Category Archives: miscellaneous

Random bits

“Picket Lines in Paradise”

Posted on August 23, 2017 by

Read my feature article for American History Magazine on Art Babbitt and the Disney Strike, “Picket Lines in Paradise.”  You’ll find it in the June 2017 issue of the magazine. It has been a couple months since the issue hit … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941: The Disney Strike, miscellaneous | 1 Comment

Gunther Lessing – a backstory

Posted on March 30, 2017 by

Gunther Lessing is often mentioned as a key player in the Disney strike.  As Walt Disney’s Vice President and Chief Legal Counsel, he certainly held influence. In the mid-1930s, Lessing had an affable relationship with Art Babbitt.  In December 1937 … Continue reading →

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Letters of Termination

Posted on May 27, 2016 by

Seventy-five years ago today, Art Babbitt was fired from Walt Disney Productions. It was Tuesday, May 27, 1941.  Babbitt was coming in from lunch and the security guard apologetically  handed him an envelope containing two letters.  “Bad news, Art,” he … Continue reading →

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The Fake Disney Union

Posted on February 28, 2016 by

As noted in the previous post, the fake (i.e. company-based, non-independent) union was called the FEDERATION OF SCREEN CARTOONISTS and was formed collaboratively Between Disney’s vice president/head lawyer Gunther Lessing, and top animator Art Babbitt.  Executive officers include president Art … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, 1941: The Disney Strike, miscellaneous | Leave a comment

Disney’s Life Drawing Classes Today

Posted on November 25, 2014 by

Many moons ago I did an interview with a writer for the Fast Company Magazine website about the origin of Disney’s life drawing classes within the studio, and Babbitt’s significance.  A lovely article was published about Disney’s classes in the … Continue reading →

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Saving Mr. Banks

Posted on December 22, 2013 by

I just saw Saving Mr. Banks, a dramatic re-enactment of author P. L. Travers and Walt Disney’s head-to-head on the making of 1964’s Mary Poppins. I loved it. Probably due to the Sherman brothers. As a Disney historian, there were … Continue reading →

Posted in Animation, California, miscellaneous | Leave a comment

Disney Fires Babbitt How Many Times?

Posted on December 8, 2013 by

A question was posed to me recently: How many times did Walt fire Babbitt? In his later years, Art Babbitt was fond of saying things like “Disney tried to fire me five different times” for his union activity at the … Continue reading →

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Happy 106th Birthday, Art Babbitt

Posted on October 8, 2013 by

  In honor of Art Babbitt’s birthday, I’m sharing an interesting bit of European memorabilia.  Ten years ago this year, Babbitt was honored with an exhibit of his work in Austria’s Gallerie Maringer.   … Does anyone care to translate?

Posted in 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, 1946-1970s: Later Years, miscellaneous, Photography, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Marge Champion receives Lifetime Achievement Award Tonight!

Posted on June 3, 2013 by

Disney fans might recognize Marge Champion, ex-wife and muse of Art Babbitt, as any one of these three characters: But to the dancing public, she’s a legend for her actual on-screen appearances.  And this very night, she is receiving a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1932-1941: Disney Glory Days, Dance, Film, miscellaneous | Tagged | Leave a comment

Margaret Thatcher and Labo(u)r Strikes

Posted on April 9, 2013 by

Yesterday’s news that Margaret Thatcher passed away left me with recollections of the musical “Billy Elliot.”  Did you manage to catch this show while it was on Broadway?  Its backdrop is the tumultuous UK coal miners’ strike in the 1980s, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1941: The Disney Strike, Disney, Labor, miscellaneous | Tagged , | Leave a comment