Walt Disney

Walter Elias Disney was born in Chicago on 5 December 1901. His father Elias Disney was an Irish-Canadian and his mother was a German-American. His family moved to his Uncle's farm near Marceline, Missouri when he was nine. He and his brother Roy had to deliver newspapers on his father's route at 3:30 a.m.

His brother went to World War I but Walt was underage. He changed his date of birth on the birth certificate and he was accepted by the Red Cross as an overseas ambulance driver. Disney returned to Kansas City after the war and was hired as an artist at an advertising agency. He started a cartoon film business with Ubbe Iwwerks. The two produced 'Laugh-O-Grams' for local movie theaters, but went bankrupt. Disney decided to join his brother in Los Angeles in 1923.

He began producing animated cartoons and his first successful creation was Mortimer Mouse. Walt Disney published then the very first synchronized sound cartoon "Steamboat Willy". His wife Lillian, later suggested to change the name into Mickey Mouse and Disney agreed.

In the early years of Mickey Mouse Walt Disney was afraid that he will be knows as the man who invented the mouse, not knowing that he will soon become one of the most important people in the entertaining business.

His once little cartoon idea developed into one of the most popular figures of American culture. Disney's business could afford its own film studio.

After a successful career and fulfilled life Walt Disney died on 15 December 1966.

He once told a reporter, 'There is a lot of Mickey in me.'

Time Line

1901, December 5 - Walter Elias is born at 1249 Tripp Avenue, in Chicago, Illinois

1910 - The Disneys move to Marceline, Missouri

1915 - Walt attends the Kansas City Art Institute

1919, December - Walt Disney and Ubbe Iwwerks start a company called Iwwerks- Disney Commercial Artists

1923 - Walt Disney moves to Los Angeles

1928, September 19 - "Steamboat Willy" opened and made "Mickey" a big star

1937 - Disney's full-length movie, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", hit the movie screens

1966, December 19 Walter Elias Disney dies