The name of Walt Disney is widely known to both adults and children. On the cartoons of his studio brought up more than one generation of modern people. However, few people know that this person had to endure many life tests before making a name for himself and doing his favorite thing.
We suggest that you briefly read the biography of Walt Disney and find out some interesting facts about the life of this amazing, purposeful person.
Childhood
The future animator, whose works immersed children in a fairy-tale world inhabited by amazing creatures, spent a very bleak childhood. He was born in 1901 in a modest poor family, was one of five children in the Disney family. Parents were a carpenter and a school teacher. The first years of Walter passed in troubled Chicago, whose life was seething with criminal passions. When the hero of the material was only 4 years old, the parents decided to move to the calmer town of Marceline, where his father's brother lived.
The family acquired a small farm and lived very modestly. So, Walter did not have paper or pencils to paint. Meanwhile, a great dream has already begun to take shape in his soul, which will subsequently lead him forward and not give up, despite all the difficulties. He dreamed of becoming an artist.
First difficulties and victories
The boy was distinguished not only by his friendly cheerful disposition, which was why all his neighbors loved him, but also by his early talent for drawing. A fact is known from the biography of Walt Disney - one of his neighbors bought a drawing of a young artist's horse, which gave him faith in success. However, there was still a lot of time before the dream came true.
At 8 years old, the boy got his first job as a delivery man, so he was able to get it for pocket expenses. A strict father took everything that his son earned, but the enterprising Walter found a way out - he began to take more work and work harder, so he hid part of the money from his parent.
Later, the family again changed their place of residence, moving to Kansas City. It was here that little Disney saw a magnificent mansion, which seemed to be a magical castle in his childhood consciousness. The child decided that someday he could build the same and make it accessible to children from all over the world. The biography of Walt Disney indicates that this dream will come true - he will be able to found Disneyland, which every child craves to get into.
Youth difficulties
Walter did not get into the war in 1918, because at that time he was not 18 years old, but he found a job as an ambulance driver. Already here, the future artist showed his creativity, decorating the car with various drawings, which is why it looked very unusual.
In the postwar years, Disney went to study at the Chicago Institute of Arts, but his studies were very burdensome and hindered his work, so Walter quickly lost interest in them. He could not find a job by profession, so all his strength was given to a new hobby - animation.
In 1920, the young man was promoted to an advertising artist; his first short films were pretty good. However, the growing interest in animation turns out to be stronger than the desire to have a stable income, and Disney is at risk - he opens his first animation studio. Alas, she did not last long.
First success
For children, the biography of Walt Disney should definitely mention that failure did not break him. In 1923, he went to Hollywood, having with him a very modest capital, where he opened a small animation studio. Walt's partner was his sibling Roy.
In 1924, the first creation of the new studio, "Alice's Day at Sea", appeared based on the immortal work of Lewis Carroll. In the 20s of the last century, Disney worked on other films about Alice.
At the same time, he linked his fate with Lilian Bounds, who worked as an assistant at the studio.
New characters and success
The biography of Walt Disney of this period is full of fascinating events. In 1927, the “Oswald Rabbit” saw the light. It was he who brought Disney Studios popularity and success. Then there were well-known characters:
- Mickey Mouse. Justice demands to indicate that it was created not so much by Disney itself as by Ab Iverks, Walter’s companion. The debut of the famous mouse is the film "Crazy Airplane", while dumb. Later, when it became possible to make pictures with sound, Disney gave the character his voice and voiced it in several tapes.
- Steamboat Willie made history as the first film with sound.
- Pluto appeared in 1930. In most tapes, it is the home dog of Mickey Mouse, however, in some paintings it has the character of an independent character. A distinctive feature of the hero is that he is not endowed with human qualities and behaves like an ordinary dog.
- Goofy appeared two years later in 1932. This dog does not look like Pluto, he behaves like a man: he is a friend of Mickey Mouse, he is distinguished by good nature and a cheerful disposition. Very often Goofy gets into ridiculous situations, from which he is deftly twisted due to his love of life and optimism.
- Donald Duck was created in 1934. This drake became the focus of negative qualities, which, as the animator believed, could no longer be added to the image of Mickey Mouse.
These animated characters are still recognizable and loved not only by children, but also by adults around the world.
First feature films
In 1934, an important moment came in the biography of Walt Disney - he begins to create the full-length animated film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. Other artists were busy with his work. By 1937, the film was ready. The picture cost its creator almost one and a half million dollars, which at that time was an astronomical sum. However, the result was fantastic - both the audience and the film critics appreciated the cartoon. In 1939, Disney received the prestigious Academy Award for it. Moreover, in addition to the traditional large statuette, the animator was awarded 7 small ones, according to the number of gnomes.
In 1940, another full-length film Pinocchio saw the light - a tale of a boy whose nose was beginning to grow, when he lied. The work was carried out intensively, it is known that for the reality of the scene with a whale, the artists had to watch for some time the behavior of these underwater inhabitants. The picture received two Oscars at once.
First disneyland
From the Walt Disney biography in English with translation, you can find out that he opened his first Disneyland, a true paradise for children of all ages, in 1955. It was a fantastic amusement park, visitors to which could get into the wild jungle or the underwater kingdom.
More than $ 15 million was spent on the construction of this masterpiece of architecture and technology. But the costs paid off at a rapid pace, as Disneyland quickly became almost the most popular family vacation destination in the United States.
Further Cartoon Creativity
A further biography of Walt Disney is no less instructive. You can name a few of his full-length paintings, which young viewers around the world are happy to review:
- A touching story about the elephant calf "Dumbo", whose talent was the ability to fly.
- The sad story of Bambi about the fate of a deer.
- “Cinderella” is a fairy tale that clearly illustrates the victory of good over evil forces.
- "Peter Pan".
- "Sleeping Beauty".
- "Lady and the Tramp."
These tapes do not lose their modernity both in plot and in technical embodiment.
Reincarnation as a producer
Photos and biographies of Walt Disney indicate that he was an outstanding person. Having achieved unprecedented success in the animation, he did not stop and continued to create. As a producer, he shot a number of color tapes about nature, wanting to instill in the audience a desire to protect its values.
Disney adventure films are also known:
- "Treasure Island";
- "Mary Poppins";
- "Robin Hood".
He took a direct part in the creation of each picture, so they all bear the imprint of his bright original personality.
A family
Speaking about the biography and personal life of Walt Disney, it should be noted that all his life he remained faithful to his wife Lilian, with whom he married in 1925. They had a daughter, Diana Mary. But the fate of the children did not give Disney more. Two pregnancies Lilian ended in miscarriages.
In 1937, the couple adopted the girl, calling her Sharon. Later, Diana in her memoirs described her father as approximately a family man, who, with his eternal employment, always found time to communicate with children.
Death
The story of the biography of Walt Disney is drawing to a close. He did not live long, only 65 years old, but managed to do a lot. The cause of the death of the animator was lung cancer, after which cigarettes never appeared in the pictures produced by Disney Studios.
Despite the departure from the life of an ideological inspirer, the studio continues to work, cartoons, series, films are shot, which are popular with viewers of all ages.
Some interesting facts
Everyone can get acquainted with the biography in English of Walt Disney and find out a lot of details about this person. For those who do not have such an opportunity, we offer to get acquainted with a selection of little-known facts:
- Not everyone knows that a purposeful young man tried himself in acting and even played in extras, but very quickly became disappointed in work.
- The profession of actor Walt was predicted by his first teachers and childhood friends, since the boy very talentedly depicted the gait of the popular at that time Charlie Chaplin. But the fate of our hero turned out differently.
- Disney's wife Lilian at first was his assistant. And even refused her fee for the success of the studio.
- Rabbit Oswald was both luck and a failure in Disney's career - he brought success to his creator, but taught him to be wary of business partners, because the producer of the studio took over the rights to the film.
- The famous Mickey Mouse was originally called Mortimer Mouse. But the wife asked Disney to use the name Mickey. As the animator later recalled, he could not refuse his beloved in such a trifle.
- The films and biography of Walt Disney say that this man knew how to take risks and defend his point of view. A fact is known: when Disney was going to work on the first full-length film, his brother Roy, learning about the cost of the picture, almost lost his feelings. The company was on the verge of bankruptcy, but one of the banks came to the rescue, the owner of which turned out to be a big fan of the studio.
- The Triumph of American Imagination, a biography of Walt Disney, created by Neil Gebler, clearly describes the outstanding personality of a person who managed to go a difficult way from a modest resident of the American hinterland to the world-famous animator, producer, screenwriter and director. Unfortunately, the book has not yet been translated into Russian.
We reviewed the biography of Walt Disney. For children, it allows you to make sure - this person managed to achieve a lot solely thanks to talent, hard work, determination and the ability to take risks. He did not have rich parents, but on his own, Disney was able to realize his dream and live a short, but bright and happy life.