jakeem Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 Has anyone seen PBS' "American Experience" two-part biography of Walt Disney this week? It's fascinating! Check your local listings because it may be re-aired on your PBS stations. Or perhaps it's available on demand. http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/09/15/american_experience_walt_disney_new_pbs_documentary_points_to_the_genius.html Link to post Share on other sites
HelenBaby2 Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 Has anyone seen PBS' "American Experience" two-part biography of Walt Disney this week? It's fascinating! Check your local listings because it may be re-aired on your PBS stations. Or perhaps it's available on demand. http://hamptonroads.com/blog/762636/2015/09/finding-man-behind-empire-“pbs-american-experience-walt-disney There's a thread about the show under Films & Filmmakers 2 Link to post Share on other sites
lavenderblue19 Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 Years ago I watched a 2 hour special on Biography (think it was Biography) with much of the same info and footage. I did watch the PBS American Experience and it was excellent. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
jakeem Posted September 19, 2015 Author Share Posted September 19, 2015 My only problem with the biography is that it never mentioned how the Disney Company regained the rights to Walt's 1920s cartoon creation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. It's a cute story. http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12750497/how-espn-traded-al-michaels-oswald-rabbit 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Thanks for mentioning this, jake. Of course, more treasures from the Disney vault are coming up in October and December on TCM. Link to post Share on other sites
jakeem Posted September 20, 2015 Author Share Posted September 20, 2015 Thanks for mentioning this, jake. Of course, more treasures from the Disney vault are coming up in October and December on TCM. You're welcome! The biography is four hours long, but it's well worth the ride. To mix things up, you can always watch it the way some people have viewed Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" movies: Start with Part 2. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
HoldenIsHere Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 Has anyone seen PBS' "American Experience" two-part biography of Walt Disney this week? It's fascinating! Check your local listings because it may be re-aired on your PBS stations. Or perhaps it's available on demand. There's a magnet elementary school in Chicago named after Walt Disney. Link to post Share on other sites
jakeem Posted September 20, 2015 Author Share Posted September 20, 2015 There's a magnet elementary school in Chicago named after Walt Disney. I only hope the students there know who he was. There's a couple of generations of people that know the Disney brand but wouldn't recognize Walt because he's been dead almost 50 years. Link to post Share on other sites
Janet0312 Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 I saw it. It was excellent. I mentioned it to a woman at work and she commented that Walt Disney was not a nice man and a drunkard. But I thoroughy enjoyed the show, especially the home movies of him and his girls. Link to post Share on other sites
jakeem Posted September 20, 2015 Author Share Posted September 20, 2015 I saw it. It was excellent. I mentioned it to a woman at work and she commented that Walt Disney was not a nice man and a drunkard. But I thoroughy enjoyed the show, especially the home movies of him and his girls. But he was magic on television as the host of TV shows on ABC (1954 to 1961) and on NBC (1961-1967). When Michael Eisner became the CEO of the Disney Company in the 1980s, he tried to host TV programs on ABC in the style of Walt -- but it just wasn't the same. Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 But he was magic on television as the host of TV shows on ABC (1954 to 1961) and on NBC (1961-1967). When Michael Eisner became the CEO of the Disney Company in the 1980s, he tried to host TV programs on ABC in the style of Walt -- but it just wasn't the same. I agree that Eisner was/is no Walt Disney. That's a whole discussion for another thread! Link to post Share on other sites
HoldenIsHere Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 I only hope the students there know who he was. There's a couple of generations of people that know the Disney brand but wouldn't recognize Walt because he's been dead almost 50 years. I know that in 2004 Diane Disney Miller (Walt Disney's daughter) helped dedicate an animation lab that the Disney family helped fund at Walt Disney Magnet School. The school is located on Marine Drive near Chicago's lakefront. Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted September 20, 2015 Share Posted September 20, 2015 I thoroughy enjoyed the show, especially the home movies of him and his girls. I am thinking about doing a Today's Topic column on home movies in Hollywood. I think that's a whole interesting subject to explore. And by the way, Rock Hudson's home movies are online-- of course, those are quite different from Walt Disney's...! Link to post Share on other sites
jakeem Posted September 20, 2015 Author Share Posted September 20, 2015 I know that in 2004 Diane Disney Miller (Walt Disney's daughter) helped dedicate an animation lab that the Disney family helped fund at Walt Disney Magnet School. The school is located on Marine Drive near Chicago's lakefront. Well, then it's likely all the students know who he was! Link to post Share on other sites
BagelOnAPlateOfOnionRolls Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 I saw it. It was excellent. I mentioned it to a woman at work and she commented that Walt Disney was not a nice man and a drunkard. But I thoroughy enjoyed the show, especially the home movies of him and his girls. I'm fan of Disney movies, but Walt Disney has a lot of negative baggage. He gave up some of his animators as Communists to the House Un-American Activities Committee (they all said the charges were false) and he also accused the cartoonists' union of being a "Communist front." Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 I'm fan of Disney movies, but Walt Disney has a lot of negative baggage. You don't have to let that negative baggage get in the way of your enjoyment of his wonderful films. That's what people need to remember. Link to post Share on other sites
Dargo Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 I saw it. It was excellent. I mentioned it to a woman at work and she commented that Walt Disney was not a nice man and a drunkard. But I thoroughy enjoyed the show, especially the home movies of him and his girls. Funny, but I felt this documentary was a well balanced assessment of Walt Disney and seemed very comprehensive, Janet. And so I have no idea where your co-worker got the idea that the man was a "drunkard", as this was never even hinted at in that program. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
jakeem Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 You don't have to let that negative baggage get in the way of your enjoyment of his wonderful films. That's what people need to remember. Unless, of course, one of his "wonderful films" IS negative baggage! Link to post Share on other sites
Emily Dean Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Unless, of course, one of his "wonderful films" IS negative baggage! I read a wonderful and huge biography of Walt Disney and it discussed all the pro's and con's of his work, his character and his relationships. I truly believe that everyone today forgets that the movies, the men and women and the community in general reflected the ideas and mores of their times. It is unfair to criticize someone's ideas and expressions in the context of today. Who knows how history will view us and our times following a 100 years of experience. If you truly view Walt's contributions to film, annimation and business acumen it was, for the period a truly amazing compendium of achievements. I for one own both a copy fo "Fanstasia", which introduced me as a young child to the marvel that is classical music with interpretions that related to a child's sensibility and instilled appreciation thereafter (that and the Texaco Hour) as well as "Song of the South" which were great tales of morality. I was able to procure both on Amazon UK. In summary, Walt Disney's creativeness and talent should be respected without the intrusion of today's political correctness. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
jakeem Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 In summary, Walt Disney's creativeness and talent should be respected without the intrusion of today's political correctness. Political correctness has nothing to do with it. It was offensive in 1946, and it's still offensive. Disney simply didn't get it -- just as he never understood why his workers went on strike in 1941. Link to post Share on other sites
Emily Dean Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Political correctness has nothing to do with it. It was offensive in 1946, and it's still offensive. Disney simply didn't get it -- just as he never understood why his workers went on strike in 1941. Mr. Jakeem: I understand your hostility (somewhat) however I believe you should look into the history of the writer of the "Bra'er Rabbit Tales" and his efforts in constructing the stories. In addition you should recognize the talents of Jimmy Baskett who was an actor of long standing in various productions. The author of the stories was a post civil war reconciliation actvisit who was very active in the post civil war re-construction era. I do believe every one is entitled to their viewpoint but I urge everyone to read the context of events including sources, authors, directors etc and considering all factors prior to their comments. Link to post Share on other sites
Fuster Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 One question not discussed in the PBS show is just where is Walt buried? I do feel sorry for Mortimer though and feel Disney was unfair to him. Link to post Share on other sites
Emily Dean Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 One question not discussed in the PBS show is just where is Walt buried? I do feel sorry for Mortimer though and feel Disney was unfair to him. Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Link to post Share on other sites
jakeem Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 One question not discussed in the PBS show is just where is Walt buried? I do feel sorry for Mortimer though and feel Disney was unfair to him. Here's a link about what happened after Disney's death, including the rise of rumors that his body had been frozen http://www.biography.com/news/walt-disney-frozen-after-death-myth Link to post Share on other sites
jakeem Posted September 21, 2015 Author Share Posted September 21, 2015 Mr. Jakeem: I understand your hostility (somewhat) however I believe you should look into the history of the writer of the "Bra'er Rabbit Tales" and his efforts in constructing the stories. In addition you should recognize the talents of Jimmy Baskett who was an actor of long standing in various productions. The author of the stories was a post civil war reconciliation actvisit who was very active in the post civil war re-construction era. I do believe every one is entitled to their viewpoint but I urge everyone to read the context of events including sources, authors, directors etc and considering all factors prior to their comments. I wouldn't call it hostility. It's more like stone-cold disapproval. But I celebrate Disney's genius, vision and his more palatable contributions to American culture. By the way, I'm from Georgia, and so I know all about Joel Chandler Harris. Frankly, I'd be more inclined to read "The Canterbury Tales" without a modern translation of Middle English. Link to post Share on other sites
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