Walt Disney Research Paper

Intro:

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs. This has a lot do with how Walt Disney had a incredible work ethic. He was a hard worker, but sometimes worked a little too hard. He was known to live at his studio more than he did at home (Baker, 2017). He got his work ethic from his father, Elias Disney. Elias often worked hard, with multiple jobs due to struggling with financial issues. Disney had four siblings and his father often needed them to help him with work. Walt Disney never had a true childhood because he was always working for his father. Sometimes he had to drive his bike through the snow to deliver newspapers (Baker, 2017). Walt Disney created new forms of animation, used persistence to innovate ways

He liked to use new forms of technology in his films, like Technicolor, multiplane cameras, and he made the first animation with sound. This film was also known as Steamboat Willie. All animators have a key animal character. Walt created Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (Baker, 2017). Oswald was very popular, and became even more popular than another cartoon animal at the time; Felix the Cat. Disney and his fellow co-worker Lillian traveled to New York to ask a man named Charles Mintz for more money to make the series even better. Mintz refused to give them any money and took Oswald and gave it to another animation company (Iwerks, Disney, 1928). Walt Disney was disappointed with the news but set out to create a new character that would top Oswald and Felix the cat. After twelve long hours in Disney’s garage, Mortimer Mouse was born. Lillian Bounds (Disney’s co-worker and future wife) offered the name Mickey because Mortimer sounded “too sissy” (Baker, 2017). It used to be that sound paired with animation was considered very risky and “just a fad”(Baker, 2017). However, Disney didn’t believe them. He wanted to create the first animation with Mickey and sound. Steamboat Willie was a great opportunity to do this. Afterwards, Steamboat Willie premiered and Mickey Mouse topped Felix the cat and Oswald the lucky rabbit (Baker,