11 inducted in Disney Legends ceremony at D23 Expo 2017
Photo credit: Disney/Image Group LA, acquired from D23 Press Site
Disney Legends celebrated its 30th Anniversary by inducting 11 new honorees at the D23 Expo 2017 in Anaheim, California.
11 outstanding contributors became official Disney Legends on Friday, July 14 at the D23 Expo. Bob Iger, Disney Chairman and CEO, hosted the ceremony at the Anaheim Convention Center, making the 30th anniversary of the Disney Legends Awards.
The Disney Legends ceremony was started in 1987 when Fred MacMurray (The Shaggy Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, The Happiest Millionaire) was honored with the title. The Disney Legends ceremony has been part of the D23 Expo since it was founded in 2009.
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Disney Legends inductees included Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Garry Marshall for contributions in film, Clyde Geronimi for contributions in animation, Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey for contributions in film and television, Manuel Gonzales and Jack Kirby for contributions in publishing, Julie Taymor for theatrical contributions, Wayne Jackson for contributions in Imagineering and Stan Lee for contributions in film and publishing.
Bob Iger first took the stage to celebrate the achievements of The Walt Disney Company in the box office with Zootopia, Jungle Book, Moana, Captain America: Civil War, Beauty and the Beast, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, “which reignited the passion of Star Wars fans around the world… Star Wars became a valuable and critical part of our company,” Iger said. The one-year anniversary of Shanghai Disney Resort was also celebrated, which drew in over 12 million guests to the park in China. Iger even teased the newly announced Star Wars Lands, which will be opening in 2019 so that “you can experience life in the Star Wars universe”.
Before the 11 honorees were recognized, Disney Legend Ruthie Tompson, who was “a legend among animators” before the creation of the Disney Legends award, was acknowledged in the crowd. The audience roared when they learned she was also celebrating her 107th birthday!
Learn more about the Disney Legends ceremony and the acceptance speeches on the next slide: