WALT DISNEYS IMAGINATIONS 1

Walt Disneys Imaginations: A Review of Literature

Irving A. Munoz Madrid

The University of Texas at El Paso

Professor Shuv Raj Rana Bhat

RWS 1302: Rhetoric and Writing Studies

Abstract

Walt Disney was an American motion picture, television producer, and showman, famous as a

pioneer of cartoon films and as the creator of Disneyland. His most famous creation, Mickey Mouse, is a

universally recognized cultural icon. His Mickey Mouse film, Steamboat Willie, was the first cartoon to

use synchronized sound and became an overnight success. His short features raked in cash, Disney was

planning a bigger project a movie-length cartoon in full color with music. Walt Disney could take the

dreams of America, and make them come true. Even thirty years after his death, we still continue to grasp

his ideas, and his creations, remembering him for everything hes done for us. The Purpose of this literary

review is to look at who was Walter Elias Disney, the first cartoon for his film company, what has lived in

his life, and how it changed the Disney world over the years.

Walt Disneys Imagination: A Review of Literature

Walter Elias Disney was born on December 5, 1901, in Hermosa, Illinois. Disney was an

innovative animator and created the cartoon character Mickey Mouse. He was a legend bringing children

smiles, especially when children could have fun with their favorite characters created by Disney. In

addition, Disneys films created a masterpiece by making the drawings have color. The audience watched

a movie named Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which was the first Disney movie made by color,

where the characters sing and conclude a song at the end of the movie. The film won the academy awards

as the best animated film and the best musical theme. His films have been a success despite making more

Mickey Mouse cartoons for the audience (Biography, 2017). To learn more about the history of Walter

Disney this will continue on the following questions of how he had in mind to create a cartoon for his

company:

1. Why did Walter Disney have in mind a mouse instead of a rabbit for his cartoon?

2. Who was Walter Disney with his family?

3. What have Disney gone through in decades when Walter Disney stopped being there?
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These questions will narrow the purpose of this literature review by providing the background of reviving

the imagination to his successes of the fairy-tale based a movie, learning about the legacy Walter Disney

created, and experiencing emotions to the public about his animated films.

Why did Walter Disney have in mind a mouse instead of a rabbit for his cartoon?

Because his Daughter Diane Disney Miller had the idea to create her own cartoon for her Disney.

Conceived of a new cartoon subject, a mouse who was then refined and further developed by Ub Iwerks,

and given his name by Disneys Mother. At the beginning Disney mentioned the brazen theft of both his

successful cartoon character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, but Walter had in mind to create a mouse. Disney

did his own cartoon named Mickey Mouse (Gluck, 2012). Walter and his company set to work,

repurposing an unused Oswald script to the new character, and this film became Plane Crazy. Figure 1.

This picture shows the drawing of what Walter Disney had been creating his own cartoon character.

Source: The Walt Disney Family Museum. (2012). Earliest known drawings of Mickey Mouse, 1928.

Retrieved from http://waltdisney.org/blog/birth-mouse

Steamboat Willie (1928), starring Al Jolson, was one of the first great talkies to use

synchronized singing and speech, it hit American theaters and thrilled audiences. The film retains

landmark status because it marked the first public debut of Mickey Mouse and his girlfriend Minnie, two

of the most recognized cartoon characters of America.

Who was Walter Disney with his family?

Walter Disney lived most of his childhood in Marceline, Missouri, where he began drawing,

painting and selling pictures to neighbors and family friends. In 1911, his family moved to Kansas City,

where Disney developed a love for trains. Disney attended McKinley High School in Chicago, where he

took drawing and photography classes and was a contributing cartoonist for the school paper (Benson,

2015). When Disney was sixteen years old, he dropped out of school to join the Army, but was rejected

for being underage. Around this time, Disney began experimenting with a camera, doing hand-drawn

animation, and decided to open his own animation business. Figure 2. In this photo appears the whole

family of Walter Disney in World Fair.

Source: ExpoMuseum. (2010). My Disney family at the 1962 World Fair. Retrieved from

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/73/33/7a/73337a4d328ebfd79eac15587d043357--disney-nerd-disney-fun.jpg

His fame takes the pride of his family to provide the achievements that Disney had. His dream did

actually come true. Disney always wanted to draw his cartoons and share them with his sons, daughters,

nephews, and nieces. The family was always there to accompany Disney. Once Disney said this With

strong family ties and a harmonious home life, he dared to dream, create, and explore throughout his

career. Walt Disney, 1955. That is why Walter will have a great time with his family and share all his

ideas.
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What have Disney gone through in decades when Walter Disney stopped being there?

In 1966, Walter Disney was diagnosed with lung cancer. He died on December 15, 1966, at the

age of 65. Disney was cremated, and his ashes interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles,

California. Roy Disney (Disneys brother) carried on the plans to finish the California themed park, which

opened in 1971 under the name Walt Disney World. Figure 3. This photo appears Walter Disney along

with the animated character Mickey Mouse where we remember what has made the unforgettable

moments about his animated films.

Source: Entrepreneur. (2013). Walter Elias Disney. Retrieved from

https://assets.entrepreneur.com/content/3x2/1300/20150825195012-walt-disney-land-

resort.jpeg?width=750&crop=16:9

Walter Disney, happily married for forty-one years, was moving ahead with his plans for huge,

new outdoor recreational areas. At the time of his death, his Supplies had brought him respect,

admiration, and a business empire worth over $100 million a year, but Disney was still mainly

remembered as the man who had created Mickey Mouse almost forty years before. (Biography, 2017)

Conclusion/Synthesis

In conclusion, this literary review has analyzed a couple of information about the great founder of

Disneys film company and answered questions like where everything began and the fame of his cinema.

Walter Disney created stories for generations to attract the audience, his emotions of happiness, and

laughter. Above all, he created an icon cartoon for everyone to always remember. Walter Disney and
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Mickey Mouse are the most memorable, and beloved icons that will always be in the American hearts.

That is where it all started at Walt Disney.

Reference

Anderson, S. (July 5, 2017). Disneyland Guidebook and information. Retrieved from

http://www.dadsguidetowdw.com/disneyland-guidebook-and-information.html

Benson, M. (March 26, 2015). Walt Disney. Retrieved from https://www.findagrave.com/cgi

-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=284

Biography.com Editors (August 7, 2017). Walt Disney Biography.com. Retrieved from

https://www.biography.com/people/walt-disney-9275533

BCDB. (August 7, 2011). Steamboat Willie was the First Animated Sound Film. Retrieved from

http://blog.bcdb.com/lies-disney-told/steamboat-willie-animated-sound-film/

Gluck, K. (November 18, 2012). The Birth of a Mouse. Retrieved from http://waltdisney.org/blog/birth-

mouse

Just Disney.com. (October 2, 2016). Walt Disney, Biography. Retrieved from

http://www.justdisney.com/walt_disney/biography/long_bio.html

Uncle Walt. (March 15, 2013). Walter Elias Disney. Retrieved from

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197528