Walter Elias Disney was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 5th, 1901. Walt was a film producer, animator, and amusement park creator. His father, Elias Disney, was a Canadian farmer and his mother, Flora Call, was a former school teacher. Although Walt was the fourth of five children, …show more content…
When he was first introduced to creating cartoon characters using animation, he drew inspiration from the animals on his farm. However, Walt put his drawing on hold when World War One broke out. He dropped out of his high school at the age of seventeen to follow his brother Roy into the Navy. Walt did not meet the minimum age requirement to join, he instead forged his birth certificate to be eligible to be an ambulance driver for Red Cross. He spent his time stationed in France painting medals …show more content…
The name was later changed to 'Mickey Mouse' because his wife, Lillian, recommended it was more family friendly. In November 1928, Mickey Mouse had his debut in a sound film known as Steamboat Willie. The sound film was the first corresponding sound production, highlighting Walt Disney as the voice of 'Mickey'. Disney Enterprises was fortified from there on out. "Mickey Mouse went on to become a national figure, international attraction, and finally a cultural totem." He opened the door for other animated characters that would be closely associated with Mickey, including Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto, and Goofy. This triumph led to the installation of vastly profitable Disney store chains that sold franchised goods. The products sold went on to shape the worlds trends for the next forty years (Encyclopedia of World Biography page 26; Garraty page