Search Results for: blog walt disneys history the early years

Uncertain Fate for Walt Disney’s Birthplace

First the Laugh-o-Gram and now the house in which he was born and lived until he was four: the significant buildings of Walt Disney’s early life all seem to be in the news lately. The Chicago Tribune has a story about 2156 N. Tripp Avenue, Walt Disney’s first home. It’s nothing special, just another building on a street with others that look kind of like it. Two-flat, new windows, hardwood floors, and it’s been on the market for over a year. It’s not an official historic landmark and it doesn’t even have a bronze plaque. Yet this is the building … Continue reading →

Walt Disney Named Top ‘Art Hero’

According to a poll that was commissioned in Great Britain by the Arts Award, Walt Disney is considered the most respected artist among those polled between the ages of 18 and 25. The Arts Award is a national qualification for young people ages 11 to 25 recognizing them as artists and arts leaders. The award is actually a learning program that helps develop and assess arts-related skills. The poll found that young people value Walt Disney over Leonardo d’Vinci as artists that most inspire them. Jane Austen was the only author to even make the top ten in that list … Continue reading →

Disney Animation Convention

This summer Disney fan convention D23 is put on hold for another year. Ever since its debut it has alternated years with another sort of Disney convention: Destination D. While D23 is the House of Mouse’s answer to Comic Con, with its main focus being panels on upcoming Disney films, Destination D is a quieter conference for the Disney history buffs. The first Destination D, held in 2010, centered on the theme of Disneyland. Walt’s first park debuted 55 years ago (well, 57 now), and that year’s Destination D was all about celebrating the groundbreaking Disneyland. Can you tell I … Continue reading →

Glen Keane Leaving Disney Animation

Glen Keane announced over the weekend that he’s leaving Disney Animation. Most of us probably don’t know who Glen Keane is, even if we’ve seen his name dozens of times while idly watching the ending credits of many Disney movies. I only know him because my work on this blog has motivated me to watch and pay more attention to behind the scenes Disney films and featurettes. Keane has been an animator at Disney for around forty years. He arrived in the 1970s, in time to be mentored by Eric Larson, Frank Thomas, and Ollie Johnston—members of the old guard … Continue reading →