Walt Disney Productions

Background
Walt Disney Productions traces its beginnings to the Disney Brothers Studio (later Walt Disney Studio), an animation studio founded in 1923 by and  after the bankruptcy of their Laugh-O-Gram Studio. In 1937, the company produced its first full-length film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which was the first American animated feature film. Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures, the film was a hit and was followed up by more films including Pinocchio (1940), Dumbo (1941), Bambi (1942), and the experimental symphony film Fantasia (1940). During World War II, however, Disney's main focus shifted to production of military films, and as such, production of animated features all but stopped. During this time, Disney put out "package films" consisting of a number of shorts put together, such as Saludos Amigos (1942) and The Three Caballeros (1944). Around the same time, Disney began producing live-action films, with its first such foray being the live-action/animation hybrid Song of the South (1946). The studio's first fully live-action film, an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, would follow in 1950.

In 1950, Disney returned to the animated films that made them successful with the release of Cinderella, followed in quick succession by Alice in Wonderland (1951) and Peter Pan (1953). The latter would be the last Disney film distributed by RKO, as that year Disney established its own distribution arm Buena Vista Distribution (later Buena Vista Pictures Distribution), named after the road on which the studio was situated.

After Walt died on December 16, 1966, his brother Roy took over Walt Disney Productions and oversaw the release of films such as The Jungle Book, The Happiest Millionaire (both 1967), and Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971). Roy died of a stroke in 1971, shortly after the opening of Walt Disney World. Walt's son-in-law Ron Miller began running the studio with the help of Walt and Roy's associates Card Walker and Donn Tatum. This era of leadership at Disney is widely associated with a series of ambitious live-action flops, such as The Black Hole (1979) and Tron (1982), most of which have since gained a cult following. Despite Disney's live-action struggles, the animation unit continued to have success with films such as Robin Hood (1973). During his tenure, Miller established Touchstone Pictures and spun off Disney's live-action film division as Walt Disney Pictures on April 1, 1983, while Buena Vista was renamed Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. In 1984, a corporate takeover led by Walt's nephew led to Michael Eisner and Frank Wells (the latter of whom died in a helicopter crash in 1994) taking over the company. In 1986, after the commercial failure of The Black Cauldron (1985), the studio went into a major restructuring and was split in half, with the animation unit was split off to become Walt Disney Animation Studios, while the other assets (theme parks, consumer products and broadcasting assets among others) and non-animation staff formed The Walt Disney Company. They are the only animation studio that has continuously operated since the Golden Age of Hollywood. Walt Disney Animation Studios, now headed by Roy E. Disney, would go on to produce The Little Mermaid (1989); its success led to the "Disney Renaissance" of the 1990s, which saw several equally successful films such as Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and The Lion King (1994).

1st Logo (December 21, 1948-June 22, 1977)
Logo: At the start of the film, we see the 1948 corporate Walt Disney signature above "Presents". In 1973, this was changed to "Walt Disney Productions Presents".

Variant: In foreign countries, "presents" is replaced by that country's translation (such as "Presenta" on Italian and Spanish prints).

Technique: Usually none, but on 101 Dalmatians, traditional animation by the company's animation division, now Walt Disney Animation Studios, is used.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the movie.

Availability: Uncommon. Still saved on some classic Disney shorts and movies of the era but could be plastered in the future, making its first appearance on the True-Life Adventures series of films and last appearing on The Rescuers. However, most films released during this period use an in-credit text instead of the signature script. The foreign versions are rare because they were only released in theatres, VHS, Laserdisc, VCD and some DVD releases as they are usually replaced with the domestic English credits for current DVD/Blu-ray releases.

Legacy: A favorite among fans of Walt Disney and his classic films.

2nd Logo (50th Anniversary) (December 22, 1972-July 12, 1973)


Logo: On a scarlet background with black, wavy, moving Moiré patterns, a version of Disney's 50th anniversary logo (a big "50" with Mickey Mouse ears on the "0" with the word "HAPPY" above it and "YEARS" below) appears and eventually changes the background into a blue background with images of Disney cartoon characters, outlined in, facing the 50. The "50" logo zooms out followed by "HAPPY" zooming out above it and "YEARS" doing the same below. Tinker Bell appears, flies around, and waves her wand, changing the screen to black. The 1954 Buena Vista logo would follow.

Technique: Traditional animation, which is again from Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Music/Sounds: The first two bars of "When You Wish Upon a Star". An announcer says "And now, a 50th-anniversary presentation from Walt Disney Productions!". On international releases, the announcer is absent, and the music is two full tones lower.

Availability: Extremely rare. Appeared before the 1954 Buena Vista logo on the studio's films (both original and reissues) in 1973 and also appeared briefly (twice) on the The Wonderful World of Disney episode "50 Happy Years". Remains intact on Charley and the Angel. Its first known appearance was on Snowball Express, and its last known appearance was on A Disney Cartoon Jubilee.

3rd Logo (June 25, 1980)


Logo: Superimposed over the opening credits is "WALT DiSNEY" in the familiar corporate Disney logo style and in yellow. Right under is "PRODUCTIONS", also in yellow.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme.

Availability: Extinct. This was spotted on Mickey Mouse Disco, after the Buena Vista logo. The short was seen on television several times (both in the US and internationally), which includes being in episodes of various Disney cartoon compilation shows, such as Mickey's Mouse Tracks, Donald's Quack Attack and The Ink and Paint Club among others. It has never been made available on home video or on streaming, but it can be seen currently on 16mm copies of the short.

Legacy: Probably the first movie logo using the modern "Disney" signature, although it was already in use elsewhere since 1956.

4th Logo (1980)
Logo: We see a dark blue Mickey head with waves in sky blue within a background and on the Mickey head, the words "Walt Disney" in the original signature script are on the top and the word "PRODUCTIONS" is on the bottom.

Variant: A zoomed-out version exists, appearing alongside the 1975 Paramount Pictures logo.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The trailer theme.

Availability: Near extinction. The logo made its only appearance on the international trailer for Robert Altman's Popeye (a co-production with Paramount). The trailer was considered lost until recently when the trailer and the logo were discovered on the Greek VHS release of Donald Duck Goes West.

Legacy: It became a subject of discussions and speculations online, and is considered the most mysterious out of all the Disney logos.

5th Logo (1981)


Logo: On a blue background, we see "WALT DiSNEY" in the familiar corporate Disney logo font and in red. Right under is "PRODUCTIONS" in white. The text is zooming in to the camera.

Technique: 2D animation.

Music/Sounds: Just an announcer saying the company name along with the sounds from the trailer.

Availability: Ultra rare. This was spotted on the original theatrical trailer of The Fox and the Hound.

6th Logo (1982)


Logo: On a twilight background, we see the "WALT DiSNEY" script in 3D and in red, with "PRODUCTIONS" below also in red. The background fades into a cloud time-lapse. Lightning sparks appear and accumulate before being absorbed by the Disney logo, which shines and 'melts' into a red ring.

Technique: Live action footage and traditional animation.

Music/Sounds: A choir, followed by sounds of electricity, which is part of the video's theme.

Availability: Ultra rare. Seen on a 1982 Walt Disney Home Video promo/demo tape.

7th Logo (1985)
Logo: On a red background, we see "WALT DiSNEY" in white, with "PRODUCTIONS" and "PRESENTS" below.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Extremely rare. Can be seen on British pre-cert tapes of Walt Disney's Cartoon Classics: Cartoon Bonanza 1 and 2.