Theatrical releases
- January - Take Down
- February 9 - The North Avenue Irregulars
- June 8 - One Hundred and One Dalmatians (re-issue)
- June 22 - The Muppet Movie
- June 29 - The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
- July 27 - Unidentified Flying Oddball
- September 28 - Sleeping Beauty (re-issue)
- December 20 - The Black Hole (premiere)
- December 21 - The Black Hole
Shorts
- June 18 - Lady and the Lamp
- Cosmic Capers
- Understanding Alcohol Use and Abuse
Theme park happenings
- August 14 - Sherrill Anne Hoffman slips into a coma after riding Space Mountain.
- September 2 - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opens at Disneyland.
- October 1 - Groundbreaking begins on EPCOT Center.
Laserdisc releases
- Kidnapped
- Kids Is Kids
- At Home with Donald Duck
- The Adventures of Chip 'n' Dale
- May: The Coyote's Lament
Albums
People
Births
- January 6 - Cristela Alonzo (comedian, actress, screenwriter, and producer)
- January 25 - Christine Lakin (actress)
- January 26 - Sara Rue (actress)
- February 5 - Gil McKinney (actor)
- February 8 - Josh Keaton (actor, singer, and music producer)
- February 11 - Brandy Norwood (actress and singer)
- February 21
- Tituss Burgess (actor and singer)
- Jennifer Love Hewitt (actress and singer)
- Jordan Peele (actor, comedian, screenwriter, and director)
- March 10 - Danny Pudi (actor and comedian)
- March 19 - Dan Fogelman (screenwriter, producer, and director)
- March 24 - Lake Bell (actress, writer, and director)
- March 25 - Lee Pace (actor)
- April 2 - Lindy Booth (actress)
- April 4 - Natasha Lyonne (actress)
- April 12
- Claire Danes (actress)
- Jennifer Morrison (actress, model, and film producer)
- April 13 - Baron Davis (NBA basketball player and voice actor)
- April 15 - Luke Evans (actor and singer)
- April 20 - Ruth Connell (actress and producer)
- April 21 - James McAvoy (actor)
- April 23 - Jaime King (actress and model)
- May 4 - Lance Bass (singer and actor)
- May 5 - Rosario Dawson (actress, singer, and writer)
- May 17 - Adam Jacobs (actor and singer)
- May 26 - Elisabeth Harnois (actress)
- May 28
- Nonso Anozie (actor)
- Monica Keena (actress)
- June 5 - Pete Wentz (bassist)
- June 20 - Julie Fowlis (singer)
- June 24 - Mindy Kaling (actress, comedian, writer, and producer)
- June 25 - Busy Philipps (actress)
- July 15 - Laura Benanti (actress)
- July 18 - Jason Weaver (voice actor and singer)
- July 31 - B. J. Novak (actor, stand-up comedian, screenwriter, and director)
- August 3 - Evangeline Lilly (actress and spokesperson)
- August 10 - Joanna Garcia (actress)
- August 23 - Clare Grant (actress)
- September 9 - Nikki DeLoach (actress and singer)
- September 11 - Ariana Richards (actress)
- September 23 - Laura Dickinson (actress and singer)
- September 28 - Anndi McAfee (actress and singer)
- October 7 - Shawn Ashmore (actor)
- October 9 - Chris O'Dowd (actor)
- October 10 - Mýa (singer and actress)
- October 18 - Ne-Yo (R&B recording artist, record producer, dancer, and actor)
- October 20 - John Krasinski (actor, director, and writer)
- November 5 - Romi Dames (actress)
- December 10 - Keiko Nemoto (voice actress)
- December 11 - Rider Strong (actor, voice actor, director, producer, and screenwriter)
- December 12 - Sandro Corsaro (animator, writer, storyboard artist, and producer)
- December 28 - André Holland (actor)
- December 30 - Catherine Taber (actress)
Deaths
- January 5 - Billy Bletcher (voice actor)
- January 27 - Dick Wesson (announcer)
- February 3 - Mildred Gordon (author)
- April 6 - Norman Tokar (prolific director)
- May 29 - Mary Pickford (Canadian-American motion picture actress, co-founder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
- July 2 - Anthony Eustrel (actor)
- July 25 - Alexander Key (science fiction writer)
- September 12 - Les Clark (animator)
- November 30 - Dick Huemer (animator)
Artists joined
- Tim Burton - Director for The Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, and Alice in Wonderland.
- John Lasseter - Current CEO for Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Disneytoon Studios. Has directed films such as Toy Story, A Bug's Life, and Cars.
- Mike Gabriel - Director/Animator on Oliver & Company, The Rescuers Down Under, and Pocahontas.
- Doug Krohn - Animator on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Tarzan.
- Jay Jackson - Animator for The Little Mermaid, Hercules, Tarzan, and Treasure Planet.
- Shawn Keller - Animator on The Little Mermaid, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
- Michael Cedeno - Animator on Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.
- Hendel Butoy - Animator on The Fox and the Hound, The Great Mouse Detective, and Oliver & Company and Director on The Rescuers Down Under.
- Cyndee Whitney - Animator on The Great Mouse Detective, Oliver & Company, and The Little Mermaid.
- Patricia Peraza - Effects Animator on The Fox and the Hound, Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Black Cauldron, and The Great Mouse Detective.
- Don Paul - Effects Animator on The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Pocahontas.
- Guy Vasilovich - Art Director/Layout Artist on The Fox and the Hound, The Black Cauldron, and The Great Mouse Detective.
- Kathleen Swain - Background Designer on The Fox and the Hound, The Black Cauldron, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
- Gilda Palinginis - Animator on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.
- Joe Lanzisero - Animator on The Fox and the Hound, The Black Cauldron, and The Great Mouse Detective.
- Fujiko Miller - Assistant Animator on The Fox and the Hound, Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Black Cauldron, and The Great Mouse Detective.
- Bill Berg - Lead Key Assistant on The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King.
- Jane Baer - Assistant Animator on Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Black Cauldron, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Cofounder of Baer Animation Studios and spouse of animator Dale Baer.
- Rusty Stoll - Assistant Animator on The Fox and the Hound, Mulan, and Lilo & Stitch.
- Reed Cardwell - Assistant Animator on The Black Cauldron and The Great Mouse Detective.
Character debuts
- June 22 - Max, Doc Hopper, Snake Walker, Mad Man Mooney, Professor Max Krassman, Bernie the Agent, Lew Lord
- December 20 - Hans Reinhardt, Dan Holland, Charlie Pizer, Kate McCrae, Harry Booth, S.T.A.R., V.I.N.CENT, B.O.B., Maximilian, Sentry Robots, Humanoids
1979