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The late Howard Ashman remains Walt Disney Studios’ most popular and famous lyricist. During the Disney Renaissance, Ashman, along with Alan Menken worked together on the iconic songs of The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (19991), and Aladdin (1992).
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The Documentary
In 2018, Disney released a documentary on lyricist Howard Ashman, titled Howard (2018). It was available on Disney Plus and was recently included on a list of content that was to be pulled off the platform in an effort to save some money.
Credit: AP
Although there has been a lot of pushback on various shows and movies Disney Plus was pulling, the one on Howard Ashman seemed to strike a nerve with a lot of people. His work is beloved by many Gen X-ers and their children and the changes to his lyrics in the new live action The Little Mermaid (2023) has brought up conversations about his talent.
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In addition, Howard Ashman was a gay man who died at only 40 years old during the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the ’80s and ’90s. As such, the removal of the documentary upset a lot of people as Pride Month begins June 1, and he is debatably one of Disney’s most successful LGBTQ professionals.
Credit: Disney
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Update from Disney
But according to Vulture, a representative from Disney has stated that the removal of the documentary was an error. It was never meant to be taken off the platform.
Howard Ashman won two Academy Awards (for “Under the Sea” and “Beauty and the Beast”) and was nominated for seven (for “Kiss the Girl,” “Be Our Guest,” and “Friend Like Me,” among others). In addition to his contributions to Disney animation, Ashman also worked to write the screenplay and songs for Little Shop of Horrors (1986).
Credit: Disney
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