Walter Elias Disney

A hero can be anyone, they can be skinny, fat, or in any shape. They could be tall or short, it doesn't matter. A hero is someone a person looks up to for extreme achievments or qualities. Heroes are respected by people for what they have done. My hero is Walt Disney, because he's uplifted millions of people because of his amusment parks and the happiness he brought through his ideas. Walt has given enjoyment and joy to people that will last for centuries.

Walt was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of five children, four brothers and one sister. When he was older he began to love nature, his family, the community, and wildlife. When he was 16 years old he tried to join the military. He was turned down because he was under age. Later in his life, he began a career in commercial art, and started a buisness called Laugh-O-Grams, which didn't do well so he had no choice but to close it down. He then moved to Hollywood to begin another career with his brother Roy. Their company was called "Alice Comedies." Because of the company Walter became recognized in Hollywood. In November of 1928, Walt and his brother made their first debut of "Steamboat Willie." This movie made Walt, Roy, and the characters of the movie, such as Micky, and Minnie Mouse famous.

Steamboat Willie (www.moma.org)

Walt's motivation to perfect the art of animation was never ending. Technicolor cartoons were introduced to them. A two year patent for the only color cartoon was earned by Walt. In 1932, the production called "Flowers and Trees" earned Walt's first Academy award. Later Walt would win 32 more awards.

Walt and his brother later bought a house near the Disney studios for his mom, Flora, and his dad, Elias. In a short time, not more than a month later, his mom died because of a faulty furnace. Walt felt terrible after this and never was able to get over what accidentally happened to his mother.

Mikey painting walt (binarybonsai.com)

From the many movies Walt produced, he earned money to go and visit places and animals all over the world. Walt finally began his dream of having a wonderful, clean amusement park, after deciding to begin an amuesment park. Walt almost decided he was going to put it on a small lot in Burbank, Los Angleles, that was a little 16-acre site, to put his amuesment park on. But his ideas quickly outgrew that little site. He finally found a place that was just right for his amusement park called Disneyland. It was a 85-acre lot that he decided to buy right away. In the spring of 1955, not long after the lot was bought, the bulldozers arrived to take out all the trees and debris. When the bulldozers arrived, it would be not more than a month away before the amusement park had its grand opening. Eventually Walt's dreams came true when he completed Disneyland, one of the first amuesment parks of this kind, even today. Walt has made many great achievments, and is my hero for many different reasons. Walt is a wonderful hero!