Travel

Season 2, Episode 9 – Our Favorite Disney Collectibles!

March 1, 2021 by Mike Ellis Leave a Comment

Our Favorite Disney Collectibles

Hey everyone, I’m Mike, she’s Sophie, and that’s Brenda, and We’re on the Road with Mickey! This is Season 2, Episode 9 for March 1, 2021, and our feature topic today is Our Favorite Disney Collectibles! This week, we’re talking about ways that Disney has gone above and beyond for their Guests! We hope that this reminds you of the ways that Disney has done that for you and your family as well! Grab a drink, relax, and join us as we talk about all the things that we came up with! Here’s our rundown of what we talked about:

Cheddar from the Big Cheese
- Mike: Huge news from the West Coast! The Disney Vacation Club announced that The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa are scheduled to reopen on May 2, 2021!
- Sophie: Coming in the summer of 2021 — a new movie from Disney/Pixar named Luca. There’s a new trailer out about it, looks interesting! Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdAIBlPVe9s
- Brenda: Universal Orlando has just announced a new limited-time offer. This incredible offer has guests saving 40 percent on a 4-day, 4-night hotel and ticket vacation package! You must book by April 19, 2021, and travel by June 24, 2021. Reach out to us for more information on booking this trip! I’m Brenda@PixieVacations.com and he’s Mike@PixieVacations.com.
- Sophie: Lastly, over at Animal Kingdom’s Kilimanjaro Safaris, Ranger, the baby Rhino, has joined the herd as part of the attraction! He’s 4 months old and his mom, Kendi, is keeping a close eye on him!
Connect with us! Here’s how:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OnTheRoadwithMickey
- YouTube: On the Road with Mickey (Don’t forget to subscribe, like the videos, and comment!)
- Instagram: On the Road with Mickey
- Email: info@ontheroadwithmickey.com
- Phone Voicemail: 919-799-8390
Feature Topic: Our Favorite Disney Collectibles
- Brenda’s Favorite Collectibles:
  - Cinderella Wedding Snow Globe
  - Walk in Walt’s Disneyland Shoes Tour Pin
  - Walt Disney Railroad Window
  - Mickey & Minnie Cruise Love Collectible
- Sophie’s Favorite Collectibles:
  - Stella Lou Merch
  - Star Wars Gear
  - Mouse Ears
- Mike’s Favorite Collectibles:
  - My Disney Pins
  - My College of Disney Knowledge Graduate Pins
  - My Disney Dollars
This Day in Disney History
Disney Who’s Who Character:
- Dim from A Bug’s Life
Walt Disney Quote
- “The American child is a highly intelligent human being – characteristically sensitive, humorous, open-minded, eager to learn, and has a strong sense of excitement, energy, and healthy curiosity about the world in which he lives. Lucky indeed is the grown-up who manages to carry these same characteristics into adult life. It usually makes for a happy and successful individual.” -Walt Disney
Coming Next Week: The Changes coming to Walt Disney World for the 50th Anniversary!
Sponsorship
- On the Road with Mickey is sponsored by Pixie Vacations by Mike Ellis and Tech Solutions NC.

As always, thank you for listening. We are having a lot of fun talking Disney, and I’m glad you are enjoying it as well! Remember, you can reach us in many ways — first, by email to info@ontheroadwithmickey.com. Second, you can leave us a voicemail at our voicemail box 919-799-8390. You can also talk to us on our Facebook Page, On the Road with Mickey or in our On the Road with Mickey Group. Feel free to join us! Have a great week, and we’ll be back to talk with you again next week!

Season 2, Episode 8 – When Disney Goes Above & Beyond!

February 22, 2021 by Mike Ellis Leave a Comment

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When Disney Goes Above & Beyond

Hey everyone, I’m Mike, she’s Sophie, and that’s Brenda, and We’re on the Road with Mickey! This is Season 2, Episode 8 for February 22, 2021, and our feature topic today is When Disney Goes Above & Beyond! This week, we’re talking about ways that Disney has gone above and beyond for their Guests! We hope that this reminds you of the ways that Disney has done that for you and your family as well! Grab a drink, relax, and join us as we talk about all the things that we came up with! Here’s our rundown of what we talked about:

Cheddar from the Big Cheese
- Mike: From a Travel Agent/Travel Perspective, the biggest news for me is that Walt Disney World has released pricing for 2022 that goes through early July, 2022! That is huge for several reasons: 1) It gets people excited about taking a Disney trip next year, 2) It gives you a longer time period to plan and pay for your trip, and 3) It shows that Disney is looking ahead towards a time when things at Disney will be more normal. Both Brenda and I are travel agents with Pixie Vacations, so shoot us an email if you want to look at pricing! Brenda is Brenda@PixieVacations.com and I’m Mike@PixieVacations.com.
- Sophie: Over at the Conservation Station at Animal Kingdom Park, Disney is introducing a new “Raya and the Last Dragon” Animation Experience and Sand Sculpture! You can learn to draw the new characters from the movie starting today, February 22nd! Also, over at Discovery Island Stage, artists will be working on a 40-ton sand sculpture celebrating the film, which will feature Raya, Tuk Tuk, Sisu the last dragon and the Ongi.
- Brenda: Also in Disney travel information, Disney has released their Disney Military Promotional Tickets! You can get 4 day or 5 day Park Hopper or Park Hopper Plus options. 5 day Park Hopper tickets are $315 plus tax, and 5 day Park Hopper Plus tickets are $345 plus tax. 4 Day Park Hopper tickets are $296 plus tax, and 4 day Park Hopper Plus tickets are $326 plus tax.
- Sophie: Coming to theaters May 28th, the newest Disney Live Action remake: Cruella! Disney released an updated trailer on the 17th — here is the link if you wish to check it out! https://youtu.be/gmRKv7n2If8 (Note: this movie does not look like it is meant for small children, as you will see.)
Connect with us! Here’s how:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OnTheRoadwithMickey
- YouTube: On the Road with Mickey (Don’t forget to subscribe, like the videos, and comment!)
- Instagram: On the Road with Mickey
- Email: info@ontheroadwithmickey.com
- Phone Voicemail: 919-799-8390
Feature Topic: When Disney Goes Above & Beyond
- Brenda explains what “Disney Plussing” means.
- Sophie’s Experiences:
  - Animal Kingdom ice cream
  - Sophie celebrating birthdays before or after the day!
  - Disney Birthday Desserts
  - Sophie and Princess Jasmine in Morocco
  - The Disney Parks/Pandora
  - The Sword in the Stone
- Mike’s Experiences:
  - Eyeglass repair in the Magic Kingdom
  - Sophie’s book at the Fire Station
  - The Cookie at the Main Street Bakery
  - The Captain on the boat “turning” Sophie into “Pirate Sophie!”
  - Biergarten
  - Greeters at French Quarter
  - The Birthday Button
  - Dapper Dan’s Happy Birthday
- Brenda’s Experiences:
  - Brenda’s Birthday Experiences
  - Wilderness Lodge Pins
  - Disney Cruise Cast Member Natalia
  - 1900 Park Fare
  - Josh’s first trip in 2000
  - Butch at the United Kingdom
  - McKinley’s 5th Birthday Trip – Turning Disappointment into Joy
- Friends of the show Experiences:
  - One of my clients was about to head home from their trip — they were literally waiting for Magical Express, and realized that they had forgotten to get the Stitch stuffed animal that their daughter wanted and they had no more park tickets available. A Disney Cast Member went from their resort into Epcot, purchased the Stitch for them, and brought it back to give to their daughter! That’s going Above & Beyond!
This Day in Disney History
Disney Who’s Who Character:
- Bashful from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Walt Disney Quote
- “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.” -Walt Disney
Coming Next Week: We are joined by our friend Lee from Disleelandia as we talk about our favorite Disney collectibles we have at home!
Sponsorship
- On the Road with Mickey is sponsored by Pixie Vacations by Mike Ellis and Tech Solutions NC.

Season 2, Episode 7 – Our Favorite Disney Memories

February 15, 2021 by Mike Ellis Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Our Favorite Disney Memories

Hey everyone, I’m Mike, she’s Sophie, and that’s Brenda, and We’re on the Road with Mickey! This is Season 2, Episode 7 for February 15, 2021, and our feature topic today is Our Favorite Disney Memories! This week, we’re talking about those Disney memories that we all have if we’ve been to Disney, and ranking our top five memories! We hope that this reminds you of your favorite Disney Memories as well! Grab a drink, relax, and join us as we talk about all the things that we came up with! Here’s our rundown of what we talked about:

Cheddar from the Big Cheese
- Mike: Starting in April until this Fall, Disney’s Contemporary Resort will be going through a refurbishment of some of the Guest rooms. This is primarily located in the Main Tower part of the Contemporary, although it should not affect most of the resort areas and amenities for Guests to enjoy.
- Sophie: We reported a few months back that there was a new arrival over a Fort Wilderness. Well, another new arrival has come to Fort Wilderness! Patches is a new Shetland pony and he is currently at the Tri-Circle D Ranch! You can see him over on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CK6zDRrBCna/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
- Brenda: The Taste of Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival runs from March 3 – July 5, 2021! More details have emerged, including 24 different topiaries throughout the park!
- Mike: Also at Epcot, we all know how the Leave a Legacy Sculptures (some call them Monoliths) have been removed for some months. Well, Disney has replaced them with a series of Leave a Legacy Wall panels! If you did this, there are instructions on where your image can be found. There are over 200 panels of various colors, and it really looks cool. It’s all right around the entrance to Epcot.
- Brenda: Lastly, we learned recently that Disney Legend Charles Boyer passed away on February 8th at his home in Ontario, California. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
Connect with us! Here’s how:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OnTheRoadwithMickey
- YouTube: On the Road with Mickey
- Instagram: On the Road with Mickey
- Email: info@ontheroadwithmickey.com
- Phone Voicemail: 919-799-8390
Feature Topic: Our Favorite Disney Memories
- Brenda’s Selections
- Sophie’s Selections
- Mike’s Selections
- Friends of the show Memories:
  - John: 3 years ago going for my birthday and being told by cast members of the freebies given out for your birthday. A lot of things I didn’t know about even when I was a cast member.
  - Deb: Being able to share my Happy Place with Grandniece Gabbie and all the fun we had at Mickey Halloween Party. October 2019. Everything was Magical the entire trip. I still look at our photo pass pictures and just smile and am so very thankful. The most magical moment was when we all had our picture taken with Mickey.
  - Cindy: Seeing Sophie splashing at the Winnie the Pooh splash playground when she was 5 years old. It is no longer there because of the Fantasyland expansion. Watching Sophie and Anna Jane get their hair done at the Castle’s Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. Being at the Castle when Shane proposed to Stephanie. Riding every Roller coaster with Mikey since July 2000.
This Day in Disney History
Disney Who’s Who Character: Nemo from Finding Nemo
Walt Disney Quote
- “To the youngsters of today, I say “Believe in the future, the world is getting better; there still is plenty of opportunity.” Why, would you believe it, when I was a kid I thought it was already too late for me to make good at anything.” -Walt Disney
Coming Next Week: When Disney went Above and Beyond!
Sponsorship
- On the Road with Mickey is sponsored by Pixie Vacations by Mike Ellis and Tech Solutions NC.

Season 2, Episode 6 – Walt’s Nine Old Men, Part 3

February 8, 2021 by Mike Ellis Leave a Comment

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Walt’s Nine Old Men, Part 3

Hey everyone, I’m Mike, and she’s Sophie, and We’re on the Road with Mickey! This is Season 2, Episode 6 for February 8, 2021, and our feature topic today is Walt’s Nine Old Men, Part 3! This week, we’re joined again by friend of the show Brenda from Pixie Vacations, and this is final week in looking at Walt’s Nine Old Men! Grab a drink, relax, and join us as we talk about all the things that we came up with! Here’s our rundown of what we talked about:

Cheddar from the Big Cheese
- Mike: Exciting news! The Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island re-opened early! They opened last Friday, February 5th!
- Sophie: Over at Disney+, the streaming network received Golden Globe nominations for Hamilton, The Mandalorian, and Soul!
- Brenda: In refurbishment news, the Mad Tea Party and Swiss Family Treehouse are closing for short refurbishments. Mad Tea Party will be closed from February 22nd – March 4th, and Swiss Family Treehouse will be closed from March 12th – 25th.
- Mike: Over at Universal, Volcano Bay Water Park is reopening on February 27th!
- Brenda: Disney has released new Key to the World card designs! A set of six, they feature Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald, and Daisy!
Connect with us! Here’s how:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OnTheRoadwithMickey
- YouTube: On the Road with Mickey
- Instagram: On the Road with Mickey
- Email: info@ontheroadwithmickey.com
- Phone Voicemail: 919-799-8390
Feature Topic: Walt’s Nine Old Men, Part 3
- Mike’s Selection: Eric Larson
  - Born September 3, 1905, was from Utah.
  - Third of the Nine old Men, started on June 1, 1933, the same day as Woolie Reitherman.
  - Started as an assistant animator on The Tortoise and the Hare and Two-Gun Mickey.
  - Other achievements:
    - Animation Director and designed Figaro the cat for Pinocchio, and he also animated the horses and centaurs for the “Pastoral Symphony” sequence in Fantasia.
    - Assisted Marc Davis in creating Cinderella and animated Caterpillar for the 1951 Alice in Wonderland.
    - Perhaps his most famous sequence though is the flight to Neverland in the 1953 movie Peter Pan.
    - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
    - Bambi
    - So Dear to My Heart
    - Mary Poppins
    - Bedknobs and Broomsticks
    - Last character animation work was as a consultant for the 1986 movie The Great Mouse Detective.
  - In my opinion, though, the greatest legacy for Eric Larson’s career as a member of the Nine Old Men was that, after Walt passed away in 1966, Eric Larson (along with Walt Stanchfield) was placed in charge of finding and training new talent. Some of those names that came through his program are household names:
    - Brad Bird (Directed The Incredibles, Incredibles 2, Ratatouille, Tomorrowland)
    - Don Bluth (The Rescuers, Pete’s Dragon)
    - Tim Burton (The Nightmare before Christmas)
    - Ron Clements (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Princess and the Frog)
    - Andreas Deja (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King)
    - Glen Keane (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Tangled)
    - John Lasseter (Toy Story Franchise, Cars Franchise, Pixar)
  - It is because of that training program that he earned the nickname “The Beloved Mentor”
  - Eric Larson retired in February, 1986 after 52 years with Disney — making him the last of the Nine Old Men to retire. Sadly, he passed away just two years later.
  - “No one was more concerned with passing on the Disney legacy than Eric.” -animator Andreas Deja
- Brenda’s Selection: John Lounsbery
  - Born: March 9, 1911 Birthplace: Cincinnati, OH (but raised in Colorado and loved the outdoors)
  - Died: February 13, 1976 (at the age of 64)
  - College: The Art Institute of Denver AND Art Center School of Design in Los Angeles.
  - One of his instructors was very impressed with him and he sent him to interview with Walt Disney.
  - As the 8th hire of Walt’s Nine Old Men he was hired by the Walt Disney Company on July 2, 1935 beginning as an assistant animator on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Working under Norm Ferguson he quickly became a star animator.
  - Personal
    - John was shy by nature but very light-hearted. It was said that he probably had more pencils than words. He was quiet, modest, self-sacrificing, helpful, unselfish and had no trace of either anger or a temper.
    - “John was a quiet, shy person with a circus inside of him”, according to his honoree John Pomeroy.
    - Frank and Ollie said, that as a draftsman Lounsbery was ideal for animation. He was a terrific “cartoon actor”. They also said that “no matter how bad a situation might be, John could always make “some funny observation to lighten the situation.”
    - John was affectionately known as “Louns” by fellow animators. He was respected for his incredibly strong draftsmanship, versatility, and ability to animate broad, cartoony characters in a believable way put together with a very solid drawing style.
    - No one else could animate a Ward Kimball character and a Milt Kahl character equally well.
  - Animation Career
    - For several years, John specialized in the “Pluto shorts”
    - His animation was known for its squashy, stretchy feel
    - Popular characters and scenes he animated:
    - There is a VERY long list of characters within John Lounsbery’s career at the studios.
    - One of his favorites was Ben Ali Gator – Fantasia; Dance of the Hours
    - Horse, Bruno the dog, Lucifer, Gus and others – Cinderella
    - Cheshire Cat, Caterpillar, Rose and the Flowers, Mad Hatter – Alice in Wonderland
    - George Darling – Peter Pan
    - Tony, Joe, Bull and Tramp – Lady and the Tramp
    - The Kings – Sleeping Beauty
    - Owl, Eeyore and Gopher – The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
  - Animation Director:
    - In the 1970s, John was promoted to Director and co-directed Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too!
    - Just to name a few more on which he served as Animation Director, there are:
    - Dumbo
    - Song of the South
    - Alice in Wonderland
    - Peter Pan
    - Lady and the Tramp
    - Sleeping Beauty
    - 101 Dalmations
    - His last film was The Rescuers. He was still directing at the studios when he died of heart failure during heart surgery.
  - Other professional accomplishments:
    - Annie Award: Winsor McKay Award 1986
    - Named a Disney legend in 1989.
  - Family life:
    - John’s wife was Florence Louise Hurd.
    - He had 3 children: Kenneth, Andrea and John Keith
    - John moved his family out to the country. He drove 25 miles each way to work at the studios.
    - In the daytime he was an animator, but at night and on weekends he was stringing barbed wire, medicating large animals, laying bricks, pouring concrete.
    - Ken described him as a renaissance worker and so imaginative with his fingertips. But at home, John always carried pliers in his pocket.
    - He enjoyed farm life – chickens, lambs, horses. The kids showed their animals then took them to auction and got ribbons and then tried to get the best price for their steers.
    - They knew all about butchering day.
    - “Jake”, the youngest, had go-carts.
    - Andrea was an equestrian. John wrote to Andrea while she was at college. Once he wrote her a letter from their pug dog and told her everything that had been going on at home. He even drew sketches in it.
    - He drove a 1951 Chevy pickup truck (forest green)
    - John was the shortest lived of Walt’s Nine Old Men and the first to die. He was truly missed by his fellow animators.
- Sophie’s Selection: Wolfgang ‘Woolie’ Reitherman
  - Born June 26, 1909 in Munich, Germany
  - He moved to America with his family as a child, and after attending Pasadena Junior College, he was a draftsman for Douglas Aircraft before going to Chouinard Art Institute and graduating in 1933.
  - He was invited to Disney Studios after a Mr. Phillip L. Dike showed his drawings to Disney, who suggested that Reitherman should be an animator, instead of a watercolorist. He was hired by the studio on May 21, 1933. His first project was the Silly Symphony “Funny Little Bunnies”. He animated the Magic Mirror in Snow White, Monstro from Pinnochio, the dinosaur scene from Fantasia, and Timothy Q. Mouse in Dumbo.
  - With the coming of WWII, Woolie leaves Disney Studios to serve in the Air Force, earning him the Distinguished Flying Cross after serving in Africa, China, India, and the South Pacific. He was discharged in February 1946 with the rank of Major.
  - After coming home, he married Janie Marie McMillan, and rejoined Disney in 1947, where he animated one of my favorite disney antagonists, the Headless Horseman from the Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
  - In the late 1950’s Woolie served as the sequence director for many movies, like the Dragon fight in Sleeping Beauty, and the Twilight Bark in 101 Dalmatians. He became the first sole director in the Disney Studios with “The Sword in the Stone.”
  - Near the end of his career, he was slated to direct The Fox and the Hound, but after some creative disputes with his co-director, Art Stevens, he was taken off the project, and went on to direct some other projects, none of which came to fruition. He retired in 1981.
  - Reitherman died unexpectedly in a car crash in 1985, he was 75 years old. He was named a disney legend in 1989. All three of his sons with his wife, Janie, contributed voice lines in many Disney films, including Mowgli from the Jungle Book, Christopher Robin in Winnie the Pooh, and Arthur in the Sword in the Stone.
Disney Who’s Who Character: The Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland
Walt Disney Quote
- “Of all the things I’ve done, the most vital is coordinating those who work with me and aiming their efforts at a certain goal.” -Walt Disney
Coming Next Week: Our Favorite Disney Memories!
Sponsorship
- On the Road with Mickey is sponsored by Pixie Vacations by Mike Ellis and Tech Solutions NC.

Season 2, Episode 5 – Walt’s Nine Old Men, Part 2

February 1, 2021 by Mike Ellis Leave a Comment

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Walt’s Nine Old Men, Part 2

Hey everyone, I’m Mike, and she’s Sophie, and We’re on the Road with Mickey! This is Season 2, Episode 5 for February 1, 2021, and our feature topic today is Walt’s Nine Old Men, Part 2! This week, we’re joined again by friend of the show Brenda from Pixie Vacations, and this is week two of a three week look at Walt’s Nine Old Men! Grab a drink, relax, and join us as we talk about all the things that we came up with! Here’s our rundown of what we talked about:

Cheddar from the Big Cheese
- Mike: Filming for Season 3 of The Mandalorian to begin on April 5th!
- Sophie: Coming to Theaters and Disney+ March 5th: Raya and the Last Dragon! Here’s an exclusive trailer that premiered on GMA:
  New trailer for Disney’s ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’: Exclusive l GMA Digital – YouTube
- Sophie: Exciting! Reported over at the Magic Kingdom, The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover is now being tested! Perhaps it will be reopening soon?
- Mike: Announced last week, Disney is making MAJOR changes to its iconic attraction the Jungle Cruise! The story is being built out some, with new adventures being added to the attraction at both Disneyland Park and the Magic Kingdom.
- Brenda: Over at the Magic Kingdom, the Rivers of America has now been completely refilled! The Disney Refurbishment schedule lists Liberty Square Riverboat as reopening in February!
Connect with us! Here’s how:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OnTheRoadwithMickey
- YouTube: On the Road with Mickey
- Instagram: On the Road with Mickey
- Email: info@ontheroadwithmickey.com
- Phone Voicemail: 919-799-8390
Feature Topic: Walt’s Nine Old Men, Part 2
- Sophie’s Next Selection: Les Clark
  - Born November 17, 1907. Born in Ogden, Utah. Oldest of 12.
  - By 1930, his large family had moved between Salt Lake City, Twin Falls in Idaho, and Los Angeles where he went to high school. There, he worked a summer job at an ice cream shop near Disney Studios. It’s there that he probably met Walt, who complimented the young Clark on the lettering of the menus, which eventually led him to have the courage to ask Walt for a Job.
  - The Monday after his High school graduation, Clark reported to Disney Studios for a temporary position in 1927.
  - He started work as a camera operator and in the ink and paint department, before moving to work under the guidance Ub Iwerks. He was the only one of the Nine Old Men to work with Iwerks on the Origins of Mickey Mouse. And during the famous character’s development, Clark was promoted to the position of Inbetweener, where he worked on a scene in ‘Steamboat Willie’.
  - When Iwerks left Disney, Clark was made Lead Animator on Mickey Mouse. He also helped to animate the classic scene where Snow White dances with the Seven Dwarfs.
  - He’s also credited for characters like Pinocchio, Cinderella, Alice, and Tinkerbell.
  - Les Clark unfortunately died of cancer in Santa Barbara, on September 12th, 1979. He had a wife, Miriam, and their two children, Richard and Miriam.
- Brenda’s Next Selection: Ollie Johnston
  - Born: October 31, 1912 Birthplace: Palo Alto, CA
  - Died: April 14, 2008
  - Ollie was the last surviving member of Walt’s Nine Old Men
  - College: Majored in Art at Stanford University – worked on the campus humor magazine, Stanford Chaparral, with fellow future animator Frank Thomas.
  - Transferred to Chouinard Art Institute in his senior year (he and Frank both went to Chouinard)
  - After Chouinard, Frank went to work at the Walt Disney Company and a month later he called Ollie to tell him he had a job too.
  - As the 7^th hire of Walt’s Nine Old Men he worked for the Walt Disney Company from 1935 until his retirement on January 31, 1978 (the same day Frank retired).
  - Animation Career
    - He was known for combining artistry and acting
    - He and Ollie Johnston were a great team – Frank and Ollie
    - Ollie always wanted to know what his character was thinking and feeling
  - Popular characters and scenes he animated:
    - Mr. Smee (Peter Pan)
    - The stepsisters from Cinderella, and sometimes the stepmother (Drizella, Anastasia and Tremaine)
    - Prince John and Sir Hiss (Robinhood)
    - The District Attorney and Ichabod Crane (The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad)
  - Animation Supervisor for:
    - The Pastoral Symphony in Fantasia
    - Bambi (Bambi and Thumper)
  - Other professional accomplishments:
    - Co-authored with Frank Thomas the book “Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life” THE TEXTBOOK for Animation courses still today. The book is known as “the bible” among character animators.
    - Last professional work before his death in 2004 was The Incredibles. He wasn’t an animator, though, he was a voice character. You may remember the scene with the 2 old men saying “That’s old school…” (Frank) and “Yeah, no school like the old school.” (Ollie)
  - Hobbies:
    - Ollie’s lifelong hobby was live steam trains. In 1949, he built a miniature backyard railroad, La Canada Valley Railroad. It had 3 1:12 scale locomotives. This railroad was one of the inspirations for Walt Disney to build his own backyard railroad, the Carolwood Pacific Railroad, which inspired he building of the railroad in Disneyland.
    - Ollie was a founding Governor of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society along with his fellow Disney animator and railfan, Ward Kimball.
    - The 1:4 scale Victorian depot from Ollie’s backyard was restored and moved to a location near Walt Disney’s Carolwood Barn within the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum in Griffith Park, Los Angeles.
    - In the 1960s, Ollie acquired and restored a full-size, 3 ft narrow gauge Porter steam locomotive originally built in 1901, which he named after his wife, the Marie E. It was kept at his vacation estate.
    - Around 2002, Ollie sold the vacation estate and the narrow gauge train to John Lasseter (of Pixar Studios fame). On May 10, 2005, it ran on the Disneyland Railroad during a private early morning event organized by Lasseter to honor Johnston, who was able to take the throttle of the Marie E. one last time. This was the first time that the Walt Disney Company permitted outside railroad equipment to run at any Disney Resort.
    - In the 1980s and 90s, Ollie served on the Advisory Board of the National Student Film Institute and often was a presenter at the annual film festival’s award ceremonies.
    - Recognized with the National Medal of Arts in 2005, presented to him by then President George W. Bush in the Oval Office.
  - Family life:
    - Ollie married Marie E. Johnston, a fellow Disney employee – an ink and paint artist
    - Ollie and his family lived right next door to Frank Thomas and his family. They were like extended family. Their kids were even the same age:
    - Ollie’s son Rick was the same age as Gregg Thomas and his son Ken was the same age as Ted Thomas (only 4 months apart)
    - Ollie’s kids thought every family had a train. Their birthday parties consisted of train rides and Disney movies on Ollie’s projector.
    - Ollie was very structured, according to his boys. He would go out and start the car 20 minutes before it was time to leave. The boys would trickle out 5-10 minutes later. Then Marie would come out right on time. He would give her “the look”. To Ollie leaving on time was late.
    - He drove a big station wagon.
    - Ollie was a very hands-on dad. Often his kids got illustrated bedtime stories. Ollie used his lunch hours doing all the watercolors and at night he had a story he had made up and a picture for each scene. WHO DOES THAT? REALLY!
    - They also did Chalk Talks where 1 kid might be a rabbit and 1 a do and hey would be in character.
    - He sometimes had lunch with his kids and then walk them around the studio.
  - Personal:
    - People described Ollie Johnston as a combination of outer gentleness and inner strength.
  - About Walt:
    - When hearing about the death of Walt Disney, Ollie said he cried in his wife’s lap.
  - “People know his work. They know his characters. They’ve seen him act without realizing it. He was one of the pillars, one of the key contributors to the golden age of Disney animation.” – film historian Leonard Maltin of Ollie
  - “When Frank and Ollie retired from production on the same Friday I was the next animator on Ollie’s desk the following Monday; the very desk he had used for decades to create so many indelible animated moments. I was properly awed as I sat down in Ollie’s chair, at his desk. As I was checking it out and getting the feel of it I noticed the pencil sharpener was full of shavings. Instead of throwing them out I poured them into a glass jar, labeled it and set it atop the desk. Good luck shavings … a simple reminder of the hard work required to create magic. My own jar of real Disney dust. The last jar.” -Brad Bird
- Mike’s Next Selection: Milt Kahl
  - Born March 22, 1909. Originally from San Francisco.
  - Was inspired to seek Disney employment after seeing The Three Little Pigs
  - Hired by Disney and started work on June 25, 1934.
  - Among his earliest work was Mickey’s Service Station and Mickey’s Fire Brigade.
  - Like the others, he also worked on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (he was assigned to animate the forest animals.)
  - He also worked on the Disney short film, Ferdinand the Bull (and he even lent his voice towards the project).
  - Often considered to be the finest draftsman and the best at drawing human figures of all the animators, he was known as The Master Draftsman.
  - Milt Kahl later became directing animator for Lady and the Tramp and Sleeping Beauty.
  - Retired on April 30, 1976, his last work prior to retirement was as key animator for The Rescuers.
  - Career Highlights:
    - – Pinocchio
    - – Bambi
    - – Saludos Amigos
    - – Pecos Bill
    - – Song of the South
    - – Cinderella
    - – Peter Pan
    - – Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
  - “Milt Kahl’s contribution to the art of Disney animation is immeasurable, and his work will continue to delight millions for years to come. If indeed, animators could be considered royalty, there’s no doubt Milt Kahl would be king.” -animator Floyd Norman
  - “He had really crisp timing. He did one of the most complicated scenes I have ever seen – Jiminy Cricket putting on his coat because he’s late and he’s running. It’s done like in a three-quarters perspective. He had a dancer’s feel for animation.” -director John Musker
Disney Who’s Who Character: Miss Bianca
Walt Disney Quote
- From the section on Films and Animation, page 10
Coming Next Week: We wrap up our discussion on the Nine Old Men with Brenda! She’ll be talking about John Lounsbery, Sophie will be talking about Wolfgang “Woolie” Reitherman, and I’ll be talking about Eric Larson!
Sponsorship
- On the Road with Mickey is sponsored by Pixie Vacations by Mike Ellis and Tech Solutions NC.

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Our Favorite Disney Collectibles

When Disney Goes Above & Beyond

Our Favorite Disney Memories

Walt’s Nine Old Men, Part 3

Walt’s Nine Old Men, Part 2

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