The Life of Walt Disney

The Life of Walt Disney

The name Disney is known all over the world. Walt Disney earned his fame from years and years of hard work. He chased his dreams ever since he was a small boy. He was one of the most successful men in the world. But one of the greatest things that Walt Disney is known for is how he inspires others. All of these characteristics make up a great person, one to look up to, a hero. Walt Disney is my hero. Walt Disney was an incredible man. In his early years Walt’s family was a fairly poor family that owned a farm for a little while until it was sold. While on that farm Walt learned the skills of teamwork and how to work together and be loyal. It was around this time that Walt discovered his love for drawing. “The lack of paper and pencils in the home forced him to sketch pictures of the farm animals with coal on toilet paper!” (Gitlin 20). As his life moved on he started working as an animator for Universal Pictures. He was later stabbed in the back as he was fired and the rest of his team remained there except for his good friend. He tried to be a producer but was rejected by everyone. Once he was doing somewhat ok many of his 1,500 workers went on strike! He overcame these hard times because he never gave up chasing his dreams! This is one of the reasons that Walt Disney is my hero. Walt Disney was successful. There were times in his career where he became depressed because of going bankrupt, being stabbed in the back, and more. He pushed through the hard times and became successful. He started his own company that grew so large over the years. It created thousands if not millions of jobs for American citizens. He earned his way to the top which is heroic in of itself. Walt overcame his depression and found happiness. He got married to Lillian Bounds on July 13, 1925 in Idaho. This didn’t solve his problems though. He still broke down occasionally when prices rose or other problems occurred. Later in his life when he became more successful and took more time off he was a happier person. He got to see and play with his grandchildren he even found hobbies such as golf and bowling! “Walt rarely showed emotion, though he did have a temper that would blow over as it blew up. At home, he was affectionate and understanding. He gave love by being interested, involved, and always there for his family and friends” (A. 1) Walt Disney found happiness in his life which is something that I envy in my own life. Throughout his life there were times in his life when he wasn’t sure what to do with his life. He found his passion, animation. He started with just small clips which gradually became more popular. He then made his first full-length animated film in 1934, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. That film earned more money than any previous film! “Disney was presented with a Special Award Oscar for himself and seven little trophies, one for each dwarf” (Gitlin 57). After this film, Disney’s career changed forever! Walt Disney inspired so many. His creativity made people think in a different way. He inspired others to never give up and to follow your dreams. It was once said by a CBC News Broadcaster, Eric Sevaried that “He probably did more to heal-or at least soothe-troubled human spirits than all the psychiatrists in the world.” His point is still valid today and will be for years and years, he showed people happiness. A hero is one who inspires people to do good and meaningful things. Inspiring people to work hard and to be creative in their lives is exactly what Walt Disney did. Walt Disney is my hero because he inspires people to do good things. On December 15, 1966 Walt Disney died. He had gotten sicker as he got older. He smoked a lot which gave him lung cancer. He died even after the doctors tried to get rid of it but it had already spread too much. Walt Disney never got to see the finished Disney World that he had started after his huge success, Walt Disney Land. But what he did do will never be forgotten he is still someone who changed the way people thought. He was a healer of the soul; he brought happiness to families all over the world! Could you imagine what today would be like if he would have quit early in his career? Walt Disney is my hero.

Works Cited Model

A., Brad. "Walt Disney, Biography." http://www.justdisney.com/walt_disney/biography/long_bio02.html. n.d.

Gitlin, Martin. "Walt Disney Entertainment Visionary." Essential Lives. ABDO, 2010.

Cited: Model A., Brad. "Walt Disney, Biography." http://www.justdisney.com/walt_disney/biography/long_bio02.html. n.d. Gitlin, Martin. "Walt Disney Entertainment Visionary." Essential Lives. ABDO, 2010.