Walt Elias Disney

Walt Disney (Drawn By Sean)

As the creator of one of the most beloved cartoon characters, Walt Disney is a legend and one of my heroes who still inspires many people today.

Walt Elias Disney was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois, to Elias and Flora Disney. His very strict father physically abused him and his four other siblings. After Walt was born, his father, who worked as a contractor, moved his family to a farm in Marceline, Missouri. Walt lived on the farm for many years and grew to love animals, which inspired his interest in art. He started to sell his sketches to nearby neighbors at the age of seven. Unfortunately the farmed failed and they decide to move to Kansas City. Walt helped his father deliver newspapers and began his art lessons during this time. In 1917, Walt and his family moved back to Chicago, where Walt entered McKinley High School. Walt dropped out of high school at age seventeen to serve as an ambulance driver during World War I.

A Statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse

After the war, he went back to Kansas City where he met Ub Iwerks, a young artist. These two created their own studio in 1922 where they made short animated films and sold them to local theaters. This company eventually went bankrupt so Walt decided to move to Hollywood. Walt continued his dream along with his older brother, Roy. He created many other short films that were not very successful. Steamboat Willie was one of the most successful short films created by Walt Disney. It featured a cheerful and energetic mouse named Mickey who soon became a sensation.

On July 13, 1925, Walt married one of his first employees, Lillian Bounds, in Lewiston, Idaho. They soon had two daughters named Diane and Sharon. In 1934, Walt started his version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, one of the first full-length animated films. During the next five years, Walt completed many other films such as Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi. After the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt and Roy brought their parents closer to their studio. Five months later, Flora Disney died because of a faulty furnace in their home. In 1940, the construction on a new studio was completed in Burbank, California.

Walt Disney

Walt Disney had created a plan of an amusement park during the 1950s. On July 18, 1957, Walt opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The idea for this park came when he took his children to other amusement parks and saw how much fun they were having on the rides. He wanted to build a park where everyone could enjoy it. Walt wanted to build another park in Orlando, Florida, and in 1971, Disney World opened. Unfortunately, Walt could not see this park open due to his death 1966.

Walt is my hero because he never gave up no matter what the circumstances and he is an inspirational artist to me and many others. His work continues to bring enjoyment to children and adults all over the world and we can all learn from him.