Disney Legends - Up Close

Back in May of last year I introduced you all to the beautiful statue dedicated to Make-A-Wish and Disney Legends that stands in front of the Disneyland Hotel in Disneyland Paris.

I thought we would go back and have another look at this - and a closer, yet brief, look at some of the Disney Legends from Europe that were honored back in 1997.

Lucien Adés - pioneered "storyteller"/"read-along" albums for Disney in France
Angel Angelopoulos - worked alongside Disney creating magazines and publications in European markets.
Antonio Bertini - president of Walt Disney Creations S.p.A in Italy, also helping to produce and market educational films and Disney shorts.
Armand Bigle - part of Character Merchandise, and was asked to help open new territories for Disney in Europe by Roy O. Disney.
Poul Brahe Pedersen - was part of Disney publishing, through licensee Gutenberghus Publishing.
Gaudenzio Capelli - a former editor of "Topolino" or "Mickey Mouse" magazine in his homeland of Italy.
Roberto de Leonardis - after learning American English in a POW camp in Japanese, he translated many Disney films into Italian.
Cyril Edgar - joint managing director of Walt Disney Productions in the 1950s, helped sell and distribute Disney films in the UK.
Wally Feignoux - Disney's continental cinema representative in Paris, and helped keep the Parisian office open during the Nazi occupation in World War II.
Didier Fouret - part of publishing, helping bring Disney to France - and also played a part in EPCOT Centre, working on Les Chefs de France.
Mario Gentilini - former director of "Topolino" magazine in Italy, transforming from a monthly to a weekly publication featuring original Disney stories.
Cyril James - handled all the financial and administrative procedures for Walt Disney Productions Ltd. in England, and often called Roy O. Disney's British counterpart.
Horst Koblischek - part of character merchandise in Germany, introducing the Disney Comic Pocket Book to the children's markets.
Gunnar Mansson - manager of Disney's Stockholm office, later promoted to managing director, and part of character merchandise.
Arnoldo Mondadori - publisher of children's magazine "Topolino", also publishing the "Donald Duck" magazine.
Armand Palivoda - distributed Disney films and pictures in Italy, as well as being a friend of the Disney family.
André Vanneste - helped Disney get into the worldwide exposition, and later create many Disney magazines in the Netherlands - including the "Donald Duck Magazine".
Paul Winkler - helped develop Disney's presence in France, developing the first French Mickey Mouse comic "Le Journal de Mickey".