This story is from the
Disney Insider but is well worth reposting here. To be a Disney Legend is something we all dream of and I hope that one day, I too will be among those who will live forever in our history. This past September I had the honor of meeting a Disney Legend, Marty Sklar, and I must say that my dream is a pretty lofty one indeed! Enjoy!
The Newest Disney Legends Join the Family
It felt like a family reunion. On October 10, when the 2007 Disney Legends were inducted at the heart of the Disney Studios, there were no paparazzi on the red carpet, and no posh posturing. The crowd was largely composed of Disney Legends - both newly minted and those named in years past - their families, and their colleagues past and present. There was plenty of hugging and laughter as old friends recognized each other across Legends Plaza, where the ceremony was held.
For 20 years, the Disney Legends induction ceremony has been how Disney honors its own - the brilliant, hardworking men and women who have created the magic. This year's inductees include broadcasters and animators, executives, and songsters. Many of them have been showered with awards over the decades, but it was clear on that sunny autumn afternoon that this honor was especially meaningful - because it came from those who know them best.
"This is actually one of the nicest days on the Disney lot, in my opinion, and I think that's shared with many here," said Disney CEO Bob Iger in his opening remarks, summing up the feeling of the event. "You all know that The Walt Disney Company has a very rich heritage, founded in Walt's extraordinary imagination and creativity. This heritage is kept alive by artists and designers, performers, musicians, technicians - and yes, even executives! - whose outstanding work has brought us to where we are today."
No one knew better than Bob how influential two of the honorees have been - at various times in his career, he has worked for both of them. Roone Arledge headed ABC Sports and then ABC News during his long and distinguished career, while Tom Murphy piloted ABC from a single TV and radio station into an international media conglomerate.
Tom commented, "I'm very proud of Bob - of the great job he's doing here. And I'm a very happy stockholder because of the great job he's doing here! It's nice seeing Roy Disney here, and Jane Eisner. And going back many years ago, I haven't seen Art Linkletter for maybe 45 years!"
Art was far from the only Legend on hand to welcome the new inductees - also in the audience were X Atencio, Kathryn Beaumont Levine, Virginia Davis McGee, Richard Sherman, Dick Jones, and about a dozen more. And almost all of them had been helped over the years by 2007 Legend inductee Lucille Martin, who rose from the Disney secretarial pool to become Walt's personal secretary, and finally a vice president of The Walt Disney Company.
The Disney Parks would have lost some of this magic without inductees Ron Logan, long the man behind the entertainment at the Disney Parks around the world, and Walt Disney Imagineering treasurer Carl Bongirno.
Walt Disney Pictures chairman Dick Cook described Floyd Norman as follows: "Our next Disney Legend is an animator, a writer, and a self-confessed troublemaker - which is another way of saying that he's a Disney artist!" Troublesome the animators might be, but this enormously talented group yielded three Legends for 2007:
• Floyd, who says of his Disney years, "From 1956 until now has been a long time, but I'll tell you - every year working with Walt, working with a great bunch of people, it's been a ball."
• Art Babbitt, remembered by his wife Barbara as follows: "He was a great artist and an intellectual, and he was such an honorable man, and very deserving of this award."
• Dick Huemer, whose son Dr. Richard Huemer greeted Donald Duck at the podium when accepting his father's award with "My dad drew you, you know!"
From the other side of the drawing board came Legend Marge Champion, the live-action model for Snow White, the Blue Fairy from "Pinocchio," and even Mr. Stork in "Dumbo." Receiving her statuette, she said "I can't tell you how moved I am today - not only with thanks and gratitude for this extraordinary award, but also because it brings back so many memories. Seeing so many of you here is very, very comforting!"
A Legend we at the Disney Insider were especially happy to see recognized is our friend Disney Archivist Dave Smith, who has a regular spot in the Insider answering your questions about all things Disney. Dave said, "I'm not an actor, I'm not a composer, I'm not a filmmaker, I'm not a Theme Park designer, I'm not any of these creative categories who have usually been named as Disney Legends in the past. But over the 38 years that I've been working as the archivist for The Walt Disney Company, I've been privileged to know and work with almost every single one of the 200 people who have been named Disney Legends in the past. It's a tremendous honor for me today to join their illustrious group."
Bob Schiffer was long a legendary name in Hollywood thanks to a long career film makeup, but his son Douglas told us, "My father was in the film business for 65 years. I can say that the 36 years that he spent at the Disney Studio were his happiest. He was deeply honored to work here and he forged great friendships. He received many personal awards and accolades over the years, and I'm sure this would be his finest accomplishment."
The final honoree was film composer Randy Newman, who was escorted to the podium by his good friends Buzz and Woody from "Toy Story," and who said to the assembled crowd, "I've never seen anybody work harder than the animators and crews who make animated pictures do. It's an honor to be among that company."
Then Randy performed "You've Got a Friend in Me." It's a song that surely caught the spirit of this event, which was a reunion of long-time friends and colleagues with diverse gifts and talents, and one big thing in common - all of them are part of the Disney family.
So I was at the Leadership Conference from Tuesday, Sept. 4 through Thursday, Sept 6th. Then on Friday the 7th I had to go back to DRC for my interview with the panel of my peers for the full time CTIS spot.
Please don't break my heart and tell me that you don't know who he is... PLEASE don't do that to me. To save myself the heartache, I will give you the completely abridged version, how's that? Marty is the last living link to Walt Disney himself!! Yes, that is right. Marty, who is currently the VP of Imagineering Ambassador and has been with us for over 40 years, physically walked our FL swamp land with Walt and placed the big yellow "X" on the ground where the castle was going to placed. He looked at the maps, worked with Walt in Anaheim as an Imagineer and is still with us today. Now do you understand my being star struck? Goodness, I hope so.
Here are a few pictures that I took during the conference. We were at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort and Convention Center. I got to stay in the Casitas and it was wonderful.
The sunrise view from my room was spectacular and since I was on the corner (with the entire side of the building to myself I might add) I had double corner windows... yeah, it made up for the wrongs that resort has done to me in the past three years.
Enjoy and as soon as I hear back about the panel decision regarding the CTIS FLL spot, I'll post it.
Wish you could remember the entire spiel from the monorail? Now you can!! Gotta love it.
opposite shore is Cinderella Castle. You can also see Disney's Mountain Range: Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain in Frontierland and Space Mountain in Tomorrowland. To the right hand side on the shores of Bay Lake is Disney's Wilderness Lodge which captures the spirit of the national park service lodges built in the west during the early part of the 20th century.
Campground. More outdoor recreation can be found at River Country, Disney's version of the ol' fashioned swimmin' hole. Discovery Island, an 11 acre zoological park is located at the center of Bay Lake. Launches to Discovery Island depart from Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, the Magic Kingdom, and Disney's Contemporary Resort. 
While your group is together, now is a great time to pick a place to meet if you become separated in the park. Should you become separated, stop by City Hall on Main Street U.S.A for assistance. Guest Relations at City Hall can also help you plan your day, make dining arrangements or provide a special guided tour of the Magic Kingdom.
Ladies and Gentlemen this is the Magic Kingdom Monorail Station. On behalf of the Cast of the Walt Disney World Resort, we'd like to welcome you to the Magic Kingdom. Please collect your personal belongings and watch your head and step. Please assist small children by the hand. Once again, we hope you enjoy the Magic Kingdom. 
