The Man Himself
As we all know, Walt Disney became one of the world's greatest entertainment creators. Still, not many know his origins and his animation pioneer journey. Born as Walter Elias Disney on December 5th, 1905, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. began to develop his love for drawing when he started attending school, painting, and drawing with crayons and watercolors. As a farmer, his father, Elias Disney, left his efforts at farming and moved the family to Kansas City, where Elias and Walt worked on delivering morning newspapers. Walt then began studying cartooning with a correspondence school and attending classes at the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design. In 1917, Disney moved back to Chicago. Walt began attending McKinley High School, where he focused on taking photographs and drawing for the school's newspaper while studying cartooning in his spare time. His progress was interrupted when World War 1 came, where he served as an ambulance driver in France and Germany. In 1919, Walt returned to Kansas City, where he continued to work at an inker as a part-time job. He later met Ub Iwerks, a young artist whose talents greatly influenced Walt later on in his early career.
From a Studio
The Walt Disney company started on October 16th, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney, originally named the "Disney Bros. Studio." The studio was a small office with a low $10 rent, located in Holly-Vermont Realty in Los Angeles. After the staff began to increase, the brothers decided to move to a new location. They made a deposit on Hyperion Avenue in the Silver Lake district in Los Angeles. Construction began shortly after. For the next 14 years, there were many changes in the studio, including the invention of Disney's worldwide famous mascot, Mickey Mouse, in 1923, as well as the rest of the gang, such as Donald Duck and Goofy.
To an Empire
1937 was a significant year for Disney, releasing its first full-length animated film, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." The film was a worldwide success and was loved by many. Wanting to expand the company and meet the expectations of his audience, Walt sought to increase the studio's size, landwise. So with the earnings from the Snow White film, Walt made a deposit on 51 acres of land in Burbank in order to begin a modern studio specifically for the production of animated films. Walt was very much involved with all aspects of the new studio, from building layout to the staff's chairs. He wanted things to be perfect and ready for producing films. His main goal was to provide all the essentials for the team to create high-quality productions. During the 1940s and 1950s, many famous Disney classic films were produced in Burbank, such as "Fantasia," "Bambi," "Cinderella," "Alice in Wonderland," and "Peter Pan."
The Riverside Lot
Across the Studio is a Feature Animation Building and The ABC Building. Originally, Walt had an idea to make a Mickey Mouse park right in that area. The park would include life-sized Mickey and Donald costumes where people would bring their families, take pictures, and enjoy train rides. But as Walt's ideas continued to grow, so did his need for more space to meet his dreams. Shortly after, he purchased 200 acres of orange groves in Anaheim, California, which later in 1955 became the Disneyland theme park we know today.
Walt's Invention
Walt invented the multiplane camera to create state of the art animated films. It was first used in 1937 for the short film The Old Mill, which gave animated films more depth and richness to the scenes. Although all of Disney's early animated productions were short films, Walt was bothered by how flat the animation turned out to be in the final product. Walt then invented the multiplane camera to offer several layers of drawings. The camera would then focus on one of those layers, creating a more dynamic final product. The 1937 "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" film was the first full-length film to be produced using the multiplane camera, and continued to use it to create many more classic films.
His Legacy
Walt was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1966 and later passed away On December 15th that same year. Before his death, he had plans to create an even bigger and better amusement park for the Disney company: Disney World, located in Florida. His artistic talents and whimsical humor are the prime motivators for him to create a well-loved show and amusement park for children of all ages. Many criticized his frequent overly-happy attitude and creations as well as creating a monopoly that discouraged new ideas, yet his accomplishments live on. No doubt, Walt's creations, and smart marketing made him the world's most successful industrialist person in history.
By: Jesus Arambula
Disney Origins