Disney Legends

[disneyphilip]

The Disney Legends Award is not being presented this year.

There are many old timers who for some odd reason have not received their awards yet.

Among them:

-Eyvind Earle: Painted backgrounds for several shorts during the 50's, and for Lady and the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty.

-Clyde Geronimi: Animator during the 1930's. Co-directed Disney's animated films between 1948 and 1961.

-Jack Kinney: Directed the Goofy series from 1940 to 1953, and Donald Duck's only Oscar-winning film.

-Jack King: Directed the Donald series from 1937 to 1948. Writers Jack Hannah and Carl Barks grew their careers under his supervision.

-Art Stevens: Animated various shorts and movies. Co-directed The Rescuers upon John Lounsberry's death.

-Gustaf Tenggren: Visual development artist for Snow White and Pinocchio.

-Edward Plumb: Co-composer for Bambi, and other Disney projects.

-Verna Felton: Voice actress of Cinderella's Fairy Godmother and Alice in Wonderland's Queen of Hearts among others.

Any others?

PLENTY of others, all from various time periods! I have compiled a huge list, and I won't even try to list them all here. Also, since Jim Henson made the list not too long ago, other Muppet performers will be listed here, too. Here's just the first half (not everything I listed is here, having been mentioned above already):

-Leon Ames
-Eleanor Audley
-James Baskett
-Billy Bletcher
-Corey Burton
-Sebastian Cabot
-Jerry Colonna (if Ed Wynn can do it, so can Colonna, especially since he did a couple of things on his own)
-Hans Conried
-John Davidson
-Johnny Depp
-Bobby Driscoll (he died too young)
-Billy Gilbert
-John Fiedler
-Jodie Foster
-Joaquin Garay (voice of Panchito, just so you know)
-Dave Goelz
-Tom Hanks (why would Tim Allen be awarded, but not Hanks? I hope he gets it soon, after playing Walt Disney in "Saving Mr. Banks")
-Phil Harris
-Helen Hayes (she appeared in at least two movies, "Herbie Rides Again" and "Candleshoe")
-Tom Hulce
-Bonnie Hunt
-Burl Ives (in addition to appearing in "So Dear To My Heart" and "Summer Magic", he also voiced Sam the eagle in America Sings)
-Brian Keith
-Dick Kinney (Jack's brother and a storyman in his own right)
-Kevin Kline

Anyway, that's the first half of the list; I'll put up the rest later. Maybe I'll even write the Disney Archives a letter to ask them to consider any of these.

Here's the second half of my wish list (and like I said, I may even write the Archives a letter to ask to consider any of these):

-Lucille LaVerne
-Elsa Lanchester
-James MacArthur
-John McLeish
-John McIntire
-Idina Menzel (I got a feeling that she will be awarded in the not-too-distant future)
-Vera Miles
-Demi Moore
-Harry Morgan
-Janet Munro
-Bob Newhart
-Charles Nichols (drew the Coachman in "Pinocchio", directed many shorts, particularly Pluto shorts, and also co-directed "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom" with Ward Kimball)
-Jeanette Nolan
-J. Pat O'Malley
-Jose Oliveira
-Frank Oz
-Luana Patten
-Bob Peterson
-John Ratzenberger (he's been in EVERY SINGLE Pixar movie EVER! How could he not have been awarded yet?)
-Charlie Ruggles
-Reta Shaw
-Hal Smith
-David Ogden Stiers
-Bill Thompson
-Lesley Ann Warren
-Guy Williams
-April Winchell
-Paul Winchell
-Ben Wright
-Keenan Wynn

Also to add to the lists:
-Jerry Nelson
-Richard Hunt
-Steve Whitmire
-Brian Henson
-Kevin Clash
-Jerry Juhl
-Bill Barretta
-Eric Jacobson
-Matt Vogel
-David Rudman
-Peter Linz
-Noel MacNeal
-Pete Renaday (the voice of Henry in Country Bear Jamboree and others)
-Frank Welker
-Jim Cummings
-Irene Bedard
-Judy Kuhn
-Ming-Na
-Mandy Moore
-Kelly McDonald
-Kristen Bell
-Alan Young
-June Foray
-Laura Olsher (best-known as the narrator of the infamous "Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House" album)
-Jess Harnell
-James Avery
-Nicodemus Stewart
-Johnny Lee
-Rob Paulsen
-Mae Whitman
-Verna Felton
-Barbara Luddy
-Eva Gabor
-Tress MacNeille

[Big Disney Fan]

Also to add to the lists:
-Jerry Nelson
-Richard Hunt
-Steve Whitmire
-Brian Henson
-Kevin Clash
-Jerry Juhl
-Bill Barretta
-Eric Jacobson
-Matt Vogel
-David Rudman
-Peter Linz
-Noel MacNeal
-Pete Renaday (the voice of Henry in Country Bear Jamboree and others)
-Frank Welker
-Jim Cummings
-Irene Bedard
-Judy Kuhn
-Ming-Na
-Mandy Moore
-Kelly McDonald
-Kristen Bell
-Alan Young
-June Foray
-Laura Olsher (best-known as the narrator of the infamous "Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House" album)
-Jess Harnell
-James Avery
-Nicodemus Stewart
-Johnny Lee
-Rob Paulsen
-Mae Whitman
-Verna Felton
-Barbara Luddy
-Eva Gabor
-Tress MacNeille

Verna Felton was already on the list. That's why I did not mention her in my own list.

[Semaj]

I came across one interview from Michael Barrier's site, where he interviewed Clyde Geronimi in 1976.

It probably gives a clue as to why Geronimi hasn't received a Disney Legends award yet. Apparently, he was an unpopular director, and made a steamy resignation from Disney in 1959.

[Big Disney Fan]

The Disney Legends Award is not being presented this year.

There are many old timers who for some odd reason have not received their awards yet.

Among them:

-Eyvind Earle: Painted backgrounds for several shorts during the 50's, and for Lady and the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty.

-Clyde Geronimi: Animator during the 1930's. Co-directed Disney's animated films between 1948 and 1961.

-Jack Kinney: Directed the Goofy series from 1940 to 1953, and Donald Duck's only Oscar-winning film.

-Jack King: Directed the Donald series from 1937 to 1948. Writers Jack Hannah and Carl Barks grew their careers under his supervision.

-Art Stevens: Animated various shorts and movies. Co-directed The Rescuers upon John Lounsberry's death.

-Gustaf Tenggren: Visual development artist for Snow White and Pinocchio.

-Edward Plumb: Co-composer for Bambi, and other Disney projects.

-Verna Felton: Voice actress of Cinderella's Fairy Godmother and Alice in Wonderland's Queen of Hearts among others.

Any others?

PLENTY of others, all from various time periods! I have compiled a huge list, and I won't even try to list them all here. Also, since Jim Henson made the list not too long ago, other Muppet performers will be listed here, too. Here's just the first half (not everything I listed is here, having been mentioned above already):

-Leon Ames
-Eleanor Audley
-James Baskett
-Billy Bletcher
-Corey Burton
-Sebastian Cabot
-Jerry Colonna (if Ed Wynn can do it, so can Colonna, especially since he did a couple of things on his own)
-Hans Conried
-John Davidson
-Johnny Depp
-Bobby Driscoll (he died too young)
-Billy Gilbert
-John Fiedler
-Jodie Foster
-Joaquin Garay (voice of Panchito, just so you know)
-Dave Goelz
-Tom Hanks (why would Tim Allen be awarded, but not Hanks? I hope he gets it soon, after playing Walt Disney in "Saving Mr. Banks")
-Phil Harris
-Helen Hayes (she appeared in at least two movies, "Herbie Rides Again" and "Candleshoe")
-Tom Hulce
-Bonnie Hunt
-Burl Ives (in addition to appearing in "So Dear To My Heart" and "Summer Magic", he also voiced Sam the eagle in America Sings)
-Brian Keith
-Dick Kinney (Jack's brother and a storyman in his own right)
-Kevin Kline

Anyway, that's the first half of the list; I'll put up the rest later. Maybe I'll even write the Disney Archives a letter to ask them to consider any of these.

Here's the second half of my wish list (and like I said, I may even write the Archives a letter to ask to consider any of these):

-Lucille LaVerne
-Elsa Lanchester
-James MacArthur
-John McLeish
-John McIntire
-Idina Menzel (I got a feeling that she will be awarded in the not-too-distant future)
-Vera Miles
-Demi Moore
-Harry Morgan
-Janet Munro
-Bob Newhart
-Charles Nichols (drew the Coachman in "Pinocchio", directed many shorts, particularly Pluto shorts (taking over for Geronimi), and also co-directed "Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom" with Ward Kimball)
-Jeanette Nolan
-J. Pat O'Malley
-Jose Oliveira
-Frank Oz
-Luana Patten
-Bob Peterson
-John Ratzenberger (he's been in EVERY SINGLE Pixar movie EVER! How could he not have been awarded yet?)
-Charlie Ruggles
-Reta Shaw
-Hal Smith
-David Ogden Stiers
-Bill Thompson
-Lesley Ann Warren
-Guy Williams
-April Winchell
-Paul Winchell
-Ben Wright
-Keenan Wynn

Well, we can scratch all of two people, Earle and Depp, off our wish list (hence the strikes on the two), since they did get inducted at this year's D23. That means there's still plenty more to wish for in the future!

I came across one interview from Michael Barrier's site, where he interviewed Clyde Geronimi in 1976.

It probably gives a clue as to why Geronimi hasn't received a Disney Legends award yet. Apparently, he was an unpopular director, and made a steamy resignation from Disney in 1959.

Well, just remember: Art Babbitt was FINALLY awarded in 2007, even though he was on a political and personal collision course with Walt that resulted in the 1941 strike and Babbitt's subsequent leave of the studio, and Babbitt carried a grudge toward Disney forever thereafter. So maybe Geronimi may become a Disney Legend someday. As aggravating as he was, Geronimi did contribute mightily to Disney. So if Babbitt can finally get an award, so can Geronimi.

[Big Disney Fan]

Well, it's a new year and a new D23 coming, which means a new round of Legends! Are you not excited?

Also, is it too soon to say Alan Tudyk should be a Legend, too?

[disneyprincess11]

Honestly, no. This is Alan's seventh year with Disney and he has done more than anyone recently. He has been in 5 WDAS films (with 2, possibly 3, on the way), a starring role in a Disney TV animated shows (plus a featured one in Big Hero 6's TV show), and in Star Wars. Alan has a huge impact. But Anika was made into a Legend two years after Princess and the Frog, so yeah, he's good.

[milojthatch]

I really think they need to add Alan Young this year. He's passed away since the last D23, he's had a long standing impact on the company not only with DuckTales and Scrooge, but in other roles as well and it's the 30th Anniversary of DuckTales. This really should be his year!

[disneyprincess11]

Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Oprah Winfrey, and Stan Lee

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/carrie-fis ... 03987.html

[Avaitor]

I was going to say "that's it", but the article says that more will be named later today. It does make sense that they'd want to name the most famous inductees first.

[disneyprincess11]

I was going to say "that's it", but the article says that more will be named later today. It does make sense that they'd want to name the most famous inductees first.

EDIT:

Here are the honorees for 2017 (in alphabetical order):

Carrie Fisher became an overnight sensation in 1977 with her iconic performance as Princess Leia in Star Wars. But throughout her career, Carrie took on many roles—as an actress, author, playwright, screenwriter and outspoken advocate for mental health awareness.

Clyde “Gerry” Geronimi joined the Disney Studio in 1931, working first as an animator for several memorable Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphony, and Pluto cartoons, and he eventually contributed to more than 50 of the Studio’s shorts. He made the leap to directing, with the apex of his Disney career coming when he served as supervising director for the 1959 masterpiece Sleeping Beauty.
Manuel Gonzales, one of 33 artists selected from thousands of applicants to join Disney in 1936, took over penciling duties on the Sunday Mickey Mouse comic strip from Disney Legend Floyd Gottfredson in 1938. He brought Mickey Mouse to newspapers nationwide for nearly 40 years.

Mark Hamill achieved worldwide attention as Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy, which included The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. He returned as Luke in The Force Awakens and will appear in the upcoming The Last Jedi.
Wayne Jackson began his career as a Walt Disney Imagineer in October 1965, and in the decades that followed he would put his technical skills and know-how to great use in the development and installation of Disney attractions around the world.

Stan Lee turned a job as an office assistant at a comic publisher in 1938 called Timely Comics into a storied career that has been highlighted by the co-creation of an enormous roster of Marvel characters, including Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, the X-Men, Daredevil and Falcon. He became Marvel’s editorial director and publisher in 1972, and eventually was named chairman emeritus.

Garry Marshall wrote and produced many big hits for ABC, including The Odd Couple, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy. He was also a successful movie director, with 18 films to his credit. At Disney, he made stars of two young actresses: Julia Roberts, in Pretty Woman, and Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries.

Julie Taymor is a Tony®-, Emmy®– and Grammy®-winning and Oscar®-nominated filmmaker whohas changed the face of Broadway with her innovative direction. Her adaptation of The Lion King debuted in 1997, and became the most successful stage musical of all time.

Oprah Winfrey is a renowned award-winning producer, actress, talk show host and philanthropist. For 25 years, she was the host of the award-winning talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ran for 25 seasons on hundreds of stations domestically and in more than 100 countries around the world. Oprah produced and starred in the feature film Beloved for Disney’s Touchstone Pictures, as well as ABC’s 1989 limited series The Women of Brewster Place, and she would go on to produce many films for ABC, including Tuesdays with Morrie, Before Women Had Wings, and Their Eyes Were Watching God under the “Oprah Winfrey Presents” banner. She performed as Eudora in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog in 2009 and will co-star as Mrs. Which in Disney’s 2018 film A Wrinkle in Time.

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/nine-d ... expo-2017/

[Big Disney Fan]

STILL no Tom Hanks? Or Frank Oz? But it's good that Clyde Geronimi finally made the list. Like I said, he may not have been liked much at the studio, but neither was Art Babbitt.

[milojthatch]

Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Oprah Winfrey, and Stan Lee

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/carrie-fis ... 03987.html

As a classic Disney fan, I find the addition of all four of these people offensive. There are a whole host of people who contributed to DISNEY and yet don't get anything. I love Stan Lee, but nothing that man did was under the Disney banner at the time he did it. Meanwhile Jim Cummings has been Winnie the Pooh, and character that in many ways IS the face of Disney for millions, for decades now. And yet nothing. Of course that's not counting his work as Darkwing Duck, Pete or his other many Disney roles. Of course I've already mention Alan Young above.

Further above are really long lists of people that deserve this award, and yet they give it to men like George Lucas, Jim Henson and Stan Lee. Men that while amazing legends, didn't do their great works for Disney. Disney just years later picked them off and slapped a "Disney" label on in and now seems to be backdating that work as their as along. Disgusting!

In my mind, this list is everything wrong with modern Disney, but I won't pretend like this is new sadly. Disney has slowly been becoming less Disney each year for a while now.

[Semaj]

But it's good that Clyde Geronimi finally made the list.

Very good! He was every bit as integral to Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp as was Hamilton Luske and Wilfred Jackson, both of whom received their awards 18 years ago.

[disneyprincess11]

milojthatch, I'm shocked Jim Cummings hasn't gotten in yet. And I'm especially surprised Alan Young isn't getting in. Hopefully, they, along with Alan Tudyk, Harrison Ford (My mom is shocked he isn't joining his co-stars), Tom Hanks, and Jennifer Hale will get in next time.

[Escapay]

Ennio Morricone has been composing film scores for 70 years before competitively winning an Academy Award at the age of 86. But he doesn't need any statue to validate his work. It speaks for itself, and its fans will enjoy it regardless if a body of people say it's worth enjoying or not.

Disney Legends awards, like any other award, has always been a promotional tool, a marketing campaign to bring attention to something else by recognizing the work of a group of individuals who may be connected to whatever will be promoted. For example, the 2005 inductees were all Parks & Resorts or Imagineering in order to cross-promote both the 50th anniversary of Disneyland, the upcoming opening of Hong Kong Disneyland, and a general celebration of all things theme park. Nobody was recognized from film, television, publishing, etc. Given that online discussion about that year isn't exactly easy to find, I doubt there was any "OMG, I'm so offended they didn't include this person" posts, and if they were, it was done without complete malice towards who did get selected. Clearly, the internet has multiplied exponentially not only the prestige and pomp heaped upon the Disney Legends awards, but also the offended whines about who's been snubbed yet again. I doubt any year will see a ceremony in which every Disney fan is fully satisfied with which handful of individuals get to make a speech at a convention. But that's because every Disney fan has their own conception of what Disney is, so they're already going to find issue with some inductee, regardless if the inductee is "worthy" of the award or not.

I bet in thirty years we'll get a press release where Zac Efron gets inducted for his High School Musical work (and whatever else may bring him back to the Mouse House in the years to come), and there will be some grump online who will still say that he doesn't deserve the award when some boom mic operator on the set of Johnny Tremain still hasn't been recognized.

Albert

[Big Disney Fan]

Also, why Oprah? What has she done for Disney, outside of a few things here and there for ABC? If Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher are nominated, why not Harrison Ford, too?

[D82]

Also, why Oprah? What has she done for Disney, outside of a few things here and there for ABC?

Oprah voiced Tiana's mother, Eudora, in The Princess and the Frog and has a role in the upcoming adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time. But I don't think they are awarding her, or Stan Lee, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill, for the small things they have done for Disney, but for their whole careers.

If Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher are nominated, why not Harrison Ford, too?

I think it's strange they didn't award Harrison Ford along with them, too. Maybe they are planning to name him a Disney Legend when the new Indiana Jones film is released to promote that movie.

Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Oprah Winfrey, and Stan Lee

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/carrie-fis ... 03987.html

As a classic Disney fan, I find the addition of all four of these people offensive. There are a whole host of people who contributed to DISNEY and yet don't get anything. I love Stan Lee, but nothing that man did was under the Disney banner at the time he did it. Meanwhile Jim Cummings has been Winnie the Pooh, and character that in many ways IS the face of Disney for millions, for decades now. And yet nothing. Of course that's not counting his work as Darkwing Duck, Pete or his other many Disney roles. Of course I've already mention Alan Young above.

Further above are really long lists of people that deserve this award, and yet they give it to men like George Lucas, Jim Henson and Stan Lee. Men that while amazing legends, didn't do their great works for Disney. Disney just years later picked them off and slapped a "Disney" label on in and now seems to be backdating that work as their as along. Disgusting!

I agree. They should give the award to people who have done great works for the company. These four are great legends, but haven't done much under the Disney banner. If we only count the films already released, the only thing Mark Hamill has done for Disney is the few seconds he appears at the end of The Force Awakens, in which he doesn't even talk. I haven't followed these awards much to know who hasn't been awarded yet, but the names you mentioned are way more deserving than those four.

[Big Disney Fan]

I just thought of something: the fourth Toy Story movie is coming out in 2019, so maybe, just maybe, they're waiting to nominate Tom Hanks until then. But still, if that's the case, why didn't they nominate him sooner, like in 2013, the year that "Saving Mr. Banks", where Hanks portrayed Walt Disney himself, was released?

[Sotiris]

This year's honorees. I'm surprised Ming-Na wasn't named a Legend back when they inducted almost every actress who voiced a Disney Princess.

The Walt Disney Company will honor 11 new Disney Legends during the upcoming D23 Expo 2019 in a special awards ceremony hosted by Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger. Wing Chao, Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, James Earl Jones, Bette Midler, Kenny Ortega, Barnette Ricci, Robin Roberts, Diane Sawyer, Ming-Na Wen and Hans Zimmer will be celebrated for their significant and lasting contributions to the Disney Legacy.

Source: https://d23.com/2019-disney-legends/

[Disney's Divinity]

Bette Midler!~ Yay. Of course, this "honor" has become watered down to the point that it doesn't mean anything anymore, in much the same way “Disney” doesn’t mean much anymore. Now when you say the word you could be referring to Disney films like Mary Poppins, Snow White, The Lion King, etc. or you could just as easily mean PIXAR films, Star Wars films, Marvel films, FOX films, and on and on.