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STUDY: Disney Helped Spark American Space Program, (Dominionization)

Disney Helped Even the Government to Imagine Space

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- There is hardly an American alive who hasn't been impacted by the work of the legendary Walt Disney. Whether visiting a theme park or watching a movie, almost all of us have had our imaginations sparked by Disney's creative genius. According to one scholar, Disney even helped the military imagine the experience and reality of space travel.

According to Dr. Steve Mannheim, an expert in planning and development, and on Disney himself, a long relationship with NASA began when Disney began work on a three-part television series.

The three programs, to be aired between 1955 and 1957, were called "Man in Space," "Man and the Moon," and "Mars and Beyond." Disney studios worked with prominent scientist such as Wernher von Braun on the project.

In his book, Walt Disney and the Quest for Community (Ashgate Publishing, 2003), Mannheim writes that when President Eisenhower watched the first show, "Man in Space," he was impressed.

According to the late animator Ward Kimball, Eisenhower requested a copy of the film, so that he could, as is paraphrased by a Disney employee, "

show some of our stuffed-shirt generals who don't believe in this stuff how it's going to be." Today's Mission Space attraction at Epcot reflects The Walt Disney Company's continued ties to NASA.

Dr. Steve Mannheim holds degrees in history and/or urban studies from Stanford University, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Southern California. He has over 15 years of professional experience with leading firms in the fields of urban planning and real estate development. Mannheim is an adjunct instructor at California State University, Northridge.

CONTACT: Dr. Steve Mannheim, +1-310-364-0053, or smannheim@earthlink.net.

SOURCE Dr. Steve Mannheim

CO: Dr. Steve Mannheim

ST: California, Massachusetts

SU:

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10/27/2003 09:03 EST

In 1950s Disney's comics and animated movies sparked government and public interest in manned space flight.

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