The next person I would like to introduce you to is Walt Disney, the great American film producers, entrepreneur, voice actor, and animator.

Mr. Disney is seen as a pioneer of American animation and the industry as a whole, he introduced many new developments in cartoon production. He also holds the record for the most Academy Awards (22 Wins and 59 nominations) earned by an individual film producer, along with an Emmy, two Golden Globes, and many other awards. He was born in Chicago in 1901, and then grew up in Missouri where he grew a love of drawing, he later moved to California with his brother Roy and started Disney Brothers Studio. He found his first big success in his now super famous character Mickey Mouse which he later developed and animated. As his success grew he introduced many news things to his films as time went on including full-color, synchronized sound, and feature length cartoons. With these techniques he was able to create many of our own childhood favorites Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Dumbo, Pinocchio, Bambi, Fantasia, Cinderella, and Mary Poppins. When the 1950s came around Disney wanted to expand into the amusement park industry, he then opened Disneyland in 1955. To fund the creation of this park he diversified the company into television programs as well, including Micky Mouse Club and Walt Disney’s Disneyland. Along with helping out in the planning of the 1960 Winter Olympics, Moscow fair, and New York’s World Fair. Mr. Disney continued to expand then bringing this magic kingdom to Florida and started construction Walt Disney World in 1965. Sadly, he would never see his new kingdom finished dying of lung cancer in 1966. Walt Disney truly had an amazing life building an empire that still stands and thrives to this day. On the inside he was a shy and insecure man in private but was able to adopt a warm and outgoing public persona. In high school he struggled a lot due to his learning disability but worked hard which he was known for and was able to overcome his struggles and succeed.

Like Steve Jobs and Steven Spielberg is it just so amazing to think how much that one man can change people’s lives. I think every single person at Penn State has had some form of impact from these great men that were able to overcome personal struggles and rise up to have such positive impacts on the lives of millions. Walt Disney remains a very important figure in the history of film and American culture as a whole and his company to this day still fills the minds of children and adults alike with imagination that inspires every last one of us.