On a cold, winters day in, Chicago, Illinois, Walt Disney was born. On December 5, 1901, he became the fourth of five children (Herbert, Raymond, Roy, Walt him self and his sister Ruth). He was raised on a Midwestern farm in Marceline, Missouri, and in Kansas City, where he was able to st udy art instructions from a local museum. He would later use many of the animals and characters that he knew from that Missouri farm in his cartoons.
Surprisingly, Walt dropped out of high school at the age of 17 to serve in World War 1. After serving a brief time overseas, he returned in 1919 to Kansas City to study ney to Hollywood in 1923, where he started to produce animated films in partnership with his brother Roy. His first success came with the creation of Mickey Mouse in "Steamboat Willie." That was the first fully synchronized sound cartoon. However, before the great accomplishment of "Steamboat Willie,” Walt had already created numerous films staring Mickey Mouse. For example, "Plane Crazy,” "The Opry House,” and "When the Cat's Away" are just a few of his early films when he was using Mickey. Also, with his early films, he introduced other famous characters, such as Minnie Mouse and Goofy, in his Mickey Mouse films. He used color in a series, which won two Academy Awards. Also he created the first full-length feature cartoon.
In the 1950's and 60's Walt Disney Productions, LTD., was a major producer of film for television theater. On July 18, 1957, Disney opened Disneyland, which has proved the most successful amusement park in history with 6.7 million people visiting it by 1966. Then he decided to build a park where the entire family could go have fun. In 1971, Walt Disney World was opened due to his brother.
Happily married for 41 years, this moody, deliberately "ordinary" man was moving ahead with his plans for new outdoor recreational facilities. Sadly, he found out he had cancer and died on December 15, 1966. At the time of his death, his enterprises had gained him respect, admiration, and a business empire worth over $100 million-a-year, but Disney was still remembered primarily as the man who had created Mickey Mouse over two decades before. |
