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At the same time that our future lies in once unimaginable technology,
it also can be found in the familiar. And there is nothing more
familiar, in our company and around the world, than the friendly
mouse on the cover of this report. The cover was something of an
anniversary present for Mickey, since we just celebrated his 75th
year with the company. It was on Nov. 18, 1928 that he made his
historic debut in Steamboat Willie. Since then, he has had
arguably the most consistent career in Hollywood. Whereas most performers
experience career ups and downs, Mickey has been a beloved international
star without a dip.
To pay homage to the “leader of the club,” we have
put together a wide-ranging celebration that was kicked off on November
18 at Walt Disney World, where we unveiled 75 remarkable statues
of Mickey. Each one was designed by or for a different celebrity
or Disney legend, such as Tom Hanks, Elton John, John Travolta,
Jamie Lee Curtis and Annette Funicello. The statues will travel
on a nationwide tour that ends at Disneyland. They will then be
auctioned, with the proceeds going to each celebrity’s favorite
charity. Other highlights of the celebration include the Mickey’s
PhilharMagic 3-D attraction at Walt Disney World; Mickey starring
along with Goofy and Donald in the video premiere film, The Three
Musketeers; a new Mickey Mouse comic book; Mickey and friends
U.S. postage stamps; and Mickey and the gang appearing in computer-generated
animation for the first time in the video premiere, Mickey’s
Twice Upon a Christmas. In addition to the fact that Mickey
deserves all this recognition, these creative tributes will also
help to keep him contemporary and relevant for new generations of
fans.
Ultimately, this is what Disney’s growth is all about –
new generations of fans. Whether it’s infants watching Baby
Einstein videos, young girls playing with their Disney Princess
dolls, “tweens” watching the Disney Channel, teens seeing
Pirates of the Caribbean for the fifth time, men managing
their fantasy sports teams on ESPN.com or young families creating
memories together at our parks, your company keeps offering fresh,
new entertainment that appeals to generations of consumers around
the world, while also maintaining and deepening our connection with
long-time loyal supporters. This is how it has been since Mickey
took the helm in 1928. This is how it will continue to be as he
helps us steer into the next 75 years.Thank you for being a part
of this remarkable company,
Sincerely,
Michael D. Eisner
Chairman and CEO
December 12, 2003
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