Disney Announces Purchase of Pixar

On this day in 2006, Walt Disney Pictures announced that they were purchasing Pixar Studios for $7.4 billion. Disney and Pixar had paired up to make movies since 1993, making over $3 billion at the box office, and winning 19 Academy Awards.

According to History Channel, Pixar CEO Steve Jobs (who was also CEO of Apple and recently passed away) clashed with Michael Eisner of Disney. Worried that the deal would fall through, Roy Disney and the Board pushed Eisner out.

Here are some cool facts Pixar:

• Early on, Buzz Lightyear was known as Lunar Larry
• Billy Crystal was the first choice to play Buzz Lightyear, but he turned it down
• Billy later had the sense to be the voice of Mike in Monsters, Inc.
• George Lucas sold his share of Pixar for $5M.
• John Ratzenberger has been a voice in every single Pixar movie.