickey Mouse Club airs on ABC-TV. Today is Fun With Music Day.

1956 - ABC-TV's Disneyland series airs part 1 of "Treasure Island."

1957 - Disney's Zorro television series features episode 8 titled "Zorro Rides into Terror."

1958 - The TV series Walt Disney Presents airs part 2 of "Johnny Tremain."

1968 - The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place in New York City. Mickey Mouse, Pinocchio, Goofy, and a handful of other Disney characters ride atop a giant birthday cake, while a huge Donald Duck balloon floats over the parade route.

1974 - The StarJets open for business in Walt Disney World's Tomorrowland. The new attraction will serve as the central focal point of the futuristic land. The two-passenger jets can be lowered or raised to a height of 80 feet by guests. (In 1994, as part of the major redesign of Tomorrowland, the StarJets will be refurbished and renamed the Astro Orbiter.)

1984 - Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Gwen Grayson of Disney's 2005 Sky High, is born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

1995 - Walt Disney World Speedway (in Bay Lake, Florida) is dedicated. Indy Racing League drivers Arie Luyendyk, Eddie Cheever, Eliseo Salazar, Lyn St. James and Davey Hamilton drive a five-car "Flying V" formation amongst fireworks. (The track will officially open in January 1996.)

2003 - Holidays Around the World, an Epcot tradition, kicks off for the 2003 season.

2003 - The animated special Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time premieres on Disney Channel.

2004 - Walt Disney World hosts the first Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party of the 2004 holiday season.

2005 - Disney Legend E. Cardon Walker - commonly known as Card Walker - passes away in the Los Angeles suburb of La Canada at the age of 89. As a top Disney executive, Walker played a major role in the early development of Walt Disney World in Florida. (He began his career at Disney as a mailroom clerk in 1938!)

2007 - The 75th Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony takes place in New York City and is broadcast on NBC. Singer/actress Ashley Tisdale (best known for her roles on Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zak & Cody and both High School Musical features) is among the performers.

2007 - The ninth Family TV Awards, given by the Family Friendly Programming Forum, are presented in Beverly Hills, California. Zac Efron wins the best actor award for his role as teen idol Troy Bolton in Disney's High School Musical 2, which also wins the best movie musical award.

2008 - Disney Store locations nationwide usher in the holiday season earlier than ever with day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) specials starting as early as midnight in more than 100 of its more than 200 stores. In malls across the country, most other Disney Store locations kick off Black Friday shopping with 5 a.m. openings.

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