Walter Elias Disney was born in Chicago in 1901.
He originally trained as a commercial artist before starting his own animation studio. Mickey Mouse was part of this studio from the beginning and appeared in his first films 'Plane Crazy' and 'Steamboat Willy' which were both first shown in 1928.
Plane Crazy
Steamboat Willy
In 1937 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', the very first feature length cartoon was made. This was followed by 'Fantasia' in 1940, 'Dumbo' in 1941, and 'Bambi' in 1942.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Fantasia
Dumbo
Bambi
Disney and his corporation invented a huge number of amazing characters and the very first Disneyland theme park which was opened in 1955 was a project headed by Disney himself.
He died in 1966 from lung cancer just a short time before the opening of his dream project Walt Disney World, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
The corporation founded by Disney has annual revenues of around $35 billion.
