Walter Elias Disney

I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing, that it was all started with a mouse. --Walt Disney

Walter Elias Disney, the son of Elias Disney and Flora Call Disney, was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 5, 1901. He was the 4th born of 5 children. He had 3 older brothers: Herbert, Raymond, and Roy; and a sister, Ruth.

In the early 1920s Walt began a cartoon company in Kansas City, Missouri, with fellow artist Ub Iwerks, but the company soon went bankrupt. Disney joined his brother Roy in Hollywood, California, in 1923 and together they established The Disney Brothers Studio.

On July 13, 1925, Walt married one of his first employees, Lillian Bounds, in Lewiston, Idaho. They were blessed with two daughters, Diane and Sharon.

Walt Disney died on December 15, 1966. Disney opened the popular Disney World theme park in Florida in 1971 as an amusement park and resort. Epcot Center, Disney-MGM Studios, and Animal Kingdom have since been added. In 1983 a Disneyland park was opened outside Tokyo, and Euro Disneyland was opened east of Paris in 1992.

Walt Disney did more to touch the hearts, minds, and emotions of millions of Americans than any other man in the past century. Through his work he brought joy, happiness, and a universal means of communication to the people of every nation. Certainly, our world shall know but one Walt Disney.

During his long career, Walt frequently commented on his philosophy of life, on his ideals, on his dreams, on his hope for a better world.