1922 - A young Walt Disney begins work at his own cartoon company called Laugh-O-gram Films, Inc. in Kansas City, Missouri. He will produce animated versions of 6 fairy tales, each lasting just one minute. Walt had felt that Kansas City theaters - which featured cartoons made by studios on the east coast - might be willing to buy some from a local company. He created a few and brought them to the Newman Theater. In order to clinch the deal, Walt calls them ... "Newman's Laugh-O-Grams." (The cartoon series is regarded as Walt's first effort in animation.)

1933 - Actor Tony Jay, the speaking & singing voice of Judge Frollo in the animated Disney film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is born in London, England. Jay's distinctive baritone voice can also be heard as Monsieur D'arque in Beauty and the Beast and Dr. Rosenthal in Recess: School's Out.

1938 - The first Donald Duck daily strip in the USA - drawn by Al Taliaferro - is published.

1950 - The cover of this day's issue of Western Family magazine features Mickey and Minnie Mouse smooching through a giant valentine. The illustration is the work of Hank Porter (originally a staff artist at the Disney Publicity Art Department).

1955 - The Disneyland television series presents "The Wind in the Willows" featuring Mr. Toad.

1967 - Roy Disney outlines his late brother's plan to build a theme park and the world's first futuristic metropolis, or EPCOT when Disney Productions announces it will build the world's first glass-domed city in central Florida. The movie presentation, narrated by Walt Disney, who died December 15, is termed by officials as "Walt's last film." Project Florida A Whole New Disney World premieres at the Park East Theater in Winter Park, Florida, where it is screened for business and government figures. The 25-minute film shows a 50-acre, air conditioned "city of tomorrow" centered in a 1,000-acre industrial park between Orlando and Kissimmee.

1986 - Disney returns to Sunday night TV, with Michael Eisner hosting the first Disney Sunday Movie, "Help Wanted: Kids," starring Cindy Williams and Bill Hudson. (The comedy will rank 41 out of the week's 68 network programs.)

1988 - The first filming for the television movie Splash Too (a sequel to the popular feature) begins at the Disney-MGM Studios.

1989 - Shooting begins on Touchstone Pictures Dick Tracy. Based on the comic strip character created by Chester Gould, this live-action feature will star Warren Beatty (who will also direct it) and Madonna. (Touchstone Pictures is a film division of The Walt Disney Company.)

1992 - Disney World's Dixie Landings Resort opens at 1251 Dixie Drive, Lake Buena Vista. This 2,048 unit resort, located in the Downtown Disney Resort Area, is themed after the Louisiana Countryside. It includes the Boatwright's Dining Hall restaurant and Fulton's General Store.

1994 - Disney announces it will operate and restore the New Amsterdam Theater on 42nd Street in New York City.

1996 - Gerry Laybourne, of Nickelodeon, is hired as the new president of Disney/ABC Cable Networks, where she will oversee The Disney Channel and Disney's interests in A&E and Lifetime.

2001 - The Disney Channel airs the Lizzie McGuire episode "Pool Party" (also referred to as "Pilot").

2004 - Walt Disney Records continues the legacy of the 1970s album Free To Be You and Me with the release of the new CD A World of Happiness. The collection includes original songs, poems and skits performed by well known artists.

2004 - Super Bowl hero Tom Brady of the New England Patriots returns to Disney World with family and friends to celebrate his team's big win the day before. (This is the quarterback's second post-Super Bowl celebration at Disney World in three years!)

2006 - Disney announces that the Disneyland and Disney World Pirates of the Caribbean attractions will be undergoing a 3-4 month makeover to work in character and plot elements from the movie series that took its inspiration from the original attraction.

2008 - Disney Channel airs the 4th Phineas and Ferb episode - "The Fast and the Phineas."

2008 - Rock 'n' Roll Beach Club, a rock-themed dance club located in Disney World's Pleasure Island closes. Opened since April 1990, the club featured live bands.

__________________