Art of Disney—Friendship Stamp First Day of Issue Ceremony
Page 2 of 8

As the Postmaster General entered, the musical group performed “The Bare Necessities.�? He prefaced his statements with a tribute to Disneyland. “As a child growing up in the Bronx,�? he recalled, “I remember talking to my friends and dreaming of Disneyland.�? After touring the park with his family, he concluded, “It truly is the happiest place on Earth.�?

The Potter Family with Michael Eisner
Click here for a much larger version of this picture
(563 X 750, 53,748 bytes)

Potter then spoke of the subject at hand, saying, “Walt Disney understood the power of friendship.�? That understanding, he said, was evident in all the classic Disney characters. He noted with a chuckle, “There were those 101 Dalmatians. That’s a lot of friends!�? So, he concluded, it was easy to choose the Art of Friendship as the theme for the new stamps.

U.S. Postmaster General John E. Potter
Click here for a much larger version of this picture
(1024 X 768, 164,480 bytes)

“Pictures still speak a universal language,�? Potter went on. He then spoke of the relationship between the USPS and the Walt Disney Company. “In 1933 Walt Disney released ‘The Mail Pilot,’ starring Mickey Mouse.�? Despite all obstacles, including mail bandit Pegleg Pete, Mickey saw to it that the mail got through. In 1968 Disney’s achievements were recognized in a commemorative stamp, depicting a parade of children emerging from a castle to surround a portrait of Walt Disney. And in 1998 a Snow White stamp was released as part of the Postal Service’s “Celebrate the Century�? stamp series. Postmaster General Potter finished his look back, then introduced the next section of the program, saying, “And now, on with the show!�?

Actor George Wendt
Click here for a much larger version of this picture
(1024 X 768, 168,150 bytes)

As the singers performed an upbeat rendition of “Trashin’ the Camp,�? actor George Wendt, who played Norm on “Cheers,�? made his way to center stage. He acknowledged the crowd’s welcome, saying how excited he was to be a part of the celebration. Disney characters, he said, make everyone feel “young at heart.�? Accompanied by the singers, he then took a look at each stamp, telling a bit about each set of characters.