The Great Disney EGOTs

If you were following the news before this years 94th Annual Academy Awards you would know that the big news ahead of the ceremonies was the possibility of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s possible EGOT win. Though he did not win for “Best Original Song” for which he was nominated, Encanto the film which he wrote the songs for took home “Best Animated Feature”. Unfortunately, Miranda was not present at the Oscars to celebrate as his wife tested positive for COVID ahead of the ceremony.

But what exactly is an EGOT? EGOT is an acronym for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards. It is the designation given to people who have won all four of those awards. This is a distinguished status to obtain in the entertainment industry which few have earned. Many of the industry greats who have earned the EGOT of course have ties to the Walt Disney Company, with some winning their honors specifically for their contributions to Disney classics. We’ve listed these greats here, and where you can watch their Disney films.

Helen Hayes

Born October 10, 1900, Helen Hayes MacArthur was known as the first lady of American Theater. She was an accomplished actress on the stage who played the lead in several Broadway productions that earned her much acclaim. Her roles in Disney films included Mrs. Steinmetz in the 1974 sequel of Herbie the Love Bug, Herbie Rides Again. She also played Lady St. Edmund in the 1977 Walt Disney Production adaptation of Christmas at Candleshoe. She died in 1993 at the age of 92. Herbie Rides Again and Candleshoe are both available for streaming on Disney+.

Emmy: 1953 Best Actress, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Season 1 Episode 1, “Not a Chance”

Grammy: 1977 Best Spoken Word Recording, Great American Documents

Oscar: 1970 Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Airport

Tony: 1958 Best Actress (Dramatic), Time Remembered

 

Richard Rodgers

Born on June 28, 1902, Richard Rodgers was half of the famous musical duo Rodgers and Hammerstein. Together with his partner created many classic musicals including Oklahoma!, State Fair, South Pacific, The King and I, Cinderella, and The Sound of Music. Disney legend Julie Andrews starred in both the 1957 original televised broadcast of Roger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella and the 1965 film adaptation of The Sound of Music. Rodgers died in 1979 at the age of 77. Oklahoma!, The Sound of Music and Disney’s 1997 adaptation of Roger and Hammerstein’s Cinderella are streaming now on Disney+.

Emmy: 1962 Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composed, Winston Churchill: The Valiant Years

Grammy: 1960 Best Show Album (Original Cast), The Sound of Music

Oscar: 1945 Best Song, “It Might as Well Be Spring”, State Fair

Tony: 1952 Best Musical, The King and I

 

Mel Brooks

Born June 28, 1926 Mel Brooks is a famous comedy writer and performer. He was one of many celebrity guest stars to appear as himself in “Mickey’s 50”, the television special that aired on The Wonderful World of Disney in 1978. And he humorously played the role of toy “Melephant Brooks” in the fourth installment of the Toy Story franchise and the Disney+ Originals that followed it. Toy Story 4 and Forky Asks a Question are streaming now on Disney+.

Emmy: 1997 Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, Mad About You

Grammy: 1998 Best Spoken Comedy Album, The 2000 Year Old Man in the Year 2000

Oscar: 1968 Best Writing (Story and Screenplay, Written Directly for the Screen), The Producers

Tony: 2001 Best Musical, The Producers

 

James Earl Jones

Born January 17, 1931, James Earl Jones is the famous deep voice behind not one but two iconic Disney characters. James Earl Jones is the voice behind the mask of Darth Vader, first seen in Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope in 1977. And he contributed his cool authoritative tone to Mufasa in 1994’s The Lion King as well as its live-action remake. He was named a Disney Legend in 2019, and finished his speech with “and may the force be with you.” The original Star Wars trilogy and The Lion King are streaming now on Disney+.

Emmy: 1991, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Gabriel’s Fire

Grammy: 1977 Best Spoken Word Recording, Great American Documents

Oscar: 2011 Academy Honorary Award

Tony: 1987 Best Leading Actor in a Play, Fences

 

Rita Moreno

Born December 11, 1931, Rita Moreno is an industry legend known most famously for her role as Anita in the classic original film adaptation of West Side Story. After winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role, she was featured in the 2021 remake as a new character, Valentina, the widow of the store owner from the original show Doc. In 1977 she was featured as a guest on The Muppet Show, for which she received an Emmy. She also voiced the role of Queen Camila in the 2018 Disney Channel Elena of Avalor special, “Song of the Sirenas”. 2021’s West Side Story, The Muppet Show, and Elena of Avalor are streaming now on Disney+.

Emmy: 1977 Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in Variety or Music, The Muppet Show

Grammy: 1972 Best Recording for Children, The Electric Company

Oscar: 1961 Best Actress in a Supporting Role, West Side Story

Tony: 1975 Best Featured or Supporting Actress in a Play, The Ritz

Tim Rice

Born November 10, 1944, Tim Rice is an accomplished lyricist known famously for his notable partnerships with Broadway’s Andrew Lloyd Webber. In 1991 he worked with Alan Menken to write lyrics for Beauty and the Beast, later contributing five new songs to the Tony award-winning stage adaptation of that film. He went on to write “A Whole New World” with Menken for Aladdin, and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” with Elton John for The Lion King. Their collaboration continued with the subsequent stage production of that film. He was named a Disney Legend in 2002. Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin are streaming now on Disney+.

Emmy: 2018 Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert

Grammy: 1993 Song of the Year, “A Whole New World (Aladdin’s Theme)”

Oscar: 1994 Best Original Song, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”, The Lion King

Tony: 1980 Best Original Score, Evita

 

Alan Menken

Born July 22, 1949, Alan Menken is one of the greatest living composers of our time. His work with Disney includes many classics including Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, The Little Mermaid, Hercules, Enchanted, and Tangled. His most recent work was his princess song “A Place Called Slaughter Race” from Ralph Breaks the Internet, and new songs from Menken will be featured in the upcoming Enchanted sequel. He was made a Disney Legend in 2002, the same year as collaborator Tim Rice. Ralph Breaks the Internet is Steaming now on Disney+, Disenchanted is set to premiere sometime this year exclusively on Disney+.

Emmy: 2020 Outstanding Song in a Children’s Program, “Waiting in the Wings”, Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure

Grammy: 1993 Best Album for Children, Beauty and the Beast (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Oscar: 1995 Best Original Song “Colors of the Wind”, Pocahontas

Tony: 2012 Best Original Score, Newsies

 

Whoopi Goldberg

Born November 13, 1955, Whoopi Goldberg is a beloved actress of film and television. She is well known as the voice of Shenzi, one of Scar’s three hyena minions in The Lion King. And one of her most famous roles is that of Deloris Van Cartier AKA Sister Mar Clarence in Touchstone Picture’s 1992 musical comedy Sister Act. Sister Act and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit are streaming now on Disney+. You will see her again when Whoopi Goldberg Returns for ‘Sister Act 3’

Emmy: 2002 Outstanding Special Class Special, Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel

Grammy: 1986 Best Comedy Album, Whoopi Goldberg (Original Broadway Show Recording)

Oscar: 1990 Best Supporting Actress, Ghost

Tony: 2002 Best Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie

 

Robert Lopez

Born February 23, 1975, Robert Lopez is best known as songwriter and co-creator of the Tony Award-Winning musicals The Book of Mormon and Avenue Q. He was approached along with his wife Kristen Anderson-Lopez to write the music for Disney’s Frozen, and upon the success of the film they wrote the music for the 2017 Broadway adaptation and the 2019 sequel for the film. They went on to write the music for Disney Pixar’s Coco, and the 2021 Disney+ Original WandaVision. Frozen, Coco and Wandavision are all available to stream on Disney+.

Emmy: 2021 Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, “Agatha All Along”, WandaVision

Grammy: 2012 Best Musical Theater Album, The Book of Mormon (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Oscar: 2013 Best Original Song, “Let It Go”, Frozen

Tony: 2004 Best Original Score, Avenue Q

 

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Born January 16, 1980 writer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda was so close to getting an EGOT this past year. Known for his musicals In The Heights and Hamilton, as well as his Disney ventures Moana and Encanto, Miranda will also be contributing his talents to the upcoming Little Mermaid live-action remake. Should one of his original songs for the film be nominated at the Oscars he will be able to say he won his EGOT as a collaborator with the great Alan Menken. Moana and Encanto are both streaming on Disney+.

Emmy: 2o21 Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded), Hamilton 

Grammy: 2018 Best Song Written for Visual Media, “How Far I’ll Go”, Moana

Oscar: 2022 Best Animated Film, Encanto

Tony: 2008 Best Original Score, In The Heights

 

Lin-Manuel Miranda certainly deserves to be counted among the great Disney composers such as Rice, Menken, and Lopez. Time will tell what his Oscar will be.