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The Disney Avenue Podcast returns with a fantastic interview with Walt Disney Imagineering's original “designing woman” Alice Davis. Married to Disney Legend Marc Davis, she enjoyed a fashionable Disney career of her own, designing and dressing animated figures for such beloved Disneyland attractions as it’s a small world and Pirates of the Caribbean.

One day, she received a call from her former art instructor and future husband, Marc. He needed a costume designed and created for Helene Stanley to wear for some live-action reference footage being filmed to inspire his animation of the lead character Briar Rose in Sleeping Beauty. That job led Alice to design costumes for Disney’s live-action motion picture Toby Tyler.

In 1963, Walt Disney recruited Alice to contribute her skill to the attraction it’s a small world for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. Collaborating with art designer and Disney Legend Mary Blair, Alice researched, designed, and supervised the creation of more than 150 highly detailed costumes for the Audio-Animatronics children of the world.

During this time, Alice also formulated costuming procedures, set up a manufacturing base, and developed quality control refurbishing techniques, which established the standards for three-dimensional characters in rides and shows created by WDI.

In 1965, she translated the pirates’ attire from Marc’s original drawings of the shiver-me-timbers cast and crew into clothing designs and patterns for all of the costumes featured in Pirates of the Caribbean. Two years later, when the attraction opened at Disneyland, guests were dazzled by the animated figures and their colorful, textured pirate-wear. Later, Alice contributed to General Electric’s Carousel of Progress and the Flight to the Moon attractions.

Married in June 1956, Alice and Marc enjoyed a Disney fairy-tale-romance-come-true for 44 years until Marc’s death in 2000. Alice has continued to consult for the Company, and remains a frequent face at Disneyland events. She was honored with a window on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland—next to her husband’s window—on May 10, 2012.

The Disney Avenue Podcast would like to thank Geren Piltz for his contributions to this show!

The Disney Avenue Podcast is back with this month's show featuring another fantastic interview with Disney Legend, Walt Disney Archives founder and former chief archivist David Smith! Dusty Sage, of MiceChat.com, teams up with host Keith Michael Mahne for another amazing show. It was a wonderful conversation and a whole lot of fun. Walt Disney Archives founder and former chief archivist David Smith officially joined The Walt Disney Company on June 22, 1970, but his Disney roots are even deeper. A fan of Disney films throughout his youth, Dave explained in our interview, “I grew up in Southern California, and so my appreciation of Disneyland began as a child.” In 1967, he had become interested in compiling an extensive bibliography on Walt Disney. With approval from the Disney organization, he spent more than a year researching all Disney publications and productions. When the Disney family and Studio management decided to attempt to preserve Walt Disney’s papers, awards, and memorabilia, it was natural for them to contact Dave to do a study, and make a recommendation which established the guidelines and objectives of the Archives. Dave was selected as archivist, and in the years since the Archives was established it has come to be recognized as a model among corporate archives in the country. Dave is regarded as the final authority on matters of Disney history. The Disney Avenue Podcast is pleased to present our interview with the legend himself, Dave Smith...Enjoy!

It's the most wonderful time of year here on the Disney Avenue Podcast and boy, what an amazing show we have in store for you. As many of you know, Christmas and Disney go hand in hand. I’ve yet to experience a Christmas display or Spectacle anywhere on earth that can top Disney. The beautiful lights and decorations along Main Street, the beauty of Cinderella Castle decked out in millions of lights, and, of course, that little light show over in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the truly breathtaking Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. As many of you may have heard by now, this year, 2015, will be the last year that Disney will be showcasing this 20-year-old holiday tradition. And so, with the Holiday Season now upon us and with the closing of the Osborne Lights, I thought, what can we do here on the Disney Avenue Podcast to really capture that Disney Christmas spirit, what can we do to entertain our listeners and bring them more of our signature interviews, history and stories from big names in the Disney stratosphere? And then it hit me! Why not continue a Disney Avenue Podcast Christmas tradition by inviting the top Disney historian and author on the planet earth to come on the show and tell us all about the history of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights and other gone but not forgotten Walt Disney World Christmas classics. So friends, it is with Christmas cheer and everything holly and jolly, to welcome back for a third time to the Disney Avenue Podcast, the one and only, Jim Korkis. While listening to this wonderful show, please be sure to head on over to themeparkpress.com and grab yourself a copy of Jim's brand new books on sale now. There aren't better stocking stuffers around, I assure you! Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy the show...

The Disney Avenue Podcast would like to thank our producer Geren Piltz and our graphic designer Brian Vermillion for their contributions to this show!

Welcome to the April 2015 episode of the Disney Avenue Podcast! This month we have legendary animator Floyd Norman joining us. Though he prefers to be called a “cartoonist,” few other artists working in animation today can boast a career as varied as that of Floyd Norman. From the 1950s to today, Floyd’s diverse career, insightful viewpoint, and unflinching honesty have truly made him a Disney Legend. The Disney Avenue Podcast is thrilled to bring to you the legendary animator himself. Enjoy!

Welcome back to another exciting episode of the Disney Avenue Podcast. On today's show, host Keith Mahne is joined by MiceChat CEO Dusty Sage for an amazing interview with Disney Legend Charlie Ridgway. Before Charlie was hired as a cast member under Walt, he promoted Disneyland as a news reporter. During 1954-55, while the Park was still under construction, he authored some of the very first articles about Disneyland to appear in any of the major metropolitan newspapers. He also covered Disneyland’s grand opening celebration on July 17, 1955. Eight years later, he joined the Park’s publicity staff in 1963. Charlie helped launch the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971, Epcot Center in 1982, Disneyland Paris in 1992, as well as other special projects for celebrations such as Donald Duck’s 50th birthday and so much more. Charlie shared some truly amazing stories with us on the show so be sure not to miss this one.

After more than 40 years with the Walt Disney Company, Charlie retired in 1994. He would go on to consult on special projects, including the launch of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the Disney Cruise Line. Charlie published his fantastic memoir, “Spinning Disney’s World,” in 2007 that is a MUST READ for any Disney fan so be sure to grab your copy HERE. Charlie became a Disney Legend in 1999 and it is such an honor to have him join us on the show today. With that said friends, it is with great excitement to welcome Disney Legend Charlie Ridgway to the Disney Avenue Podcast...Enjoy.

You can help support and follow the Walt Disney Birthplace Project by clicking HERE.

The Disney Avenue Podcast would like to thank our producer Geren Piltz and our graphic designer Brian Vermillion for their contributions to this show!