Lillian Gish endorses Disney for Nobel Prize (Chicago Tribune 1963)

 

Lillian Gish endorses Disney for Nobel Prize (Chicago Tribune 1963)

Chicago Tribune – Wednesday, June 26, 1963 – Page 26

Lillian Gish endorses Disney for Nobel Prize

Before Lillian Gish returned to New York, she visited the Disney studio, met Walt, and was guided thru his dream studio. She neglected to tell him that when she visited Stockholm lat year, where the Nobel prizes are given out, she was invited to speak in the city. Among other things, she put in a pitch for Disney to receive a Nobel Prize. We should get back to the idea. I don’t think anybody’s done more than he has [and is] in the field of entertainment to promote decency, morality, and just plain goodness.

Disney’s Follow Me Boys – Photo Gallery

During the Oslo press conference, Lillian made a comment that got considerable reaction.

“I remembered seeing the word Nobel everywhere, and was impudent enough to suggest Disney be given a Nobel prize. The next day it was headlined in the papers. The committee was working on it when he died. Regretfully, the awards are never given posthumously.

“He deserved it for the beauty he’s given us, and for what he’s done for children, for animals, for all of us.”

“Griffith did everything first,” she says, explaining why he stands today as a film giant. “Frank Capra once said nothing new had been added since Griffith, but that’s not true. Walt Disney, for example, added a dimension no one else has.”

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