Young Walt Disney

A young Walt Disney (born 1901) and his family lived in Marceline, Missouri from 1906 - 1911.

"Four-year-old Walt Disney arrived by train in Marceline, Missouri from Chicago in April 1906. Then, four years later, his family moved to Kansas City. Despite his relatively short time in Marceline, Walt Disney thought of Marceline as his hometown."

by Yesterland

The only People to ever live at Disneyland

Disneyland's only residents were Owen and Dolly Pope. They were hired in 1951 to put together some livestock for Walt's future park. They first lived in a trailer at the Disney Studio where they raised and trained horses. Three days before Disneyland opened, they moved into the park to run the Disneyland Pony Farm

 Located on the side of the Car Barn

"In 1951, Walt hired Harper Goff to begin drawing up plans for the little park he was visualizing being built on the Studio grounds in Burbank. Walt also hired horse trainer Owen Pope and his wife Dolly. He wanted the couple to begin training horses for the western section of his new park. Being close to the livestock was necessary for the amount of training that was to ensue so the Pope’s moved into a trailer on the Studio lot. Besides teaching horses and mules how to behave, they also helped build wagons and coaches for the new park. 

As plans for Walt’s dream changed and grew, the location of his park moved from the Studio to Anaheim. Eventually the Popes needed to move to Anaheim as well to be near the horses. 

Before construction began on Disneyland, something had to be done with the houses that belonged to the former owners of the land. Walt told the Popes they could choose any one of them to live in. Their selection was soon moved to a ten acre area behind what would eventually become Fantasyland. This area was known as the Pony Farm and at one time, the Pope’s cared for as many as 220 animals. The Popes are also the only people to actually ever live at Disneyland. Walt may have had an apartment above the Fire Station, but he never lived there. This honor belongs to the Popes alone. 

The Popes continued working and living at Disneyland until 1971. It was at this time that they moved to Florida to help open the Magic Kingdom. They created the Tri Circle D Ranch at Fort Wilderness where it still stands today. They retired in 1975 and it’s due to their efforts here in Florida that they earned a window at the Magic Kingdom – and it is appropriately located on the Car Barn."

- Posted by Jack Spence on April 17, 2009 5:00 AM

 Click Here to read the entire post at allears.net

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Walt Disney personally selected Richard Fleischer (son of his old competitor in animation, Max Fleischer) to direct the live-action film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Walter Elias Disney's Passaport

In August 19, 1965...

Walt Disney is issued a passport for an upcoming trip to London, England.

The STR Symbol at the Partners Statue

The Partners bronze statue of Walt and Mickey appear in Disney theme parks all over the world. The STR symbol on Walt's tie refers to Smoke Tree Ranch, a place in Palm Springs, California, where he had a vaction home.

Walt E. Disney and the Art of Animation

It was while working at the Kansas City Film Ad Company in 1921 that Walt Disney first attempted and became fascinated with the art of animation.

19 years-old Walt Disney at the Kansas City Film Ad Company

In January 1920, Disney and Iwerks formed a short-lived company called, "Iwerks-Disney Commercial Artists". However, following a rough start, Disney left temporarily to earn money at Kansas City Film Ad Company, and was soon joined by Iwerks who was not able to run the business alone. While working for the Kansas City Film Ad Company, where he made commercials based on cutout animation, Disney took up an interest in the field of animation, and decided to become an animator. He was allowed by the owner of the Ad Company, A.V. Cauger, to borrow a camera from work, which he could use to experiment with at home. After reading a book by Edwin G. Lutz, called Animated Cartoons: How They Are Made, Their Origin and Development, he found cel animation to be much more promising than the cutout animation he was doing for Cauger. Walt eventually decided to open his own animation business, and recruited a fellow co-worker at the Kansas City Film Ad Company, Fred Harman, as his first employee. Walt and Harman then secured a deal with local theater owner Frank L. Newman — arguably the most popular "showman" in the Kansas City area at the time — to screen their cartoons — which they titled "Laugh-O-Grams" — at his local theater.

Walt and the Charlie Chaplin look-alike Contest

When Walt Disney was thirteen years-old he entered and WON a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest!

(Legend has it that Chaplin himself once entered a similar contest in San Francisco and actually lost!)

Charles Chaplin and Walt Disney at the race track, 1939

Click Here to read 'Charlie Chaplin and Walt Disney Take on World War II'

A Special Commemorative Medal Honoring Walt E. Disney at the White House

On March 25, 1969, U.S. President Richard Nixon presents Lillian Disney with a special Commemorative Medal (authorized by Congress) honoring her late husband Walt. 

The medal, designed by C. Robert Moore of Walt Disney Productions and struck by the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, bears a likeness of Walt Disney on one side and Mickey Mouse on the other. The presentation takes place in the State Dining Room at the White House. Among the guests are some 200 third and fourth grade Washington, D.C. area schoolchildren.

"Mrs. Disney, members of the Disney family, ladies and gentlemen, and all of our younger guests here today. Many ceremonies are held in this White House, but none that I think will have more meaning to all of us, young and old, than this one today, because it is my great privilege to present to Mrs. Walt Disney, on behalf of the Congress of the United States, by reason of a joint resolution, and on behalf of all the people of the United States and, I think, of the world, a gold medal; a gold medal honoring Walt Disney for his service through so many years not only to the people of the United Sates, but to the people of the world."

-President Nixon

"I am very grateful to be here, and to see all of you wonderful children who knew him and loved him, too. I think this is a wonderful time in our life. Thank you."

-Lillian Disney

17 years later, on March 25, 1986, Walt Disney World welcomes Don McGrath - the 500 millionth guest to enter a Disney park!