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On December 5, 1901, Walter Elias Disney was born in Chicago, Illinois to his father, Elias Disney, an Irish-Canadian, and his mother, Flora Call Disney, who was of German-American descent. Walter, later to become know as Walt, was one of five children, four boys and a girl.
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In the fall of 1918, Walt attempted to enlist for the military. Underaged, they sent Walt away. Instead, he joined the Red Cross and was exported to France. While there, he drove an ambulance and chauffeured Red Cross officials. His ambulance was covered from stem to stern with Disney cartoons.
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Walt was in France when he started his own company, but soon his company, Laugh-O-Grams, went bankrupt. Once that happened, he decided to head to Hollywood where his brother was in the hope of starting another successful business. Finally, he made it out to Hollywood and set up a shop in his Uncle's garage, business partnering with his brother, Roy.
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On July 13, 1925, Walt married one of his first employees, Lillian Bounds, in Lewiston, Idaho.
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Mickey Mouse made his screen debut in Steamboat Willie, the world's first synchronized sound cartoon, which premiered at the Colony Theater in New York on November 18, 1928.
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The production called Flowers and Trees won Walt the first of his studio's Academy Awards.
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He released The Old Mill, the first short subject to utilize the multi-plane camera technique.
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first full-length animated musical feature, premiered at the Carthay Theater in Los Angeles.
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Construction was completed on the Burbank Studio, and Disney's staff swelled to more than 1,000 artists, animators, story men, and technicians.
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Walt Disney Procutions releases Pinocchio.
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Walt Disney Production releases Fantasia.
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Walt Disney Productions releases Dumbo.
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Walt Disney Productions releases Bambi.
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The musical The Three Caballeros was made.
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Walt Disney Productions releases Cinderella.
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A pioneer in the field of television programming, Disney began television production.
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Walt disney Productions presents Lady and the Tramp.
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The Disneyland Park opened.
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Walt Disney Productions presents Sleeping Beauty.
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He was among the first to present full-color programming with his Wonderful World of Color.
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Walt Disney Productions presents One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
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Walt Disney Productions presents The Sword in the Stone.
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Disney purchased 43 miles of land in the middle of Florida for an upcoming Epcot, and even more Disney World.
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Walt Disney dies.
