This week marks the 100th anniversary of Disney, the animation studio that began life as a source of entertainment for the young (and young at heart), but has since transformed into a multinational entertainment empire. Disney has become a commercial juggernaut, expanding beyond children’s films to encompass TV, theme parks, cruise ships, and much more. It seems that there is no corner of the entertainment industry that doesn’t have some kind of connection to the Walt Disney Company.
Recently, Disney has added Marvel, Pixar, LucasFilm, and 20th Century Fox to its roster of studios, and launched Disney+ into the world. The Disney brand is now virtually inescapable. However, it wasn’t always this way. So, how did Disney get its start?
Disney Studios was founded by Walt Disney and his brother Roy, along with producer Ub Iwerks and a team of cartoonists/animators including Ham Hamilton, Hugh Harman, and Rudi Ising. In 1923, the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio was born. Prior to this, Disney had worked as a cartoonist and had his own company, Laugh-O-Gram Studio, which unfortunately went bankrupt. As a result, he moved to Los Angeles where his brother was living, and together with Iwerks, they embarked on their new venture.
Disney found success in Los Angeles, selling his first short film, Alice’s Wonderland. He also secured a deal for six more films. However, in order to produce these films, Disney needed a company. Thus, The Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio was formed. The company started by working on the Alice comedies and a series of cartoons featuring a character named Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. However, Disney lost the rights to Oswald in a surprising turn of events. Nonetheless, this setback led to the creation of Mickey Mouse.
Mickey Mouse made his debut in the short film Steamboat Willie in 1928, with Disney providing the character’s voice. Mickey quickly became the star of numerous short films and gained popularity at an astonishing rate. This success inspired Disney to create his first feature film.
The first feature-length Disney film was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937. Despite going significantly over budget and requiring the work of 300 animators to complete, the film was a massive success. Snow White put Disney on the map and paved the way for future successes.
Following the triumph of Snow White, Disney continued to produce more films that captivated audiences, including Fantasia, Bambi, and Cinderella. Cinderella proved to be a significant financial success for the studio and marked a return to form in 1950.
In addition to animated films, Disney also ventured into live-action productions and theme parks like Disneyland, which opened its doors in 1955. The company underwent an official name change, becoming The Walt Disney Company, in 1986 – twenty years after Walt Disney’s passing.
Even after Disney’s death, his legacy lived on through the studio, which continued to grow and expand through movie releases and acquisitions. In 2019, the company launched Disney+, its very own streaming platform.
With its heartwarming stories, breathtaking animations, and blockbuster live-action films produced under its umbrella, it’s no wonder that Disney has left such a lasting legacy. It’s likely that the studio will continue to thrive for another hundred years. Here’s to Disney’s 100th anniversary!
