Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)
Encyclopedia
The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank
, California
, United States, serve as the international headquarters for media conglomerate The Walt Disney Company
. The Walt Disney Studio's house offices for each of the company's divisions along with creative spaces designed for movie production. The Walt Disney Company
is the last remaining Big Ten company to remain independent from a mother company. The Studios are also the only major film/animation
studio not to run backlot tours.
lot in 1940, The Walt Disney Studios was located at several different locations in Los Angeles
and Hollywood. During Summer 1923, Walt Disney
created 'The Disney Bros Cartoon Studio' in his Uncle Robert Disney's garage, located at 4406 Kingswell Avenue, in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles
. His brother Roy O. Disney
was also in Los Angeles
at the time. During October 1923, the brothers moved to a bigger lot, located in a former real estate agency at 4651 Kingswell Avenue. On October 16, 1923, Walt Disney accepted Margaret Winkler's, of Universal Studios
' offer to distribute the new Alice Comedies
starring Virginia Davis
. It was also at this site were on January 14 1924, Walt Disney
met his future wife Lillian Bounds, an Ink
and Paint
girl whom he personally hired. In February 1924, the studio moved next door to 4649 Kingswell Avenue.
In 1925, Walt Disney
placed a deposit on a new, considerably larger lot at 2719 Hyperion Avenue. It was here were, after a train journey with his wife Lillian, Walt fully created the character of Mickey Mouse
in 1928. The first color animation, the Silly Symphony, Flowers and Trees
and the first animated cartoon using the multiplane camera
, The Old Mill
was created. In 1937, the Hyperion Studio produced the worlds first animated full length feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
. Disney's staff also began to grow at this studio, and Disney Legends
such as Disney's Nine Old Men
began their careers. The studio was closed down in 1940, however name 'Hyperion' has been used for multiple divisions and attractions with in The Walt Disney Company
including Hyperion Books and the Hyperion Theater
at Disney California Adventure.
The current Walt Disney Studios, located at 500 South Buena Vista
Street, Burbank
, was built from the revenue from the 1937 release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
. Walt Disney
and his staff began the move from the old studio at Hyperion Avenue in Silver Lake on December 24, 1939. Designed primarily by Kem Weber under the supervision of Walt Disney
and his brother Roy, the Burbank
Disney Studio buildings are the only studios that have been owned by The Walt Disney Company
, to survive from the Golden Age of filming. A bungalow, and other small buildings that were located at the Hyperion Avenue
The Walt Disney Studios was originally designed around the animation
process, with the large animation
building in the center of the campus, and adjacent buildings for the story department, the music department, the ink-and-paint departments, and the other various functions of the studio. Both above-ground walkways and tunnels connected the buildings, and the campus also included a movie theatre and a number of soundstages. The Disney feature The Reluctant Dragon
, starring Robert Benchley
, served as a tour of the then-new studio, which was also frequently seen and toured on the various Walt Disney
television programs.
In the late 1940s, the studio began regular work on live-action features, as they needed the money. Though their first films were shot in England, the necessity to build live-action facilities still arose. Lacking the capital to do it themselves, Jack Webb offered to put up some of the money to build live-action stages in exchange for their use (Webb used it to shoot much of the Dragnet TV series). During this time, back lots were also built and remained standing at the studios until the management change of the mid-1980s.
In 1986, after the corporate restructuring of Walt Disney Productions into The Walt Disney Company, the buildings were remodeled to accommodate more live-action production space and administrative offices. The studios lot is now made up of multiple office and administration buildings and ten soundstages.
, The Team Disney Burbank building contains the office of President and CEO Robert A. Iger, as well as the boardroom for the Board of Directors
. It also houses offices for members of Senior Management, such as Rich Ross, Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, Thomas O. Staggs
, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
, and Andy Bird
, Chairman of Walt Disney International. Prior to the opening of the Team Disney Burbank building in 1990, Disney executives were located in the old Disney Animation Building. Disney artists and animators were relocated into warehouses in Pasadena
. The building is sometimes called the "Seven Dwarfs Building"; it has a stunning fascia of the seven dwarfs holding up the roof of the building, an homage to the animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
, which provided Walt Disney
with the revenue to purchase the Burbank lot. The building is located opposite the Frank G. Wells building, Eisner's former colleague, and President
of The Walt Disney Company
from 1984–1994. In 1996 the building was featured in Hollywood Pictures
film Spy Hard
.
On January 23, 2006, in honor of Michael Eisner
's 21-year leadership of the company, the Team Disney building was rededicated as Team Disney - The Michael D. Eisner Building.
plaza, located between the Team Disney
: The Michael D. Eisner building and the Frank G. Wells building, is the central hub for the Disney Legends
award and pays homage to its recipients. The plaza features the Partners statue of Walt Disney
and Mickey Mouse
, designed by Imagineer Blaine Gibson, along with a replica statue of Roy O. Disney
and Minnie Mouse
which can also be found at the Magic Kingdom
park.
Located on the pillars in the plaza are bronze plaques featuring receivers of the Disney Legends
award. The plaques feature the recipient's name, reason for gaining the award, and the person's hand prints and signature if they were alive at the time they received the award. Most famously, Legendary Animator and Imagineer, Ward Kimball
's plaque features an extra finger, a reminder of Kimball's sense of humour. If, however, the award was presented posthumously, an image of the Disney Legends
statue is engraved instead of the traditional hand prints and signature.
The plaza formerly featured a small fountain to honor the legends but has since been removed due to water leakage.
of The Walt Disney Company
from 1984–1994, Frank G. Wells. The building opened in 1998 and was dedicated by Wells' widow Luanne Wells, and company CEO Michael Eisner
. The 5 story building has a usable area of 240518 square feet (22,344.9 m²) with three underground parking levels, accommodating 600 parking spaces. The construction was completed in two phases: phase I in August 1997 and phase II in July 1998. The Frank G. Wells building was specifically designed for Walt Disney Television Animation
, and the division has offices located on the third floor. It is distinctly recognizable through its giant movie reel and film strip on the building's exterior. The building is also home to the Walt Disney Archives, Walt Disney Television
, The Disney University, management offices, HR department and the Multi-Plane camera. The Walt Disney Archives is located on the ground floor and is open to all cast members. The archives also has additional storage and restricted areas on other floors. The Studio's Starbucks Coffee shop is also located on the ground floor.
building was built and completed in 1940 and designed by Ken Webber. Walt Disney
personally supervised with the 'double H' design, ensuring as many rooms as possible had windows, allowing natural light into the building to help the animators while working. Walt Disney had 2 offices within the building, known as his 'formal' and 'working offices'. The rooms were used after Walt's death in 1966, and personal items archived in 1970. It is believed that Walt would have wanted his offices to be reused. The rooms still feature some original features and are currently being used by company officials. Members of Walt Disney's Nine Old Men, would have had their offices with in this building, along with legendary animators such as Eyvan Earl, Mary Blair, Andres Deja, Floyd Norman, John Lasseter
, Glenn Keane, John Musker and Ron Clements. Production was moved from the Animation Building into warehouses located in Pasadena
, during the late 1980s. Prior to the opening of the Team Disney Burbank building in 1990, Disney Executives used the Animation Building as corporate offices. In 1995, animation production was relocated back to the Burbank Studio with the opening of the Walt Disney Feature Animation
Building, and some offices with in the original Animation Building.
to whom the building is dedicated. The building used to be the main administration building on the studio lot prior to the opening of the Team Disney - The Michael D. Eisner building. It still houses multiple corporate offices.
. During World War II
, the stage was used for repairing army vehicles. The soundstage is dedicated to Fantasia
, for it being the first motion picture that was filmed in the building. The stage is the smallest on the lot, and is still in active use.
1949, Stage 2 is the second oldest soundstage on the Walt Disney Studios lot, and at 31000 feet (9,448.8 m), one of the largest in Los Angeles
. It was built and financed between a joint agreement between Walt Disney
and director Jack Webb
, who used the stage for the filming of the television series Dragnet
. In October
1955, Stage 2 began production on the first series of The Mickey Mouse Club. From 1954-1955 and prior to the opening of the facilities at Glendale California, WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering
) occupied soundstage 2 to build multiple attractions for Disneyland, including the Mark Twain
Riverboat. Since then Stage 2 has been used for filming of multiple attractions for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
. The stage is dedicated to English
actress Julie Andrews
, due to the filming of Mary Poppins
and The Princess Diaries
, which took place inside the soundstage.
. The stage contains an operational water tank which provides water effects.
Building, the Roy E. Disney
building opened in 1995, moving the working animation studios out of the original animation
building, into a new complex located across from Riverside Drive
. During Michael D. Eisner's 1990 restructuring of The Walt Disney Company
, the studio's animation
division was spun off to officially create Walt Disney Feature Animation
as a subsidiary of the company. The new Walt Disney Feature Animation
division temporarly moved its operations away from the studio lot, into an Air Way warehouse in Glendale. The new studio is a colorful piece of architecture, adorned by a giant version of the Fantasia Sorcerer's hat, which once housed of the office of Roy E. Disney
, former head of Walt Disney Feature Animation
(now called Walt Disney Animation Studios). In 2009, following the death of former Walt Disney Feature Animation
Chairman, Roy E. Disney
, the building was renamed and rededicated in his honor by The Walt Disney Company
's president and CEO, Bob Iger.
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States, serve as the international headquarters for media conglomerate The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
. The Walt Disney Studio's house offices for each of the company's divisions along with creative spaces designed for movie production. The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
is the last remaining Big Ten company to remain independent from a mother company. The Studios are also the only major film/animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
studio not to run backlot tours.
History
Prior to the official opening of the BurbankBurbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
lot in 1940, The Walt Disney Studios was located at several different locations in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Hollywood. During Summer 1923, Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
created 'The Disney Bros Cartoon Studio' in his Uncle Robert Disney's garage, located at 4406 Kingswell Avenue, in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. His brother Roy O. Disney
Roy O. Disney
Roy Oliver Disney was, with his younger brother, Walt Disney, the co-founder of what is now The Walt Disney Company.-Early life:...
was also in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
at the time. During October 1923, the brothers moved to a bigger lot, located in a former real estate agency at 4651 Kingswell Avenue. On October 16, 1923, Walt Disney accepted Margaret Winkler's, of Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
' offer to distribute the new Alice Comedies
Alice Comedies
The "Alice Comedies" are a series of animated cartoonscreated by Walt Disney in the 1920s, in which a live action little girl named Alice and an animated cat named Julius have adventures in an animated landscape....
starring Virginia Davis
Virginia Davis
Virginia Davis was an American movie child actor. She was born in Kansas City, Missouri.-Early career:Davis began working for Walt Disney's Kansas City company, Laugh-O-Gram Studio, in the summer of 1924. She was hired to act in a film called Alice's Wonderland, which combined live action with...
. It was also at this site were on January 14 1924, Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
met his future wife Lillian Bounds, an Ink
Ink
Ink is a liquid or paste that contains pigments and/or dyes and is used to color a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing and/or writing with a pen, brush, or quill...
and Paint
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
girl whom he personally hired. In February 1924, the studio moved next door to 4649 Kingswell Avenue.
In 1925, Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
placed a deposit on a new, considerably larger lot at 2719 Hyperion Avenue. It was here were, after a train journey with his wife Lillian, Walt fully created the character of Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
in 1928. The first color animation, the Silly Symphony, Flowers and Trees
Flowers and Trees
Flowers and Trees is a 1932 Silly Symphonies cartoon produced by Walt Disney, directed by Burt Gillett, and released to theatres by United Artists on July 30, 1932...
and the first animated cartoon using the multiplane camera
Multiplane camera
The multiplane camera is a special motion picture camera used in the traditional animation process that moves a number of pieces of artwork past the camera at various speeds and at various distances from one another...
, The Old Mill
The Old Mill
The Old Mill is a 1937 Silly Symphonies cartoon produced by Walt Disney, directed by Wilfred Jackson, scored by Leigh Harline, and released to theatres by RKO Radio Pictures on November 5, 1937...
was created. In 1937, the Hyperion Studio produced the worlds first animated full length feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
. Disney's staff also began to grow at this studio, and Disney Legends
Disney Legends
Established in 1987, the Disney Legends program recognizes people who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company. The honor is awarded annually during a special ceremony....
such as Disney's Nine Old Men
Disney's Nine Old Men
Disney's Nine Old Men were the core animators at The Walt Disney Company who created some of Disney's most famous works, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs onward to The Rescuers. Walt Disney jokingly called this group of animators his "Nine Old Men," referring to Robert S...
began their careers. The studio was closed down in 1940, however name 'Hyperion' has been used for multiple divisions and attractions with in The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
including Hyperion Books and the Hyperion Theater
Hyperion Theater
The Hyperion Theater is located at Disney California Adventure, in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area, next to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. It currently shows Disney's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular...
at Disney California Adventure.
The current Walt Disney Studios, located at 500 South Buena Vista
Buena Vista (Walt Disney Company)
Buena Vista is a brand name frequently used for divisions of The Walt Disney Company, whose primary studios and offices are located on Buena Vista Street in Burbank, California. It was originally created by Walt Disney in 1953 after the release of Peter Pan to distribute his film and television...
Street, Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, was built from the revenue from the 1937 release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
. Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
and his staff began the move from the old studio at Hyperion Avenue in Silver Lake on December 24, 1939. Designed primarily by Kem Weber under the supervision of Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
and his brother Roy, the Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
Disney Studio buildings are the only studios that have been owned by The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
, to survive from the Golden Age of filming. A bungalow, and other small buildings that were located at the Hyperion Avenue
The Walt Disney Studios was originally designed around the animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
process, with the large animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
building in the center of the campus, and adjacent buildings for the story department, the music department, the ink-and-paint departments, and the other various functions of the studio. Both above-ground walkways and tunnels connected the buildings, and the campus also included a movie theatre and a number of soundstages. The Disney feature The Reluctant Dragon
The Reluctant Dragon
The Reluctant Dragon is an 1898 children's story by Kenneth Grahame , which served as the key element to the 1941 feature film with the same name from Walt Disney Productions. The story has also been set to music as a children's operetta by John Rutter, with words by David Grant...
, starring Robert Benchley
Robert Benchley
Robert Charles Benchley was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor...
, served as a tour of the then-new studio, which was also frequently seen and toured on the various Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
television programs.
In the late 1940s, the studio began regular work on live-action features, as they needed the money. Though their first films were shot in England, the necessity to build live-action facilities still arose. Lacking the capital to do it themselves, Jack Webb offered to put up some of the money to build live-action stages in exchange for their use (Webb used it to shoot much of the Dragnet TV series). During this time, back lots were also built and remained standing at the studios until the management change of the mid-1980s.
In 1986, after the corporate restructuring of Walt Disney Productions into The Walt Disney Company, the buildings were remodeled to accommodate more live-action production space and administrative offices. The studios lot is now made up of multiple office and administration buildings and ten soundstages.
Team Disney - The Michael D. Eisner Building
Formally known as the Team Disney Burbank building, it is the main building located at The Walt Disney Studios. Completed in 1990 and designed by Michael GravesMichael Graves
Michael Graves is an American architect. Identified as one of The New York Five, Graves has become a household name with his designs for domestic products sold at Target stores in the United States....
, The Team Disney Burbank building contains the office of President and CEO Robert A. Iger, as well as the boardroom for the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
. It also houses offices for members of Senior Management, such as Rich Ross, Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, Thomas O. Staggs
Thomas O. Staggs
Thomas O. Staggs is the chairman of the Walt Disney Company's Parks and Resorts division.-Career:Joining Disney in 1990, Staggs rose from his role as a manager of strategic planning to senior vice president of strategic planning and development in 1995...
, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
, and Andy Bird
Andy Bird
- Early life :Bird grew up in Warrington, England and was schooled at King's School, Macclesfield. In 1985 Bird gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English language and literature at Newcastle University.- Career :...
, Chairman of Walt Disney International. Prior to the opening of the Team Disney Burbank building in 1990, Disney executives were located in the old Disney Animation Building. Disney artists and animators were relocated into warehouses in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. The building is sometimes called the "Seven Dwarfs Building"; it has a stunning fascia of the seven dwarfs holding up the roof of the building, an homage to the animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
, which provided Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
with the revenue to purchase the Burbank lot. The building is located opposite the Frank G. Wells building, Eisner's former colleague, and President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
from 1984–1994. In 1996 the building was featured in Hollywood Pictures
Hollywood Pictures
Hollywood Pictures is one of The Walt Disney Company's several alternate movie divisions. Like Disney's Touchstone Pictures brand, it produces films for a more mature adult audience than Walt Disney Pictures.-History:...
film Spy Hard
Spy Hard
Spy Hard is a 1996 American spy comedy film starring Leslie Nielsen and Nicollette Sheridan, parodying James Bond films and other action films. The introduction to the song is sung by comedy artist "Weird Al" Yankovic-Plot:...
.
On January 23, 2006, in honor of Michael Eisner
Michael Eisner
Michael Dammann Eisner is an American businessman. He was the chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 until 2005.-Early life:...
's 21-year leadership of the company, the Team Disney building was rededicated as Team Disney - The Michael D. Eisner Building.
The Disney Legends Plaza
The Disney LegendsDisney Legends
Established in 1987, the Disney Legends program recognizes people who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company. The honor is awarded annually during a special ceremony....
plaza, located between the Team Disney
Team Disney
There are at least four buildings in the United States which carry the Team Disney title. Each serves as the administrative headquarters for key businesses of The Walt Disney Company....
: The Michael D. Eisner building and the Frank G. Wells building, is the central hub for the Disney Legends
Disney Legends
Established in 1987, the Disney Legends program recognizes people who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company. The honor is awarded annually during a special ceremony....
award and pays homage to its recipients. The plaza features the Partners statue of Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
and Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
, designed by Imagineer Blaine Gibson, along with a replica statue of Roy O. Disney
Roy O. Disney
Roy Oliver Disney was, with his younger brother, Walt Disney, the co-founder of what is now The Walt Disney Company.-Early life:...
and Minnie Mouse
Minnie Mouse
Minerva "Minnie" Mouse is an animated character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minnie has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress Russi...
which can also be found at the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
park.
Located on the pillars in the plaza are bronze plaques featuring receivers of the Disney Legends
Disney Legends
Established in 1987, the Disney Legends program recognizes people who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company. The honor is awarded annually during a special ceremony....
award. The plaques feature the recipient's name, reason for gaining the award, and the person's hand prints and signature if they were alive at the time they received the award. Most famously, Legendary Animator and Imagineer, Ward Kimball
Ward Kimball
Ward Walrath Kimball was an animator for the Walt Disney Studios. He was one of Walt Disney's team of animators known as Disney's Nine Old Men.-Career:...
's plaque features an extra finger, a reminder of Kimball's sense of humour. If, however, the award was presented posthumously, an image of the Disney Legends
Disney Legends
Established in 1987, the Disney Legends program recognizes people who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company. The honor is awarded annually during a special ceremony....
statue is engraved instead of the traditional hand prints and signature.
The plaza formerly featured a small fountain to honor the legends but has since been removed due to water leakage.
Frank G. Wells Building
Dedicated to the former PresidentPresident
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
from 1984–1994, Frank G. Wells. The building opened in 1998 and was dedicated by Wells' widow Luanne Wells, and company CEO Michael Eisner
Michael Eisner
Michael Dammann Eisner is an American businessman. He was the chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company from 1984 until 2005.-Early life:...
. The 5 story building has a usable area of 240518 square feet (22,344.9 m²) with three underground parking levels, accommodating 600 parking spaces. The construction was completed in two phases: phase I in August 1997 and phase II in July 1998. The Frank G. Wells building was specifically designed for Walt Disney Television Animation
Walt Disney Television Animation
Disney Television Animation is an American animation studio that is the TV animation production arm of the Disney-ABC Television Group, owned by The Walt Disney Company, dedicated to creating, developing and producing animated television series, films, specials and other projects.Established in...
, and the division has offices located on the third floor. It is distinctly recognizable through its giant movie reel and film strip on the building's exterior. The building is also home to the Walt Disney Archives, Walt Disney Television
Walt Disney Television
Walt Disney Television was the former name of the television production division of The Walt Disney Company.-History:It was formed in 1983, as the Walt Disney Pictures Television Division, the name was later shortened to Walt Disney Television in the mid-1980s...
, The Disney University, management offices, HR department and the Multi-Plane camera. The Walt Disney Archives is located on the ground floor and is open to all cast members. The archives also has additional storage and restricted areas on other floors. The Studio's Starbucks Coffee shop is also located on the ground floor.
Animation Building
The former main AnimationAnimation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
building was built and completed in 1940 and designed by Ken Webber. Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
personally supervised with the 'double H' design, ensuring as many rooms as possible had windows, allowing natural light into the building to help the animators while working. Walt Disney had 2 offices within the building, known as his 'formal' and 'working offices'. The rooms were used after Walt's death in 1966, and personal items archived in 1970. It is believed that Walt would have wanted his offices to be reused. The rooms still feature some original features and are currently being used by company officials. Members of Walt Disney's Nine Old Men, would have had their offices with in this building, along with legendary animators such as Eyvan Earl, Mary Blair, Andres Deja, Floyd Norman, John Lasseter
John Lasseter
John Alan Lasseter is an American animator, director and the chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is also currently the Principal Creative Advisor for Walt Disney Imagineering....
, Glenn Keane, John Musker and Ron Clements. Production was moved from the Animation Building into warehouses located in Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, during the late 1980s. Prior to the opening of the Team Disney Burbank building in 1990, Disney Executives used the Animation Building as corporate offices. In 1995, animation production was relocated back to the Burbank Studio with the opening of the Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios is an American animation studio headquartered in Burbank, California. The studio, founded in 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, is the oldest subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
Building, and some offices with in the original Animation Building.
The Roy O. Disney Building
The Roy O. Disney building is located next to the animation building and held the office of Roy O. DisneyRoy O. Disney
Roy Oliver Disney was, with his younger brother, Walt Disney, the co-founder of what is now The Walt Disney Company.-Early life:...
to whom the building is dedicated. The building used to be the main administration building on the studio lot prior to the opening of the Team Disney - The Michael D. Eisner building. It still houses multiple corporate offices.
The Fantasia Stage, Stage 1
Stage 1 was completed between 1939 and 1940 and is the original Disney soundstage on the Burbank lot. The soundstage was designed to replace a smaller stage at the former Hyperion Avenue Studio. Although The Walt Disney Studios predominately made animated films, the soundstage was built in order to film Leopold Stokowski's segments in the 1940 film FantasiaFantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the stage was used for repairing army vehicles. The soundstage is dedicated to Fantasia
Fantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
, for it being the first motion picture that was filmed in the building. The stage is the smallest on the lot, and is still in active use.
The Julie Andrews Stage, Stage 2
Constructed from 1947 and opening in AprilApril
April is the fourth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and one of four months with a length of 30 days. April was originally the second month of the Roman calendar, before January and February were added by King Numa Pompilius about 700 BC...
1949, Stage 2 is the second oldest soundstage on the Walt Disney Studios lot, and at 31000 feet (9,448.8 m), one of the largest in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. It was built and financed between a joint agreement between Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
and director Jack Webb
Jack Webb
John Randolph "Jack" Webb , also known by the pseudonym John Randolph, was an American actor, television producer, director and screenwriter, who is most famous for his role as Sergeant Joe Friday in the radio and television series Dragnet...
, who used the stage for the filming of the television series Dragnet
Dragnet (series)
Dragnet is a radio and television crime drama about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners...
. In October
October
October is the tenth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and one of seven months with a length of 31 days. The eighth month in the old Roman calendar, October retained its name after January and February were inserted into the calendar that had originally been created by the...
1955, Stage 2 began production on the first series of The Mickey Mouse Club. From 1954-1955 and prior to the opening of the facilities at Glendale California, WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering
Walt Disney Imagineering is the design and development arm of the Walt Disney Company, responsible for the creation and construction of Disney theme parks worldwide...
) occupied soundstage 2 to build multiple attractions for Disneyland, including the Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
Riverboat. Since then Stage 2 has been used for filming of multiple attractions for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
. The stage is dedicated to English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
actress Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
, due to the filming of Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins is a series of children's books written by P. L. Travers and originally illustrated by Mary Shepard. The books centre on a magical English nanny, Mary Poppins. She is blown by the East wind to Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane, London and into the Banks' household to care for their...
and The Princess Diaries
The Princess Diaries
The Princess Diaries is a series of epistolary novels by Meg Cabot in the chick-lit and young-adult fiction genre, and the title of the first volume, published in 2000....
, which took place inside the soundstage.
Stage 3
Stage 3 was completed in 1953 and designed especially for the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1954 adventure film starring Kirk Douglas as Ned Land, James Mason as Captain Nemo, Paul Lukas as Professor Pierre Aronnax, and Peter Lorre as Conseil. It was the first science fiction film produced by Walt Disney Productions, as well as the only science-fiction...
. The stage contains an operational water tank which provides water effects.
Stages 4 & 5
Studio 4, which was completed in 1958, was first used for Darby O'Gill and the Little People. Upon completing 30 years of service in 1998, Stage 4 was divided into 2 new Television studios, creating the new Stage 4 and Stage 5.Stages 6 & 7
Stages 6 and 7 are the newest soundstages at the Walt Disney Studios. They are built on the former backlot and are located behind the Frank G. Wells Building. Both stages are 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) and are in frequent use at the studios.The Roy E. Disney Animation Building
Formerly known as the Walt Disney Feature AnimationWalt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios is an American animation studio headquartered in Burbank, California. The studio, founded in 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, is the oldest subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
Building, the Roy E. Disney
Roy E. Disney
Roy Edward Disney, KCSG was a longtime senior executive for The Walt Disney Company, which his father Roy Oliver Disney and his uncle Walt Disney founded. At the time of his death he was a shareholder , and served as a consultant for the company and Director Emeritus for the Board of Directors...
building opened in 1995, moving the working animation studios out of the original animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
building, into a new complex located across from Riverside Drive
Riverside Drive
A number of cities around the world have a Riverside Drive.In the United States:*Riverside Drive *Riverside Drive *Riverside Drive *Riverside Drive...
. During Michael D. Eisner's 1990 restructuring of The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
, the studio's animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
division was spun off to officially create Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios is an American animation studio headquartered in Burbank, California. The studio, founded in 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, is the oldest subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
as a subsidiary of the company. The new Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios is an American animation studio headquartered in Burbank, California. The studio, founded in 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, is the oldest subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
division temporarly moved its operations away from the studio lot, into an Air Way warehouse in Glendale. The new studio is a colorful piece of architecture, adorned by a giant version of the Fantasia Sorcerer's hat, which once housed of the office of Roy E. Disney
Roy E. Disney
Roy Edward Disney, KCSG was a longtime senior executive for The Walt Disney Company, which his father Roy Oliver Disney and his uncle Walt Disney founded. At the time of his death he was a shareholder , and served as a consultant for the company and Director Emeritus for the Board of Directors...
, former head of Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios is an American animation studio headquartered in Burbank, California. The studio, founded in 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, is the oldest subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
(now called Walt Disney Animation Studios). In 2009, following the death of former Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Walt Disney Animation Studios is an American animation studio headquartered in Burbank, California. The studio, founded in 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio by brothers Walt and Roy Disney, is the oldest subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
Chairman, Roy E. Disney
Roy E. Disney
Roy Edward Disney, KCSG was a longtime senior executive for The Walt Disney Company, which his father Roy Oliver Disney and his uncle Walt Disney founded. At the time of his death he was a shareholder , and served as a consultant for the company and Director Emeritus for the Board of Directors...
, the building was renamed and rededicated in his honor by The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
's president and CEO, Bob Iger.
ABC Studios Building
After Disney's purchase of ABC in 1996, a new headquarters for the television network was constructed across Riverside Drive next to the Walt Disney Feature Animation Building. The ABC building was designed by Aldo Rossi and is connected to the lot by a blue serpentine bridge that crosses over Riverside Drive. The ABC building also houses the offices of other subsidiaries such as ABC Studios and Buena Vista International.External links
- Walt Disney Studios website
- The Ropes at Disney (1943 new employee booklet)