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The Walt Disney company has a prestigous history in the entertainment industry, stretching over 75 years. It started on October 16, 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, a joint venture of Walt Disney and his brother, Roy. Three years later the company had produced two movies and purchased a studio in Hollywood, Calfiornia. Pitfalls in distribution rights nearly sank Walt and his company, but the creation of Mickey Mouse saved a sinking ship.
By 1932, the Disney Company won its first Academy Award for Best Cartoon, for the Silly Symphony. 1934 marked the production of Disney’s first full-length feature film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which released in 1937 and became the highest grossing film of its time. But afterwards, the expenses of production caused difficulties with the next few animated films; then the advent of World War II halted the production of films as the Walt Disney company contributed its skills to the war effort.
After the war it was difficult for the company to pick up where it had left off, but 1950 proved a turning point with the production of its first live-action film, Treasure Island and another animated film, Cinderella. In that time period, Disney also began several television series; in 1955, The Mickey Mouse Club also made its debut.
1955 also provided another landmark moment: the opening of the first California Disney theme park, Disneyland. Disney continued its rise in popularity, and survived even the death of its founder in 1966. His brother Roy took over supervision at that time, and then was succeeded by an executive team in 1971. Several more projects, from merchandising to the continuing production of animated and live-action films to the construction of more theme parks filled the years; in 1983, Disney went international with the opening of Tokyo Disneyland.
In the past few decades, Disney has moved into a wider market, beginning The Disney Channel on cable and establishing subdivisions such as Touchstone Pictures to produce films other than the usual family-oriented fare, gaining a firmer footing on a broader range. In the 1970s and 1980s, the company suffered from takeover attempts, but eventually recovered; the recruiting of the current chairman, Michael D. Eisner, was crucial to that. Eisner and executive parnter Frank Wells have been a successful team, leading Disney to continue its tradition of excellence into a new century.
Founded: The Walt Disney Company was founded in as a cartoon studio in 1923.
Founder: Walter Elias Disney, founder of the Walt Disney Company, was a pioneer in the development of animation as an industry.
About the Company: Disney is one of the most famous names in the animation industry, known for providing entertainment directed to adults and children alike; with international theme parks and a world-class animation studio and business franchise, the company nearly dominates the industry. Famous names such as Mickey Mouse began with Disney, and were the foundation of a company that has now branched out into several entertainment studios, theme parks, products, and other media productions.
Walt Disney was quoted on many topics of entertainment, his life and career. Here?s a sampling from the new Disney Editions book, “The Quotable Walt Disney,” compiled by Disney archivist Dave Smith . . .
On Mickey Mouse:
“I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing?that it was all started by a mouse.”
“Mickey Mouse is, to me, a symbol of independence. He was a means to an end. He popped out of my mind onto a drawing pad . . . on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when business fortunes of my brother Roy and myself were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner. Born of necessity, the little fellow literally freed us of immediate worry. He provided the means for expanding our organization . . . and for extending the medium of cartoon animation toward new entertainment levels.
He spelled production liberation for us.”
“All we ever intended for him or expected of him was that he should continue to make people everywhere chuckle with him and at him. We didn?t burden him with any social symbolism, we made him no mouthpiece for frustrations or harsh satire. Mickey was simply a little personality assigned to the purposes of laughter.”
On the parks:
“When I started on Disneyland, my wife used to say, ?But why do you want to build an amusement park? They?re so dirty.? I told her that was just the point?mine wouldn?t be.”
“I think what I want Disneyland to be most of all is a happy place?a place where adults and children can experience together some of the wonders of life, of adventure, and feel better because of it.”
“Disneyland is a work of love. We didn?t go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money.”
“Disneyland is like a piece of clay: If there is something I don?t like, I?m not stuck with it. I can reshape and revamp.”
“Disneyland is often called a magic kingdom because it combines fantasy and history, adventure and learning, together with every variety of recreation and fun designed to appeal to everyone.”
Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”
“Believe me, it?s the most exciting and challenging assignment we have ever tackled at Walt Disney Productions.” (on Walt Disney World)
On children, young and old, and the family:
“I do not make films primarily for children. I make them for the child in all of us, whether we be six or sixty. Call the child innocence. The worst of us is not without innocence, although buried deeply it might be. In my work I try to reach and speak to that innocence, showing it the fun and joy of living; showing it that laughter is healthy; showing it that the human species, although happily ridiculous at times, is still reaching for the stars.”
“Every child is born blessed with a vivid imagination. But just as a muscle grows flabby with disuse, so the bright imagination of a child pales in later years if he ceases to exercise it.”
“The way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is no answer to delinquency. Preaching won?t keep kids out of trouble. But keeping their minds occupied will.”
“That?s the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up. They forget. They don?t remember what it?s like to be twelve years old. They patronize; they treat children as inferiors. I won?t do that. I?ll temper a story, yes. But I won?t play down, and I won?t patronize.”
“It?s a mistake not to give people a chance to learn to depend on themselves while they are young.”
“To the youngsters of today, I say believe in the future, the world is getting better; there still is plenty of opportunity. Why, would you believe it, when I was a kid I thought it was already too late for me to make good at anything.”
“Childishness? I think it?s the equivalent of never losing your sense of humor. I mean, there?s a certain something that you retain. It?s the equivalent of not getting so stuffy that you can?t laugh at others.”
“The important thing is the family. If you can keep the family together?and that?s the backbone of our whole business, catering to families?that?s what we hope to do.”
“A man should never neglect his family for business.”
On America:
“Laughter is America?s most important export.”
“Actually, if you could see close in my eyes, the American flag is waving in both of them and up my spine is growing this red, white and blue stripe.”
“In my view, wholesome pleasure, sport, and recreation are as vital to this nation as productive work and should have a large share in the national budget.”
Lots of Funny Facts About Walt Disney
Walt Disney was an entertainment pioneer, introducing families to groundbreaking cartoons, feature films, theme parks and more. Allmost everyone knows when he was born (Dec. 5, 1901), his first motion picture (a 1928 short titled “Steamboat Willie”) and his other landmark family-entertainment ventures (”The Mickey Mouse Club,” “Davy Crockett” and “The Wonderful World of Disney“).But did you also know that:
Walt Disney only attended one year of high school.
He won more Oscars than anyone else (32).
In 1923, in California, Walt and Roy formed the Disney Brothers Studio. At Roy’s insistence, the company soon became the Walt Disney Studio, since he felt that Walt’s name should be emphasized. This is officially recognized as the starting date of The Walt Disney Company.
He grew his famous mustache at age 25.
He was the voice of Mickey Mouse for two decades.
He often ate lunch at his desk — his favorite meal was chili and beans, which he ate with tomato juice and soda crackers.
He admitted to being “scared to death” when he had to face the camera to introduce episodes of the “Disneyland” television series.