In 1923, brothers Roy and Walt Disney opened the Disney Brothers Studio in Hollywood. Their goal was to make animated films. What they ended up with was an entertainment empire now known as the Walt Disney Company.
The two brothers quickly established the Disney Brothers Studio in a small, windowless office and began work on Alice’s Wonderland, a series of films that featured a real girl in a cartoon world.
As Walt focused on the creative side of the company, Roy dealt with the financial aspects of running a business,
In 1926, Walt and Roy decided to rename their company Walt Disney Productions (which later became the Walt Disney Company), as they believed it would help business if people thought a single individual had created their films.
In 1927, the Disneys created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who became an instant success.
In May 1928, the first Mickey Mouse cartoon, a six-minute film called Plane Crazy was produced.
Walt proposed to make a Mickey Mouse cartoon with sound. The result was Steamboat Willie, the world’s first cartoon with sound.
Soon, Mickey Mouse could be seen on everything from hairbrushes to pajamas, alarm clocks to doll houses.
In 1932, Walt Disney Productions created its first color cartoon, called Flowers and Trees, which won an Academy Award.
In 1934, the studio began work on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Snow White went on to earn $ 8 million, as well as eight Academy Awards:
In 1940, two new animated films, Pinocchio and Fantasia, brought in less money than they had cost to make, but the company’s next animated feature, Dumbo, became a huge success.
In 1947, the company produced Seal Island, a 27-minute film that featured the antics of real Alaskan seals, set to funny narration and lively music. After the film won an Academy Award, the company decided that it would create more of these “True-Life Adventures.”
At the same time, the studio also began to make live-action films, such as Treasure Island, which was completed in 1950.
In 1953, Walt Disney Productions set up its own company, called Buena Vista, to distribute its films.
Walt founded Walt Disney Incorporated (which later became WED Enterprises) in 1952. The new company’s task was to design and build a theme park called Disneyland. As WED’s employees, called “Imagineers,” set to work on Disneyland, Walt turned to a new medium, television, to help make his dream park a reality.
In 1953, Walt made a deal with the ABC network: in return for $ 500,000 cash and $ 4.5 million in loans, Walt would give the network a one-hour weekly series, as well as one-third ownership of Disneyland. In addition to securing much-needed financing for his park, Walt recognized that the arrangement also allowed him to reach more than four million Americans to promote his company.
In October 1954, the television show Disneyland (named after the park) aired for the first time. Walt himself hosted the show, which featured animated cartoons, live action miniseries about characters such as Davy Crockett and Zorro, and promotions for the new park.
Featuring Sleeping Beauty Castle, Fantasyland, Adventureland, Frontierland, Tomorrowland, and an idyllic Main Street—modeled after Marceline, Missouri, the boyhood town of Walt and Roy Disney—Disneyland was designed as a dramatic departure from traditional theme parks.
Disneyland’s opening on July 17, 1955, was less than perfect. Despite its rocky opening, Disneyland soon became a success, and by the end of 1955, more than a million people had visited the park.
Only four years after its opening, the park was updated, with new rides such as the Submarine Voyage, the Matterhorn Mountain bobsled ride, and the Disney Monorail being added. Walt’s plan to draw people back to the park again and again by adding new attractions proved successful : by 1965 , 30 million people had visited Disneyland .
Along with the success of Disneyland came new successes in television and theater . In 1955 , The Mickey Mouse Club debuted on television . The show became a hit. Walt also continued to host his weekly Disneyland show , which ran under various names for 29 years , making it the longest – lasting prime – time television series of all time .
In movies, the studio switched its focus from animation to live action during the 1950s. Movies such as The Great Locomotive Chase, The Shaggy Dog, and Westward Ho the Wagons! did well at the box office, although none could match the stunning success of Mary Poppins , which premiered in 1964 and brought in $ 44 million and 13 Academy Award nominations .
Despite its new focus on live-action films, the studio also continued to produce animated features. In 1959, Sleeping Beauty was completed and the movie is today considered among the best animated features ever made because of its artistry.
In December 1966, Walt died of lung cancer. Roy Disney, had taken over Walt Disney Productions after Walt died, and completed the park Walt Disney World. In December 1971, Roy Disney died.
Roy Disney’s son, Roy E. Disney, and Walt Disney’s son-in-law Ron Miller, worked on opening theme parks in other countries, but the Disney studio had seen its ups and downs.
In September 1984 , the company’s board of directors — among them Roy E . Disney —hired Michael Eisner , who had been working as president of Paramount Pictures , one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world .Soon , the film studio was once again turning out successful live – action films , such as Down and Out in Beverly Hills , Pretty Woman , and Honey , I Shrunk the Kids .
In the late 1980s and early ’ 90s , with The Little Mermaid , Beauty and the Beast , Aladdin , and The Lion King , it looked like Disney was finally back at the box office .
Michael Eisner oversaw the so – called “ Disney Renaissance ” of great animated films in the 1990s. Eisner retired in October 2005 ,
Following Eisner’s retirement , Robert Iger was named chief executive . Within months of taking his new position , Iger announced the acquisition of Pixar Animation , a computer animation studio that had collaborated with Disney on such highly successful films as Toy Story and Monsters , Inc .
Iger also embraced new technology by making Disney the first to offer its movies and TV shows for download to iPods .
With its expanded theme park offerings , as well as plans in the works for new computer animated movies such as Rapunzel and Toy Story 3 , the Walt Disney Company looks to continue its namesake’s spirit of growth and adventure .
And through it all , the company strives to remain faithful to the character whose ears have become one of the most recognized symbols in the world , fulfilling Walt’s hope that his company would never lose sight of one thing — it was all started by a mouse !
