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JERRY BECK
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AMID AMIDI
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An interview with Walt Disney
by jerry
February 6, 2009 5:30 pm


For your weekend pleasure, here’s a terrific interview with Walt Disney circa 1963, conducted by Fletcher Markle. Markle, who had just made The Incredible Journey for the studio, was a Canadian filmmaker and broadcaster. Clips from this interview have been seen in various specials and documentaries. Here’s the whole thing; it’s thirty minutes and delightful. It’s Walt just being himself, answering questions about his career, being candid about the failure of Fantasia, the success of Disneyland and his own Canadian roots.

(Thanks, Don Brockway)

02/6/09  8:52pm
Pedro Nakama says:

Cool! Thanks!

02/6/09  9:12pm

That’s very funny that they seem to have been only able to catch him while he’s eating his lunch.

02/6/09  9:14pm
uncle wayne says:

Damn! Now that IZ a weekend Treat! Yea!, C.B.!!!

02/6/09  10:00pm
eggman says:

FANTASTIC! God forbid Walt seem so HUMAN and down to earth. THANKS!

02/6/09  10:15pm
Dave says:

Very awesome find. These kind of nice finds are what make CB a great site Jerry.

02/6/09  11:44pm
OtherDan says:

That was cool. But, correct me if I’m wrong; I don’t think Walt did Steam Boat Willie by himself.

02/7/09  12:42am
Jerome says:

‘make me think… There’s a very clever article by Floyd Norman about what could (or should) be Walt Disney Animation studio published monday at jimhillmedia.com : http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/floyd_norman/archive/2009/02/02/walt-disney-animation-studios-one-last-chance-to-save-itself-ditch-cg.aspx

02/7/09  1:15am
Professor Widebottom says:

Animatronics programmed by 14 tracks on a 1 inch tape back in ‘63 is pretty impressive. Walt embodied so much of the 20th century and an optimism in American ingenuity, which has soooo soured. I wish he’d lived long enough to have struck Richard Schickel over the head with a sock filled with manure.

02/7/09  7:14am
Mesterius says:

Cool! He does seem to get a few details mixed up though; for instance “Steamboat Willie” as Mickey’s third, not first, appearance (although the first on a nationwide basis). Also, I believe it was 1934 when Walt started planning “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, which premiered in 1937 and thus coudn’t have been finished in the fall of -38. But yeah, this interview is a wonderful treat!

02/7/09  9:02am

You guys are getting look at the real Walt Disney. That’s exactly how the “Old Man” was. Open, honest and sincere. A far cry from the “bandits” who run animation today.

That’s the Walt I worked with, and I count myself a very lucky guy for having the privilege of being in the company of such a great man.

02/7/09  11:57am
Daryl T says:

Thank you for posting this. Made my weekend.

02/7/09  2:26pm
Cory says:

Thank you so much for posting this! I’ve been wanting to see the full interview for ages!

02/7/09  4:34pm
Brad Constantine says:

Good ‘ol Uncle Walt….I just love that twinkle in his eye..Thanks , Jerry…made my weekend a little better.

02/7/09  7:08pm
Jason says:

**Animatronics programmed by 14 tracks on a 1 inch tape back in ‘63 is pretty impressive. Walt embodied so much of the 20th century and an optimism in American ingenuity, which has soooo soured. I wish he’d lived long enough to have struck Richard Schickel over the head with a sock filled with manure.**

Quoted for truth. I’ll never forget the outrage I felt when I read Schickel’s smear of a book. Little did I know that the worst was yet to come (”Dark Prince of Hollywood”, anyone?)

Thanks so much for posting this. It’s excellent, inspirational, and heartwarming. And Mr. Norman - how I envy you. You walked side by side with a giant!

02/7/09  7:12pm
Anna says:

I’m so glad for clips like these!
an actual HUMAN behind the crazy giant corporation and he talks all down-to-earth? Yes plz!!

02/8/09  10:17am
mnmears says:

I hope Diane Disney Miller and Ron Miller have finally got ahold of this. Diane told me a few months ago that they had a transcript, but had not been able to locate the actually footage. This is a GREAT FIND. Congratulations and thanks for sharing it.

03/5/09  3:33pm
lilygurl3 says:

thank you so so much! I have to do a very important project on him and I really needed this!!! plus I just love seeing him, I can never find anything good on him but that really made my day!!!!!!!!

:)

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