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I don't know how Didier Ghez does it. I mean, the guy holds down a full-time job at Warner Bros. He also travels the world (Didier & his wife just got back from a trip to Africa). In addition to running his snazzy Disney History website (If you haven't already bookmarked this great little site, do...

First up, Kelly T. writes in to ask: Whatever became of Roger Colton ? I used to really enjoy his "Ruminations" column. But it's been months now since you last published anything from Roger. Is everything okay? Kelly T. Everything's fine. It's just that -- after almost four years of writing for JHM ...

Got a Barnes & Noble giftcard or an Amazon.com gift certificate that's burning a hole in your pocket? Well, if you're a Disney dweeb, you may want to hold off on those book-related impulse purchases for a while. In fact, you may actually want to start setting some dough aside. Given all of the great...

You know, if things had just gone a little bit differently, all us Disney dweebs would have had something truly spectacular to celebrate this holiday season. You see, 2006 was supposed to be the year that Walt Disney Home Entertainment finally released " Song of the South " on DVD. This limited...

It's Christmas-crunch time, kiddies. You know what I mean. That horrible moment that arrives every holiday season. When you're feeling all smug & self-satisfied because you think that you've completed your Xmas shopping. Only to suddenly sit bolt upright in your chair and say: "Oh, cr*p! I forgot...

Earlier today, Mark S. sent me an e-mail asked: Dear Jim: Today's "Scrooge U" article compelled me to pull out my old VHS copy of " Mickey's Christmas Carol ." And you're right. It is fun spotting all of those characters from earlier Disney films that pop up in the picture. In addition to those " Mr...

John S. writes in to ask: Jim -- My son and I recently discovered your website and we've really been enjoyed digging through all of your old stories. Since my son is now showing such a keen interest in the history of the Walt Disney Company, I thought that I might give him a Disney history book as a...

If you're a Disney history buff, you've undoubtedly seen this photograph before ... Copyright 2006 University Press of Kentucky It's from the infamous strike of 1941. When hundreds of artists & animators picketed right outside of the Buena Vista Street entrance to the studio. With the hope that Walt...

It was 50 years ago tonight that the 1939 version of " The Wizard of Oz " was first shown on television. Copyright 2005 Warner Home Video The first-ever telecast of this Victor Fleming film was a rating smash. Over 44 million people tuned in to catch this broadcast (Which was hosted by the...

Let's cut to the chase, shall we? The Walt Disney biography that all of us dweebs have been waiting for (Some of us, for decades now) ... is finally here . While there may have been other fine books written about the founder of the Walt Disney Company (Bob Thomas' " Walt Disney: An American Original...

It's what every good Disney dweeb dreams of. Someday getting into the ARL. As in: WDFA's Animation Research Library . You see, the ARL is the place where -- once production is completed on a particular animated feature -- all the artwork is then sent. Both the finished animation drawings as well as the...

Do you see this book that my little friend is pointing at? Copyright 1943 Walt Disney Productions Disney & Roald Dahl fans have been rejoicing for months now, ever since word first leaked out that Dark Horse Books was going to reprint " The Gremlins: A Royal Air Force Story ." "What's the hubbub...

Could it that " American Dog " is about to get "fixed"? Copyright 2008 Disney Enterprises, Inc. For the past few months, there have been rumors that John Lasseter (I.E. The new ubermeister of Disney Feature Animation) hasn't exactly been thrilled with what he's seen (so far) of this new Chris Sanders...

I got this e-mail from Jessica L. yesterday: Jim, I'm confused. I picked up a copy of the Platinum Edition of " The Little Mermaid " at the store today. Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises But when I put this disc in my DVD player, I not only saw an ad for "The Little Mermaid III" ... Copyright 2008 Disney...

First George K. writes in to say: Jim I really enjoyed today's story about the Muppet Mobile Laboratory that's going into DCA next year. But in that listing of all the "Living Character Initiative" projects that have gone into the parks already, you left out the first (and my personal favorite) : Push...

First up, Roger A. writes in to ask: Jim, We just went to see Disney Live !, the new touring magic show this weekend, and were very impressed that Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Daisy all had mouths that moved in sync and their eyes blinked. Copyright 2006 Disney/Feld Entertainment Do you know if...

"Let go of the past and embrace the future." That's not just the mantra of Disney Feature Animation now that John Lasseter and Ed Catmull are calling the shots. No, it's also the underlying theme of WDFA's next big release, "Meet the Robinsons." But how do you get a message like that across to modern...

First up, Greg O. writes to say: Jim, I'm a long time reader and quite honestly I don't understand the brouhaha regarding your site. I don't particularly have an interest in the business side of the WDC, but I agree with you, news is news. I think the biggest gripe is that it appears you have been spending...

Now I know that this may sound like a very left-handed compliment. But -- as I was reading Tim Hollis & Greg Ehrbar's excellent " Mouse Tracks: The Story of Walt Disney Records " (University Press of Mississippi, May 2006) -- I kept putting their book down so that I could then go downstairs &...

To answer your first question: Yes, the "Walt" that's referred to in the headline for today's story is Walt Disney. To answer your second question: The conversation in question actually happened back in the 1960s. A young reporter from the New York Times heard the old Mousetro say this. In the Disney...