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Walt Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago, but he spent most of his childhood in Kansas City, Missouri. It is known that he had a difficult upbringing, with a strict and potentially abusive father.
Walt Disney’s birth certificate also seemed suspicious (it listed him as being 10 years older than he thought he was, making him think he was illegitimate). This lead the animator to feature tough child-parent relationships in his work. One of the only Disney films that features both parents is ‘Peter Pan’.
In his twenties, Disney worked as a commercial artist during the day and pursued animation at night. His work gained popularity and he established a studio named Laugh-O-Grams.
However, Laugh-O-Grams would not last. The studio eventually declared bankruptcy, and many lost their jobs.
The Belfast Telegraph reported that Disney was described as a "street angel, house devil." News of his wife’s pregnancy drove the animator to a breakdown eight years into his marriage.
According to reports, Disney developed a drinking habit and smoked 60 cigarettes daily. He suffered from nervous breakdowns and compulsively washed his hands every hour.
In 1941, there was tension between Walt Disney and his workers, particularly regarding their dissatisfaction with low wages, which led the animators to go on strike.
They also wanted to join the Screen Cartoonists Guild, but Disney blocked his workers from unionizing, and even fired his pro-union animators.
The strike lasted nine weeks. This apparently led Disney to call out workers as communists, as part of his involvement with the Motion Picture Alliance.
Disney had a dastardly relationship with his employees, and at one point they turned on him in cartoonish fashion, no pun intended.
For his 35th birthday, the animators threw a birthday bash where they screened an explicit cartoon featuring Mickey and Minnie. According to The Irish Independent, it was a “pointed metaphor for the way they felt they were being treated by Disney."
Disney applauded the animation, and asked to meet those who were responsible. When they revealed themselves, he fired them on the spot and left the party in silence.
According to reports, Disney fired his animators without much consideration. Eventually, a group of them united and established UPA, a competing firm.
Walt Disney inadvertently caused his mother's death, which is a somber truth.
Upon finding success, Disney bought his parents a nice house. When the furnace broke, Disney sent some employees to fix it. However, the inexperienced workers caused a gas leak, which led to his mother’s death.
Walt Disney’s legacy has been haunted with allegations of antisemitism and racism. Offensive stereotypes can be found in films like ‘Fantasia’, ‘Dumbo’, and the infamous ‘Song of the South.’
Disney associated with the Motion Picture Alliance, which was seen as an antisemitic group. ‘Song of the South’ was also released without approval from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
What’s more, Disney personally hosted Leni Riefenstahl, a Nazi propagandist, at his studio. She later said it was “gratifying to learn how thoroughly proper Americans distance themselves from the smear campaigns of the Jews," as reported by Paste Magazine.
Disney's reputation with women workers is mainly influenced by the social norms of that time. Nevertheless, there are reports indicating Disney's preference for keeping women in lower-ranking roles.
In the 1930s and '40s, women had the role of inkers in animated films, meticulously hand-painting each cell. For the creation of 'Snow White,' women reportedly worked over 80 hours per week.
Back in the day, Disney sent out an infamous rejection letter to a woman. “Women do not do any of the creative work in connection with preparing the cartoons for the screen, as that work is performed entirely by young men," the message read, as per the Daily Mail.
Walt Disney actively participated in American politics and strongly opposed communism. He displayed support towards companies and projects with questionable methods, and even exposed his own animators as potential communists.
Disney was a supporter of the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals, which has been known for its antisemitic beliefs.
Walt Disney had big dreams for his theme park, and wanted it to have a “wholesome appearance," according to the Belfast Telegraph. That meant no beards, goatees, and mustaches.
Disney was well-known for his mustache, however, workers at Disneyland were not allowed to have one until 2000.
Disney was a family business for Walt and his brother Roy (right). Walt took charge of the creative side, while Roy handled the business aspects.
According to reports, the pair had a competitive relationship that caused a split in loyalty within Disney studios. The team responsible for creativity was referred to as "Walt's boys", while the financial department was known as "Roy's boys".
Divisions in the Disney studios were no good for business, and Roy was always tasked with managing Walt’s frenetic financial movements.
According to sources, Walt Disney transformed from being affectionately known as "Uncle Walt" to becoming a distressing figure. He segregated Disney based on gender and declined to engage in wage negotiations with employees.
Disney kept his hands on company policy. Apparently, he controlled everything from theme park designs to researching how far trash cans should be from the desk.
For more facts about Disney parks, check out Fascinating facts you didn't know about Disney parks.
Explore the enigmatic aspects of Walt Disney by clicking through this gallery.
Walt Disney: The Man Behind the Magic
Get to know the man behind the mouse
CELEBRITY Retrospective
Disney has come a long way since its founding a hundred years ago. Nonetheless, it is important to understand the individual responsible for bringing Mickey Mouse to life. Revered as "Uncle Walt" by many, Walt Disney holds a special place in the hearts of countless individuals worldwide. Others, however, thought he was a living nightmare.
Explore the enigmatic aspects of Walt Disney by clicking through this gallery.