Walt Disney, was a very successful American entrepreneur, who was a pioneer in the animation industry. Walt Disney was always very interested in art even as a child, but it wasn’t until 1828 that he developed the character Mickey mouse, who was the start of Disney’s success and fame. Walt Disney dreamed of opening amusement parks around the world where both children and adults, a like, could have fun. This is where the creation of Disneyworld and Disneyland began. Sadly, Disney died of lung cancer, before Disneyworld could be completed.
Walt Disney took art classes as a young boy, and by 18 he was employed as an art illustrator.
Walt Disney and few of his friends established “Laugh-O-Gram,” where Disney started telling contemporary tales based on Aesop’s fables. However, the cartoons which the studio produced weren’t enough to keep it going, and it soon became bankrupt. Fortunately, Disney refused to quit way back then.
For many years Walt Disney dreamt of building a theme park where kids as well as adults could enjoy. He finally realized his dreams with Disneyland, and Disneyworld (after his death). Today, Walt Disney World tickets can be purchased online.
From Bambi to Pinocchio to Jungle Book, and recent films like Beauty and the Beast and Frozen one notable thing about most Disney animated films is the absence of a mother. The child characters lose their mothers even before the film starts, or they’re not even mentioned at all. Many theorized that it has to do with Walt Disney’s own tragic story. After the success of Snow White, Disney bought a house for his parents. However, a furnace in the house leaked and his mother died.
Many think it’s going to be Mickey Mouse?
Disney was rumored to be a racist, specifically anti-Semitic. He reportedly attended meetings of the pro-Nazi organization the German American Bund, as well as gave Nazi propagandist and film director Leni Riefenstahl a tour of the Disney studios.
This means that Disney had the sole authority to produce color animated films!
Mickey Mouse wasn’t Disney’s first character. In fact he first hit it big with a character named Oswald the Rabbit, which he created when he was under contract with Universal Studios. Oswald the Rabbit even rivaled Krazy Kat and Felix the Cat in terms of popularity. Disney left Universal due to contract disputes, which means that he couldn’t take Oswald with him since the character was Universal’s property.
However, Walt Disney’s wife Lillian suggested the name “Mickey” instead. The name “Mortimer” was instead given to Mickey’s rival.
From 1928 (when Mickey Mouse was first introduced) to 1947, Walt Disney did the voice of Mickey. However, in later years he became too busy to do the Mickey Mouse voice; besides, his habitual cigarette smoking affected his voice over the years.
Walt Disney received a record 22 Academy Awards and 59 nominations between 1932 and 1969. He received his last Oscar in “Best Short Subject (Cartoon)” for his work in Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, which also happened to be his only posthumous win.