Walt Disney

Walt Disney (1901–1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he holds the individual records for the most Academy Award wins (22) and nominations (59). On October 16, 1923, he founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio with his brother Roy. He created the character Mickey Mouse and, as the studio grew, introduced synchronized sound, full-color three-strip Technicolor and technical developments in cameras. He expanded into feature-length cartoons, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940), Dumbo (1941) and Bambi (1942), and made live-action films like Mary Poppins (1964). He opened Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in 1955, and was working on another theme park, Disney World, in 1965. Disney was shy and self-deprecating in private but adopted a warm and outgoing public persona. He is widely acknowledged as a national cultural icon. (Full article...)

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