The Milotte’s and the Beebe’s were featured on the 17th episode of “The Disney Family Album” and originally aired on the Disney Channel in November of 1985.
In 1948, Walt Disney viewed a short wildlife film by Alfred and Elma Milotte at a travel lecture. That short film led to Walt contacting the Milotte’s and sending them on location in the Alaska wilderness to capture some footage. The result was Seal Island, the first Disney true-life adventure film, and an Academy Award winner for best short subject. As Ema Milotte recalls in the video, “We never worked for Walt Disney Productions, we always worked for Walt Disney.” There was no storyline, no script, just footage of animals in their natural surroundings. While the Milotte’s would only observe animals, Lloyd Beebe would bring them home, and Walt helped him establish his Olympic Game Farm west of Seattle; that game farm is still open and operated by their family Olympic Game Farm. An expert animal handler, Lloyd used his animals for some footage, but Walt quickly sent the Beebe’s to the white wilderness of Canada, for more true-life adventures.
Don’t miss any of the Disney Family Albums: Clarence “Ducky” Nash, The Missing Episode, Ward Kimball, Sherman Brothers, Jim MacDonald, Milt Kahl, Ken Anderson, Disneyland Designers, Eric Larson, Peter and Harrison Ellenshaw, Wolfgang (Woolie) Reitherman, Frank Thomas, Voice Actors, WED Imagineers, Golden Horseshoe Revue, Ollie Johnston, Annette Funicello, Marc Davis, The Milotte’s and the Beebe’s, Fess Parker / Buddy Ebsen, The StoryMen
