Lion King

With no "Jurassic Park" on the horizon, there was little hope that this summer would match last year's record-breaking $2.1-billion box-office bonanza. But that's not what happened. There were no dinosaurs this year. But there was a lion named Simba, who grossed well more than $200 million, and a lamb named Forrest--who approached that figure this weekend.

One reporter's look back at the sports future of Southern California, with tongue planted in cheek. . . . * Well, 2010 turned out to be another banner year for the home teams. The Mighty Ducks claimed the lone local championship--their fifth Stanley Cup of the millennium--and attendance was up again for the Nissan-Dodgers, Lakers, Angels, Clippers and Lion Kings. "It's hard to believe there was a time when franchises didn't want to stay in Los Angeles," Dodgers Vice President Hideo Nomo said.

In Disney's new Broadway musical "The Lion King," the usurper Scar, suffering from a splitting headache, asks Zazu to sing something to cheer him up. No sooner does the feathery courtier launch into "Be our guest . . . " (from that other Disney musical five blocks away) than Scar holds up his hand: "No, no, no! Anything but that!" Good to see that the Walt Disney Co. can have a sense of humor about itself. But then, right now in the theater world, it can afford to.

A movie's heroes may have their names above the title, but often as not it's the sidekicks who get the real work done. And sometimes, as in "The Lion King," it's those underappreciated little people who steal the spotlight and provide the best reason to see something in the first place.

To paraphrase a passage from Disney's new animated film, "The Lion King," the dancing leop ards are in a bit of a spot, the monkeys make apes of themselves on the floats, and you just can't forget the "puppetronic" elephant. And those are just some of the noteworthy elements in "The Lion King Celebration" parade, which will be presented twice daily at Disneyland throughout the summer starting on Friday.

In the city where looks count in the worst way, it is now official. We have established who's the fairest show-biz couple of them all: director Julie Taymor's staging of "The Lion King," and the newly fabulous Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, fresh off a $10-million make-over. Taymor's wondrously attractive production--not so much a response to the 1994 animated blockbuster as a clear improvement on it--will likely call the Pantages home well into either a Gore or Bush administration.

Despite lingering problems with its theme parks, Walt Disney Co. on Tuesday posted record profits of $225.9 million for a fourth quarter and $1.1 billion in the fiscal year thanks to the box-office smash "The Lion King," videocassette sales of its animated hits and continuing demand for its merchandise. In a separate announcement, Disney named Oscar-winning actor and director Sidney Poitier to its board. Poitier will serve out the term that had been held by the late Disney President Frank G.

Video retailers looking back on 1995 will no doubt raise a glass and toast, "Hanks for the memories," as two theatrical hits starring popular actor Tom Hanks spiked the video charts. Also this year: A new sales "King" was crowned, children's programmers courted preschoolers, "Showgirls" danced to a new tune, and video stores turned out to be the one place the O.J. Simpson trial didn't play.

Beijing, which all but declared war on Mickey Mouse over a film about the Dalai Lama, hasn't the slightest sense of humor about Tibet. It views that Himalayan country as a historical part of China. In 1959, after crushing an internal uprising there, it exiled the Dalai Lama, who is regarded as a living Buddha by Lamaists. Despite world condemnation, Beijing brooks no contradiction on the issue--even from Mickey.

The Recording Industry Assn. of America and SoundScan agree that the biggest-selling album of 1994 was "The Lion King." But that's where the agreement ends. The Washington-based RIAA--a trade association that represents the nation's record conglomerates--declared in a year-end media blitz that the Disney soundtrack album sold a staggering 7 million copies since its spring release.