In celebration of over a half-century of the Walt Disney Archives, the beloved entertainment company responsible for all of our most magical childhood memories has released a new short honoring the work of some of the most vital yet unseen Cast Members in the Walt Disney Company: those who take great pains to preserve the history of the Walt Disney Company, from figures to cells to props and costumes, these archival professional and restoration experts all play a uniquely important part in the media preservation of one of the most world-changing and culture-defining media companies to ever make their home in Burbank, California.
The Walt Disney Company has been creating magic since 1923, with the publication of The Alice Comedies, a series of short live-action films juxtaposed against an animated background. These short films, starting with Alice’s Wonderland in 1923, marked the official beginning of the Walt Disney Company and catapulted Walt into his historic professional career in the industry, leading to other groundbreaking films like Steamboat Willie, the first animation featuring sound, Flowers and Trees in 1932, which was the first commercially-released animation featuring color, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which released as the first feature-length animated movie in 1937.
The Walt Disney Company has a long and storied history that deserves, like all such creative endeavors, to be preserved – and that’s where the Walt Disney Archives shine, protecting the history of an industry to inspire the magic of creation in all of us.
The video follows the journey of a little Pinocchio figurine that was used as a reference in the making of the original film, and features the Disney Cast Members responsible for the extensive archival work of the Walt Disney Studios animal and props department.
These are the Cast Members who preserve some of history’s most famous and beloved props, models, costumes, and set pieces that made the world of Walt Disney’s imagination possible. This historical collection of objects started in the 1970s, taking expert care of art pieces and artifacts that tell the story of the Walt Disney Company. Ever since then, the Disney Archives team has carefully curated the history of the studio to preserve all the incredible artifacts that the company has produced over the last hundred years of production.
This extensive collection of memorabilia and artifacts has also hit the road, with two exhibition in Paris and Madrid that allow guests to witness the sprawling, impactful history and story of the company through over two hundred rarely-seen art pieces that the Walt Disney Archives have deemed fit for display, as well as cutting-edge interactive elements that allow all who enter to explore Walt Disney’s world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy in a brand-new way.
“My thought has always been that there is no point in having an archives unless you share the material and the wonderful assets that are in it,” said Becky Cline, Director of the Walt Disney Archives. “I oversee a department of people who are the historians and protectors and conservers for all of the assets of the Walt Disney Company.” Becky goes on to explain that aspects of the archives are not only limited to art and internal documents, but also things like props, costumes, and even merchandise from years past: “It’s everything that tells the story of The Walt Disney Company’s last one hundred years.”
You can watch the full interview with Becky Cline, as well as other Disney Legends, on the Disney 100 Exhibit site.
Check back soon, as we will continue to report on all things Disney history. In the meantime, check out Theme Park Shark on your favorite social media platform, like Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for theme park news from Disney, Universal, and theme parks from all across the world!
