Disney Legend Carson Van Osten Passes Away, Expanded Cove Bar Now Open at California Adventure, and More

Disney Legend Carson Van Osten Passes Away at 69:

It with great sadness to report on the passing of Disney legend Carson Van Osten, he was 69. Van Osten recently became a Disney Legend at August's D23 EXPO for his exemplary work as an artist, design, and Disney Animation. He worked for 45 years with the Walt Disney Company. Here is his official Disney Legend biography:

“I think I always knew that I’d be an artist,” Carson Van Osten says, “and although I was too young to remember it, my parents told me that I said I wanted to draw cartoons for Walt Disney when I grew up.” And since 1970, Carson Van Osten has done just that. He’s helped bring Disney characters to life, in a wide breadth of media all around the world.

After attending the Philadelphia College of Art, Carson instead became a professional musician and recording artist, founding the rock group Nazz along with Todd Rundgren. Moving to Hollywood, he applied his artistic skills as an assistant animator, layout man, and background artist at Fine Art Films, creating animated titles and interstitial segments for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, The Ken Berry ‘Wow’ Show, Jonathan Winters’ Hot Dog, and The Dean Martin Show. He also worked on the animated feature Shinbone Alley, based on the “Archy and Mehitabel” stories by Don Marquis.

He arrived at Walt Disney Productions in 1970, beginning as an illustrator of Mickey Mouse comic books.

“I did like to draw Mickey and Goofystories from the start,” Carson says. “And the Studio needed them more—Tony Strobl and Al Hubbard drew the ducks.”

Carson became a staff comic strip artist and story man in 1974, working alongside legendary Disney comic artists Floyd Gottfredson and Manuel “Gonzy” Gonzales. “We all worked in the same big room and got to be great friends,” Carson says. “They loved to talk about the early days at Disney.” Carson was an interested and attentive listener. “I still think about Floyd often, especially when I draw Mickey in the 1930s style.”

One of his best-known works is the Disney Comic Strip Artist’s Kit, a seven-page primer on staging, perspective, and other design fundamentals inherent in comic panel art. It is still in use today, all around the world. “I wrote and drew those sketches around 1975, and I’m so tickled to know that people still find them helpful today. Frank Thomas saw it and used it for an animation class he was teaching at the Screen Cartoonists Guild. That’s how some sketches wound up in the book that he and Ollie wrote,Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life.”

In 1980, Carson became a manager in Creative Services for Disney Consumer Products, providing art supervision and concepts for Disney West Coast Licensing. He also oversaw motion picture tie-in advertising, Disney publications, and the Disney Music Company.

“I really liked the variety of work for 2D and 3D products, book or magazine art, record cover ideas, and more. It was changing and challenging every day.”

In 1988 Carson took on the role of vice president in Creative Resources for Disney Consumer Products, providing art supervision and guidelines for art production, as well as helping to establish some of the first licensing style guides for the group. In 1994 he became vice president of Creative Services for the European regional office of Disney Consumer Products in Paris, and, starting in 1997, he was vice president of International Creative Development for the Disney Publishing Group. In that role, he provided art and editorial supervision for key international publishing projects.

Other projects to which Carson has contributed were the logo concepts for Mickey Mouse’s 50th and 60th birthdays, The Walt Disney Studios, and the Disneyland Hotel clock tower “Mickey” at Disneyland Paris. More recently, he has served as a consultant for the Disney Epic Mickey and Where’s MyMickey? games.

“I retired from Disney in 2000,” Carson says, “but I have continued to do projects for my friends there as an outside consultant and illustrator. Most of my work is for books, but I’ve also done concepts for licensing, interactive games, and other areas, too; including seminars about the history of Disney Consumer Products.

Altogether, I’ve been doing some kind of work for Disney regularly for the past 45 years.”

Much condolences to the Van Osten family at this difficult time, we will all truly miss Carson and all the wonderful things he did with the Walt Disney Company. May he rest in peace.

Expanded Cove Bar Now Open at California Adventure:

More seating has been added to the Cove Bar at Paradise Pier in Disney California Adventure Park. The Disney Parks Blog announced today that the expanded seating area is now open. 

"From this expanded alfresco patio, you can sit back and enjoy those famous Lobster Nachos while you watch guests take off from the launch zone on nearby California Screamin’. The Cove Bar will continue to serve the delicious bites and cocktails you love, so stop by on your next visit to Disney California Adventure park!"

Will you be visiting the new expanded Cove Bar when you visit Disney California Adventure?

Star Wars Added to Critics' Choice Awards as 11th Best Picture Nominee:

After the nominees had previously announced, yesterday "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was added as the 11th nominee for Best Picture by the Broadcast Film Critics Association. With such secrecy to the film, critics weren't able to see the film before the association had made their nominations. The group took a vote among its membership to add "The Force Awakens" to the nominees. The group released this statement:

"While making an amendment to the Critics' Choice Awards nominations is highly unusual, having an 11th Best Picture nominee is not unprecedented. In 2000 "Cast Away" was similarly screened to late for normal consideration and the BFCA included it among 11 Best Picture nominees."

The Critics' Choice Awards will air January 17 at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST on A&E and LMN. The awards show will be hosted by "Big Hero 6's" T.J. Miller.

D23 Disney Legends Ceremony Honors 8 Plus a Surprise Honoree in Johnny Depp

The D23 EXPO 2015 is off and running and just an hour ago the Disney Legends ceremony ended and it honored its 8 honorees plus a surprise honoree in a definite Disney Legend, Johnny Depp. The ceremony kicked off with a video montage to kickoff the D23 Expo. Inducted in this years class included: George Bodenheimer, Andreas Deja, Eyvind Earle, Danny Elfman, George Lucas, Susan Lucci, Julie Reihm Casaletto, and Carson Van Osten.

Bob Iger kicked the ceremony off as the master of ceremonies. He noted previous history on announcements at the expo and how he expects this year's expo to be the biggest and best yet. Iger teased what's coming to this year's expo previews of the Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book, and Star Wars. Iger promised a lot of Star Wars news this weekend. He also promised George Lucas that Disney will carry on the legacy the Lucas created with Star Wars. Iger stated he already saw Star Wars and reminded fans only 126 days until Episode VII.

The Legends Ceremony was then officially kicked off with another montage honoring past and the current class. The montage ended with a nice touch of honoring legend Robin Williams who had passed away last year. The first inductee was first Disney Ambassador, Julie Reihm Casaletto.

Casseletto shared stories of working with Walt in her thank you speech. She remembered the day when Walt asked her to become Disney's first ambassador it was a tall order but it was like an 'E-ticket ride' and she was off. Caseletto said her life has been filled with "pixie dust and magic" ever since the day Walt called her on to the position. She also said Walt would be proud and pleased with what the Walt Disney Company is today. 

Next on stage was a surprise performance from Disney Legend and musical genius, Richard Sherman. He began solo with a performance of "Kiss Goodnight," the song he wrote for the Disneyland Forever fireworks. He was later joined by Broadway's original "Mary Poppins" Ashley Brown in a duet of the song. George Bodenheimer was next to be honored.

Bodenheimer is a former ESPN president who began with the company as a mailroom clerk. He said that Disney acquiring ESPN changed the game and that Disney's support is what has made ESPN today. He also said sports is what built ESPN as a company. New to be honored was Eyvind Earl where his daughter accepted the award on his behalf. She said, "Creating art was his passion." Actress Susan Lucci was the next to be honored as a Disney Legend.

Iger said Lucci was a valued member of the Disney community that he has known and worked with throughout his entire career at Disney. Lucci thanked Disney as she believes that because of it, she was able to be an actress. She said, "It's all prime time to me as far as I'm concerned because it's so much fun to do what I do." In her speech if she could design a theme park ride about her career she said, "it would be a lot of husbands, and definitely a rollercoaster." Carson Van Osten was next. 

Carson Van Osten noted that he had his mother to thank for his love of art. He also took a look back on the story of the day he was offered a full-time position to draw Mickey Mouse comic-strips. After Van Osten's speech a In Memorium montage played with Frank Gifford who just passed last week and once again ending in a wonderful tribute to the late Robin Williams. Singer Ne-Yo sang "Friend Like Me" as a tribute to Williams. Animator Andreas Deja was the next to be honored. 

Deja was most known for his drawings of famous Disney villains Gaston, Jafar, and Scar. His work at Disney Animation was noted as he worked on films "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," "Aladdin," "The Lion King," and many more Disney films. Deja mentioned to the crowd how "The Jungle Book" and how much of an impact it had on him and his home country of Germany. He even asked Iger for a Jungle Book attraction in Disneyland Paris. Composer Danny Elfman was the next to be honored as a Disney Legend.

Elfman scored "The Nightmare Before Christmas,""Alice in Wonderland," "The Avengers," "Dick Tracy," and much more. In honor of Elfman, Broadway star James Monroe Inglehart performed Elfman's famous "Oogie Boogie" from "The Nightmare Before Christmas." Elfman said that working with Disney today must feel like how it felt to work during the Golden Age in Hollywood. The crowd then erupted as what was thought to be the final presentation for Star Wars filmmaker George Lucas was honored. 

Iger reiterated that Disney will strive to continue George Lucas' legacy of Star Wars. Lucas was welcomed to the stage by C-3PO and R2-D2. "Disney has always given me a great deal of inspiration," Lucas said on the impact Disney has had on him. He also revealed that Jar Jar Binks was based off of Goofy. He professed his love of Disney and how it inspired him on his career path to making Star Wars. He ended with saying it took years to get more Star Wars and Indiana Jones into the theme parks and it finally took Iger and Disney to buying his company for it to happen. 

Then the surprise came as Johnny Depp famous for his roles as Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films and the Mad Hatter in "Alice in Wonderland." 

Johnny Depp was surprised and started off with saying, "Hi, I don't know why I'm here." He thanked his fans in saying, "Thanks for this great opportunity to basically do stupid stuff for a living." He said he was honored just to be in the same room with likes of George Lucas and Dick Van Dyke. Depp ended with saying he hopes he could meet Mickey Mouse. Iger said he wished he could dress like Johnny Depp. Iger ended the ceremony by thanking the new inductees and the fans.