Walt Disney
PowerPoint By Elizabeth Benson
Introduction
•
Born on December 5th, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois.
•
Died of lung cancer on December 15th,1966.
Disney, the empire we know today, the world, the land, Disney
entertainment, Disney cruises, Disney Stores, toys, movies, cartoons, was all
started by one man and his love for animation. Walter Elias Disney.
Childhood
Walter Elias Disney was born December 5th, 1901 in Chicago to Elias and
Flora Disney. He was the youngest of four boys (Herbert, Raymond, and Roy).
When Walt’s little sister Ruth was born, they moved to a farm in Marceline,
Missouri.
While in Marceline, the two eldest boys, Herbert and Raymond, ran away
from home, fleeing their abusive and demanding father. Shortly after, Elias got too
sick to run the farm. The farm was auctioned off and the Disney’s moved to Kansas
City. In Kansas City, Elias made Walt and Roy work as unpaid paperboys. They got
up as early as 3:30am and to deliver about 50 papers each.
Nineteen year old Roy had had enough, he left home one night and fled to
his uncle’s house. Walt was the only boy left in the house, and often was beaten
by his father.
In the year 1917, Elias had got a job working at a jelly factory and had to
move to Chicago. Walt stayed behind and spent the summer with Roy and Herbert.
Walt started to notice his talent as drawing and became determined to be an
artist.
Adolescence
Walt moved back with his parents and attended McKinley High School. He
published his drawings and cartoons for the school news paper and studied at the
Chicago Institute of Art three days a week.
During World War I, Roy had joined the navy and Raymond was in the army.
Walt wanted to be a part of it too, but he was too young to join the army. As the war
was ending, Walt joined a Red Cross volunteer unit. He was sent to France to work on
clean-up operations and drove ambulances. He made many friends in his unit,
including a puppy named Carey. He entrusted his friend Russell to take Carey back
home overseas. When he returned, Walt found that his beloved dog had died, and his
steady girlfriend had married another without telling him.
In 1919, Walt took his drawings to the Kansas City newspapers; he wanted to
be a political cartoonist, but there were no available jobs. He soon got a job as a
commercial artist’s apprentice. He became friends with another young artist, Ubbe
Iwwerks, and they later went into business together after they were both laid off. But
Walt soon got a job at Kansas City Film Ad Company and the they went separate ways.
Walt became fascinated by their moving cartoon commercials and changed his plans
of being a political cartoonist and now wanted to be in animation.
Adulthood
In February 1924, Walt and Roy established the very first cartoon
studio in Hollywood and hired Ubbe Iwwerks. A year later, Walt Disney
married Lillian Bounds on July 13.
The little studio produced animated comedies such as Alice’s
Wonderland, and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Later, he made a cartoon
inspired by his pet mouse, Mortimer. Mickey Mouse was a huge
success, the third Mickey cartoon, Steamboat Willie, was the first
sound cartoon.
In 1954, Walt announced that he would build an amusement
park where people young and old can have fun and relax. Disneyland
opened in Anaheim, California on July 17, 1955, over 33,000 guests
arrived. Within seven weeks about 1,000,000 people visited
Disneyland. Only three years later, Walt considered making another
theme park, Disney World, at Orlando, Florida. Sadly, Walt died of
lung cancer on December 15, 1966. Roy continued to work on his
brothers dream and Walt Disney World opened on October 1, 1971.
Roy died three months later on December 20.
Timeline
1901- Walt
Disney born
Dec. 5 in
Chicago
1919- First
real job as
an artist at
Kansas City
Slide
1918Volunteered to
go overseas
France during
World War I
1924Established
first cartoon
studio in
Hollywood
1925Marries
Lillian
Bounds
1937- Snow
White and the
Seven Dwarfs is
the first full
length
animation film.
1928Introduced
Mickey Mouse
in Steamboat
Willie, first
synchronized
sound cartoon
1955“Disneyland”
theme park
opens in
Anaheim,
California
1966- Walt
Disney dies
of lung
cancer
1971- “Walt Disney
World” opens in
Orlando, Florida. Roy
Disney dies.
Positive Contributions
Walt Disney was a bit of a perfectionist, he spent much of his time
experimenting with forms of animation to get it to look exactly as he imagined
it. His “experiments” helped bring soundless, colorless cartoons to what they
are today.
The Walt Disney theme parks, based on his well-known cartoons, allow
children and adults alike to come together to relax and have fun. There are
now five Disney theme parks worldwide (Disneyland in California, Walt Disney
World in Florida, Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Hong Kong, and Tokyo Disney).
The name “Disney” is known all around the world.
Most Interesting
The most interesting thing I read about Walt Disney is that no matter
what people said, he was always determined to follow his dream. He
wanted to become an artist; his family thought that was ridiculous. He
wanted to make Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs a full-length animated
feature; they told him it wouldn’t work. He wanted to build a his own
theme park; they said it was impossible. But Walt proved them wrong .
I also learned that Walt Disney had an obsession with trains, he even
made his own personal railroad in his backyard. He enjoyed giving people
rides on his little train, which later led to the idea of building an
amusement park.
3 Questions
• When did you first realize that you were good at drawing and knew that
you wanted to be an artist?
• In your quest to be an artist, most of your family disagreed with your
decision, was there anyone that supported and inspired you?
• If you could watch the Disney channel today, would you be proud of how
far your cartoons have come?
1928
2009
Bibliography
Fanning, Jim. Walt Disney. New York: Chelsea House, 1994.
The End