Hey Old Friend
It’s always a distinct honor and a great pleasure to attend the yearly Disney Legends’ ceremony. In addition to each year’s new inductees, the ceremony itself is attended by dozens of previous Legends honorees. The audience is a veritable who’s who of Disney greats, and just having the opportunity to talk with some of these folks is, well, like being a kid again, meeting a childhood idol for the first time.
This year’s ceremony was an especially joyful one for everyone at o-meon. Two gentlemen who have been great friends to this site by giving generously of their time and politely listening to and answering every off-the-wall question we’ve ever had were among this year’s Disney Legends. They are Disney archivist Dave Smith and artist, animator, and cartoonist Floyd Norman.
While we congratulate all the 2007 Disney Legends honorees, it was with a sense of satisfaction and a great deal of pride that we watched as these two men received an honor that, in our opinion, they each so deeply deserve.
Dave and Floyd weren’t the only two new Disney Legends making their friends beam with pride.
Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger was obviously filled with joy and pride as he presented his former boss, mentor and friend Tom Murphy—the former chairman and chief executive of Capital Cities ABC, before selling it to the Disney Company—with a Disney Legends award. He was again overcome with emotion as he posthumously inducted colleague, friend, and the former president of ABC News Roone Arledge into the ranks of Disney Legends.
Iger also presented Lucille Martin, Walt Disney’s last personal secretary, with her Disney Legends award. After Walt’s death, she stayed with the company for a year to help close his office. She went on to work for Disney’s son-in-law Ron Miller, who became president of the company in 1980 and CEO in 1983. After Miller was forced out, Martin was asked to stay on in Michael Eisner’s office.
Martin’s acceptance was the most touching and heartfelt of the day. Several times during her remarks, she was moved to tears and was comforted by Iger, who good-naturedly remarked that he was the first Disney CEO she hadn’t worked for, and that perhaps she should come back to take care of him.
The biggest surprise among the list of this year’s Disney Legend honorees was that of artist and animator Art Babbitt. Babbitt, whose numerous contributions to Disney animation include turning Dippy Dog into Goofy, the Wicked Queen in Snow White, and Geppetto in Pinocchio, is best known among animation and Disney fans for having earned Walt Disney’s ire for resigning his post as head of the Disney studio union in 1941. Later that year, after joining the Screen Cartoonist’s Guild, Babbitt went on to lead the divisive strike against Disney. That strike forever changed the course of animation, both within the Disney Studio and the industry as a whole.
Dick Cook, Chairman of Walt Disney Pictures, presented the last Disney Legend award for 2007 to composer Randy Newman for his years of work scoring Disney/Pixar films. Newman is currently working on the score for Disney’s return to the hand-drawn animated feature film The Princess and the Frog. It was, however, his live performance of his hit song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story that brought this year’s Disney Legends’ ceremony to a rousing conclusion.
Also honored this year were:
Carl Bongirno - Imagineering
Marge Champion - Animation
Dick Huemer - Animation
Ron Logan - Parks and Resorts
Bob Schiffer - Film Production
Whatever we accomplish belongs to our entire group, a tribute to our combined effort.
—Walt Disney
Bob Iger CEO the Walt Disney Company presenting a Disney Legend award to Tom Murphy, with the help of Mickey Mouse.
Roy E. Disney presents cartoonist Floyd Norman with a Disney Legend award as Chip and Dale look on.
Roy E. Disney, Marge Champion and Snow White at the 20th Disney Legends ceremony.
Composer, singer and now Disney Legend Randy Newman performs You've Got a Fried In Me as Buzz Lightyear and Wood look on.
Disney archivist Dave Smith, cartoonist Floyd Norman and dancer Marge Champion leave their hand prints in cement.
Bob Iger looks on as Randy Newman and Tom Murphy prepare to sign their Disney Legends plaques.
Standing, Tom Murphy, Dave Smith, Floyd Norman, Marge Champion, Randy Newman, Carl Bongirno and Ron Logan.
Seated, Lucille Martin.
Disney/Pixar Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter, 2004 Disney Legend honoree Bob Gurr and 2007 honoree Randy Newman.
All images copyright© obe-mediaone.
