Theatrical releases
Feature films
- January 21 - Freaky Friday
- March 11
- April 15
- Fantasia (re-issue; simulated stereo version)
- The Three Caballeros (re-issue)
- Never a Dull Moment (re-issue)
- May 25 - Star Wars, directed by George Lucas, is released by 20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm, beginning a massive franchise, which would eventually be acquired by Disney.
- June 10 - The Boatniks (re-issue)
- June 19 - The Rescuers premiered in Washington, D.C.
- June 22
- June 24 - Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
- July 6 - The Rescuers (New York City, New York)
- November 3 - Pete's Dragon
- December 16 - Candleshoe
- December 17 - Donald Duck's Summer Magic
Events
- November 24 - The Mickey Mouse balloon makes his 7th appearence in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Character debuts
- June 22 - Bernard, Miss Bianca, Chairmouse, Rufus, Penny, Madame Medusa, Mr. Snoops, Orville, Brutus and Nero, Ellie Mae, Luke, Evinrude, Swamp Folk
- June 24 - Wheely Applegate, Diane Darcy, Bruno von Stickle, Claude Gilbert, Max and Quincy, Inspector Bouchet, Fontenoy, Giselle
- July - Quackmore Duck
- November 3 - Pete, Elliott, Nora, Lampie, Dr. Terminus, Hoagy, The Gogans, Paul, The Mayor, Miss Taylor
- December 16 - Priory, Casey Brown, Harry Bundage
- The Sleuth
- Portis
Theme parks
- Disneyland's PeopleMover receives the SuperSpeed Tunnel, located inside what is now the upper level of Innoventions, a section of the ride which placed riders on a speedway using projections. In 1982, it was rethemed as the Tron SuperSpeed Tunnel, and placed riders and their PeopleMover in a light cycle race.
- January 2 - Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland closes at Disneyland to make way for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
- May 27 - Space Mountain, Starcade, and the Space Stage open in Tomorrowland at Disneyland.
- June 11 - The Main Street Electrical Parade is introduced to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Around the same time, it is also reintroduced at Disneyland.
Television
- Televangelist Pat Robertson founds the cable channel which will eventually become Freeform, under the name of Christian Broadcasting Network.
- The Mickey Mouse Club premieres on January 16.
People
Births
- January 13 - Orlando Bloom (actor)
- January 21 - Jerry Trainor (actor, voice actor, comedian, and musician)
- January 28 - Joey Fatone (actor and singer)
- January 31
- Bobby Moynihan (actor, comedian, and writer)
- Kerry Washington (actress)
- February 2 - Shakira (singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, choreographer, and model)
- February 6 - Josh Stewart (actor)
- February 7 - Susanne Pollatschek (actress and voice actress)
- February 17 - Erin Cardillo (actress, producer, and writer)
- March 2 - Heather McComb (actress)
- March 24 - Jessica Chastain (actress and film producer)
- March 28 - Annie Wersching (actress)
- April 2 - Michael Fassbender (actor)
- April 10 - Stephanie Sheh (voice actress, ADR director, singer, and producer)
- April 14 - Sarah Michelle Gellar (actress and producer)
- April 23
- John Cena (professional wrestler, bodybuilder, rapper, actor, and comedian)
- John Oliver (writer, producer, television host, actor, voice actor, media critic, and stand-up comedian)
- Eric Edelstein (actor and voice actor)
- April 24 - Rebecca Mader (actress)
- April 26 - Jason Earles (actor, comedian, and martial artist)
- May 2 - Jenna von Oÿ (actress, voice actress, and country music singer)
- May 13 - Samantha Morton (actress and film director)
- May 19 - Kelly Sheridan (voice actress)
- June 2 - Zachary Quinto (actor and producer)
- July 1 - Liv Tyler (actress and model)
- July 8 - Milo Ventimiglia (actor and voice actor)
- July 10
- Gwendoline Yeo (actress, voice actress, and musician)
- Chiwetel Ejiofor (actor)
- July 13 - Kari Wahlgren (actress, voice actress, and singer)
- July 29 - Mike MacRae (stand-up comedian, actor, voice actor, impressionist, director, producer, and writer)
- July 30 - Jaime Pressly (actress, voice actress, and model)
- August 2 - Artemis Pebdani (actress and voice actress)
- August 23 - Kenta Miyake (voice actor)
- August 30 - Elden Henson (actor)
- September 8 - Nate Corddry (actor, voice actor, comedian, and TV personality)
- September 11 - Jackie Buscarino (actress, voice actress, producer, screenwriter, and writer)
- October 18 - Peter Sohn (animator, film director, storyboard artist, and voice actor)
- October 20 - Sam Witwer (actor and voice actor)
- October 26 - Jon Heder (actor, voice actor, comedian, writer, and filmmaker)
- November 10 - Brittany Murphy (actress, singer, and voice artist)
- November 16 - Maggie Gyllenhaal (actress)
- November 24 - Colin Hanks (actor, voice actor, director, and producer)
- November 30 - Nelsan Ellis (actor and playwright)
- December 1 - Nate Torrence (actor, voice actor, and comedian)
- December 30 - Lucy Punch (actress)
Deaths
- February 18 - Andy Devine (character actor and comic cowboy sidekick)
- June 13 - Matthew Garber (actor)
- August 16 - Elvis Presley (singer and actor)
- September 29 - Robert McKimson (animator, illustrator, and director)
- October 14 - Bing Crosby (singer and actor)
Artists joined
- John Musker - Co-director with Ron Clements for The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, Treasure Planet, The Princess and the Frog, and Moana.
- Jerry Rees - Animator/Director on The Brave Little Toaster, The Fox and the Hound, Tron, and The Small One.
- David Block - Animator for The Fox and the Hound, Hercules, Tarzan, and The Emperor's New Groove.
- Phil Young - Animator for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.
1977