Walt Disney Archives

This Day in Disney
August 24, 1942
Saludos Amigos holds its world premiere in Rio de Janeiro
"Saludos amigos, a fond greeting to you!" Those lyrics were sung in the 42-minute feature film Saludos Amigos, which had its grande World Premiere in Rio de Janeiro on this day in 1942. Four mucho entertaining animated segments were introduced, Lake Titicaca, Pedro, El Gaucho Goofy and Aquarela do Brasil, which featured Donald Duck and a newcomer to Disney animation, Brazilian parrot José Carioca. Live-action footage of a South American goodwill tour with Walt Disney and some of his staff tied together the animated segments. The film was produced at a time when Nelson Rockefeller's agency, the Coordinator for Inter-America Affairs, asked filmmakers to include Latin-American themes in their films as part of a Good Neighbor Policy. Ted Thomas, writer/director of the upcoming film Walt & El Grupo, is a qualified expert on the subject, and explained to us, "The Rockefeller request to make films with Latin-American themes came in the fall of 1940. By the spring of 1941 the government asked Walt if he would make a South American trip. Walt agreed to it on the condition that the journey would be a true research trip to develop films that the Studio would then produce." The story continues in Walt's own words, as he discussed Saludos Amigos in a CBC interview, "I took a staff and we set up headquarters in Rio and we also went and set up a studio in Argentina. We went over to Chile and some of my artists, we divided our party, and some of them went up to Peru, and when we came back I made these four short subjects… These four films were more or less put together and they went out in the theatre. It was one of those things that they thought Disney needed a subsidy, but fortunately that little thing went out and it did a heck of a business and the United States Government didn't have to put up one nickel." Adios!

What's Old is News
We Open the Walt Disney Archives to Disney Fans Around the World
Go back in time with us by checking out these original press materials and other archival treasures from the Walt Disney Archives.
In honor of Treasure Island, which premiered 49 years ago this July, D23 takes a look at an original press document from 1950.
This Fox and the Hound press release is a short biography of the famous Disney composer, Norman "Buddy" Baker.
This Walt Disney World Press Release from 1971 stitches together the story behind the Hall of Presidents wardrobe.
The spring 1975 edition of Walt Disney World's Vacationland magazine describes the induction of the 38th president into The Hall of Presidents.


Archives Library
During a 43-year Hollywood career, which spanned the development of the motion picture medium as a modern American art, Walter Elias Disney, a modern Aesop, established himself and his product as a genuine part of Americana.
Walt Disney arrived in California in the summer of 1923 with a lot of hopes but little else.
Take a nostalgic, informative and sometimes hilarious trip back in time to remember some of these classic Disney originals — from Clara Cluck to Pluto!
A complete list of Disney Legends — the special few who embody the Company's unique creative spirit as personified by its founder.
From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Race to Witch Mountain, here's a complete list of Disney films.
Browse through this bibliography of books written about Walt and Roy, The Walt Disney Company and Disney films, characters, music and theme parks.







Disney fans and D23 members have already sent us dozens of questions for Chief Archivist Dave Smith. Here are Dave's answers to recent set of your questions. Check back every couple weeks — we'll be publishing more of our beloved Disney Legend's answers to your questions about Disney history!

Q: Did Walt Disney have a favorite Mickey Mouse short?
Sam, Location Not Given
A: I don't believe he ever said anything about a favorite, but he did keep the original script for Steamboat Willie in his desk drawer, which is an indication that he had a fondness for that film.

Q: My question is about Fantasmic! I was in Disney World in 1988. At that time only Magic Kingdom and Epcot were open. I seem to remember that Fanatasmic! was at Epcot at that time. Am I correct or has it only been at Hollywood Studios?
Michael, Manassas Park, Virginia
A: Fantasmic! premiered in Disneyland in 1992, and although it would open in Disney's Hollywood Studios in 1998, it was never featured in Epcot. However, the Splashtacular show on the Epcot fountain stage greatly resembled it, as this 1993-94 spectacular was host to Disney characters, dozens of performers and a dinosaur-like alien villain. Epcot also had Laserphonic Fantasy, the predecessor to Illuminations in the lagoon, from 1984 to 1988.

Q: I have been collecting Mickey Mouse items for years and have a few pieces that are very old and would like to find out some information about them and who might be interested in these items. One is a pocket watch from the early '30s and a record that is from the Mickey Mouse Club TV show. Could you direct me where to go to find out about these items and who would be interested in them?
Honeybea, Sacramento, California
A: Early Disney memorabilia can be bought in such places as antique toy shows, flea markets and on eBay. Seeing the prices of similar items can give you an idea of what your own items are worth. Those who sell Disneyana items are often interested in buying them also.

Q: In Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean, there is a painting in the room where it says "store ye weapons" done by Marc Davis titled "A Portrait of Things to Come." It is a legendary piece of art and has been seen by millions. I have always wanted a copy of it to hang in my house. Why can't I find a copy anywhere? How come Disney has not made it apart of their gallery?
Christopher, Chino, California
A: Although this piece is not currently available for printing, the Disney parks often release prints of concept art through an on-demand system. Kiosks can be found at the Disneyland Resort's World of Disney and Disneyana Shop as well as in several Art of Disney locations throughout Walt Disney World.

Q: Didn't Disney put out a short called They Call The Wind Mariah? Using the tune it showed a young couple leaving San Francisco for Reno. On the way they encontered a blizzard and I think they were driven off the road. Was this Disney or was it put ot by someone else?
David, Olalla, Washington
A: You are close on the title. We did a TV show called A Storm Called Maria in 1959. It was based on George R. Stewart's famous book, Storm, and covered the birth and development of a major storm in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and how it put people in danger.

Q: I know this is a really bizarre question, since you seem to specialize in vintage Disney information. However, I couldn't help but notice that the villain in the film Up is named Charles Muntz. I was wondering if this was a conscious connection to Charles Mintz. Was this thought of, or am I reading too much into things?
Charelle, Elizabethtown Pennsylvania
A: The artists made no connection to Charles Mintz, who distributed some of Walt Disney's earliest cartoons, in their book, The Art of Up. But they did say, "If you were to blend Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, Howard Hughes and Walt Disney into one heroic 1930s man, that would be Muntz."