Technology in the News Today
Born on this Day in History: July 17, 1917 - Actress and comedian Phyllis Diller was born in Lima, Ohio. Diller was first noticed as a contestant on Groucho Marx's game show and went on to become a successful comedienne, actress and author, recognizable by her eccentric costumes, overdone makeup and trademark laugh. In 1992 she received the American Comedy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Diller is also an accomplished pianist and author. |
|
On this Day in History: July 17, 1955 - Disneyland, Walt Disney's metropolis of nostalgia, fantasy, and futurism, opens. The $17 million theme park was built on 160 acres of former orange groves in Anaheim, California, and soon brought in staggering profits. Today, Disneyland hosts more than 14 million visitors a year, who spend close to $3 billion. Walt Disney, born in Chicago in 1901, worked as a commercial artist before setting up a small studio in Los Angeles to produce animated cartoons. In 1928, his short film Steamboat Willy, starring the character "Mickey Mouse," was a national sensation. It was the first animated film to use sound, and Disney provided the voice for Mickey. From there on, Disney cartoons were in heavy demand, but the company struggled financially because of Disney's insistence on ever-improving artistic and technical quality. His first feature-length cartoon, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938), took three years to complete and was a great commercial success. |
|
