Steven Rothwell
Kirsten Butler
Professor Lynn Raymond
English 1102

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To give a well rounded look at the History of Disney
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It will be put into perspective with information on its founder, its animation, its economic success and growing fame
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It will show the effect of American cultural life on disney, and disney’s effect on America.

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Born in Chicago, on
December 5, 1901.
Son of Elias and Flora
Disney, he had 3 other
Brothers.
Loved art and writing from an early age,
His first job in art was as an advertising cartoonist in Kansas City, Missouri
Fig 1. Walt Disney as an Ambulace driver,1918. “Walteredisney.com”
<walteredisney.com>

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Started an animation studio with
Disney wanted to pursue a career as a newspaper artist so his brother, Roy, got him a job at the
Pesmen-Rubin Art Studio where he met cartoonist
Ubbe Iwerks.
Disney worked at the Kansas City Film Ad Company where he made commercials based on cut-off animation
Then Disney began experimenting with the camera doing animation and then opened an animation business.

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After a failed studio in the
Midwest, Walt Disney and Roy decided to restart in Hollywood
California.
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Hollywood was already the “movie capitol” of america.
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Walt decided to invite his previous animator from Kansas City.
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Their first productions were “Alice
Comedies, a blend of live action and animation.
Fig 1. Walt Disney and Roy Disney.
“Celebrating Nine Decades of Disney” The
Walt Disney Company Blog.
<https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/blog/cel ebrating-nine-decades-disney>

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Roy and Walt decided they needed to make expand and make more money. They decided to produce 3 cartoons. They were unsold until sound was added.
Short film premiered in 1928, directed by Walt Disney and Ube
Iwerks
The debut of Mickey mouse and
Minnie Mouse
First Cartoon with synchronized sound
Was part of the Silly Symphonies series, Disney’s first success
Fig 1. Steamboat Willie “Finally!
Steamboat Willie”
Disneyfilmproject
<http://www.disneyfilmproject.co
m/2009/05/finally-steamboatwillie.html>

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The Six main Characters of Disney, known internationally.
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy
Duck, Goofy, and Pluto
Mickey is the most famous of all Disney
Characters, with his premiere in “Steamboat
Willie”
They have all starred in Short Cartoons, movies and comics.
Introduced through the “Silly Symphonies” Series over the course of the thirties, they remain popular today.

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• The United States was attacked on Dec 7, 1941. This brought the United States into World War 2.
Walt disney animators designed unit symbols
• World War 2 was an unprecedented effort for the United
States, with whole industries being turned towards the
War Effort.
• The Disney made War Propaganda for every branch of the U.S. Government.
Fig 1 and 2. Unit insignias: “Fifinella” and “21 st
Bombardment Squadron. “Service with Character”
Hyperion 2719 2014. Web.
<http://2719hyperion.blogspot.com/p/servicewith-character-disney-world-war.html>

• Propaganda was a crucial part in the United
State’s War effort.
• Cartoons such as “The Spirit of ‘43” and others boosted Morale on the home front, and encouraged Citizens to engage in constructive behavior for the War.
• Disney Animators worked with Frank Capra for
“Why we fight”
• Disney made Instructional Training films for the
Military

• Disney animators went on Strike during WW2
• Conflict over pay, and leader ship.
Fig 1. Mickey Mouse on strike “The Disney Strike, 1941”
The Animation Guild. Web. 2014 • 5 week Strike
• Disney Company became a Union Shop after FDR sent a labor mediator
• Labor Relations were strained during the Depression, and continued into World War II

• The Disney Company produced 14 movies during the 1940s, 8 during the World War.
• 3 of those were propaganda pieces, made with encouragement from the U.S. Government
• Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros were specifically aimed at increasing US popularity in Central and South
America.
• The war ate into Disney’s market, and this hindrance on profit contributed to the 1941
• Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940), Dumbo (1942), and Bambi
(1942) were made during this period.

• The Second World War saw America attacked, millions of men and women in uniform, and unprecedented levels of American power amidst the carnage.
• Disney movies were already considered an American
Icon.
• Disney art showed up on American fighting vehicles, as unit mascots, they sold war bonds, they were seen as doing their part.

• The “Affluent Society”
• Beginnings of the Cold War
• The rise of the Television
• Change in Disney Strategy

• Television was becoming a huge part of American
Culture
• Walt wanted to capitalize on this
• Disney’s First television series was Disneyland
• Disney was was hit on television, eventually having its own cable network in 1982 and acquiring ABC in 1996

• Disney made over 25 films during this decade
• Only 5 of these were animated films.
Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Sleeping
Beauty were made in the 50s.
• Some of Disney’s most Iconic live action films were made in this decade, such as Old Yeller

• American Culture in the 1950s was stable, but upset by foreign incidents and internal trouble
• The 1960s saw the America enter the beginnings of a turbulent time
• The Kennedy assassination, the Civil rights movement, and the start of the Vietnam War were the major events of this time period.
• Disney presented to the entire country every week on Walt Disney’s
Wonderful World of Color

1960’s
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Walt Disney productions was very busy in the 60s being dominated by Disneyland and the futuristic city of EPCOT.
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Disney News begins publication in 1965
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Disney diagnosed with lung cancer in Sept. of 1966, died December 15,1966
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Disney begin to go down hill after the death of
Disney due to no good direction.
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Disney only produced 3 animated film this decade.
The majority were live action.

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After the death of Walt it was not certain if Disney would still be successful.
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Decisions that Walt would usually make were harder to decide on without his input.
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Disney’s new management Donn Tatum and Card
Walker really started to make big changes to
Disney when Roy Disney quits the company due to problems with the new management.

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When Disneyland first opened in Anaheim,
California in 1955 it was a great place for children to have fun, Walt noticed that it wasn’t really fun for the parents so he made an effort to make it fun for the whole family. He said that America needed a place where they can connect with their imagination.
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Walt didn’t get to see the growth of Disney but his legacy will always be there .

1970’s
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People enjoyed staying at this resort because of its attractions, especially keeping the kids busy.
1971- Roy Disney dies
Donn Tatum (Chairman) and Card Walker (president) still left in charge.
Disney made only a few major animated movies, keeping to live action and television.

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After seven years of planning Disney World
Opened October 1, 1971
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Around 10,000 people came to witness the Grand
Opening of Disney World in Orlando, Florida
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Disney World didn’t have as many people as
Disneyland did on its Grand opening day, but was still a huge deal.
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The animal kingdom, Epcot, and the magic kingdom are some of the more demanding attractions.

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In 1981 Disney announces its plans for a cable network.
In 1982 the Coca- Cola company tries to buy
Disney but fails.
In 1983 Disney Chanel begins, this was a huge deal because a lot of the Disney shows could all be shown on one channel.
Disney channel is still a huge deal today
Disney produces more animated films, the Little
Mermaid being a huge animated hit

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Today Disney is still going strong. The channel itself receives about 84 million viewers a day.
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Disney keeps getting bigger and better by adding new shows, animations, and more attractions.
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Disney Animation has come into its own again
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Over 20 animated films made since 1990

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Walt Disney pushed his company to adopt and acquire new technologies
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Disney owned the patent for Technicolor at first
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Disney films have always shown high quality of work
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Disney and Pixar created the World’s first feature
Length animated movie
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Disney bought Pixar in the 2006

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Disney has been an Icon of American culture with its close association with American Values, and long history of media success
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Disney has changed along with America, its values and reputation are usually held in high regard.
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Disney will continue to be a huge force in American culture and business.

Telotte, J.P. The Mouse Machine: Disney and Technology. Urbana and Chicago :University of Illinois Press, 2008.
Print
Brode, Douglas. From Walt to Woodstock: How Disney created Counterculture. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2004
Print
Giroux, Henry A. The Mouse That Roared: Disney and the End of Innocence. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield Publisher, 1999.
Print
Maltin, Leonard The Disney Films. 4 th Ed. New York, New York: Disney Editions, 2000
Print
Pepper, Jeffrey .“Service with Character: Disney WW II Insignia” 2719 Hyperion: Addressing the Many forms of Disney Entertainment
Pepper Jeffrey, ND. Web. April 22 2014
<http://2719hyperion.blogspot.com/p/service-with-character-disney-world-war.html>
Briner, Lisa. “Walt Disney goes to War” US ARMY HERITAGE CENTER NP. ND. Web. April 22 2014 < http://www.army.mil/article/19340/Walt_Disney_Goes_to_War/ >
Sito, Tom. “The Disney Strike, 1941” The Animation Guild Timeline NP. ND. Web. April 15 2014
< http://animationguild.org/disney-strike-1941/ >
Suddath, Claire “A Brief History of Mickey Mouse” Time Magazine. Time Inc, November 18, 2008. Web. April 22, 2014
<http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1859935,00.html>

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Johnson, Paul Walt Disney and his influence on Mass Media” Walt Disney and his Influence on Mass Media. University of
Chicago. Chicago. ND. Web. April 19 2014 http://www.lib.niu.edu/1993/ihy930354.html
“The History of Mickey Mouse” retrojunk.com NP ND . WEB. April 18 2014 http://www.retrojunk.com/article/show/3945/thehistory-ofmickey-mouse
Hill, Jim “Remember Roy E. Disney shines a spotlight on Walt’s Nephew.” The Huffington Post Thehuffingtonpost.com September
24, 2013. WEB. April 20 2014 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-hill/remember-roy-e-disneyshi_b_3976548.html
“Walt Disney Biography” Biography.com. A&E Networks Television. NP ND. Web. April 22 2014.
<http://www.biography.com/people/walt-disney-9275533#awesm=~oCe7ZgNvfGKTVJ>
“Steamboat Willie” Disney Film Project NP May 22 2009. Web April 19 2014 http://www.disneyfilmproject.com/2009/05/finally-steamboat-willie.html
“Ambulance Driver” Walter Elias Disney walteredisney NP ND. April 22 2014
 http://www.walteredisney.com/2013/07/walter-e-disney.html
Momdjian, Cynthia “Walt Disney Brothers” The Walt Disney Company NP ND. Web. April 21 2014
< https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/blog/celebrating-nine-decades-disney