Walter Elias
Disney
December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966
By: Julie Shaffer
Business Man
Timeline on Walt Disney
1901 - WALTER ELIAS DISNEY IS BORN ON DECEMBER 5 IN CHICAGO, IL, TO
ELIAS DISNEY AND FLORA CALL DISNEY.
1906 - THE DISNEY'S MOVE TO MARCELINE, MO, WHERE WALT HAS AN
IDYLLIC CHILDHOOD ON A FARM AND
DEVELOPS A STRONG INTEREST IN DRAWING.
1910 ELIAS, HIS HEALTH POOR, HAS TO SELL THE FARM.
1911 - The family moves to Kansas City, MO, where Walt rises daily at
3:30 a.m. to deliver newspapers
on his
. father’s paper route. He discovers and falls in love with
vaudeville and movies.
1917 The family moves to Chicago, where Walt draws
pictures for the McKinley High School
newspaper and attends evening classes at the Art
Institute of Chicago. Walt hopes to become a
newspaper cartoonist
1918 - Walt lies about his age to be accepted into the American Ambulance Corps and serves in
France
following the end of World War I.
1919 -Walt returns to the US, moves to Kansas City and gets a job at the PesmenRubin Commercial
Art Studio for $50 a month.
1920- Walt meets Ub Iwerks and forms Iwerks-Disney Commercial Artists. The
company fails after
one month. Walt and Iwerks get jobs with the Kansas City Slide Company (later KC
Film Ad
Company) and discover animation. While keeping his day job, Walt creates Newman
Laugh-Ograms,
which produces advertising and topical shorts and story cartoons.
1922- Walt incorporates Laugh-O-Gram Films, Inc. with $15,000 from backers.
1923- Laugh-O-Gram goes bankrupt. Walt moves to Hollywood to become a director.
With his
brother Roy, he establishes the Disney Brothers Studio when he lands a contract for
the “Alice
Comedies,” a series in which a young girl filmed in live action interacts with animated
characters.
1924- Walt hires animators, including Iwerks, ceases animating, and focuses on story
development and
direction
1924- Lillian Bounds, Walt’s future wife, starts work at the Studio as an inker.
1925- Walt and Lillian get married.
1926 -Walt and Roy rename the studio Walt Disney Studios and move it to a new
building on
Hyperion Avenue. The birthplace of some of Disney’s greatest films, it later becomes
known as
the Hyperion studio
1927 -Film distributor Charles Mintz contracts Walt Disney Studios to create a new
series of animation
films based on an undeveloped character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. As the distributor
for the
cartoons, Mintz owns rights to it. When the series succeeds and Walt asks for a larger
budget,
Mintz asserts trademark rights and tries to take over Walt Disney Studios. Walt
abandons the
character to Mintz.
1928 -Walt creates Mickey Mouse. He joins the vanguard of the talking-picture revolution
when he
produces Steamboat Willie, an innovative cartoon that synchronizes sound and animation.
During
the next year, Mickey becomes a national sensation.
1929 -Walt launches “Silly Symphonies,” a series of cartoons that combine music and
animation.
1930 -Roy and Walt Disney license Mickey-related merchandising.
1931 -Membership in the Mickey Mouse Club passes one million people.
1932 -Walt acquires exclusive use of three-strip Technicolor for cartoons and
incorporates the
technology in his films. He hires teachers from the Chouinard Art Institute to give
classes at the
Studios.
1933- Three Little Pigs, the 36th “Silly Symphony,” is distributed, with the original
song, “Who's Afraid
of the Big Bad Wolf?” The song becomes a national hit and an anthem for the Great
Depression. Lillian Disney gives birth to Diane Disney.
1936- Lillian and Walt adopt Sharon Disney.
1937--- Disney Studios develops a sophisticated multiplane camera that
simultaneously shoots several
levels of cels and backgrounds and gives depth to its films. The Studios use it in a
“Silly
Symphony,” The Old Mill, and then in Disney’s first feature-length animated film,
Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs.
1938- Disney Studios acquires a 50-acre lot in Burbank, CA, for a new studio. Walt
and Leopold
Stokowski agree to collaborate on a movie that weds animation art to classical
music, Fantasia.
Walt’s mother, Flora, dies.
1939 Walt wins an honorary Academy Award ® with a unique casting: one full-sized
Oscar ® and
seven miniatures for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
1940 -Disney releases Pinocchio and Fantasia. Fantasia is released with a
new technology, Fantasound,
which precedes stereo and surround sound by 20 years. Neither film is
commercially successful,
and Walt Disney Studios issues 600,000 shares of common stock at $5.00
per share.
1941- Disney Studios releases Dumbo, which is a modest commercial success. The animators
at the
studio strike and unionize. Walt goes on a goodwill tour in South America. The United
States
enters World War II; the U.S. Army requisitions half of Disney Studios to house troops
assigned
to protecting a nearby Lockheed plant. Walt’s father, Elias, dies.
1941-"Saludos Amigos" and "The Three Caballeros" are the result of the the South America
trip. Both films are successfull in North & South America.
High demand for war films occurs.
The draft takes 1/3 of Walt's artists. The army moves into the Disney Studios.
1942-"Bambi" is released but has disappointing numbers at the
box office in both the U.S. and foreign cities
1946- The company's debt rises to $4.3 million.
1947-Walt considers making educational and commercial films, but decides that the
company should be in the entertainment business. He decides that Alaska should be
filmed, then takes a flying tour himself. The flight almost went bad due to heavy
clouds and no radio contact to land. After circling for 2 hours, the plane lands safely.
Walt, after reviewing the Alaska films, suggests a feature length film based on the
life of seals. Due to it's short time, Walt books the film with a lengthy feature. The
audience's reaction to the film is good. It eventually wins an Academy Award for
best 2-reel documentary.
1948-Walt & Lillian had been looking for property to build a new house and Walt required the
lot of land to be large enough to accommodate a train circling the home.
They found property and built the new home in Holmby Hills, CA. Walt designs a half mile run
and called the train's engine the "Lilly Belle," named after Mrs. Lillian Disney. He called it the
Carolwood-Pacific Railroad.
1949-The Walt Disney Music Company is formed
1950-Cinderella" debuts and is well accepted, the first hit for Disney Studios since "Snow
White and the Seven Dwarfs."
By November of 1950, Disney Studios debt is reduced to $1.7 million.
1951-Walt schedules "Alice In Wonderland" to follow "Cinderella." "Alice In Wonderland" had
been an idea since 1933, as Walt contemplated both a live-action film and putting Ginger
Rogers in a cartoon Wonderland. Once the film was completed, Walt and crew were relieved.
The film was a disappointment in both London and America, while losing $1 million.
"Peter Pan" was the next cartoon in production. Walt bought the rights to the play in 1939
and spent years trying to convert it into a cartoon.
1952-Script production begins on "Lady and the Tramp," a script started in 1943 but dropped
for almost a decade.
1953-Walt's vision of an amusement park begins. He visits fairs, carnivals, circuses and parks
to study the attractions and the people. He borrows on his life insurance and starts to
assemble a staff to help plan the park. He decides that the name of the park would be called
Disneyland.
1954-"Davy Crockett" is the hit of the inaugural Disneyland season and "The Ballad of Davy
Crockett" is #1 for 13 weeks, selling over 10 million records. More than 10 million Davy
Crockett racoon skin hats are sold.
"Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier" profits almost $2.5 million.
Ronald Miller works for Disney as a liason between WED and Disneyland before he is inducted
for the draft.
1955-The Walt Disney Production animated feature film, "Lady and the Tramp" is released in
the US by Buena Vista. It is the first cartoon feature filmed in CinemaScope and processed in
Technicolor.
1956-"Sleeping Beauty" is put into production but without Walt's full attention due to his
engrossment with Disneyland, live-action films and television. It continues in production for
three years, costing $6 million.
1957-Disney introduces a third television series named "Zorro", a half-hour adventure on ABC
network. It lasts for two seasons before ABC declines renewal.
1958-"The Shaggy Dog" is released and is a surprising success, earning over $9.5 million in
North America.
1958-Disneyland's Columbia ship is christened. It is a full-scale replica of the first ship to carry
the American flag around the world. It cost $300,000 to build.
1959-Sharon Disney marries Bob Brown, a designer with an architectural firm
1960-"Pollyanna" is released but is a disappointment at the box office, earning less than $1
million. Walt feels that he should have named the film differently because the male part of
the audience apparently balked at seeing a movie with such a title.
1961-Diane & Ron Miller's 5th child is born and is named Walter Elias Disney Miller. Walt had
complained to Diane that she had not named any of her four children after her father or
mother. Walt's wish comes true… Walter celebrates his 60th Birthday!!!
1963- Enchanted Tiki Room opens at Disneyland. It is originally planned as a restaurant but
Walt feels that there wouldn't be enough time to serve meals and perform a show.
Audio-Animatronics is developed by WED
.
1964-Mary Poppins" premieres at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood and gavets rave
reviews.
"Mary Poppins" is nominated for 13 Academy Awards.
1965-Walt Disney sends his brother, Roy, and a few other Disney executives to Florida, to
purchase land for a Community of Tomorrow.
1966-The "New Orleans Square" area opens at Disneyland. It cost US$18 million, and occupies
3 acres
1966-Walt turns 65, although there isn't really a celebration, Walt was to ill for any
observations
1966-Walt Disney dies at 9:35 a.m. from an Acute Circulatory Collapse.
Walt’s obstacles and challenges
He is serious about his ambitions, as well as disciplined, dedicated, and tenacious in pursuing his
objectives. His drive and energy are directed toward practical material accomplishments and concrete
results. Walt Disney also strives to be in a position of authority and social influence; he enjoys being
in command.
Walt Disney is hard-working and capable of foregoing immediate comfort in order to achieve his longrange goals. Disney can easily become a workaholic and is very responsible and conscientious about
doing a thorough job.
Realistic and pragmatic, he is an excellent strategist. Walt Disney achieves success by formulating a
conservative and workable plan and seeing it through. He is not a gambler when it comes to attaining
his goals; Disney depends on his own efforts and perseverance rather than good fortune. Walt Disney
has a natural shrewdness and instinct for business or organizational management.
Although enterprising and proactive, Walt Disney is also capable of ample
much self-discipline, patience and effort. He may swing from confidence and
trust in the future to pessimism and doubt, when it comes to achieving his
aims in life.
He is very serious about attaining his goals and feels that keeping his nose to
the grindstone is the only way to do it. It is by working hard, keeping up his
efforts and focusing on a single objective that Walt Disney achieves his aims
in life. Walt exercises great self-control, even self-denial, in order to
accomplish what he desires. He meets obstacles stoically and struggles
patiently through difficult circumstances. Walt Disney feels that he must rely
on himself alone and that he must shoulder all of the responsibility. He can
be a harsh disciplinarian, expecting far too much of himself and others. Walt
often holds himself back, doubting his own power and ability. He may feel
that he meets great resistance whenever he tries to assert himself or take
initiative, which is very frustrating to Disney. However, Walt Disney has the
power to endure and a dogged determination to overcome all obstacles.
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Walt Disney has a strong tendency to flirt and he seeks
excitement and stimulation through his love relationships. Walt
has the ability to make himself interesting to people he meets and
some of his relationships may have an unusual quality or may
begin under unusual conditions.
His attunement to the intangible or unseen world is very strong.
Thus, Walt's drive and ambitions in life are apt to be colored by
his subtle awareness, his mystical or intuitive sensitivity.
Imagination, "make believe", creative fantasy, and the ability to
visualize may be aspects of his career, also. Walt Disney has the
ability to "channel" healing or inspirational messages.
Walt Disney has a tendency to say things which unintentionally
put off those in a position to advance his career and professional
ambitions. Perhaps it is not what Walt says, but the manner in
which he does so, or the timing. At times Walt Disney is apt to
feels that he must stifle certain thoughts and opinions in order to
succeed in reaching his goals. Mostly, though, Disney will need to
be shrewd, tactical, and conscious of how his words will affect his
listeners.
It is not easy for Walt Disney to show the world at large his angry or competitive side, but his
family sees this side of his more often. Temper tantrums, tumultuous family relationships, or a
great deal of competition between Disney and one or more of his relations is likely. Walt
Disney likes to be the one in charge in his home and he puts a lot of energy into making it the
way he wants it.
Walt Disney has a positive, "can-do" attitude and he tackles life's challenges with relish.
He is self-confident and has a strong will to succeed, to see how much he can do and how far he
can go. No matter what Disney accomplishes, he does not rest on his laurels. Walt wants to
keep on going, to do even bigger things. He is proactive, enterprising and enthusiastic about
new projects. He is not happy in situations that do not offer him challenges and the potential for
future growth - no matter how secure or satisfactory they may seem in other respects. He enjoys
competition, but Walt Disney competes mostly with himself, to see how much of his vision and
potential he can really achieve. He makes a good leader, inspiring courage and confidence in
others. Walt Disney usually enjoys good health and a high level of vitality.
Walt Disney has a clear view of his aim in life
and plans a course of action very thoroughly
and decisively. He pursues his objectives with
great assurance, gladly accepts responsibility,
and he loves to work because Disney likes what
he does.
Walt Disney tends to have a very deep soul-life
and a great need for deep spiritual
understanding and truth. Walt has the ability
to open himself up to the spiritual dimensions
and what he may learn could prove to be of
permanent value to him.
The End