Walt Disney

Walt Disney was born on December 5, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois and died on December 15, 1966, in Los Angeles, California. His real full name was Walter Elias Disney, but his famous name was Walt Disney. Walt Disney was famous for being an American motion-picture and television producer. Walt Disney was also famous for being a pioneer of animated cartoon films and is famous for creating Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. He was also famous for creating what we know is called Disneyland. Walt Disney planned and built Disneyland, a huge amusement park where all the characters he invented live.

Walter Elias Disney was the fourth son of his father Elias Disney. Elias Disney was married to Flora Call who was Walter Elias Disney's mother and she was a public school teacher. "Elias Disney was a peripatetic carpenter, farmer and building contractor." When Walter Elias Disney was an infant (newborn), they moved to a farm that was near Marceline, Missouri. This was when Walter Elias Disney developed his interest in drawing. Then in 1910 his family moved to Kansas City. This was where Walter Elias Disney went to school and delivered newspapers. After he was 14 years old he was enrolled in art classes at the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design. In 1917 the Disney's moved back to Chicago. While they were in Chicago Walter entered McKinley High School. In McKinley High School Walt Disney took photographs and made drawings for the school paper and he also studied cartooning, eventually achieving his goal job as a newspaper cartoonist. However his progress was interrupted by World War 1. Walt Disney had participated as an ambulance driver for the American Red Cross in France and Germany. After that he returned to Kansas City in 1919 and found Occasional employment as a draftsman and as an inker in Commercial art studios and that's were Walt Disney met Ub Iwerks. He was a young artist who helped Walt Disney succeed in his early life.

Disney and Iwerks started a small studio in 1922. They made a one and two minute animated advertising film and distributed it in local theaters. They also made many other animated cartoon series. Then in 1923 Disney was forced to file for bankruptcy and then moved to California and reopened a shop in Hollywood. Roy was his business manager and Iwerks joined him and helped him with the drawings. After that Disney and Iwerks created a new character and his name was Mickey Mouse. In 1928 they made a film called Steamboat Willie that featured Mickey Mouse and it had sound.

After the big hit with Mickey Mouse they made Minnie Mouse, who was his girl friend and they created other characters like Donald Duck and Pluto. Then in the early 1930s during The Great Depression in 1933 he created the film of "The Three Little Pigs" and with that he made money for his company. Then Roy started selling Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck - watches, dolls, shirts, and tops and with that money he also profits for the company. In 1934 Walt Disney began to work on a new version about the Classic Fairy Tale story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. His main job was to coordinate and final decision maker. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs were popular with critics and the audience. This film proved that animations could be successful to become a feature - length movie.

After that Walt Disney made other full - length entertainment films like Dumbo which was made in 1941, Bambi which was made in 1942 and Pinocchio which was made in 1940. In 1940 Walt Disney moved his company in new studio that was in Burbank, California. Walt Disney was one of the first to see the possibilities of television. Then after that Walt Disney made a show called The Mickey Mouse Club that included a cast of teen age performers that were known as the Mouseketeers that was a big successful hit. But his biggest successful hit was the film Mary Poppins.

In 1950 Walt Disney had plans of making a huge amusement park that would be built near Los Angeles. Walt Disney had opened Disneyland in 1955 and after that it became a really popular place for people meet their favorite characters and to have fun. Then Walt Disney planned a second Disney park called Disneyworld and then it was being built near Orlando, Florida. But before they were finished Walt Disney died and then it was opened in 1971. Walt Disney's imagination, energy and humor inspired him to create and develop amusement for everyone throughout the world. He was one of the most successful entertainment businessmen of all time.