The Life of Walt Disney

Walt's Parents Marry

Jan 1, 1888

Elias and Flora marry in Akron, FL. Looking at pictures of his parents, you are provided strong hints of their nature. Elias always had a starched collar and heavy wollen-made suits, was big eared and had a hawk nose. Flora wore high-necked dresses, had deep-set eyes, heavy-lidded, wide mouth pursed but with a hint of humor. They were a devoted couple, and she remained patient through the years. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 23)

Walt is Born

Dec 5, 1901

Walt Disney was born in Chicago, IL to Elias and Flora Disney.

Disney family moves to Marceline, Missouri

Apr 1, 1906

Old world family values began to unravel in Chicago. Elias Disney began to consider Chicago "cesspool of a city" and decided to move the Disney family to a rural atmosphere they remembered from their earlier lives. They moved to Marceline where the land was fertile and where hi brother Robert owned property. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 25)

Disney family moves to Kansas Citry

Mar 1, 1910

After disaster after disaster in Marceline, Elias finally decides to mve the family to Kansas City. Although it was a very short period of Walt's life, those Marceline years left a lasting impression on him and influenced his life. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 32)

Disney joins the military

Jun 1, 1918

Walt lies about his age to join the Red Cross' Ambulance Corps.

Disney-Iwerks partnership begins

Dec 22, 1919

One of the most meaningful partnerships in his life, Disney and Iwerks join forces and start the Disney-Iwerk Firm to fullfill the sketch and design needs of advertisement companies. The partners only lasts one month before the young men find other part-time jobs. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 56-57)

Walt takes job as cartoonist

Jan 29, 1920

Walt Disney takes a job at the Kansas City Slide Company being paid $40 a week (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 57)

Disney works on Laugh-O-Grams

Jan 1, 1923

From 1920 to 1923, Disney convinces Frank Newman, Kansas City’s leading exhibitor, to include short snippets of animation in the series of weekly newsreels Newman produced for his chain of three theaters. Tactfully called “Newman Laugh-O-grams,” Disney’s footage was meant to mix advertising with topical humor. (source: http://www.silentfilm.org/archive/laugh-o-grams)

Disney moves to Hollywood

Mar 1, 1923

Disney arrives in Hollywood with a half-filled suitcase to live with his uncle. Here he begins to dream about being inside the studios and creating his own movies. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 69)

Alice Comedies get distribution deal

Oct 16, 1923

Walt and Roy sign a contract with MJ Winkler for distribution of six Alice Comedies, a new breed of live action/animation film.

Ub Iwerks comes to Hollywood

Jun 1, 1924

Walt's old cartoon buddy and partner decides to move to Hollywood and join the Disney brothers.

Disney moves into new studio

Feb 8, 1926

Disney moves into a new one-story building on Hyperion Avenue. Here the new company became known as the Walt Disney Studios. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 84)

Oswald is born

Apr 1, 1927

Disney ventures into his first all-cartoon medium with his character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 83)

Steamboat Willie is released

Nov 18, 1928

Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie" is released in the Colony Theater and is the first animated film that had sound. It is hailed as a classic and is considered the begining of a "Mouse Empire".

First merchandising contract signed

Feb 3, 1930

Roy signs the first contract for the merchandising of figures and toys of various materilas, including the comic mice known as Minie and Mickey Mouse. Disney recieved 2.5 percent royalty on the items. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 106-107)

Mickey Mouse becomes a successful comic strip

Jan 10, 1932

After Mickey began to capture the nations's affection, Walt assigned Ub Iwerks to devise a comic strip for newspapers. The first appearance of the strip was in January of 1930, which was eventually syndicated as Mickey and Silly Symphony in color in 1932.

Disney starts his own art School

Nov 15, 1932

Due to a higher flow of money from successful cartoons, Disney decides to open his own art school for his animators on one of the sound stages. 25 artists were in attendance at that first class taught by a Chouinard teacher, Don Graham. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 116)

Disney wins first Academy Award

Nov 18, 1932

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gives its first award for a cartoon to Walk Disney for his picture "Flowers and Trees". He was also given a special award for his creation of Mickey Mouse. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 119)

Diane Marie Disney is born

Dec 18, 1933

Disney's first daughter is born

Sharon Mae Disney is born

Jan 1, 1936

Disney's second daughter is born

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premieres

Dec 21, 1937

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is seen by the public for the first time in a glittering premiere at the Carthany Circle Theater in Los Angelese. The great names of Hollywood and the leaders of the film industry were in attendance. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 141)

Pinocchio premieres

Feb 1, 1940

Disney's long awaited follow up to Snow White is released in theaters.

Fantasia premieres

Nov 13, 1940

Disney's cut-down version of Fantasia is released in theaters to low returns. Other than in NYC where the film ran for a year, all other cities had unsustainable engagements. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 162)

Disney's first Christmas show

Dec 1, 1950

Disney produces his first Christmas show for NBC (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 223)

WED Enterprises created

Mar 2, 1952

Walt decides to create a company to run the design and construction of his first theme park - Disneyland (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 242)

Disneyland TV series begins

Oct 27, 1954

As a way to produce bigger interest in the Disneyland park, Walt hosts a TV series for ABC that shows Disney films and gives updates on the construction of the park.

Disneyland opens

Jul 13, 1955

30,000 people attend the opening of Disneyland

The Mickey Mouse Club premieres

Oct 3, 1955

DIsney produces the first "children only" TV show (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 274)

Disney presents at the World's Fair

Apr 22, 1964

Walt Disney designs four major attractions for the World's Fair in 1964-65 - including "It's a Small World" and "Progressland" which becomes the Carousel of Progress. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg
308)

Mary Poppins premeires

Aug 27, 1964

Considered his greatest achievement, Mary Poppins opens at the Graumann's Chinese Theater. (source: An American Originial - Walt Disney by Bob Thomas, pg 321)