Episode 128 – D23 Expo 2017 (Disney Legends Ceremony)

Posted on August 4, 2017 by Randy Crane

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Randy Crane

As you may know, July 14-16, 2017 was the D23 Expo. I was happily able to attend, though not as official Media or Press. Because of that, I wasn’t able to get priority access to anything or set up interviews with anyone. In fact, two of my favorite presentations: The Power of the Princess on Saturday and the Hercules 20th Anniversary panel on Sunday, didn’t allow recording at all. So, I don’t have any audio to share with you from those.

 

However, I can’t leave you empty-handed, my friend. So, I do have two things for you. First, if you go to the Stories of the Magic Facebook page, I took a lot of photos wherever I could, mainly in the Parks & Resorts presentation, and of the Star Wars Land, now called Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, model. I will link to those photos below.

 

Also, I recorded much of the Legends Ceremony. I don’t camp out for the Expo like some people do, but I did show up at about 6:00 in the morning to be sure I got a seat for this, as I do every year. I think it’s one of the most important events at the Expo. I did have to record this in segments and then put them together for this episode. Because of that, I missed the first little bit of a couple of the bio videos, but I got 99% of the audio—not counting the performances because, really, who wants to listen to people dancing?   🙂   Even though this is different from what you usually get on this show, it’s in the very same spirit—bringing you the stories of people from throughout the company, what they did, why it matters to them, and why they love Disney. You’re about to get an hour and 15 minutes or so of exactly that.

 

Technically this audio is long enough that I would have split it into two episodes, but I want you to have it all in one. It really does all belong together.

 

In this episode, we have the Legends Ceremony. The recipients are, in the order they appear in the audio …

  • Oprah Winfrey
  • Garry Marshall
  • Jack Kirby
  • Stan Lee
  • Gerry Geronimi
  • Manuel Gonzales
  • Wayne Jackson
  • Carrie Fisher
  • Mark Hamill
  • Whoopi Goldberg
  • Julie Taymor

 

Links to D23 Expo coverage on Facebook:

 

I want to hear from you, so please email me, leave a comment below, or call the Listener Feedback line at (734) 23-STORY.

If you call in, don’t worry about having to sound perfect. If you ask me to, I’ll edit out any mistakes so you sound as good as you possibly can. You’re even welcome to start your entire story over again and I’ll use the “take” you want! If you want to submit a story anonymously, for whatever reason you may have, email it to me and tell you me you wanted it shared that way. I’ll read it on the podcast, but keep your name private.

Thanks for listening!

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Music and voiceovers provided by Rick Moyer.

All product links are affiliate links.

Posted in Animation, Authors, Cast Members, D23, Disney Legends, Imagineers, Podcast, Television, Walt Disney Company | Leave a comment

Episode 127 – Margaret Kerry (Tinker Bell Reference Model), Part 2

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Randy Crane

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Margaret Kerry & Our FamilyToday we have part 2 of my return visit with Margaret Kerry, the animation reference model for Tinker Bell. In part  last time, we talked about what it means to be an animation reference model, getting into show business 84 years go, tap dancing, living in fear from the time she was a small child and how she overcame that, and a bit about Tinker Bell.

 

Now, in this episode, Margaret talks about…

  • The Tinker Bell movies, what a “tinker” is & why it’s so important that Tinker Bell had that job
  • Being friends with Virginia Davis, Alice from the original “Alice Comedies”
  • A little bit about her book, Tinker Bell Talks: Tales of a Pixie Dusted Life
  • A bit about working on the Our Gang comedies, and a story about how wonderful people are
  • Working with Bing Crosby, Eleanor Powell, and Andy Griffith
  • Working with, and being friends with, June Foray—whom you might know as Granny from Loony Tunes, Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Grandmother Fa in Mulan, Aunt May in Spider Man and His Amazing Friends, and so much more
  • Her appreciation of some of the less well known, and even unknown, people she’s worked with
  • Praise for the book from Bob Gurr
  • Finding her birth family after 50 years
  • More about her book, including a really fun story from it
  • A couple of favorite quotes
  • Shameless Plug Time


Find Margaret:

Podcasts Spotlighted in this Episode:

 

I want to hear from you, so please email me, leave a comment below, or call the Listener Feedback line at (734) 23-STORY.

If you call in, don’t worry about having to sound perfect. If you ask me to, I’ll edit out any mistakes so you sound as good as you possibly can. You’re even welcome to start your entire story over again and I’ll use the “take” you want! If you want to submit a story anonymously, for whatever reason you may have, email it to me and tell you me you wanted it shared that way. I’ll read it on the podcast, but keep your name private.

Thanks for listening!

Subscribe by RSS.

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Music and voiceovers provided by Rick Moyer.

All product links are affiliate links.

Posted in Animation, Authors, Disney Legends, Podcast, Voice Actors, Walt Disney Company | Leave a comment

Episode 126 – Margaret Kerry (Tinker Bell Reference Model), Part 1

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Randy Crane

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Margaret Kerry & Our Family
Today we have another return guest, and it’s one I am incredibly pleased to have. When I first had Margaret Kerry, the animation reference model for Tinker Bell, as a guest more than 2 years ago, we got a lot of her Disney stories and talked some about her book that was going to be coming out “soon.”

Well, it’s available now, and that’s the excuse I had to sit down with her again. And I’m so glad I did, because as you’ll hear, much of it wasn’t specifically about Disney—though that did come up. Instead, we got to talk about who she is, what’s important to her, and even some things that she’s never been asked before. No matter how many interviews you may have heard or read with her, or how many times you’re heard her speak, you’ll learn something new and gain a deeper appreciation for this remarkable woman.

 

Now, in this episode, Margaret talks about…

  • A quick overview of what it means to be the animation reference model for Tinker Bell … and how people eventually found out
  • How she got into show business 84 years ago
  • What she loves about TV
  • Working on an episode of The Lone Ranger
  • Tap dancing—now and throughout her career—and how it instilled confidence in her
  • A brief tangent about Singing in the Rain and dancing
  • Living in fear from the time she was a small child, waiting for the next catastrophe to happen—why it happened and how she overcame it
  • The optimism of Tinker Bell and how Margaret brought that to her


Find Margaret:

Podcasts Spotlighted in this Episode:

 

I want to hear from you, so please email me, leave a comment below, or call the Listener Feedback line at (734) 23-STORY.

If you call in, don’t worry about having to sound perfect. If you ask me to, I’ll edit out any mistakes so you sound as good as you possibly can. You’re even welcome to start your entire story over again and I’ll use the “take” you want! If you want to submit a story anonymously, for whatever reason you may have, email it to me and tell you me you wanted it shared that way. I’ll read it on the podcast, but keep your name private.

Thanks for listening!

Subscribe by RSS.

Subscribe in iTunes.

Subscribe on Stitcher Radio.

Music and voiceovers provided by Rick Moyer.

All product links are affiliate links.

Posted in Animation, Authors, Disney Legends, Podcast, Television, Voice Actors | Leave a comment

Episode 125 – Lee Neville (WDW International Program Cast Member), Part 2

Posted on April 21, 2017 by Randy Crane

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Lee NevilleToday we return to our first International Cast Member, Lee Neville. Lee was in the International Program at Walt Disney World, and last time we talked about what that entailed and some of the special things he got to do.

As I said last time, it’s also a rather subdued-sounding interview, because it was about 1:00 in the morning for me when we did the recording. (When you’re in an apartment with a sleeping wife and a sleeping toddler just steps away, you be as quiet as you have to!)

In this episode Lee talks about:

  • The Epcot Christmas Tree lighting ceremony
  • More from being part of Candlelight Processional, including being the only British singer that year, favorite narrators, and favorite conductors
  • Visiting all of the Walt Disney World hotels, and which one is his favorite
  • Volunteering at Give Kids the World Village
  • Participating in other volunteer opportunities
  • What got him interested in Disney in the first place
  • What he loved most about what he did
  • Making magic for guests
  • If he could have any job working for the Walt Disney Company, what it would be and why
  • His best tip for you for enjoying Walt Disney World
  • Something he never gets asked
  • What inspires him
  • His accent
  • His advice to you for following your dreams
  • Shameless Plug Time

 

Find Lee:

Podcasts Spotlighted in this Episode:

 

I want to hear from you, so please email me, leave a comment below, or call the Listener Feedback line at (734) 23-STORY.

If you call in, don’t worry about having to sound perfect. If you ask me to, I’ll edit out any mistakes so you sound as good as you possibly can. You’re even welcome to start your entire story over again and I’ll use the “take” you want! If you want to submit a story anonymously, for whatever reason you may have, email it to me and tell you me you wanted it shared that way. I’ll read it on the podcast, but keep your name private.

Thanks for listening!

Subscribe by RSS.

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Music and voiceovers provided by Rick Moyer.

All product links are affiliate links.

Posted in Cast Members, GKTW, Podcast, Walt Disney World | Leave a comment

Episode 124 – Lee Neville (WDW International Program Cast Member), Part 1

Posted on April 14, 2017 by Randy Crane

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Lee NevilleToday we have a special treat, because we have our first International Cast Member on the show! Lee Neville was in the International Program at Walt Disney World, which brings a unique perspective on Disney, working there, living there, and more!

It’s also a rather subdued-sounding interview, because it was about 1:00 in the morning for me when we did the recording. (When you’re in an apartment with a sleeping wife and a sleeping toddler just steps away, you be as quiet as you have to!)

In this episode Lee talks about:

  • Becoming part of the International Program, and what that is
  • Receiving his nametag
  • What he did working as an International Program Cast Member
  • Choosing the child who would start “Illuminations” some nights
  • What it was like for him living here, including meeting his best friend and his first American girlfriend
  • When he most often got to interact with guests—including a surprising part of his job as a busser
  • Something special he got to do for a guest who was a huge fan of Eeyore
  • What he wanted to get out of the program and whether it lived up to those hopes
  • What the last days of his International Program were like
  • Some of the special experiences he had during his program, including Cast Member nights at Pleasure Island
  • Being part of the promotional videos for Mission: Space and Mickey’s Philharmagic and meeting past “Stories of the Magic” guest Rachel Scherr
  • Singing in Candlelight Processional
  • Disney University and Jim Korkis
  • Being awarded Exceptional Guest Service Awards

 

Find Lee:

Podcasts Spotlighted in this Episode:

 

I want to hear from you, so please email me, leave a comment below, or call the Listener Feedback line at (734) 23-STORY.

If you call in, don’t worry about having to sound perfect. If you ask me to, I’ll edit out any mistakes so you sound as good as you possibly can. You’re even welcome to start your entire story over again and I’ll use the “take” you want! If you want to submit a story anonymously, for whatever reason you may have, email it to me and tell you me you wanted it shared that way. I’ll read it on the podcast, but keep your name private.

Thanks for listening!

Subscribe by RSS.

Subscribe in iTunes.

Subscribe on Stitcher Radio.

Music and voiceovers provided by Rick Moyer.

All product links are affiliate links.

Posted in Cast Members, Podcast, Walt Disney World | Leave a comment