Disney Legends is a Hall of Fame award that is awarded by the Walt Disney Company to people who have "made a significant impact on the Disney legacy". The honor, established in 1987, was initially awarded annually in a special private ceremony. Since 2009, it has been awarded biennially <!-- This is the correct usage because the D23 Expo is held once every two years. Biennial means once every two years, biannual means twice a year.--> at Disney's D23 Expo.
In 2024, the Disney Legends awards ceremony was moved from D23 Expo's traditional venue at the Anaheim Convention Center to the larger Honda Center down the street and was hosted by Ryan Seacrest. The ceremony was recorded and made available for streaming the next day on Disney+.
The first Disney Legends committee consisted of Dave Smith; Arlene Ludwig; Marty Sklar, Randy Bright; Jack Lindquist; Sharon Harwood; Art Levitt; Shelley Miles; Paula Sigman; Doris Smith; and Stacia Martin.
Recipients
thumb|right|The nametag given to Disney Legends
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1987 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2022 | 2024 | 2026
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= awarded posthumously
1980s
Class of 1987
- Fred MacMurray, Film
Class of 1989
- Les Clark, Animation
- Marc Davis, Animation & Imagineering
- Ub Iwerks, Animation & Imagineering
- Ollie Johnston, Animation
- Milt Kahl, Animation
- Ward Kimball, Animation & Imagineering
- Eric Larson, Animation
- John Lounsbery, Animation
- Wolfgang Reitherman, Animation
- Frank Thomas, Animation
All except Iwerks were Disney's "Nine Old Men".
1990s
Class of 1990
- Roger Broggie, Imagineering
- Joe Fowler, Attractions
- John Hench, Animation & Imagineering
- Richard Irvine, Imagineering
- Herb Ryman, Imagineering
- Sherman Brothers, Music
Class of 1991
- Ken Anderson, Animation & Imagineering
- Julie Andrews, Film
- Carl Barks, Animation & Publishing
- Mary Blair, Animation & Imagineering
- Claude Coats, Animation & Imagineering
- Don DaGradi, Animation & Film
- Sterling Holloway, Animation—Voice
- Fess Parker, Film & Television
- Bill Walsh, Film & Television
Class of 1992
- Jimmie Dodd, Television
- Bill Evans, Imagineering
- Annette Funicello, Film & Television
- Joe Grant, Animation
- Jack Hannah, Animation
- Winston Hibler, Film
- Ken O'Connor, Animation & Imagineering
- Roy Williams, Animation & Television
Class of 1993
- Pinto Colvig, Animation—Voice
- Buddy Ebsen, Film & Television
- Peter Ellenshaw, Film
- Blaine Gibson, Animation & Imagineering
- Harper Goff, Film & Imagineering
- Irving Ludwig, Film
- Jimmy MacDonald, Animation—Voice
- Clarence Nash, Animation—Voice
- Donn Tatum, Administration
- Card Walker, Administration
Class of 1994
- Adriana Caselotti, Animation—Voice
- Bill Cottrell, Animation & Imagineering
- Marvin Davis, Film & Imagineering
- Van France, Attractions
- David Hand, Animation
- Jack Lindquist, Attractions
- Bill Martin, Imagineering
- Paul J. Smith, Music
- Frank Wells, Administration
Class of 1995
- Wally Boag, Attractions
- Fulton Burley, Attractions
- Dean Jones, Film
- Angela Lansbury, Film
- Edward Meck, Attractions
- Fred Moore, Animation
- Thurl Ravenscroft, Animation—Voice
- Wathel Rogers, Imagineering
- Betty Taylor, Attractions
Class of 1996
- Bob Allen, Attractions
- Rex Allen, Film & Television
- X Atencio, Animation & Imagineering
- Betty Lou Gerson, Animation—Voice
- Bill Justice, Animation & Imagineering
- Bob Matheison, Attractions
- Sam McKim, Imagineering
- Bob Moore, Animation & Film
- Bill Peet, Animation—Story
Class of 1997
- Lucien Adés, Music
- Angel Angelopoulos, Publishing
- Antonio Bertini, Character Merchandise
- Armand Bigle, Character Merchandise
- Gaudenzio Capelli, Publishing
- Roberto de Leonardis, Film
- Cyril Edgar, Film
- Wally Feignoux, Film
- Didier Fouret, Publishing
- Mario Gentilini, Publishing
- Cyril James, Film & Merchandise
- Horst Koblischek, Character Merchandise
- Gunnar Mansson, Character Merchandise
- Arnoldo Mondadori, Publishing
- Armand Palivoda, Film
- Poul Brahe Pedersen, Publishing
- Joe Potter, Attractions
- André Vanneste, Character Merchandise
- Paul Winkler, Character Merchandise
Class of 1998
- James Algar, Animation & Film
- Buddy Baker, Music
- Kathryn Beaumont, Animation—Voice
- Virginia Davis, Animation
- Roy E. Disney, Film, Animation & Administration
- Don Escen, Administration
- Wilfred Jackson, Animation
- Glynis Johns, Film
- Kay Kamen, Character Merchandise
- Paul Kenworthy, Film
- Larry Lansburgh, Film & Television
- Hayley Mills, Film
- Al Milotte and Elma Milotte, Film
- Norman "Stormy" Palmer, Film
- Lloyd L. Richardson, Film
- Kurt Russell, Film
- Ben Sharpsteen, Animation & Film
- Masatomo Takahashi, Administration
- Vladimir (Bill) Tytla, Animation
- Dick Van Dyke, Film
- Matsuo Yokoyama, Character Merchandise
Class of 1999
- Tim Allen, Television, Film & Animation—Voice
- Mary Costa, Animation—Voice
- Norm Ferguson, Animation
- Bill Garity, Film
- Yale Gracey, Animation & Imagineering
- Al Konetzni, Character Merchandise
- Hamilton Luske, Animation
- Dick Nunis, Attractions
- Charlie Ridgway, Attractions
2000s
Class of 2000
- Grace Bailey, Animation
- Harriet Burns, Imagineering
- Joyce Carlson, Animation & Imagineering
- Ron Dominguez, Parks & Resorts
- Cliff Edwards, Animation—Voice
- Becky Fallberg, Animation
- Dick Jones, Animation—Voice
- Dodie Roberts, Animation
- Retta Scott, Animation
- Ruthie Tompson, Animation
Class of 2001
- Howard Ashman, Music
- Bob Broughton, Film
- George Bruns<!-- spelled Bruns, not Burns; see www.imdb.com/name/nm0005980 -->, Music
- Frank Churchill, Music
- Leigh Harline, Music
- Fred Joerger, Imagineering
- Alan Menken, Music
- Martin Sklar, Imagineering
- Ned Washington, Music
- Tyrus Wong, Animation
Class of 2002
Note: In honor of the opening of the Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris, all 2002 inductees are of European origin. The ceremony was held in the Animation building at the new park on opening day.
- Ken Annakin, Film
- Hugh Attwooll, Film
- Maurice Chevalier, Film
- Phil Collins, Music
- Sir John Mills, Film
- Robert Newton, Film & Television
- Sir Tim Rice, Music
- Robert Stevenson, Film
- Richard Todd, Film & Television
- David Tomlinson, Film
Class of 2003
Following a dispute between Roy E. Disney and the company that resulted in Disney departing, Robert Iger, the company's then-president and COO co-presented with Michael Eisner.
- Neil Beckett, Merchandise
- Tutti Camarata, Music
- Edna Francis Disney
- Lillian Disney
- Orlando Ferrante, Imagineering
- Richard Fleischer, Film
- Floyd Gottfredson, Animation
- Buddy Hackett, Film & Television
- Harrison "Buzz" Price, Research Economist
- Al Taliaferro, Cartoonist
- Ilene Woods, Music—Voice
Class of 2004
- Bill Anderson, Film & Television
- Tim Conway, Film
- Rolly Crump, Imagineering
- Alice Davis, Imagineering
- Karen Dotrice, Film & Television
- Matthew Garber, Film
- Leonard H. Goldenson, Television
- Bob Gurr, Imagineering
- Ralph Kent, Imagineering & Attractions
- Irwin Kostal, Music
- Mel Shaw, Animation
Class of 2005
In honor of Disneyland's 50th anniversary in 2005, all recipients are related to either Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and/or Walt Disney Imagineering, and nearly all have had some connection with Disneyland. Roy E. Disney again co-presented the awards, after a two-year hiatus and a return to the company.
- Chuck Abbott, Parks & Resorts
- Milt Albright, Parks & Resorts
- Hideo Amemiya, Parks & Resorts
- Hideo Aramaki, Parks & Resorts
- Charles Boyer, Parks & Resorts
- Randy Bright, Imagineering
- James Cora, Parks & Resorts
- Robert Jani, Parks & Resorts
- Mary Jones, Parks & Resorts
- Art Linkletter, Parks & Resorts
- Mary Anne Mang, Parks & Resorts
- Steve Martin, Parks & Resorts
- Tom Nabbe, Parks & Resorts
- Jack Olsen, Parks & Resorts
- Cicely Rigdon, Parks & Resorts
- William "Sully" Sullivan, Parks & Resorts
- Jack Wagner, Parks & Resorts
- Vesey Walker, Parks & Resorts
Class of 2006
- Tim Considine, Television & Film
- Kevin Corcoran, Television & Film
- Al Dempster, Animation
- Don Edgren, Imagineering
- Paul Frees, Television, Film & Parks
- Peter Jennings, Television
- Sir Elton John, Music
- Jimmy Johnson, Music
- Tommy Kirk, Television & Film
- Joe Ranft, Animation
- David Stollery, Television & Film
- Ginny Tyler, Television & Film
Class of 2007
- Roone Arledge, Television
- Art Babbitt, Animation
- Carl Bongirno, Imagineering
- Marge Champion, Animation
- Dick Huemer, Animation
- Ron Logan, Parks & Resorts
- Lucille Martin, Administration
- Tom Murphy, Administration
- Randy Newman, Music
- Floyd Norman, Animation
- Bob Schiffer, Film Production
- Dave Smith, Archives
Class of 2008
- Wayne Allwine, Animation—Voice
- Bob Booth, Attractions
- Neil Gallagher, Attractions
- Frank Gifford, Television
- Toshio Kagami, Parks and Resorts
- Burny Mattinson, Animation
- Walter Peregoy, Animation
- Dorothea Redmond, Designer
- Russi Taylor, Animation—Voice
- Barbara Walters, Television
- Oliver Wallace, Music
Class of 2009
- Tony Anselmo, Animation—Voice
- Harry Archinal, Administration
- Beatrice Arthur, Film & Television
- Bill Farmer, Animation—Voice
- Estelle Getty, Film & Television
- Don Iwerks, Film
- Rue McClanahan, Film & Television
- Leota Toombs Thomas, Attractions
- Betty White, Film & Television
- Robin Williams, Film & Animation—Voice
<!-- Some sites report that James Baskett, Jim Cummings, Tom Hanks, Aaron Spelling, and Frank Welker were inducted this year, but there is no actual evidence of any ceremony that year, and it appears those sites may have gotten their information from here, or from someone's wish list. -->
2010s
Class of 2011
- Regis Philbin, Television
- Jim Henson, Film & Television
- Jodi Benson, Animation—Voice
- Paige O'Hara, Animation—Voice
- Lea Salonga, Animation—Voice
- Linda Larkin, Animation—Voice
- Anika Noni Rose, Animation—Voice
- Jack Wrather, Parks & Resorts
- Bonita Wrather, Film
- Guy Williams, Television
- Bo Boyd, Consumer Products
- Raymond Watson, Administration
Class of 2013
- Tony Baxter, Imagineering
- Collin Campbell, Imagineering
- Dick Clark, Television
- Billy Crystal, Film & Animation—Voice
- John Goodman, Film & Animation—Voice
- Steve Jobs, Animation
- Glen Keane, Animation
- Ed Wynn, Film & Animation—Voice
Class of 2015
- George Bodenheimer, Administration & Television
- Andreas Deja, Animation
- Johnny Depp, Film
- Eyvind Earle, Animation
- Danny Elfman, Music
- George Lucas, Film & Parks and Resorts
- Susan Lucci, Television
- Julie Reihm Casaletto, Parks and Resorts
- Carson Van Osten, Consumer Products
Class of 2017
- Carrie Fisher, Film
- Clyde Geronimi, Animation
- Whoopi Goldberg, Film & Television
- Manuel Gonzales, Animation
- Mark Hamill, Film
- Wayne Jackson, Imagineering
- Jack Kirby, Publishing
- Stan Lee, Film & Publishing
- Garry Marshall, Film & Television
- Julie Taymor, Theatrical
- Oprah Winfrey, Film & Television
Class of 2019
thumb|Christina Aguilera at the 2019 induction ceremoy
- Christina Aguilera, Music & Television
- Wing T. Chao, Imagineering
- Robert Downey Jr., Film
- James Earl Jones, Film
- Jon Favreau, Film
- Bette Midler, Film
- Kenny Ortega, Film & Television
- Barnette Ricci, Parks & Resorts
- Robin Roberts, Television
- Diane Sawyer, Television
- Ming-Na Wen, Film, Television & Animation—Voice
- Hans Zimmer, Music
2020s
Class of 2022
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Class of 2024
This is the first time the ceremony was televised. It was broadcast on Disney+ and hosted by Ryan Seacrest.
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| Costume Design
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| Film
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