Walt Disney (1901-1966) was an American entrepreneur, animator, film producer, and the leader of a massive theme park creation. He is recognized as the founder of The Walt Disney Company, and it is Disney who created famed cartoon characters, including Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. The groundbreaking contributions of Disney to the entertainment industry were essentially revolutionary, and it all started from the animating techniques through which he began to change animation as a whole. After this point, Disney started his animation career in the 1920s and began working on Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. However, he lost the rights to this character, and he had to introduce a new one to the film medium. That way he produced Mickey Mouse, the number one character, in 1928. With his background in animation, Disney became the centre of attention due to Mickey Mouse's success. Synchronized sound and Technicolor were introduced by Disney in his cartoons. He continued producing popular animated short films throughout the 1930s, including the Silly Symphonies series.
In 1937, Disney released his first feature-length cartoon, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This became the first in a long line of feature films made by Disney, and he became the leading animation filmmaker. He would continue to release some of his most iconic films, such as Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940), Dumbo (1941), Bambi (1942), and Cinderella (1950). It was not only animation that Walt Disney felt a dynamic quality to create in his mind. This was the theme park creation. Walt Disney was inspired by the idea of a theme park, and in 1955, the first-ever theme park opened its doors in Anaheim, California: Disneyland. Walt Disney World Resort in Florida was first opened in 1971, after his death. Walt Disney received numerous awards and honours throughout his career, including 22 Academy Awards and the creation of the Disneyland television series. His creativity and innovation continue to inspire the entertainment industry to this day. The Walt Disney Company, now one of the largest and most successful entertainment conglomerates in the world, carries on his legacy.
Worth a Read
Here are three books that provide valuable insights into the life and legacy of Walt Disney:
"Walt Disney: An American Original" by Bob Thomas: This biography, written by a longtime Disney chronicler, offers a comprehensive overview of Walt Disney's life, from his early days in animation to the creation of Disneyland. It provides a detailed account of his entrepreneurial spirit, creative vision, and the challenges he faced in building his entertainment empire. Buy on Amazon.
"The Disney Version: The Life, Times, Art and Commerce of Walt Disney" by Richard Schickel: This book delves into the complex and multifaceted personality of Walt Disney. It examines his artistic pursuits, business strategies, and the cultural impact of his creations. It also explores the controversies and criticisms surrounding Disney's work and the company he founded. Buy on Amazon.
"Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination" by Neal Gabler: Regarded as one of the most comprehensive biographies of Walt Disney, this book delves into the man behind the brand. It explores Disney's relentless pursuit of innovation, his creative genius, and the challenges he faced in realizing his dreams. The book also provides a broader cultural and historical context, examining
Disney's influence on American popular culture. Buy on Amazon.
These books offer different perspectives on Walt Disney's life and provide a deeper understanding of his immense impact on animation, filmmaking, and the entertainment industry as a whole.
My Relationship to Walt Disney
It came to my attention that there was a family connection to Walt Disney through Family Search. When I looked into this last year (2023) it gave me these details. (11th cousin twice removed)
However, other research has since been done, and this relationship has changed and now the best relationship route is different. Basically, the 'Ann Talbot' link above has been removed. The details below were taken from the site on 24/01/2024 :
Just goes to show, you can only expect the results to be as good as the people manipulating the data!
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