The Walt Disney Company began as a small animation studio. It was founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt Disney and his brother Roy O. Disney, under the name Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. Their first major project was a series called Alice Comedies, which combined live-action and animation.
In 1926, the studio was renamed The Walt Disney Studio, and in 1928, Disney created one of the most iconic characters in entertainment history—Mickey Mouse. The first sound-synchronized cartoon, Steamboat Willie, marked Mickey’s debut and revolutionized the animation industry.
He created several more cartoon series, Silly Symphonies, Flowers and Trees, and Three Little Pigs. Flowers and Trees was the first cartoon to ever be produced in color. Walt also began work on Mickey and Friends, creating characters Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, and plenty more to accompany Mickey on all of his adventures.
In 1932, Disney won its first Academy Award. As the studio grew, he became more adventurous, introducing synchronized sound, full-color three-strip Technicolor, feature-length cartoons and technical developments in cameras.
The results, seen in features such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Pinocchio, Fantasia (both 1940), Dumbo (1941), and Bambi (1942), furthered the development of animated film.
In the early 1930s, Walt Disney was already a pioneer in short animated films like Steamboat Willie and Silly Symphonies. But Walt wanted to do something bigger—he envisioned a feature-length animated film when no one had ever attempted such a thing.
His inspiration? The Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Snow White. He remembered seeing a silent version of the story as a teenager and believed it had the perfect mix of romance, comedy, and drama for a feature film.
At the time, critics and even Disney’s wife Lillian told him it was a bad idea. The press dubbed the project “Disney’s Folly,” predicting it would bankrupt the studio. Making a 90-minute animated film was unheard of—people thought audiences would not sit through “a long cartoon.”
The budget ballooned from an estimated $250,000 to $1.5 million—an astronomical amount in the 1930s, during the Great Depression. Walt even mortgaged his house to keep the project alive.
To bring his vision to life, Disney’s team of animators had to invent entirely new techniques.
Over 750 artists worked on the film, producing over two million drawings. Walt focused not just on visual spectacle but also on emotion and character development—especially the love story and the comic relief from the dwarfs.
Walt insisted each of the seven dwarfs should have a distinct personality—an idea that added charm and humor. That’s how we got Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey.
The Evil Queen became one of animation’s first great villains, and the “Heigh-Ho” and “Someday My Prince Will Come” songs became instant classics.
The film premiered on December 21, 1937, at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles. Hollywood’s biggest stars, including Charlie Chaplin and Shirley Temple, were in attendance.
Audiences were stunned. Some were brought to tears by the emotion. The film earned a standing ovation and critical acclaim.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs wasn’t just a film—it was a creative revolution. Walt Disney’s willingness to bet everything on a dream is what made this fairy tale a timeless masterpiece.
In a traveling circus, a kind elephant named Mrs. Jumbo receives a surprise: a baby elephant delivered by stork. But when the baby arrives, the other animals mock him for his enormous ears, calling him “Dumbo.” Despite her love and protection, Mrs. Jumbo is locked away after defending Dumbo from bullies.
Alone and ridiculed, Dumbo is befriended by a tiny, street-smart mouse named Timothy Q. Mouse, who sees Dumbo’s uniqueness as a gift, not a flaw. Together, they set out to help Dumbo gain confidence and find his place in the world.
Dumbo is one of Disney’s shortest and simplest feature films, but also one of its most emotional and enduring. It tells a deeply human story about love, identity, and triumph against the odds—with a flying elephant who wins hearts around the world.
In a peaceful forest, a young white-tailed deer named Bambi is born. All the woodland creatures come to meet the “Little Prince,” including his future best friends: the playful rabbit Thumper, the shy skunk Flower, and the curious female fawn Faline.
Bambi begins to explore the wonders of the forest—learning to walk, speak, and play. Under the loving care of his mother and guidance of his father, The Great Prince of the Forest, Bambi grows up surrounded by beauty, friendship, and discovery.
Bambi is a poetic and emotional journey about life in the forest. Through its gentle pacing, stunning hand-drawn animation, and deep emotional resonance, it teaches lessons about growing up, facing loss, and finding your place in the world—with nature as the ultimate storyteller.
New animated and live-action films followed after World War II, including the critically successful Cinderella (1950), Sleeping Beauty (1959) and Mary Poppins (1964), the last of which received five Academy Awards.
The Walt Disney Company is one of the largest and most influential media and entertainment conglomerates in the world. From Mickey Mouse to Marvel, from Disneyland to Disney+, the company has shaped global pop culture for over a century. Its legacy lies in innovation, storytelling, and the magical ability to entertain generations across the world.