Walt Disney – One of the Biggest Animators in the World

Known for making magic on the movie screen, Walt Disney is one of the biggest animators in the world. Walt Disney Productions, which he co-founded with his brother, Roy is one of the best motion-picture production companies in the world. He was an avant-garde animator, and the creator of one of the most famous mice, Mickey Mouse. He won 22 Academy Awards during his lifetime and founded two popular theme parks, Disneyland and Disneyworld, both which still exist today. He was known to challenge the impossible, finding it a fun challenge, and as a result of that, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. Though his legacy has continued to exist, Disney died by lung cancer in December of 1966 by lung cancer. Walt Disney believed that dreams could come true for everyone, if they have the courage to pursue and work for them. He is one of the most inspiring artists to live.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Disney was the fourth of five children born to a strict abusive father, who moved them around constantly. He lived in Missouri where he worked on a farm until it failed. There, he learned to love animals and was very happy living on the farm. After the farm was a failure, he moved to Kansas city where he (Walt) began to deliver newspapers to people. Soon, however his father moved them back to Chicago, where Walt attended high school and began to take drawing and painting lessons. Soon though, this came to halt as the first world war began. Walt dropped out of high school at 16 (he had been an inattentive student but drew constantly) and, with the United States fighting World War I, joined the Red Cross Ambulance Corps by forging his birth certificate in order to meet the Corps' minimum age requirement of 17 (Elizabeth Nix 2015). When he returned, he met Ub Iwerks, and they set up shop for his first real shot at becoming an animator.

In truth, his business with Iwerks failed and from there, he went off to Hollywood, California in 1923. His brother journeys with them, as well is Iwerks. They pooled what money they had after having to declare bankruptcy on their failed business and began the Disney Brothers Studio. Their first big break began with New Yorker Margaret Winkler, and they created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. 'A few years later, Disney discovered that Winkler and her husband, Charles Mintz, had stolen the rights to Oswald, along with all of Disney's animators, except for Iwerks' (Biography.com Editors 2017). As a result of this, Disney and his brother began to create their own character. Their first of many successes began with Steamboat Willie, which was the first all sound cartoon. It featured Mickey Mouse, then known as Mortimer Mouse, who Disney himself voiced at the time. His wife, Lillian recommended he change it to Mickey. After the success of Steamboat Willie, Disney created other iconic characters in 1929 such as Donald Duck, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and Pluto.

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