Walt Disney Productions

Biography

Walt and Roy Disney founded the Walt Disney Company (ca. 1923). The studio's success started with the Mickey Mouse cartoon, Steamboat Wille (ca. 1928), and it went on to become a leader in both animation film production and family entertainment. In the 1930s the Disney company started producing feature-legnth animated films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938) and Fantasia (1940). During WWII they created films to educate the american public about the war effort. In the 1950s, the company garnered more success with live action films such as Treasure Island (1950) and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1951); a nature documentary series entitled True-Life Adventure . In 1955 Disney opened its first theme park Disneyland in Anaheim, CA. After Walt Disney's death in 1966, the company reputation waned until the early 1980s when Ron Miller, Walt Disney's son-in-law, became chief executive and created Touch Tone Pictures. After a power struggle with Roy Disney Jr., Miller was replaced by Michael Eisner. During the 1980s and 1990s despite changes in management, the company restored its name in family entertainment via its cable television network, motion picture productions, and theme parks.

From the guide to the Walt Disney Productions Publicity Ephemera, 1938-198x, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Performing Arts Special Collections.)