Disney Legends

Disney Legends
The Disney Legends Awards is a Hall of Fame program that recognizes individuals who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company. Established in 1987, the honor was traditionally awarded annually during a special private ceremony. Since 2009, it has been awarded biannually during Disney's D23 Expo.
Having both been honoured in 1998, Glynis Johns (100) currently holds the record for the oldest living Disney Legend, closely followed by Dick Van Dyke (97).
Criteria
Recipients are chosen by a selection committee, formerly appointed and chaired by Disney Legend Roy E. Disney, Walt Disney's nephew, former vice chairman and director emeritus of The Walt Disney Company. The committee consists of long-time Disney executives, historians, and other authorities. Besides the award statuette itself, each honoree is represented by a bronze commemorative plaque featuring the recipients' handprints and signature if they were living when inducted, or simply an image of the statuette emblem if the induction was posthumous. The plaques are placed on display in Legends Plaza at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, across from the Michael D. Eisner Building.
The award
Imagineer Andrea Favilli created the Disney Legends award, which is handcrafted from bronze each year. The award depicts the arm of Mickey Mouse holding a star-tipped wand.
Disney describes the award as follows:
The Disney Legends award has three distinct elements that characterize the contributions made by each talented recipient.
The Spiral ... stands for imagination, the power of an idea.
The Hand ... holds the gifts of skill, discipline and craftsmanship.
The Wand and the Star ... represent magic: the spark that is ignited when imagination and skill combine to create a new dream.
The first Disney Legends committee consisted of Dave Smith; Arlene Ludwig; Marty Sklar, Randy Bright; Jack Lindquist; Sharon Harwood; Art Levitt; Shelley Miles; Paula Sigman; Doris Smith; and Stacia Martin.
In 2017, Muppet performer Steve Whitmire alleged that the company offered him "consolation prizes" including the Disney Legends award in return for keeping quiet about the details surrounding his termination.
Recipients
= awarded posthumously
1980s
Class of 1987
Fred MacMurray, Film
Class of 1989
Les Clark, Animation
Marc Davis, Animation & Imagineering
Ub Iwerks, Animation & Imagineering
Ollie Johnston, Animation
Milt Kahl, Animation
Ward Kimball, Animation & Imagineering
Eric Larson, Animation
John Lounsbery, Animation
Wolfgang Reitherman, Animation
Frank Thomas, Animation
All except Iwerks were Disney's "Nine Old Men".
1990s
Class of 1990
Roger Broggie, Imagineering
Joe Fowler, Attractions
John Hench, Animation & Imagineering
Richard Irvine, Imagineering
Herb Ryman, Imagineering
Sherman Brothers, Music
Class of 1991
Ken Anderson, Animation & Imagineering
Julie Andrews, Film
Carl Barks, Animation & Publishing
Mary Blair, Animation & Imagineering
Claude Coats, Animation & Imagineering
Don DaGradi, Animation & Film
Sterling Holloway, Animation—Voice
Fess Parker, Film & Television
Bill Walsh, Film & Television
Class of 1992
Jimmie Dodd, Television
Bill Evans, Imagineering
Annette Funicello, Film & Television
Joe Grant, Animation
Jack Hannah, Animation
Winston Hibler, Film
Ken O'Connor, Animation & Imagineering
Roy Williams, Animation & Television
Class of 1993
Pinto Colvig, Animation—Voice
Buddy Ebsen, Film & Television
Peter Ellenshaw, Film
Blaine Gibson, Animation & Imagineering
Harper Goff, Film & Imagineering
Irving Ludwig, Film
Jimmy MacDonald, Animation—Voice
Clarence Nash, Animation—Voice
Donn Tatum, Administration
Card Walker, Administration
Class of 1994
Adriana Caselotti, Animation—Voice
Bill Cottrell, Animation & Imagineering
Marvin Davis, Film & Imagineering
Van France, Attractions
David Hand, Animation
Jack Lindquist, Attractions
Bill Martin, Imagineering
Paul J. Smith, Music
Frank Wells, Administration
Class of 1995
Wally Boag, Attractions
Fulton Burley, Attractions
Dean Jones, Film
Angela Lansbury, Film
Edward Meck, Attractions
Fred Moore, Animation
Thurl Ravenscroft, Animation—Voice
Wathel Rogers, Imagineering
Betty Taylor, Attractions
Class of 1996
Bob Allen, Attractions
Rex Allen, Film & Television
X Atencio, Animation & Imagineering
Betty Lou Gerson, Animation—Voice
Bill Justice, Animation & Imagineering
Bob Matheison, Attractions
Sam McKim, Imagineering
Bob Moore, Animation & Film
Bill Peet, Animation—Story
Class of 1997
Lucien Adés, Music
Angel Angelopoulos, Publishing
Antonio Bertini, Character Merchandise
Armand Bigle, Character Merchandise
Gaudenzio Capelli, Publishing
Roberto de Leonardis, Film
Cyril Edgar, Film
Wally Feignoux, Film
Didier Fouret, Publishing
Mario Gentilini, Publishing
Cyril James, Film & Merchandise
Horst Koblischek, Character Merchandise
Gunnar Mansson, Character Merchandise
Arnoldo Mondadori, Publishing
Armand Palivoda, Film
Poul Brahe Pedersen, Publishing
Joe Potter, Attractions
André Vanneste, Character Merchandise
Paul Winkler, Character Merchandise
Class of 1998
James Algar, Animation & Film
Buddy Baker, Music
Kathryn Beaumont, Animation—Voice
Virginia Davis, Animation
Roy E. Disney, Film, Animation & Administration
Don Escen, Administration
Wilfred Jackson, Animation
Glynis Johns, Film
Kay Kamen, Character Merchandise
Paul Kenworthy, Film
Larry Lansburgh, Film & Television
Hayley Mills, Film
Al Milotte and Elma Milotte, Film
Norman "Stormy" Palmer, Film
Lloyd Richardson, Film
Kurt Russell, Film
Ben Sharpsteen, Animation & Film
Masatomo Takahashi, Administration
Vladimir (Bill) Tytla, Animation
Dick Van Dyke, Film
Matsuo Yokoyama, Character Merchandise
Class of 1999
Tim Allen, Television, Film & Animation—Voice
Mary Costa, Animation—Voice
Norm Ferguson, Animation
Bill Garity, Film
Yale Gracey, Animation & Imagineering
Al Konetzni, Character Merchandise
Hamilton Luske, Animation
Dick Nunis, Attractions
Charlie Ridgway, Attractions
2000s
Class of 2000
Grace Bailey, Animation
Harriet Burns, Imagineering
Joyce Carlson, Animation & Imagineering
Ron Dominguez, Parks & Resorts
Cliff Edwards, Animation—Voice
Becky Fallberg, Animation
Dick Jones, Animation—Voice
Dodie Roberts, Animation
Retta Scott, Animation
Ruthie Tompson, Animation
Class of 2001
Howard Ashman, Music
Bob Broughton, Film
George Bruns, Music
Frank Churchill, Music
Leigh Harline, Music
Fred Joerger, Imagineering
Alan Menken, Music
Martin Sklar, Imagineering
Ned Washington, Music
Tyrus Wong, Animation
Class of 2002
Note: In honor of the opening of the Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris, all 2002 inductees are of European origin. The ceremony was held in the Animation building at the new park on opening day.
Ken Annakin, Film
Hugh Attwooll, Film
Maurice Chevalier, Film
Phil Collins, Music
Sir John Mills, Film
Robert Newton, Film & Television
Tim Rice, Music
Robert Stevenson, Film
Richard Todd, Film & Television
David Tomlinson, Film
Class of 2003
Following a dispute between Roy E. Disney and the company that resulted in Disney departing, Robert Iger, the company's then-president and COO co-presented with Michael Eisner.
Neil Beckett, Merchandise
Tutti Camarata, Music
Edna Francis Disney
Lillian Disney
Orlando Ferrante, Imagineering
Richard Fleischer, Film
Floyd Gottfredson, Animation
Buddy Hackett, Film & Television
Harrison "Buzz" Price, Research Economist
Al Taliaferro, Cartoonist
Ilene Woods, Music—Voice
Class of 2004
Bill Anderson, Film & Television
Tim Conway, Film
Rolly Crump, Imagineering
Alice Davis, Imagineering
Karen Dotrice, Film & Television
Matthew Garber, Film
Leonard H. Goldenson, Television
Bob Gurr, Imagineering
Ralph Kent, Imagineering & Attractions
Irwin Kostal, Music
Mel Shaw, Animation
Class of 2005
In honor of Disneyland's 50th anniversary in 2005, all recipients are related to either Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and/or Walt Disney Imagineering, and nearly all have had some connection with Disneyland. Roy E. Disney again co-presented the awards, after a two-year hiatus and a return to the company.
Chuck Abbott, Parks & Resorts
Milt Albright, Parks & Resorts
Hideo Amemiya, Parks & Resorts
Hideo Aramaki, Parks & Resorts
Charles Boyer, Parks & Resorts
Randy Bright, Imagineering
James Cora, Parks & Resorts
Robert Jani, Parks & Resorts
Mary Jones, Parks & Resorts
Art Linkletter, Parks & Resorts
Mary Anne Mang, Parks & Resorts
Steve Martin, Parks & Resorts
Tom Nabbe, Parks & Resorts
Jack Olsen, Parks & Resorts
Cicely Rigdon, Parks & Resorts
William Sullivan, Parks & Resorts
Jack Wagner, Parks & Resorts
Vesey Walker, Parks & Resorts
Class of 2006
Tim Considine, Television & Film
Kevin Corcoran, Television & Film
Al Dempster, Animation
Don Edgren, Imagineering
Paul Frees, Television, Film & Parks
Peter Jennings, Television
Elton John, Music
Jimmy Johnson, Music
Tommy Kirk, Television & Film
Joe Ranft, Animation
David Stollery, Television & Film
Ginny Tyler, Television & Film
Class of 2007
Roone Arledge, Television
Art Babbitt, Animation
Carl Bongirno, Imagineering
Marge Champion, Animation
Dick Huemer, Animation
Ron Logan, Parks & Resorts
Lucille Martin, Administration
Tom Murphy, Administration
Randy Newman, Music
Floyd Norman, Animation
Bob Schiffer, Film Production
Dave Smith, Archives
Class of 2008
Wayne Allwine, Animation—Voice
Bob Booth, Attractions
Neil Gallagher, Attractions
Frank Gifford, Television
Burny Mattinson, Animation
Walter Peregoy, Animation
Dorothea Redmond, Designer
Russi Taylor, Animation—Voice
Toshio Kagami, Parks and Resorts
Ian McGuinness, - Animation & Entertainment
Barbara Walters, Television
Oliver Wallace, Music
Class of 2009
Tony Anselmo, Animation—Voice
Harry Archinal, Administration
Beatrice Arthur, Film & Television
Bill Farmer, Animation—Voice
Estelle Getty, Film & Television
Don Iwerks, Film
Rue McClanahan, Film & Television
Leota Toombs Thomas, Attractions
Betty White, Film & Television
Robin Williams, Film & Animation—Voice
2010s
Class of 2011
Regis Philbin, Television
Jim Henson, Film & Television
Jodi Benson, Animation—Voice
Paige O'Hara, Animation—Voice
Lea Salonga, Animation—Voice
Linda Larkin, Animation—Voice
Anika Noni Rose, Animation—Voice
Jack Wrather, Parks & Resorts
Bonita Wrather, Film
Guy Williams, Television
Bo Boyd, Consumer Products
Raymond Watson, Administration
Class of 2013
Tony Baxter, Imagineering
Collin Campbell, Imagineering
Dick Clark, Television
Billy Crystal, Film & Animation—Voice
John Goodman, Film & Animation—Voice
Steve Jobs, Animation
Glen Keane, Animation
Ed Wynn, Film & Animation—Voice
Class of 2015
George Bodenheimer, Administration & Television
Andreas Deja, Animation
Johnny Depp, Film
Eyvind Earle, Animation
Danny Elfman, Music
George Lucas, Film & Parks and Resorts
Susan Lucci, Television
Julie Reihm Casaletto, Parks and Resorts
Carson Van Osten, Consumer Products
Class of 2017
Carrie Fisher, Film
Clyde Geronimi, Animation
Whoopi Goldberg, Film & Television
Manuel Gonzales, Animation
Mark Hamill, Film
Wayne Jackson, Imagineering
Jack Kirby, Publishing
Stan Lee, Film & Publishing
Garry Marshall, Film & Television
Julie Taymor, Theatrical
Oprah Winfrey, Film & Television
Class of 2019
Christina Aguilera, Music & Television
Wing T. Chao, Parks & Resorts
Robert Downey Jr., Film
James Earl Jones, Film
Jon Favreau, Film
Bette Midler, Film
Kenny Ortega, Film & Television
Barnette Ricci, Parks & Resorts
Robin Roberts, Television
Diane Sawyer, Television
Ming-Na Wen, Film, Television & Animation—Voice
Hans Zimmer, Music
2020s
Class of 2022
Anthony Anderson, Film & Television
Kristen Bell, Film & Animation—Voice
Chadwick Boseman, Film
Rob't Coltrin, Parks & Resorts
Patrick Dempsey, Film & Television
Robert Price "Bob" Foster, Administration
Josh Gad, Film & Animation—Voice
Jonathan Groff, Film & Animation—Voice
Don Hahn, Animation
Doris Hardoon, Imagineering
Idina Menzel, Film & Animation—Voice
Chris Montan, Music
Ellen Pompeo, Television
Tracee Ellis Ross, Television
References
External links
Disney Legends on D23
Coverage of the 2005 Disney Legends awards presentation
Interview with the founder of the Disney Legends awards
The Walt Disney Company
Halls of fame in California
Media museums in California
Burbank, California
Awards established in 1987
Entertainment halls of fame
Lifetime achievement awards