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Disney Luminaries Share Untold Stories in New Speaker Series at Chapman University

By: Chapman University via GlobeNewswire

February 03, 2025 at 18:25 PM EST

ORANGE, Calif., Feb. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rare stories from Walt Disney's closest creative collaborators will come to life in an intimate new speaker series at Chapman University. Disney Legend Joe Rohde, filmmaker Jeffrey C. Sherman, and other entertainment luminaries will share never-before-heard accounts of Walt Disney's innovative spirit and creative process.

The four-month series, curated by acclaimed Disney historian and Chapman Presidential Fellow Jeff Kurtti, brings together Imagineers, animators' families, and creative executives for behind-the-scenes perspectives on Walt Disney's enduring influence. Kurtti has authored more than 40 books on Disney history.

"This series offers a unique perspective for students and aficionados of Walt Disney into the philosophies, origins, people, and history of Disney culture and innovation that remain relevant today," says Kurtti.

The lectures are part of a broader collaboration between Kurtti and Chapman Professor Brian Alters, Ph.D., exploring Walt Disney's impact on entertainment, technology, and global culture. As Presidential Fellow at Chapman, Kurtti is working to establish the first academic think tank dedicated to studying Disney's innovative legacy.

All programs will be presented at 7:00 PM in Argyros Forum 202 at Chapman University in Orange, California. Admission is free, with seating available on a first-come, first- served basis.

Speaker Series – Event Schedule

Friday, February 21, 2025, 7 p.m.
Walt Disney: The First "Imagineer"

Former Creative Development Executive Tom K. Morris will recount how, in December 1952, Walt Disney pioneered the role of "Imagineer." Drawing on his 35-year career at Walt Disney Imagineering, Morris will discuss how Walt assembled creative teams that merged imaginative vision with technical know-how.

Friday, March 14, 2025, 7 p.m.
Walt Disney and Music: The Sherman Brothers

Jeffrey C. Sherman, son of famed songwriter Robert B. Sherman, will screen his acclaimed documentary The Boys: The Sherman Brothers Story. He will explore how Disney's first contract songwriters crafted timeless musical hits—from "It's a Small World (After All)" to beloved classics from Mary Poppins and The Jungle Book.

Friday, April 4, 2025, 7 p.m.
Walt Disney and the Worlds of Nature

Moderated by Jeff Kurtti, this expert panel will feature Disney Legend Joe Rohde and biologist Dr. Brian J. Alters. Together, they will examine how Disney's pioneering animal narratives—from Bambi to the True-Life Adventures series—inspired a lasting public consciousness about nature and conservation.

Friday, May 16, 2025, 7 p.m.
Walt Disney and "The Nine Old Men"

Documentary director Theodore Thomas, son of celebrated Disney animator Frank Thomas, will present his featurette Growing Up with Nine Old Men. Thomas will share his personal connection to Disney's golden era of animation and reveal intimate insights into one of the studio's most storied creative collectives.

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About Jeff Kurtti
Kurtti is the most prolific nonfiction author in Disney history, with more than 40 volumes to his credit over 25 years. A leading authority on The Walt Disney Company, its founder, and its history, Kurtti is also a writer-director of award-winning documentary content, and a respected public speaker. For several years, he worked for Walt Disney Imagineering, the theme park design division of The Walt Disney Company, and then for the Corporate Special Projects department of Disney. Since 1995, Kurtti has enjoyed a career as an author, writer and consultant in the motion picture, theatre, and themed- design industries. He was creative director, content consultant and media producer for The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, and a producer of The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story, a critically acclaimed documentary about the famed Disney songwriters.

About Chapman University
Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university in Orange, California, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles. Chapman serves nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students can choose from over 100 areas of study within 11 colleges for a personalized education. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution. Students at Chapman learn directly from distinguished world-class faculty, including Nobel Prize winners, MacArthur fellows, published authors, and Academy Award winners. The campus has produced a Rhodes Scholar, been named a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, and hosts a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society. Chapman also includes the Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus in Irvine. The university features the No. 4 film school and No. 66 business school in the U.S. Learn more about Chapman University: www.chapman.edu.

Media Contact:
Carly Murphy, Public Relations Coordinator | carmurphy@chapman.edu| Desk: 714- 289-3196 | Mobile: 714-497-9683