Legends Plaza at The Walt Disney Studios reminds me that not often in one’s life can you be surrounded by such greatness in one location. The many notable men and women that have shaped The Walt Disney Company have been immortalized in this special spot in Burbank, California. Last we met, we looked at the Disney Legend Award itself and its 14 foot bigger-than-life replica in Legends Plaza. What are the other components of Legends Plaza? The “Partners” statue, the “Sharing the Magic” statue and the bronze plaques of each individual Disney Legend reside in this beautiful courtyard.
The “Partners” statue, created by Disney Legend Blaine Gibson, oversees the whole plaza. The iconic statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse was originally unveiled at Disneyland on November 19, 1993 on Mickey Mouse’s 65th birthday.
Mr. Gibson had these words to say on the dedication day at Disneyland:
“I thought that it was an honor to do a statue of Mickey and Walt who was, in my opinion, the real genius behind all of this. For me, it was a labor of love. Walt gave me and many others some of the happiest times of our lives, and this project was important because it wasn’t just for Walt…it was about Walt.”
“Our faces are all we really have that can tell people who we are. Many people asked me what Walt might be saying as he stood there with Mickey, and the expression I tried to capture was Walt saying to Mickey, ‘Look what we’ve accomplished together’, because truly they were very much a team through it all.”
To me, the “Partners” statue placement is very fitting for Legends Plaza. Walt and Mickey stand looking at the Team Disney – The Michael D. Eisner Building of The Walt Disney Studios and all the plaques that represent the Disney Legends. It is as if Walt is saying, “Look, Mickey, these are the people that helped us build this company.”
Also in Legends Plaza is a replica of the “Sharing the Magic” statue created by Blaine Gibson as well. The touching tribute to Roy O. Disney sitting on a park bench with Minnie Mouse is familiar to many who have seen it in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. It is located approximately where Walt’s older brother Roy stood when he dedicated the Magic Kingdom in October 1971. The “Sharing the Magic” statue was placed in the Magic Kingdom 28 years later in October 1999.
Jim Korkis once interviewed Mr. Gibson about the “Sharing the Magic” statue. Mr. Gibson said, “Roy is sitting back in the bench which indicates he was there first and Minnie came to him, not that he came up to her to ask why she was sitting down and not working or coming up to harass her (laughing). Also he is holding her hand underneath so he is supporting it, just like he always supported Walt’s dreams. Roy was very underrated.”
Now, let’s look at the people that are called Disney Legends. Every year since 1987, the Walt Disney Company has inducted deserving individuals into this elite group. Each Disney Legend has contributed to The Walt Disney Company in an extraordinary fashion. Along the circumference of Legends Plaza, bronze plaques representing the Legends themselves adorn the beams. The plaque features the recipient’s handprints and signature if they were living when named a Disney Legend.
Take some time to get to know the Disney Legends. Their fascinating and remarkable stories can be found on the Disney website where you can search by year of induction or by last name. Below are the inductee classes with Fred MacMurray being the very first Disney Legend in 1987.
http://legends.disney.go.com/legends/
1987
Fred MacMurray, Film
1988
Virginia Davis, Animation
Norman Palmer, Film
1989
Les Clark, Animation
Marc Davis, Animation & Imagineering
Ub Iwerks, Animation & Imagineering
Ollie Johnston, Animation
Milt Kahl, Animation
Ward Kimball, Animation & Imagineering
Eric Larson, Animation
John Lounsbery, Animation
Wolfgang Reitherman, Animation
Frank Thomas, Animation
(All except Iwerks were Disney’s “Nine Old Men.”)
Ward Kimball was obviously the Disney Legend with the best sense of humor.
1990
Roger Broggie, Imagineering
Joe Fowler, Attractions
John Hench, Animation & Imagineering
Richard Irvine, Imagineering
Herb Ryman, Imagineering
Richard Sherman, Music
Robert Sherman, Music
1991
Ken Anderson, Animation & Imagineering
Julie Andrews, Film
Carl Barks, Animation & Publishing
Mary Blair, Animation & Imagineering
Claude Coats, Animation & Imagineering
Don DaGradi, Animation & Film
Sterling Holloway, Animation—Voice
Fess Parker, Film & Television
Bill Walsh, Film & Television
1992
Jimmie Dodd, Television
Bill Evans, Imagineering
Annette Funicello, Film & Television
Joe Grant, Animation
Jack Hannah, Animation
Winston Hibler, Film
Ken O’Connor, Animation & Imagineering
Roy Williams, Animation & Television
1993
Pinto Colvig, Animation—Voice
Buddy Ebsen, Film & Television
Peter Ellenshaw, Film
Blaine Gibson, Animation & Imagineering
Harper Goff, Film & Imagineering
Irving Ludwig, Film
Jimmy MacDonald, Animation—Voice
Clarence Nash, Animation—Voice
Donn Tatum, Administration
Card Walker, Administration
1994
Adriana Caselotti, Animation—Voice
Bill Cottrell, Animation & Imagineering
Marvin Davis, Film & Imagineering
Van France, Attractions
David Hand, Animation
Jack Lindquist, Attractions
Bill Martin, Imagineering
Paul J. Smith, Music
Frank Wells, Administration
1995
Wally Boag, Attractions
Fulton Burley, Attractions
Dean Jones, Film
Angela Lansbury, Film
Edward Meck, Attractions
Fred Moore, Animation
Thurl Ravenscroft, Animation—Voice
Wathel Rogers, Imagineering
Betty Taylor, Attractions
1996
Bob Allen, Attractions
Rex Allen, Film & Television
X Atencio, Animation & Imagineering
Betty Lou Gerson, Animation—Voice
Bill Justice, Animation & Imagineering
Bob Matheison, Attractions
Sam McKim, Imagineering
Bob Moore, Animation & Film
Bill Peet, Animation—Story
Joe Potter, Attractions
1997
Lucien Adés, Music
Angel Angelopoulos, Publishing
Antonio Bertini, Character Merchandise
Armand Bigle, Character Merchandise
Gaudenzio Capelli, Publishing
Roberto de Leonardis, Film
Cyril Edgar, Film
Wally Feignoux, Film
Didier Fouret, Publishing
Mario Gentilini, Publishing
Cyril James, Film & Merchandise
Horst Koblischek, Character Merchandise
Gunnar Mansson, Character Merchandise
Arnoldo Mondadori, Publishing
Armand Palivoda, Film
Poul Brahe Pederson, Publishing
André Vanneste, Character Merchandise
Paul Winkler, Character Merchandise
1998
James Algar, Animation & Film
Buddy Baker, Music
Kathryn Beaumont, Animation—Voice
Roy E. Disney, Film, Animation & Administration
Don Escen, Administration
Wilfred Jackson, Animation
Glynis Johns, Film
Kay Kamen, Character Merchandise
Paul Kenworthy, Film
Larry Lansburgh, Film & Television
Hayley Mills, Film
Al Milotte and Elma Milotte, Film
Norman “Stormy” Palmer, Film
Lloyd Richardson, Film
Kurt Russell, Film
Ben Sharpsteen, Animation & Film
Masatomo Takahashi, Administration
Vladimir (Bill) Tytla, Animation
Dick Van Dyke, Film
Matsuo Yokoyama, Character Merchandise
1999
Tim Allen, Television, Film & Animation-Voice
Mary Costa, Animation—Voice
Norm Ferguson, Animation
Bill Garity, Film
Yale Gracey, Animation & Imagineering
Al Konetzni, Character Merchandise
Hamilton Luske, Animation
Dick Nunis, Attractions
Charlie Ridgway, Attractions
2000
Barkad Hashi, Animation
Harriet Burns, Imagineering
Joyce Carlson, Animation & Imagineering
Ron Dominguez, Parks & Resorts
Cliff Edwards, Animation—Voice
Becky Fallberg, Animation
Dick Jones, Animation—Voice
Dodie Roberts, Animation
Retta Scott, Animation
Ruthie Tompson, Animation
2001
Howard Ashman, Music
Bob Broughton, Film
George Bruns, Music
Frank Churchill, Music
Leigh Harline, Music
Fred Joerger, Imagineering
Alan Menken, Music
Martin Sklar, Imagineering
Ned Washington, Music
Tyrus Wong, Animation
2002
Ken Annakin, Film
Hugh Attwooll, Film
Maurice Chevalier, Film
Phil Collins, Music
Sir John Mills, Film
Robert Newton, Film & Television
Sir Tim Rice, Music
Robert Stevenson, Film
Richard Todd, Film & Television
David Tomlinson, Film
(In honor of the opening of the Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris, all 2002 inductees are of European origin. The ceremony was held in the Animation building at the new park on opening day.)
2003
Neil Beckett, Merchandise
Tutti Camarata, Music
Edna Francis Disney
Lillian Disney
Orlando Ferrante, Imagineering
Richard Fleischer, Film
Floyd Gottfredson, Animation
Buddy Hackett, Film & Television
Harrison “Buzz” Price, Research Economist. Located sites for Disneyland and Disney World
Al Taliaferro, Cartoonist
Ilene Woods, Music—Voice
2004
Bill Anderson, Film, Television & Administration
Tim Conway, Film
Rolly Crump, Imagineering
Alice Davis, Imagineering
Karen Dotrice, Film & Television
Matthew Garber, Film
Leonard H. Goldenson, Television
Bob Gurr, Imagineering
Ralph Kent, Imagineering & Attractions
Irwin Kostal, Music
Mel Shaw, Animation
During the 2011 Disney Legends ceremony, Deb Wills and I meet Disney Legends Alice Davis and Kathryn Beaumont
2005
Chuck Abbott, Parks & Resorts
Milt Albright, Parks & Resorts
Hideo Amemiya, Parks & Resorts
Hideo Aramaki, Parks & Resorts
Charles Boyer, Parks & Resorts
Randy Bright, Imagineer
James Cora, Parks & Resorts
Robert Jani, Parks & Resorts
Mary Jones, Parks & Resorts
Art Linkletter, Parks & Resorts
Mary Anne Mang, Parks & Resorts
Steve Martin, Parks & Resorts
Tom Nabbe, Parks & Resorts
Jack Olsen, Parks & Resorts
Cicely Rigdon, Parks & Resorts
William Sullivan, Parks & Resorts
Jack Wagner, Parks & Resorts
Vesey Walker, Parks & Resorts
(In honor of Disneyland’s 50th anniversary in 2005, all recipients are related to either Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and/or Walt Disney Imagineering, and nearly all have had some connection with Disneyland.)
2006
Tim Considine, Television & Film
Kevin Corcoran, Television & Film
Al Dempster, Animation
Don Edgren, Imagineering
Paul Frees, Television, Film & Parks
Peter Jennings, Television
Sir Elton John, Music
Jimmy Johnson, Music
Tommy Kirk, Television & Film
Joe Ranft, Animation
David Stollery, Television & Film
Ginny Tyler, Television & Film
2007
Roone Arledge, Television
Art Babbitt, Animation
Carl Bongirno, Imagineering
Marge Champion, Animation
Dick Huemer, Animation
Ron Logan, Parks and Resorts
Lucille Martin, Administration
Tom Murphy, Administration
Randy Newman, Music
Floyd Norman, Animation
Bob Schiffer, Film Production
Dave Smith, Archives
2008
Wayne Allwine, Animation -voice
Bob Booth, Attractions
Neal Gallagher, Attractions
Frank Gifford, Television
Burny Mattinson, Animation
Walter Peregoy, Animation
Dorothea Redmond, Designer
Russi Taylor, Animation -voice
Barbara Walters, Television
Oliver Wallace, Music
2009
Tony Anselmo, Animation -voice
Harry Archinal, Film
Beatrice Arthur, Film & Television
Bill Farmer, Animation -voice
Estelle Getty, Film & Television
Don Iwerks, Film
Rue McClanahan, Film & Television
Leota Toombs Thomas, Attractions
Betty White, Film & Television
Robin Williams, Film, Animation -voice
2010
James Baskett, Film
Jim Cummings, Animation -voice
Tom Hanks, Film, Animation -voice
Aaron Spelling, Television
Frank Welker, Animation -voice
2011
Regis Philbin, Television
Jim Henson, Film, Puppetry
Jodi Benson, Animation -voice
Paige O’Hara, Animation -voice
Lea Salonga, Animation -voice
Linda Larkin, Animation -voice
Anika Noni Rose, Animation -voice
Jack Wrather, Parks & Resorts
Bonita Wrather, Film
Guy Williams, Television
Bo Boyd, Consumer Products
Raymond Watson, Administration
How well do you know the Disney Legends?
Special thanks to Laura Wright; James Hansen; Michael and Jaime, my Adventures by Disney guides; and Disney Legend Mary Costa for blessing me with your help and friendship. Legends Plaza would not have been the same without you.
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Fascinating! Hope that someday I’ll get to see this in person!