Walt's fame in animation was a huge part of his life, but it didn't come easy. Walt participated in WWI helping as a ambulance driver for the Red Cross. When he returned to his family in Chicago during late 1919, he told his father he wanted to be a artist. Elias thought that this was a foolish idea. He wanted Walt to have a more simple career. Frustrated with his disapproving family Walt moved away to join his brother Roy, in Kansas City. Here Walt got his first job as apprentice at Pesmen-Rubin Commercial Art Studio. While working Walt met his soon to be co-creater and business partner for many years, Ub Iwerks.
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Still wanting to go out on his own, Disney created laugh-o-grams using a borrowed camera and lots of hope it would succeed. These short and funny films were shown in theaters before the movie started. To create these, Walt hired young animators who were willing to work for free. Even with the extra help Walt still needed more so he hired his good friend Ub Iwerks. Disney also continued to enjoy experimenting with animation, so he developed a new cartoon series called Alice in Wonderland. Unfortunately, when the business that he sold the cartoons to went out of business he did too.
Walt really wanted to start making live action films but he needed to get a job first. He knew a women named Margaret Winkler who was in the cartoon distributing business. When he showed her his Alice in Wonderland series. She loved it and started to distribute them! , Walt asked Roy to become his partner in business. Together they created Disney Brothers Studio, which was later renamed Walt Disney Studios.
Meanwhile, Margret Winkler, had gotten married and her spouse Charles Mintz took over her business. Mintz asked Walt for a new series based on a rabbit. Wanting to impress his new boss, Walt, created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. He expected his staff to be as devoted as he was. This made Walt act like his father. When Walt went to meet with Mintz in New York he expected a raise based on the success with Oswald. Instead, he learned that Mintz owned Oswald and he had taken all of Walt's staff except for Ub Iwerks. Feeling abandon but determined, Walt decided to make a new character, a mouse named Mortimer. When he told his wife Lillian about it, she said that Mortimer was a name that would be hard to market. "What about Mickey?" Lillian asked, and right there Mickey Mouse was born.
At first Mickey Mouse wasn't a hit. Distributors were not interested in the idea of a mouse. Walt needed something to make Mickey different and attractive. He decided to use something he had never done before, use sound. Walt Disney would be the first person to make the characters speak! He released Steamboat Willie starring Mickey Mouse. His cartoon was a huge hit with the perfect combination of sound and voices. Walt had learned from his mistakes and made a huge success. He would make many more hit shows and movies.
Walt really wanted to start making live action films but he needed to get a job first. He knew a women named Margaret Winkler who was in the cartoon distributing business. When he showed her his Alice in Wonderland series. She loved it and started to distribute them! , Walt asked Roy to become his partner in business. Together they created Disney Brothers Studio, which was later renamed Walt Disney Studios.
Meanwhile, Margret Winkler, had gotten married and her spouse Charles Mintz took over her business. Mintz asked Walt for a new series based on a rabbit. Wanting to impress his new boss, Walt, created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. He expected his staff to be as devoted as he was. This made Walt act like his father. When Walt went to meet with Mintz in New York he expected a raise based on the success with Oswald. Instead, he learned that Mintz owned Oswald and he had taken all of Walt's staff except for Ub Iwerks. Feeling abandon but determined, Walt decided to make a new character, a mouse named Mortimer. When he told his wife Lillian about it, she said that Mortimer was a name that would be hard to market. "What about Mickey?" Lillian asked, and right there Mickey Mouse was born.
At first Mickey Mouse wasn't a hit. Distributors were not interested in the idea of a mouse. Walt needed something to make Mickey different and attractive. He decided to use something he had never done before, use sound. Walt Disney would be the first person to make the characters speak! He released Steamboat Willie starring Mickey Mouse. His cartoon was a huge hit with the perfect combination of sound and voices. Walt had learned from his mistakes and made a huge success. He would make many more hit shows and movies.