1939

Events

 * February 23 - Shirley Temple presents Walt Disney with an award, consisting of one large Oscar statue and seven small Oscars, for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the 11th Annual Academy Awards.
 * December 25 - Pinocchio first premiered in the theaters.

Feature Flims

 * December 25 - Pinocchio

Shorts

 * January 13 - Donald's Lucky Day
 * February 3 - Society Dog Show (the last Mickey Mouse cartoon to use the character's original design)
 * February 18 - Mickey's Surprise Party (the first Mickey Mouse cartoon to use the character's redesign)
 * February 24 - The Practical Pig
 * March 17 - Goofy and Wilbur (the first solo Goofy cartoon)
 * April 7 - The Ugly Duckling (the final Silly Symphony)
 * April 28 - The Hockey Champ
 * May 19 - Donald's Cousin Gus
 * June 9 - Beach Picnic
 * June 30 - Sea Scouts
 * July 21 - The Pointer
 * August 11 - Donald's Penguin
 * September 1 - The Autograph Hound
 * September 30 - The Standard Parade
 * October 10 - Officer Duck

Births

 * January 1 - Atsushi Ii (Japanese voice actor)
 * February 9 - Barry Mann (songwriter)
 * February 15 - William Van Horn (comics artist and writer)
 * February 19 - Van Snowden (puppeteer)
 * April 7 - Francis Ford Coppola (film director, producer, and screenwriter)
 * May 1 - Judy Collins (singer)
 * July 3 - Jay Tarses (television comedy writer and producer)
 * August 16 - Carole Shelley (actress)
 * August 21 - Clarence Williams III (actor)
 * August 22 - Valerie Harper (actress)
 * September 1 - Lily Tomlin (actress, comedian, writer and producer)
 * September 13 - Richard Kiel (actor)
 * September 17 - Shelby Flint (singer)
 * October 27 - John Cleese (actor)
 * November 10 - Russell Means (actor)
 * November 13 - Will Ryan (voice actor)
 * November 26 - Tina Turner (singer and actress)
 * Mark Elliot (voice-over artist)

Deaths

 * November 13 - Ford Sterling (comedian and actor)
 * December 12 - Douglas Fairbanks (Actor, Director, Producer and Screenwriter)

Character debuts

 * May 19 - Gus Goose
 * Chief O'Hara
 * Detective Casey
 * The Phantom Blot
 * December 25 - Pinocchio, Gepetto, Stromboli, Monstro, J. Worthington Foulfellow and Gideon, Cleo, The Coachman, Jiminy Cricket, Figaro, Blue Fairy, Lampwick