Diane Disney Miller - Happy Birthday !

Diane Disney Miller celebrates a birthday today – she was born on December 18, 1933. Walt Disney was a lucky man that Monday, for the stork brought him a beautiful little girl, and he won an award from a prestigious magazine too.

In the December 1933 edition of Good Housekeeping, reporter Dixie Willson asked several celebrities, "What do you want for Christmas?" Walt Disney replied, "Well, this Christmas is different. You see, we’re waiting for the stork."

In the article Disney said if the baby were a girl they would name her Diane, but if the baby were a boy he’d be known as Walt Jr. "I suppose this year I’ll fix two Christmas trees," Disney said. "One at home and one to take to the hospital. And, when you ask me what I want for Christmas – Christmas is so much fun I hardly care, just so there’s something to open up from somebody...one thing I don’t want is shirts, but I’m shy on polo ponies. I wouldn’t mind a couple of those."

A December 19, 1933 article in the Jefferson City Post-Tribune reported: "Mickey and Minnie Mouse and the Three Little Pigs shared the spotlight today with a newcomer at the Walt Disney Studios. The newcomer was an 8-pound girl born to Mrs. Walt Disney. Mrs. Disney, who underwent a caesarian operation, was reported doing well. The child will be named Dianne [sic] Marie."

The San Antonio Light reported, "Monday was a big day for Walt Disney...at a banquet he was presented with a medal for distinguished service to childhood, the award being based upon the enjoyment children have derived from 'Mickey Mouse.' At a hospital his wife presented him with Diana [sic] Marie Disney, weight eight pounds, two ounces."

This photo and illustration accompanied the January 1934 PARENT'S MAGAZINE article. Image courtesy Gunnar Andreassen, via Didier Ghez.

The January 1934 edition of THE PARENT’S MAGAZINE ran the following short article: "THE PARENT’S MAGAZINE is happy to announce that it has awarded its medal for distinguished service to children to Walt Disney, the creator of the 'Silly Symphonies,' notably 'The Three Little Pigs.' The award was decided upon by a committee if its editors who felt that Mr. Disney made an outstanding contribution to childhood when he created an entirely new type of motion picture which not only delights children but us enjoyed by adults. This magazine is glad to command the humor and artistry, which is making the Symphonies beloved the world over. The medal was awarded to Mr. Disney by a representative of the Editorial Department of THE PARENT’S MAGAZINE, at a luncheon at the Disney Studios, Hollywood, California. Among the guests were a number of distinguished leaders in parental education and child welfare work."

Guests at the ceremony were apparently startled by Disney’s sudden departure. The South Carolina Morning News reported: "They were awarding a medal…and right in the midst of the ceremony, Walt grabbed his coat and hat, mumbled 16 words of thanks, and dashed to a hospital. A group of 75 guests at the banquet were at a loss to understand Disney’s hurried departure. Dr. Rufus von Kleinsmid, president of the University of Southern California, who acted as toastmaster, was as surprised as the rest, but all was forgiven when the whole story developed at the Good Samaritan Hospital."

The Good Housekeeping article concluded with reporter Willson asking, "I wonder, would you like a basket for Christmas to carry the baby home in from the hospital?" To which Disney replied, "Well, I guess baskets are all right. I suppose we’ll put it in one after we’ve had it for awhile, but, you know how it is – never had one before – so coming home from the hospital, I think I’ll carry it."

Happy Birthday Diane!