The name Disney is a name that almost everyone has heard before. While a majority of the population does not know much about Walt Disney himself, his legacy lives on and continues to impact the lives of many people today. The name Disney brings back many happy childhood memories and has a positive connotation for many people. Through his work in animation, film making, and creation of the theme park, Disneyland, he has left a lasting marking on society today.
Walter (Walt) Elias Disney was born on December 5, 1901 in Hermosa, Illinois. His father, Elias Disney, was Irish-Canadian and “had a strong work ethic, which he passed down to his children.” (Sheen 17). He was very religious and has been said that he abused his kids and did not allow any type of toy in the house or recreation time. His mother, Flora Call Disney, who was German-American was the complete opposite of her husband. She was even-tempered, kind hearted, and Disney has fond memories of his mother reading to him as a child. Disney was one of five children: four boys and one girl. Disney lived a majority of his childhood in Marceline, Missouri and “Marceline was the site of one of his earliest artistic endeavors.” …show more content…
He created another Silly Symphony, which he titled The Three Little Pigs, and created characters that looked very appealing. The song “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf”, which was featured in the film, became “an anthem of hope and determination” (Sheen 40) during the Great Depression. In 1937, Disney created his first full length animated film, which he called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It produced $8 million dollars in the first year, even in the midst of the Great Depression and it “set the standard for every animated film that came after it.” (Sheen 50) Over the next few years, Disney created Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi, which were all full length