Who is Walt Disney

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Walt Disney, The Man

Walt Disney's work has had such an impact on the world that the mention of his name brings thoughts of animated movies, fantastic theme parks, and a certain superstar mouse, and it is easy to forget that behind the empire was a man with a vision. This lens takes a look at that man.

Ten Things You Didn't Know About Walt Disney 

  1. He is not frozen. His body was cremated, and his ashes are interred at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California, near his studio.
  2. Mickey Mouse's original name allegedly was Mortimer but Disney's wife Lillian objected because she thought it too "sissified."
  3. Some of the names originally considered for the dwarfs in Snow White were: Deafy, Dirty, Awful, Blabby, Burpy, Gabby, Puffy, Stuffy, Nifty, Tubby, Biggo Ego, Flabby, Jaunty, Baldy, Lazy, Dizzy, Cranky and Chesty.
  4. Walt Disney suffered a nervous breakdown in 1931 and descended into depression after the war, concentrating his attention on model trains rather than on motion pictures.
  5. Fantasia was the result of a chance meeting between Walt Disney and symphony conductor Leopold Stokowski at Chasen's restaurant.
  6. During World War II the Disney studio became a war factory with well over 90% of its production in the service of government training, education and propaganda films.
  7. The studio stopped production for six months on Pinocchio because Walt felt the title character wasn't likable enough. During this time he devised the idea of introducing Jiminy Cricket as Pinocchio's conscience.
  8. Walt Disney received more Academy Awards than any other individual - 32.
  9. Disney modeled Mickey Mouse on Charlie Chaplin and that Chaplin later assisted the Disneys by loaning them his financial books so they could determine what kind of proceeds they should be getting from their distributor on Snow White.
  10. MGM head Louis B. Mayer once rejected the opportunity to distribute Mickey Mouse cartoons shortly after Walt had invented the character because Mayer said that pregnant women would be frightened by a giant mouse on screen.
Source

Vintage Video Clips from Walt Disney Productions 


How Walt Disney Cartoons are made

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Walt Disney World Promo 1970's

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Walt Disney at a Glance 

Walter Elias "Walt" Disney (December 5, 1901 ? December 15, 1966) was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon and philanthropist. Disney is famous for his influence in the field of entertainment during the twentieth century. As the co-founder (with his brother Roy O. Disney) of Walt Disney Productions, Disney became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. The corporation he co-founded, now known as The Walt Disney Company, today has annual revenues of approximately U.S. $35 billion.

Disney is particularly noted for being a film producer and a popular showman, as well as an innovator in animation and theme park design. He and his staff created a number of the world's most famous fictional characters including Mickey Mouse, a character for which Disney himself was the original voice. He received fifty-nine Academy Award nominations and won twenty-six Oscars, including a record four in one year, giving him more awards and nominations than any other individual. He also won seven Emmy Awards. He is the namesake for Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme parks in the United States, Japan, France, and China.

Disney died of lung cancer on December 15, 1966, a few years prior to the opening of his Walt Disney World Resort dream project in Florida.

Top-Rated Walt Disney Biographies from Amazon 

The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney (Simpson Book in the Humanities)

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How to Be Like Walt: Capturing the Disney Magic Every Day of Your Life

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WALT DISNEY: AN AMERICAN ORIGINAL

"Sanctioned by the family, Thomas had full access to the Disney records, and he provides what every major historical figure needs: a book that gets the facts straight, so that other biographers and historians can then argue correctly about interpretations." ~Amazon Customer Review

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Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination

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  • Reply
    jewelkid87 jewelkid87 Mar 5, 2009 @ 2:27 pm
    I did a speech about him in my speech class in college. He is a cool guy.
  • Reply
    charisse.. charisse.. Nov 12, 2008 @ 10:14 pm
    hey i'm doing my project on him! he totaly revolutionized entertainmet. if it wasn't for him we would have half of the movie we do now.. lol.
    but if u guys have any information on walt disney.. please reply... my project requires a great deal of information.. i mean ALOT!
  • Reply
    dancer dancer Nov 3, 2008 @ 5:06 pm
    i'm doing a research project on him cause i'm intrested in him
  • Reply
    lisadh lisadh Sep 24, 2008 @ 11:35 am
    Love the trivia. Great job!
  • Reply
    ElenaFraga ElenaFraga Feb 9, 2008 @ 9:48 am
    Walt Disney Has been one of My INSPIRING HEROES since I was about 5 Years Old. The reason is quite Obvious. That wonderful Man Had the capacity and the Vision to Make Millions of People Happy throughout the years, and He made a Profitable Empire around that Goal.
    Helping People feel Happy living Great Moments and Making Money at the Same Time is my Goal too!!!!!

    I will Have This wonderful man as one of my HEROES forever
    elenafraga.com
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by Freaknoodles

My family loves Disney World! We visit frequently and are members of the Disney Vacation Club.

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