1850 - Scottish novelist, essayist, and poet Robert Louis Stevenson is born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Disney's 1960 live-action film Kidnapped is based on Stevenson's 1886 classic novel. His 1883 book Treasure Island is the inspiration for Disney's 2002 animated feature Treasure Planet.

1906 - Actress Hermione Baddeley is born in Shropshire, England. Her Disney credits include Mary Poppins, The Happiest Millionaire, and The AristoCats (as the voice of Madame Adelaide Bonfamille - the owner of Duchess and her kittens).

1917 - Disney Legend Armand Bigle is born in Paris, France. He will come to be known as Disney's "Godfather of Europe" for opening up new merchandising territories in that continent (beginning in 1949).

1934 - Actor-director Gary Marshall, the voice of Buck Cluck in the 2005 feature Chicken Little, is born in New York City. Marshall also directed both The Princess Diaries and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement live-action features. (TV fans know him as the executive producer of the 1970s hit series Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley and The Odd Couple.)

1940 - Disney's 3rd feature film, Fantasia premieres at New York's Broadway Theater (formerly known as the Colony where Steamboat Willie debuted). The film introduces stereophonic sound to the motion picture via a special sound system dubbed "Fantasound" - which literally vibrates the theater's seats! In attendance at the gala premiere are socialites Mrs. Henry F. DuPont, Mrs. William Randolph Hearst, and Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt. (Although a triumphant premiere, Fantasia will not be appreciated for many years ... until its re-release in the 1970s makes it a hit.)

1955 - Actress Whoopi Goldberg, the voice of Shenzi in Disney's The Lion King, is born in New York City.

1957 - The Disneyland TV series airs the episode "To the South Pole for Science."

1959 - The TV series Walt Disney Presents airs "Elf ago Baca: Move Along, Mustangers." It is the 7th of a10-part mini-series starring Robert Loggia as a gun-slinger-turned-lawyer. This episode features a young James Coburn in a supporting role.

1960 - Walt Disney Presents airs "Donald's Silver Anniversary."

1966 - Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color airs "A Ranger's Guide to Nature" on NBC-TV.

1967 - Actor/comedian Steve Zahn is born in Marshall, Minnesota. His Disney voice credits include Meet the Robinsons and Chicken Little (as the Runt of the Litter). (Movie fans will recognize him from such features as National Security, Riding in Cars with Boys, and That Thing You Do!)

1978 - A special Amtrak train carrying Mickey Mouse leaves Los Angeles for a 5-day trip to New York.

1980 - Actress & dancer Monique Coleman is born in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Her Disney Channel credits include High School Musical and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

1988 - The television special Mickey's 60th Birthday, combining live action/original animation and library animation, airs.

1991 - Disney's Beauty and the Beast (featuring the voices of Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach, and Angela Lansbury) premieres in the U.S. Production of the film took three and a half years and required the talents of almost 600 animators, artists, and technicians!

1997 - Disney's newest Broadway musical The Lion King opens at the New Amsterdam Theater in New York City. The cast album is also released at the theater and in the tri-state area on the show's opening night.

1998 - At the 26th Annual Annie Awards (the highest honor given for excellence in animation) Disney's Mulan wins 10 awards. Among the winners of the Winsor McCay Award is Eyvind Earle, who painted backgrounds for such Disney features as Sleeping Beauty and Lady and the Tramp.

1999 - Disney's Toy Story II premieres at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, California. In attendance for the event are Tim Allen (the voice of Buzz Lightyear), Tom Hanks (the voice of Woody), Riders in the Sky (performers of the "Woody Roundup" theme song), Estelle Harris (the voice of Mrs. Potato Head), Wayne Knight (the voice of Al), Robert Goulet (the singing voice of Wheezy) and astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

2000 - Disney's 102 Dalmatians (starring Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil) has its world premiere at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

2002 - David de Vries replaces Bryan Batt as Lumiere, and Steve Lavner (making his Broadway debut) takes over as Lefou from Brad Aspel in Disney's Broadway show Beauty and the Beast. David de Vries had previously played the role of Lumiere on Broadway, on tour and in Canada.

2003 - The Tony-winning Disney musical, The Lion King, celebrates six sold-out years at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre. The New York production has played 2,532 performances!

2003 - U.S. President Bush speaks to supporters during a $2,000-a- ticket luncheon at the Disney Grand Floridian Resort in Florida. (It is his 17th visit to Florida since taking office.)

2004 - Stars from the ABC Daytime dramas join the fun at the 9th annual ABC Super Soap Weekend in the Disney-MGM Studios.

2005 - Epcot's 10th Annual International Food and Wine Festival comes to an end.

2005 - It is reported that Chicken Little is the top film in U.S. and Canadian theaters for the second week in a row with about $32 million in sales.

2006 - The Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights make its seasonal debut at the Disney-MGM Studios in Florida.

2007 - Disneyland kicks off "Disney's Wildfire Heroes Salute" to express appreciation for the heroic efforts of the emergency workers battling the latest Southern California wildfires. Starting this day (and running through February 2008) Southern California firefighters, law enforcement and rescue personnel can enjoy complimentary, three-day "Park Hopper" admission into Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure parks!

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