Walt Disney

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Walt Disney

An underprivileged boy from Chicago once said, "If you can dream it, you can do it." His name was Walt Disney. He changed his life around by creating some of the most inspirational and fascinating things in his lifetime. From the first colored film, to Mickey Mouse, to Walt Disney theme parks, he imagined and created it all. An innovator, creator, entrepreneur, and dreamer; Walt Disney not only created Mickey Mouse but created a legacy through his creativeness and courageousness, that still inspires people to this day.

Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks (http://jimhillmedia.com/editor_in_chief1/b/jim_hil ())

Walt Disney began his life in Illinois on December 5, 1901 ("Walt Disney: Student Resources In Context"). Throughout his childhood, he would go to art classes and Saturday museum classes in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri ("Walter Elias Disney: SHSMO"). In Walt's teenage years, he dropped out of high school to serve in World War I ("Walter Elias Disney: SHSMO"). After the war, he returned to Missouri and worked as a commercial illustrator. Disney then started his own business with a longtime friend, Ub Iwerks. Their business did not last long, but due to his inability to give up, Walt Disney set out for Hollywood, California in 1923.

Disney's uncle gave him $500 to start what would be a legacy that everyone would remember ("Walter Elias Disney: SHSMO").  Disney, Iwerks, and Walt's brother Roy, created cartoons and films in black and white, and eventually, a first for their time, color. Walt created iconic movies and characters such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Fantasia (1940) and Bambi (1942). He received many awards and achievements in his lifetime, such as several Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964. ("Walt Disney: Student Resources In Context"). "Walt Disney died of lung cancer on December 15, 1966, in Los Angeles, California" ("Walt Disney: Biography In Context"). Although he died, his inspiration, company, and legacy did not die with him.

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Courage: noun  cour·age \ˈkÉ™r-ij, ˈkÉ™-rij\ mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. Walt was courageous from the beginning. It took courage to begin the journey towards his dreams, and it took courage to see them through. An article by the MoMa said, "It was the first Mickey Mouse film released and the first cartoon with synchronized sound." Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks had created Steamboat Willie, something that others only talked about. They knew there could be dangers to trying something new, but they did it anyway, in hopes of trying to start new beginnings in the film industry. Disney and Iwerks continued to produce fun, creative, lovable and iconic films during the Great Depression. They not only kept their imagination alive at the time, but pushed it even further, creating Technicolor, a new three-color process that they used in their films. ("Walter Elias Disney: SHSMO"). Walt Disney showed courage throughout his journey as an entrepreneur through his actions, doing things no one else dreamed of. After all Walt once said, "All our dreams can come true,  if we have the courage to pursue them."

(https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2013/08/wal ())

Walt Disney was creative in every way possible, mentally, emotionally and physically. He had imagined, drew, and created some of the most iconic characters, theme parks and movies of his time. Disneyland was a dream come true for Walt. He created one of the most fun, memorable and magical places on earth. Walt put his creativeness into the entire park, from the rides, the shows, the parades, to the hidden clubs and Mickeys found all around the park. Disney had imagineered some of the most brilliant, innovative and lovable films of his time. Each movie he made was more creative, fresh and fascinating than the last one. From the characters, the plots, the music and the messages each movie presents, Walt's creativity was there for all of it.

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible," and the impossible did he do.  "Disney had grown from a struggling artist to a great visionary" ("Walter Elias Disney: SHSMO"). Walt had created things that people were scared to do. He imagined things no one else ever thought of doing. Walt did everything he could to reach his goals in life and be successful. He lied about his age to join the military, mortgaged his house to create his first movie, his first studio went bankrupt, his employees went on strike, and after all of that, Disney is still one of the most brilliant, creative and inspirational people of all time ("Walter Elias Disney: SHSMO").  Walt Disney inspires me and others around the world to do what you love, don't let obstacles stop you, do it for others, and be the best you can be, that anyone can do the impossible. After all "it was all started by a mouse." - Walt Disney.

Work Cited/Consulted

Pahl, Jantzen. "5 Leadership Qualities We Learned From Walt Disney." ISU Continuing

Education Workforce Training. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2017.

<http://blog.cetrain.isu.edu/blog/5-leadership-qualities-we-learned-from-walt-disney>.

"Walter Elias Disney." N.p., n.d. Web.

<http://shsmo.org/historicmissourians/name/d/disney/#intro>.

"Walt Disney." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Student Resources in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1631001828/SUIC?u=powa9245&xid=bfa32382.

Accessed 12 Jan. 2017.

"Walter Elias Disney." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Biography in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1631001828/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=128bc9de.

Accessed 12 Jan. 2017.

"Walt Disney, Ub Iwerks. Steamboat Willie. 1928 | MoMA." The Museum of Modern Art. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 01 Feb. 2017. <https://www.moma.org/collection/works/89284>.