In 1984, Disney had the chance to own the future of animation for just $15 million. They said no.

Today, Pixar is a multi-billion dollar cornerstone of the Disney empire, but the journey from a Lucasfilm basement to the top of the box office was a decade-long corporate war. In this episode of Synergy Loves Company, we’re diving deep into the three specific inventions Disney rejected, the firing of John Lasseter, and the "worst deal" Steve Jobs ever signed.

How did the king of animation miss the paradigm shift happening right under their nose? And how did they end up paying $7 billion for a team they could have owned for a fraction of the price?

In this video, we explore:

• The Lucasfilm "Graphics Group": The rebel engineering outfit that built the future in a basement.

• The 3 Key Inventions: How the Pixar Image Computer, CAPS, and RenderMan changed cinema forever.

• The Exile of John Lasseter: Why Disney fired the man who would eventually save their animation department.

• The Jobs vs. Eisner Showdown: The high-stakes corporate battle that led to the creation of Toy Story.

QUESTION: Have you seen those early Pixar shorts like Luxo Jr., Red's Dream, or Tin Toy? Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

If you love exploring how Disney connects to the broader world of history, business, and pop culture, make sure to SUBSCRIBE

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Credits / Resources: •

Synergy Loves Company is not affiliated with The Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries. • Images and clips are used under fair use for commentary, criticism, and education.

Until next time, keep discovering the magic in everything!

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Why Tom Hanks Played Walt Disney: The 30-Year Disney Connection

Discover the untold story of how Disney strategically built the perfect actor to play its founder. Tom Hanks didn't just get cast as Walt Disney in Saving Mr. Banks—he was engineered for the role across three decades of calculated partnership.

From Splash and Touchstone Pictures to Toy Story and beyond, explore how Disney's synergy with Tom Hanks created the most iconic casting decision in Hollywood history. This is the real reason Tom Hanks became Walt Disney.

In This Episode:

Why Disney created Touchstone Pictures and cast Tom Hanks

How Splash (1984) launched the Tom Hanks era

The brilliant Pixar pitch that convinced Hanks to voice Woody

How Tom Hanks became "America's Dad"

The perfect synergy between actor and founder

Why no other actor could have played Walt Disney

Subsribe to Synergy Loves Company on YouTube for deep dives into how Disney connects to everything in entertainment, culture, and history.

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Credits / Resources:

• Synergy Loves Company is not affiliated with The Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries.

• Images and clips are used under fair use for commentary, criticism, and education.

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Did you know one comedian, Tim Allen, was the secret weapon behind Disney's massive corporate makeover in the 90s?

In this video, we reveal The Tim Allen Blueprint: the calculated strategy Disney used to turn a single star into a multi-billion dollar corporate synergy machine. From his hit sitcom Home Improvement (ABC) to his blockbuster film debut in The Santa Clause (Touchstone), and his iconic voice role in a certain animated masterpiece, Tim Allen was the key figure connecting Disney's newly acquired and developing divisions.

We break down how Disney used his star power to create a self-feeding "flywheel" of success that changed Hollywood forever...(again)

If you've ever wondered how Disney became the IP giant it is today, the answer might just be "To infinity and beyond!"

Subscribe on YouTube for more deep dives into How Disney Connects to Everything!

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Support the Show:

Shop official Synergy Loves Company merch → https://shop.synergylovescompany.com

Affiliate Disclosure: Some links above may be affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!

Connect with Me:

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Credits / Resources:

• Music licensed via Melod.ie

• Synergy Loves Company is not affiliated with The Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries.

• Images and clips are used under fair use for commentary, criticism, and education.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Every time Disney adapts A Christmas Carol, it’s a ghost story—but it’s not just about Scrooge. It’s a story about the Walt Disney Company itself.

CHECK OUT THIS EPISODE IN VIDEO FOR THE FULL EXPERIENCE @ https://youtu.be/pCARpdjm0rk

From the hand-drawn rebirth of Mickey Mouse in the 80s to the felt-and-friendship of the Muppets in the 90s, and the high-stakes digital ambition of the 2000s, each adaptation of Dickens’ classic reveals exactly where Disney was as a company, what it was struggling with, and what kind of "spirit" was guiding its decisions.

Join Eric as we unwrap the surprising corporate history hidden inside three holiday classics:

The Ghost of Ink and Paint (1983)

Mickey’s Christmas Carol was more than a cute holiday short; it was a desperate sign of life from a struggling animation studio. We explore how this small project became a proving ground for the next generation of Disney legends (Keane, Lasseter) and marked the grand return of Mickey Mouse during Ron Miller’s uncertain tenure.

The Ghost of Felt and Friendship (1992)

The Muppet Christmas Carol was the first Muppet film made without Jim Henson—and the first under the Walt Disney Pictures banner. It's a story of legacy, loss, and how Brian Henson fought to keep the heart in the story (and why a certain song was controversially cut by Jeffrey Katzenberg).

The Ghost of Digital Ambition (2009)

Robert Zemeckis’ motion-capture version starring Jim Carrey was designed to be the ultimate A Christmas Carol. Instead, it became a cautionary tale about the high cost of innovation, the "uncanny valley," and why Disney’s $200 million experiment (ImageMovers Digital) shuttered just two years later.

These films are a timeline of Disney's struggles, expansions, and triumphs. Watch now to discover the surprising synergy of art, commerce, and Christmas spirit!

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Support the Show:

Shop official Synergy Loves Company merch → https://shop.synergylovescompany.com

Affiliate Disclosure: Some links above may be affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!

Connect with Me:

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Credits / Resources:

• Music licensed via Melod.ie

• Synergy Loves Company is not affiliated with The Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries.

• Images and clips are used under fair use for commentary, criticism, and education.

Previously Recorded: Join me LIVE with Dr. Cody T. Havard (Professor of Sport Commerce, host of Being a Fan of Disney) as we dive into the wild world of Banana Ball, the rise of the Savannah Bananas, and why their over-the-top showmanship feels surprisingly… Disney. We’ll explore how Banana Ball grew from a collegiate summer team into a full-blown entertainment machine selling out NFL stadiums — and what makes it such a natural fit for Disney+, ESPN+, and Disney’s evolving sports strategy.

We’ll also cover the latest Disney collabs, news, and synergy moments, and later in the stream Cody will share his new book “The Perspective Files.”

How did **Disney take over ESPN** and transform a scrappy startup into the most powerful force in sports media? This episode breaks down Disney’s decades-long rise inside **ESPN**, revealing how the company reshaped cable TV, sports broadcasting, and now the future of streaming.

For decades, **ESPN** wasn’t just another Disney asset — it was the engine powering the entire cable empire. In this episode, we break down the full story behind **how Disney took over ESPN**, starting with the network’s unlikely origins in a rented Connecticut office and ending with its role in Disney’s massive streaming future.

You’ll see how ESPN rose from a risky experiment to a cultural powerhouse thanks to early partners like Getty Oil and Anheuser-Busch, game-changing rights deals, and the launch of SportsCenter. Then we follow the money and the media politics as ABC buys in, Hearst joins the table, and Disney completes one of the biggest acquisitions in entertainment history — bringing ESPN fully into the Disney family.

But the story doesn’t stop there. Cord-cutting, subscriber losses, ESPN+, the new standalone ESPN streaming service, and the 2025 NFL deal have transformed ESPN yet again. Today, **Disney and ESPN** are navigating one of the most pivotal moments in sports media — a moment that could redefine the future of cable, streaming, and live entertainment.

If you want to understand how Disney built its sports empire — and where ESPN goes next — this is the one to watch.

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Podcast:

Listen to Synergy Loves Company → https://synergylovescompany.com

Support the Show:

Shop official Synergy Loves Company merch → https://shop.synergylovescompany.com

Affiliate Disclosure: Some links above may be affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!

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Credits / Resources:

• Music licensed via Melod.ie

• Synergy Loves Company is not affiliated with The Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries.

• Images and clips are used under fair use for commentary, criticism, and education.

Discover how Lifetime became part of Disney’s media empire in this episode of Synergy Loves Company. Eric explores Lifetime’s origins as the result of a merger between struggling cable channels in the 1980s and follows its transformation into the first network for women under Patricia Fili-Krushel. Learn about Lifetime’s shift to signature made-for-TV movies, major syndication moves, and talk show highlights. The episode details how Disney acquired its stake in Lifetime through the Capital Cities/ABC deal, Hearst’s ongoing partnership, and Lifetime’s integration into the A&E Networks family. Hear stories about Disney synergy moments like the Beaches remake with Idina Menzel and the Descendants 2 simulcast across three Disney-owned channels. This episode also previews what’s to come with ESPN’s role in the Disney-Hearst connection. Get the full rundown of Lifetime’s journey from its rocky beginnings to its place in Disney’s world.

Subscribe for more Disney connections: https://www.youtube.com/@SynergyLovesCompany?sub_confirmation=1

Podcast: Listen to Synergy Loves Company → https://synergylovescompany.com

Support the Show: Shop official Synergy Loves Company merch → https://shop.synergylovescompany.com Affiliate Disclosure: Some links above may be affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!

Connect with Me: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/synergylovescompany
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Credits / Resources: • Music licensed via Melod.ie
• Synergy Loves Company is not affiliated with The Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries.
• Images and clips are used under fair use for commentary, criticism, and education.

What if I told you that Disney secretly owns half of A&E and the History Channel? In this episode, we uncover how Disney built a hidden cable empire—through partnerships with Hearst and the evolution of A&E Networks—that reshaped the world of educational TV and entertainment.

When people think of Disney, they picture theme parks, animation, and streaming—but few realize that Disney quietly built a hidden cable empire through its stake in A&E and the History Channel. This video breaks down how Disney’s partnership with Hearst Communications gave them control over some of television’s most iconic networks. From the early days of A&E’s arts programming to the explosive success of the History Channel, we’ll explore how Disney’s influence extended far beyond Mickey Mouse and Marvel.

If you’re fascinated by the business side of entertainment, this episode connects the dots between Disney, A&E, and the History Channel, showing how corporate strategy can shape what we watch—and what we think of as “Disney magic.”

Podcast: Listen to Synergy Loves Company → https://synergylovescompany.com

Support the Show: Shop official Synergy Loves Company merch → https://shop.synergylovescompany.com Affiliate Disclosure: Some links above may be affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!

Connect with Me: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/synergylovescompany
Bluesky → https://bsky.app/profile/erichsynergy.bsky.social
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/synergylovescompany

Credits / Resources: • Music licensed via Melod.ie
• Synergy Loves Company is not affiliated with The Walt Disney Company or any of its subsidiaries.
• Images and clips are used under fair use for commentary, criticism, and education.