"IN 1964, ON OPENING NIGHT OF MARY POPPINS," "WALTER ELIAS DISNEY HAD REACHED THE PINNACLE OF HIS CAREER." "THE PINNACLE OF HIS CAREER." "#THE MAN WHO ARRIVED IN HOLLYWOOD" "SOME 40 YEARS EARLIER WITH A HALF-FINISHED CARTOON IN HIS SUITCASE" "HAD BECOME ONE OF THE LEADING FIGURES OF FILMED ENTERTAINMENT." "I TRIED TO CONVINCE HER I WAS CAPABLE OF MAKING A PICTURE WITH LIVE ACTORS" "AS WELL AS CARTOONS. #I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE THOUGHT ABOUT..." "WHO WAS WALT DISNEY?" "#EVEN THOSE WHO WORKED WITH HIM FOR YEARS" "OFTEN STRUGGLED TO DEFINE THE MAN." "#FOR MANY, HE REMAINS AN ENIGMA." "2 YEARS AFTER THE MARY POPPINS PREMIERE, WALT WAS DEAD," "AND THE ENIGMA BEGAN TO PASS INTO MYTH." "#AND THE ENIGMA BEGAN TO PASS INTO MYTH." "WALT WAS BORN IN CHICAGO IN 1901 TO FLORA AND ELIAS DISNEY," "IN A HOUSE HIS FATHER HAD CONSTRUCTED WITH HIS OWN HANDS." "ELIAS WAS A CONTRACTOR WHO BUILT A NUMBER OF HOMES" "AS WELL AS THE CHURCH IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD." "#WHEN WALT WAS 4, THE DISNEY FAMILY MOVED" "TO MARCELINE, MISSOURI." "#TO MARCELINE, MISSOURI." "WALT WOULD ALWAYS HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF MARCELINE, BUT FOR THE REST OF THE FAMILY," "FARM LIFE WAS HARD. #HIS MOTHER WAS A WARM, LOVING, WONDERFUL WOMAN." "I WISH I'D KNOWN HER BETTER." "#MY FATHER ADORED HER." "THEY WERE A GOOD FAMILY. #WELL, FLORA WAS" "SORT OF MY FAVORITE GRANDMOTHER ALL ALONG." "SHE WAS, UH, MORE FUN THAN A BARREL OF MONKEYS AND SHE LOVED KIDS, KIND OF NOT UNLIKE" "THE WAY WALT DID, I THINK." "#UM, ELIAS, WAS A LITTLE MORE..." "A LOT MORE ALOOF." "#A LOT MORE ALOOF." "WALT HAD 3 OLDER BROTHERS..." "#HERBERT, RAYMOND, AND ROY," "WHO WAS 8 YEARS OLDER THAN WALT. #WHEN HE WAS 2 YEARS OLD," "HIS MOTHER GAVE BIRTH TO A LITTLE GIRL. #HER NAME WAS RUTH." "ELIAS CAME DOWN WITH TYPHOID. #HE RECOVERED," "BUT FARMING WAS NO LONGER POSSIBLE FOR HIM. #IN 1911, THE DISNEY HOUSE WAS SOLD," "AND THE FAMILY LEFT FOR KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI." "AND THE FAMILY LEFT FOR KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI." "IN KANSAS CITY, WALT WAS PUT TO WORK FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE." "IT WAS A TOUGH JOB, TOO. #ELIAS HAD PURCHASED A NEWSPAPER ROUTE," "AND COUNTED ON HIS 2 BOYS WALT AND ROY TO SERVICE IT." "I WAS ABOUT 9 OR 10 WHEN I STARTED THAT, BUT THEY'D DELIVER OUR PAPERS AT 4:30," "THEN WE HAD TO GET UP AND BE THERE AT 4:30 IN THE MORNING." "THE NEWSPAPER ROUTE TOOK A LOT OF WALT DISNEY'S TIME," "AND HE DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF TIME FOR SCHOOL, AND DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME" "TO PREPARE FOR SCHOOL, AND SO, UM, HE WASN'T A GREAT STUDENT." "AND SO, UM, HE WASN'T A GREAT STUDENT. #AT ABOUT THIS TIME," "THE DISNEY'S MOVED TO A BIGGER HOUSE AT 3028 BELLEFONTAINE IN KANSAS CITY." "HERE WALT BECAME FRIENDS WITH A BOY NAMED WALT PFEIFFER." "THE PFEIFFERS WERE A JOLLY CROWD WHO TOOK THEIR CHILDREN TO VAUDEVILLE SHOWS" "AND THE LOCAL CINEMA." "#AND THE LOCAL CINEMA." "WALT STUDIED THE VAUDEVILLE ACTS AND MEMORIZED THE GAGS." "THE 2 BOYS LIKED CHARLIE CHAPLIN ABOVE ALL, AND DEVELOPED A SERIES OF SKITS" "INSPIRED BY "THE TRAMP." TOGETHER WE HAD A LITTLE ACT." "HE WAS THE STRAIGHT MAN WITH ME AS CHAPLIN... #ELIAS DIDN'T QUITE KNOW" "WHAT TO MAKE OF IT." "#ELIAS WAS PROBABLY" "NOT TOO MUCH OUT OF STYLE FOR PATRIARCHS OF HIS DAY." "HE SOUNDS A LITTLE TOUGH TO US NOW, BUT HE DID IT ALL FOR LOVE OF HIS FAMILY." "HE JUST WANTED TO KEEP THAT FAMILY TOGETHER," "KEEP 'EM GOOD, KEEP THE BOYS OUT OF TROUBLE," "YOU KNOW, GET 'EM TO GOIN' DOWN THE RIGHT ROAD, AND TO HIS CREDIT," "WHEN DAD WANTED TO TAKE ART LESSONS, WANTED TO BE AN ARTIST, ELIAS ARRANGED FOR HIM" "TO HAVE SOME ART LESSONS, MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM. #IN JUNE OF 1917, WALT GRADUATED" "FROM THE SEVENTH GRADE AT BENTON SCHOOL." "#THE INCOME FROM THE NEWSPAPER ROUTE" "HAD ENABLED ELIAS TO INVEST IN A JELLY FIRM IN CHICAGO," "THE O-ZELL COMPANY, AND SO, WHILE FLORA, ELIAS, AND RUTH" "WENT OFF TO CHICAGO, 15-YEAR-OLD WALT STAYED WITH HIS BROTHER HERB" "FOR THE SUMMER. #HE GOT A JOB AS A NEWS BUTCH," "SELLING SODA POP AND NEWSPAPERS TO PASSENGERS ON THE RAILROAD." "TO PASSENGERS ON THE RAILROAD." "WHEN SUMMER ENDED, WALT JOINED HIS PARENTS AND SISTER IN CHICAGO." "I THINK HE WAS PRETTY THOROUGHLY DECIDED" "THAT HE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING WITH HIS DRAWING, AND HE DREW SOME CARTOONS" "FOR THE SCHOOL PAPER." "#PEOPLE SAY THAT WALT" "WASN'T A GREAT ARTIST, HE DIDN'T DRAW A LOT. #WELL, THAT WAS TRUE IN LATER YEARS." "BUT HE HAD AN ART TALENT. #WE HAVE DRAWING'S OF WALT'S THAT HE DID" "WHEN HE WAS 15 YEARS OLD, AND THESE ARE VERY GOOD DRAWINGS" "FOR A 15-YEAR-OLD." "#FOR A 15-YEAR-OLD." "WALT'S CARTOONS NOW SHOWED HIS GROWING INTEREST IN THE GREAT WAR" "THAT WAS BEING FOUGHT IN EUROPE. #IT WAS REALLY THE THING TO BE PATRIOTIC" "AND TO WANT TO HELP OUT YOUR COUNTRY. #WALT WAS ONLY 16 YEARS OLD, THOUGH. #THERE WAS NO WAY THAT THEY WERE GONNA" "LET HIM INTO THE ARMY OR THE NAVY." "#WELL, FINALLY HE HEARD OF A..." "OF A RED CROSS UNIT FORMING THAT WOULD TAKE 17-YEAR-OLDS," "AND HE FIGURED HE COULD MANAGE THAT, 'CAUSE THAT WAS ONLY A YEAR OFF." "SO AFTER HIS MOTHER HAD SIGNED HIS PASSPORT APPLICATION," "HE DID A LITTLE FORGERY ON IT AND CHANGED THE BIRTH YEAR." "SO, UH, HE BECAME A 17-YEAR-OLD AND WAS ABLE TO GET INTO THE RED CROSS" "WITH A FRIEND OF HIS FROM SCHOOL." "#IN 1918, GERMANY SIGNED AN ARMISTICE." "HOWEVER, THE RED CROSS AMBULANCE CORPS STILL NEEDED MORE DRIVERS TO HELP" "WITH POST-WAR OPERATIONS IN FRANCE." "#WITH POST-WAR OPERATIONS IN FRANCE." "WALT ARRIVED IN FRANCE AND WAS PUT TO WORK MAKING DELIVERIES, DRIVING AMBULANCES," "OR CHAUFFEURING IMPORTANT OFFICERS. #HE TOOK UP SMOKING." "IT DEVELOPED INTO A LIFELONG ADDICTION. #WALT PAINTED HIS TRUCK" "AND SENT DRAWINGS HOME TO MAGAZINES. #THEY WERE ALL REJECTED." "THEY WERE ALL REJECTED." "BY SEPTEMBER OF 1919, THE AMBULANCE CORPS HAD FINISHED ITS WORK," "AND WALT RETURNED HOME. #HE NO LONGER THOUGHT OF HIMSELF" "AS A KID FROM MISSOURI, BUT A GROWN MAN WHO HAD SEEN THE WORLD." "BUT A GROWN MAN WHO HAD SEEN THE WORLD." "WALT MADE UP HIS MIND TO GO BACK TO KANSAS CITY. #HE SAID, "I WANNA BE AN ARTIST."" "AND, OF COURSE, ELIAS WAS SHOCKED. #HE SAID, "YOU CAN'T MAKE A LIVING AS AN ARTIST."" "WALT SAID, "I'M GONNA TRY." ELIAS AND FLORA MOVED BACK TO KANSAS CITY." "ROY, WHO HAD BEEN DISCHARGED FROM THE NAVY," "AND OLDER BROTHER HERBERT AND HIS WIFE LOUISE LIVED WITH THEM IN THE OLD DISNEY HOUSE" "ON BELLEFONTAINE STREET." "#WALT DECIDED TO JOIN THEM." "SO THERE WERE QUITE A LOT OF US THERE. #THERE WERE 5 CHILDREN" "AND, UH, THEY WERE ALL LIVING AT HOME." "#I HAD LOTS OF, UH, WONDERFUL UNCLES" "WHO JUST THOUGHT I WAS THE CUTEST, AND SO I'M AFRAID I MIGHT HAVE BEEN A BIT SPOILED." "SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WALT GOT A JOB AT THE PESMAN-RUBIN ART STUDIO." "WHILE AT PESMAN-RUBIN, HE MET A QUIET, BUT HIGHLY TALENTED YOUNG MAN" "NAMED UB IWERKS. #THE 2 YOUNG MEN STARTED A LITTLE COMPANY OF THEIR OWN." "THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO MAKE MUCH OF A LIVING WITH THIS." "I MEAN, THEY WERE JUST BARELY MAKING ENOUGH TO GET BY," "AND THEN THEY SAW AN AD IN THE PAPER FOR THE KANSAS CITY SLIDE COMPANY," "AND SO WALT LEFT UB TO RUN THE PARTNERSHIP," "AND, UH, HE WAS HIRED, AND EVENTUALLY UB JOINED HIM THERE." "IT WAS AT KANSAS CITY FILM AD THAT WALT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED" "TO ANIMATED FILMS, CARTOONS. #OF COURSE, THEY WERE VERY CRUDE THINGS THEN," "AND I USED, UH, OH, SORT OF LITTLE PUPPET THINGS." "WE DIDN'T DRAW THEM LIKE WE DO TODAY." "#I USED TO MAKE LITTLE CUT-OUT THINGS," "AND JOINTS WERE PINNED, AND WE'D PUT 'EM UNDER THE CAMERA" "AND WE'D MANEUVER THEM AND MAKE 'EM DO THINGS." "WALT SPENT HOURS AT THE KANSAS CITY LIBRARY LEARNING ABOUT ANIMATION." "IT WAS HERE THAT HE CAME ACROSS A 19th-CENTURY BOOK" "BY A BRITISH ARTIST NAMED EADWEARD MUYBRIDGE ON ANIMAL AND HUMAN LOCOMOTION." "ON ANIMAL AND HUMAN LOCOMOTION." "PEOPLE DON'T NOTICE THAT, THAT THE TERM "ANIMATION"" "WAS FIRST NOTICED BY A MAN NAMED, UH... #NAMED NOAH WEBSTER" "WHO WAS WRITING A DICTIONARY IN 1837, AND HE RAN ACROSS THIS WORD "ANIMATION"," "AND HE WROTE UNDER IT, "TO EVOKE LIFE." WELL, IN AMERICA DURING THE TWENTIES," "THE ANIMATION INDUSTRY WAS REALLY CENTERED ON NEW YORK CITY." "THAT'S WHERE THE FIRST STUDIOS HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED, AND THAT'S WHERE" "THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THEM STILL WERE. #AT THAT TIME," "THERE WERE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SILENT ONE-REEL COMEDIES" "BEING PUT OUT TO SHOW IN THE MOVIE THEATERS." "BEING PUT OUT TO SHOW IN THE MOVIE THEATERS." "WALT TOOK A BORROWED CAMERA TO THE SHED BEHIND HIS HOUSE" "AND BEGAN MAKING CARTOONS OF HIS OWN. #HE CALLED THEM LAUGH-O-GRAMS" "AND SOLD THE FIRST ONE TO THE NEWMAN THEATER IN KANSAS CITY." "AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT IT, I THINK, IS THAT IT OPENS" "WITH THAT WONDERFUL SHOT OF WALT SITTING AT HIS DRAWING BOARD." "THIS IS WALT DISNEY" "AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS JOURNEY, AND WE HAVE A PRIVILEGED GLIMPSE OF IT." "IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE HE MOVED OUT OF ANIMATION AND HAD OTHER PEOPLE WORKING WITH HIM" "IN THE ACTUAL DRAWING OF THE PICTURES." "#BUT THIS IS ONE SEGMENT THAT WE CAN SAY" "IS FULLY ANIMATED BY WALT DISNEY HIMSELF." "#IS FULLY ANIMATED BY WALT DISNEY HIMSELF." "I THINK HE REALLY WANTED TO GET INTO FULL ANIMATION," "AND HE REALIZED JUST FROM THE LABORIOUS NATURE" "OF LITTLE SHORT SCENES LIKE THE POLICE STATION SCENE THAT THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING" "THAT ONE PERSON WANTED TO DO ALONE. #SO THAT'S WHEN HE RE..." "HE WENT AROUND AND RECRUITED PEOPLE TO START THE LAUGH-O-GRAMS COMPANY," "AND THEY MADE FILMS WHICH ARE REFERRED TO TODAY AS MODERNIZED FAIRY TALES." "BASICALLY, WHAT THEY DID WAS TAKE A FAIRY TALE," "BUT THEN DO A CONTEMPORARY SPIN ON IT. #SO WHEN HE DOES HIS VERSION" "OFPUSS IN BOOTS, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS THE CAT WITH HIS MASTER" "GOING TO THE MOVIES AND SEEING A PARODY OF THE LATEST RUDOLPH VALENTINO PICTURE." "OF THE LATEST RUDOLPH VALENTINO PICTURE." "THESE ARE JUST A BUNCH OF KIDS. #THEY DON'T HAVE A WORLDWIDE ORGANIZATION BEHIND THEM." "THESE ARE A BUNCH OF BOYHOOD FRIENDS WHO HAVE DEVELOPED A COMMON INTEREST" "IN ANIMATED CARTOONS AND WANT TO GIVE IT A WHIRL." "SO THEY'RE DOING THINGS BY TRIAL AND ERROR," "THEY ARE LEARNING TECHNIQUES AS THEY GO ALONG, AND YOU GET TO SEE THEM DOING THAT" "AS YOU WATCH THE FILMS." "IT'S VERY IMPROMPTU AND IT'S..." "IT'S, WELL, JUST A LOT OF FUN." "AND IT'S..." "IT'S, WELL, JUST A LOT OF FUN." "#AND I WAS CARRYING A FULL MILK BOTTLE," "AND THEN HE REVERSED THE FILM SO THAT I BACKED UP," "THE MILK ALL CAME UP IN THE BOTTLE." "#THAT WAS ONE LITTLE FILM THAT WE DID." "ROY DEVELOPED TUBERCULOSIS AND WAS SENT TO A SANITARIUM." "HERBERT AND HIS FAMILY WERE TRANSFERRED BY THE POSTAL SERVICE TO A NEW JOB" "IN PORTLAND, OREGON." "#ELIAS AND FLORA DECIDED" "TO JOIN THEM IN PORTLAND AS WELL. #THE CROWDED HOUSE ON BELLEFONTAINE FELL EMPTY." "ONE MORNING, WALT ACCOMPANIED HIS PARENTS AND HIS SISTER RUTH" "TO THE KANSAS CITY UNION STATION FOR A TEARFUL FAREWELL." ""WHEN WALT TOOK US TO THE TRAIN, "I NEVER KNEW WALT'S EMOTIONS MUCH," ""BUT HE COULDN'T KEEP HIS FACE STRAIGHT. #"HE SUDDENLY TURNED AND LEFT." ""HE WAS UPSET, VERY UPSET. #HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE ALONE THEN."" "ON MAY 23, 1922, WALT OFFICIALLY INCORPORATED" "LAUGH-O-GRAM FILMS IN A 2-ROOM SUITE IN THE McCONAHAY BUILDING." "HE WAS 20 YEARS OLD. #WHEN PICTORIAL CLUBS SIGNED THE CONTRACT" "FOR THE LAUGH-O-GRAMS, THE CONTRACT SPECIFIED THAT DISNEY AND HIS COWORKERS" "WERE TO GET $11.100. #WHAT THEY GOT WAS THE $100." "THAT WAS IT." "THE CONTRACT WAS SET UP" "SO THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GET THE REST OF THE MONEY A LONG WAY DOWN THE ROAD," "BUT, UH, CONVENIENTLY ENOUGH, PICTORIAL CLUBS WENT OUT OF BUSINESS BEFORE THAT." "PICTORIAL CLUBS WENT OUT OF BUSINESS BEFORE THAT." "UH, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD BE TEMPTED TO BECOME VERY CONSERVATIVE" "AND DO SOMETHING EASY AND SAFE. #WHAT DISNEY DOES IS GO OUT AND BLOW IT ALL" "ON THE MOST LAVISH FILM HE CAN POSSIBLY MAKE, AND IT WAS CALLED ALICE'S WONDERLAND." "WELL, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAD BEEN EXPERIMENTING DURING THE TWENTIES" "WITH LIVE ACTION/ANIMATION COMBINATIONS." "#BUT THE STANDARD WAY OF DOING THAT," "WHICH THE FLEISCHERS HAD REALLY PIONEERED, WAS TO PUT AN ANIMATED CHARACTER" "INTO A LIVE ACTION WORLD. #WALT REVERSED IT TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW" "AND SOMETHING DIFFERENT VERY TYPICALLY, AND PUT THE LIVE ACTION CHARACTER" "INTO THE ANIMATED WORLD, WHICH REALLY HADN'T BEEN BEFORE," "OR DONE VERY LITTLE. #IN THE FIRST PART OF THE FILM, OF COURSE," "SHE GOES INTO THE CARTOON STUDIO, SO YOU GET THIS KIND OF WONDERFUL, WHIMSICAL LOOK" "AT A CARTOON STUDIO THROUGH A CHILD'S EYES. #THE NAME OF THE FIRST FILM," "WHICH WAS THE TEST FILM THAT HE USED, WAS CALLED ALICE'S WONDERLAND," "AND IT WAS SHOT IN MY MOTHER'S HOUSE, AT LEAST THE LIVE ACTION PART OF IT," "AND THAT IS WHERE HE INTRODUCED THE IDEA OF THE CARTOONS." "AND WHEN I CAME HOME, I WAS TO BE PUT TO BED," "AND THEN I DREAMT THE WHOLE SEQUENCE OF THEALICECARTOONS," "AND HE'D SAY, YOU KNOW, "RUN." "MOVE YOUR ARMS. #MOVE YOUR ARMS LIKE YOU'RE RUNNING."" "MOVE YOUR ARMS LIKE YOU'RE RUNNING." HALFWAY THROUGH THE PRODUCTION," "WALT WAS BROKE. #LAUGH-O-GRAMS WENT OUT OF BUSINESS." "IN JULY OF 1923, WALT SOLD HIS MOVIE CAMERA." "HE WOULD GO WHERE ALL THE MOVIEMAKERS GO... #HE WOULD HEAD FOR HOLLYWOOD." "HE WOULD HEAD FOR HOLLYWOOD." "IT WAS A BIG DAY, THE DAY I GOT ON THE SANTE FE RAILROAD..." "THE CALIFORNIA RAILROAD." "#31/2 DAYS, YOU KNOW?" "BUT I'D FAILED, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT" "TO HAVE A GOOD FAILURE WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG. #I CAME TO HOLLYWOOD." "THERE WAS JUST ONE THING I WANTED TO DO." "I WANTED TO GET INTO THE MOTION PICTURE BUSINESS. #I WANTED TO BE A DIRECTOR." "THAT WAS MY AMBITION AND GOAL, BE A DIRECTOR. #WALT MOVED IN" "WITH HIS UNCLE ROBERT DISNEY. #HE THEN SET OUT TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR" "OF EVERY STUDIO IN TOWN." "#BUT THEY ALL TURNED HIM DOWN." "THAT WAS MY ONLY MARKETING, GET IN. #NOT CHOOSE, BUT GET IN." "BE A PART OF IT, AND THEN MOVE UP." "#WHAT THE HELL, SWEEP THE FLOOR." "I DON'T CARE." "GET A... #AT FIRST, WALT AVOIDED ANIMATION." "HE BELIEVED HE WAS TOO LATE TO COMPETE WITH THE BIG STUDIOS IN NEW YORK." "BUT WHEN NO OPPORTUNITIES OPENED UP, HE RETURNED TO ANIMATION." "UNCLE ROBERT DISNEY WAS A GRUFF, CIGAR-CHOMPING FELLOW" "WHO COULD BE PERSUADED TO HELP WHEN WALT NEEDED HIM." "HE HAD A PLEASANT HOUSE ON KINGSWELL AVENUE," "AND ALLOWED WALT TO TURN HIS GARAGE INTO A STUDIO." "WALT THEN SENT THE UNFINISHED PRINT OFALICE'S WONDERLAND TO A CARTOON DISTRIBUTOR" "NAMED MARGARET WINKLER. #ON OCTOBER 15, WINKLER SENT A TELEGRAM BACK." "SO WALT CAME OUT TO ROY'S BARRACKS AND SAID, UH," ""ROY, I'VE GOT A DEAL WITH A NEW YORK DISTRIBUTOR," ""AND I WANT YOU TO COME IN WITH ME. #I NEED YOUR HELP."" "AND, UH, ROY LEFT THE HOSPITAL, NEVER WENT BACK," "NEVER HAD A RECURRENCE OF T.B., AND THAT'S HOW THE DISNEY BROTHERS STUDIO WAS FORMED." "DAD WOULD'VE BEEN PRESIDENT OF THE BANK IN KANSAS CITY, I HAVE ALWAYS SAID." "DAD, BEING OLDER, AND HAVING BEEN HIS BABYSITTER" "FOR A LONG TIME WHEN HE WAS A KID, I THINK, ALWAYS CARRIED AROUND" "A BIT OF THAT WITH HIM." "#A BIT OF THAT WITH HIM." "WALT SENT FOR VIRGINIA DAVIS, THE STAR OF THE SERIES." "HER FAMILY MOVED TO CALIFORNIA. #WALT BOUGHT A SECOND-HAND CAMERA FOR $200" "AND SET UP SHOP IN A SMALL STORE ON KINGSWELL AVENUE." "A FEW MONTHS LATER, HE ASKED UB IWERKS TO JOIN HIM." "TO JOIN HIM." "WALT AND ROY TOOK AN UPSTAIRS ROOM IN A HOUSE OPPOSITE UNCLE ROBERT'S." "BUT THE PLACE WAS SMALL, AND THE 2 MEN GOT ON EACH OTHER'S NERVES." "WITH A STEADY INCOME NOW SECURE, ROY DECIDED" "TO PROPOSE TO HIS CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART, EDNA. #SHE ACCEPTED." "WALT, MEANWHILE, WAS SMITTEN WITH A YOUNG WOMAN HE'D HIRED" "TO INK AND PAINT THE CELLULOIDS." "#HER NAME WAS LILLIAN BOUNDS." "MY MOTHER WAS BORN IN SPALDING, IDAHO, A TOWN THAT DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE," "IN 1899. #THE FAMILY MOVED VERY NEARBY TO LAPWAI." "IT WAS THE NEZ PERCE INDIAN RESERVATION IN LAPWAI, AND SHE WENT TO SCHOOL" "AT THE..." "ON THE RESERVATION, AND AFTER A CERTAIN BIT OF TIME HAD LAPSED" "AFTER HER FATHER'S DEATH, MY AUNT HAZEL, HER NEAREST SISTER," "WAS IN LOS ANGELES AND URGED HER TO COME DOWN," "SO SHE LEFT HER MOTHER WITH HER BROTHER SID AND WENT DOWN TO LOS ANGELES," "AND A YOUNG WOMAN SHE MET, A FRIEND OF HAZEL'S, SAID, "YOU KNOW, I CAN GET YOU A JOB." ""THERE'S A YOUNG GUY DOWN THE STREET WHO'S MAKING CARTOONS."" "HE HAD A LITTLE CAR, AND HE WOULD DRIVE MOTHER" "AND ANOTHER YOUNG WOMAN THAT WORKED FOR HIM THEN HOME EVERY EVENING," "AND MOTHER TOOK GREAT DELIGHT IN THE FACT THAT EVEN THOUGH MOTHER WAS THE NEAREST," "HE WOULD TAKE THE OTHER GIRL HOME FIRST AND THEN DROP MOTHER OFF ON THE WAY BACK." "AND THEN DROP MOTHER OFF ON THE WAY BACK." "IN SOME WAYS, THE FAMILY WAS VERY DIFFERENT FROM HIS OWN." "IT WAS A LARGE FAMILY, YOU KNOW, DOUBLE THE SIZE OF HIS." "MY MOTHER'S FATHER WAS... #SHE DESCRIBED HIM "A GOOD-TIME CHARLIE."" "THEY NEVER HAD MUCH MONEY, AND WHEN HE MADE A LITTLE MONEY, HE WENT OUT" "AND BOUGHT THEM ALL PRESENTS. #ON APRIL 11, 1925," "ROY AND EDNA WERE MARRIED AT UNCLE ROBERT'S HOUSE." "ROY AND EDNA WERE MARRIED AT UNCLE ROBERT'S HOUSE." "AND DAD IS OBVIOUSLY SO DELIGHTED WITH MOTHER, YOU KNOW." "ANY EXCUSE TO HUG HER." "#AND SHE LOOKS VERY PLEASED" "TO BE THE OBJECT OF HIS AFFECTION." "#AND NOT LONG AFTER THAT," "THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD GET MARRIED, TOO. #THEY WENT UP TO LEWISTON, IDAHO," "WHERE HER MOTHER WAS. #THE DRESS SHE MADE HERSELF." "MY COUSIN MARJORIE REMEMBERS THAT MOTHER GIGGLED" "THROUGHOUT THE SERVICE..." "THE CEREMONY." "#AND THEN THEY WENT ON A HONEYMOON" "TO MT." "RAINIER." "#TO MT." "RAINIER." "JUST ONE WEEK BEFORE, THE 2 BROTHERS MADE THE DOWN PAYMENT" "ON A NEW LOT ON HYPERION AVENUE. #THEY PLANNED TO BUILD A BRAND NEW STUDIO" "TO CONTINUE PRODUCING THEALICESERIES." "#TO CONTINUE PRODUCING THEALICESERIES." "MARGARET WINKLER WAS ONE OF THE VERY FEW WOMEN" "TO BE A DISTRIBUTION EXECUTIVE IN THE FILM WORLD." "SHE SUBSEQUENTLY MARRIED CHARLES MINTZ, WHO KIND OF TOOK OVER THE BUSINESS," "AND WHO DROVE A MUCH HARDER BARGAIN THAN SHE HAD." "MINTZ WAS NOT THRILLED WITH THEALICECOMEDIES," "AND BY THE END OF 1926, EVEN WALT HAD TO ACKNOWLEDGE" "THAT THEY HAD RUN THEIR COURSE." "#NOW, MINTZ WANTED A SERIES" "THAT WOULD BE PURELY ANIMATED." "#I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE KNOWS" "WHO ACTUALLY SUGGESTED A RABBIT, AND WHO THOUGHT" "THAT OSWALD SHOULD BE HIS NAME, BUT OSWALD THE LUCKY RABBIT" "WAS THE CHARACTER THEY CAME UP WITH. #AND OSWALD WAS PRETTY LUCKY." "THEY..." "THEY DID VERY WELL. #THE FILMS WERE DISTRIBUTED BY UNIVERSAL," "AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT A MAJOR COMPANY HAD DISTRIBUTED DISNEY'S CARTOONS." "SO THEY WERE BEING SHOWN IN MAJOR THEATERS WITH FIRST-RUN FILMS." "WITH FIRST-RUN FILMS." "#AND THEN THE 2 BROTHERS" "DECIDED IT WAS..." "YOU KNOW, THAT THEY WERE BOTH MARRIED," "IT WAS TIME TO BUILD A REAL HOME." "#THEY BOUGHT LOTS..." "ADJOINING LOTS..." "NOT FAR FROM THE HYPERION STUDIO ON A LITTLE HILLSIDE STREET." "IT WAS PROBABLY THE FINEST HOME THAT ANYBODY IN THEIR FAMILY" "HAD EVER HAD AT THAT POINT. #LILLY'S MOTHER," "WHO WALT TREATED LIKE A QUEEN, LIVED WITH THEM FOR A WHILE." "HAZEL DID, TOO, WITH HER TEENAGE DAUGHTER MARJORIE." "HAZEL DID, TOO, WITH HER TEENAGE DAUGHTER MARJORIE." "ONE CHRISTMAS, MY FATHER PRESENTED MY MOTHER WITH A HATBOX," "AND WHEN SHE OPENED IT, THERE WAS A LITTLE CHOW PUPPY INSIDE." "THERE WAS A LITTLE CHOW PUPPY INSIDE." "IN FEBRUARY OF 1928, THE CONTRACT FOROSWALD THE RABBIT" "WAS UP FOR RENEWAL. #TOGETHER WITH LILLY, WALT BOARDED A TRAIN" "TO NEW YORK TO STRIKE A NEW DEAL." "#BUT MINTZ HAD AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE." "I THINK HE FIGURED THAT HE COULD PRODUCE THEOSWALDCARTOONS" "JUST AS WELL AS DISNEY, AND DO AWAY WITH THE MIDDLEMAN." "AND MINTZ TOLD HIM, "NO, YOU WILL NOT GET MORE MONEY." "IN FACT, YOU WILL TAKE LESS", AND REVEALED THAT HE HAD HIRED AWAY" "VIRTUALLY WALT'S ENTIRE STAFF EXCEPT FOR UB IWERKS," "AND THAT THEY WERE TAKING THE OSWALD CHARACTER TO SOMEONE ELSE." "MINTZ HAD IN EFFECT STOLEN THE CHARACTER FROM DISNEY." "NOW, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE MADE CLEAR THAT THIS WAS STANDARD PRACTICE AT THE TIME." "THE DISTRIBUTOR OWNED THE RIGHTS TO THE CHARACTER." "THE DISTRIBUTOR OWNED THE RIGHTS TO THE CHARACTER." "HE WIRED ROY. #"EVERYTHING OK," "I'LL EXPLAIN WHEN I GET HOME", OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT." "AND ON THE WAY HOME ON THE TRAIN HE WAS BRAINSTORMING, AND MOTHER WAS THERE." "HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, I THINK I'LL... #"I NEED A NEW CHARACTER." ""I THINK IT WILL BE A MOUSE, AND I THINK I'LL CALL HIM MORTIMER."" "AND MOTHER SAID... #AND SHE IS SO PROUD OF THIS MOMENT..." ""MORTIMER?" "I DON'T LIKE MORTIMER. #WHAT ABOUT MICKEY?"" "WHAT ABOUT MICKEY?"" "WALT PRESENTED HIS IDEAS TO UB IWERKS, WHO REFINED AND ANIMATED THE CHARACTER." "THEY BEGAN THE FIRST CARTOON WITH MICKEY MOUSE, PLANE CRAZY, IN TOTAL SECRECY." "PLANE CRAZY, IN TOTAL SECRECY." "WALT DIDN'T HAVE ANY INITIAL SUCCESS FINDING A DISTRIBUTOR FOR HIS NEW CHARACTER." "HE KNEW THAT HE NEEDED SOMETHING REVOLUTIONARY. #THE ANSWER WAS SOUND," "WHICH HAD RECENTLY BEEN ADDED TO SILENT PICTURES." "THE IDEA OF BLENDING SOUND AND ANIMATION WASN'T NEW," "BUT WHAT WAS TYPICAL OF DISNEY WAS THAT HE WENT AHEAD AND MADE SURE" "THAT HE COULD DO IT BETTER AND MORE EFFECTIVELY" "THAN ANYONE ELSE HAD UP UNTIL THEN. #HE STRUCK A DEAL" "WITH A FELLOW NAMED PAT POWERS, WHO WOULD PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SOUND EQUIPMENT" "TO THEATERS, AS WELL AS DISTRIBUTE THE CARTOON." "THEN WE USED TO PUT THE SOUND ON AFTERWARDS AND, UH, IN THOSE DAYS YOU COULDN'T DO" "WHAT WE CALL DUBBING TODAY, WHERE YOU COULD MIX A LOT OF TRACKS." "IT WASN'T YET A SCIENCE THAT, UH, THAT YOU COULD GET AWAY WITH," "SO WE USED TO HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONE TIME," "AND WE USED TO HAVE TO RUN THE CARTOON, WE'D HAVE THE FELLAS WITH THE SOUND EFFECTS," "WE HAD THE PEOPLE WITH THE VOICES, WE HAD THE ORCHESTRA GOING," "AND EVERYBODY HAD TO SYNCHRONIZE." "#AND EVERYBODY HAD TO SYNCHRONIZE." "WHEN YOU LOOK ATSTEAMBOAT WILLIE TODAY," "IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE HOW FRESH AND HOW DIFFERENT" "IT MUST HAVE BEEN THAN THE OTHER ANIMATED FILMS OF THAT ERA." "BUT IF YOU WERE IN THE AUDIENCE IN THE COLONY THEATER IN NEW YORK" "IN NOVEMBER OF 1928, YOU HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE." "HERE WAS A CHARACTER LAUGHING AND DANCING AND WHISTLING AND SINGING," "COORDINATED TO THE MUSIC MORE PERFECTLY THAN ANYTHING YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN BEFORE." "THAN ANYTHING YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN BEFORE." "HURRY UP, PLUTO!" "#WALT WAS MICKEY'S ORIGINAL VOICE" "BECAUSE HE COULDN'T FIND AN ACTOR WHO DID IT THE WAY HE LIKED IT." "HE WOULD SAY, "IT'S HIGH, IT'S NOT FALSETTO, IT'S LIKE THIS."" "AND THEY FINALLY SAID, "WALT, YOU DO IT." SHH!" "HE'LL HEAR YOU." "AND MANY OF THE ARTISTS MAINTAIN THAT MICKEY WAS REALLY" "KIND OF AN ALTER EGO FOR WALT, THAT WHEN THEY SEE HIM MOVING AND ACTING," "PARTICULARLY IN THE LATER SOUND FILMS WHEN THE CHARACTER HAS DEVELOPED MORE FULLY" "IN THE THIRTIES, THAT HE REALLY IS KIND OF WALT" "UP ON THE SCREEN." "#UP ON THE SCREEN." "MICKEY MOUSE HAD MADE WALT FAMOUS. #BUT WALT WANTED TO EXPLORE" "NEW IDEAS FOR ANIMATED FILMS. #AND PLAYING WITH MUSIC" "AND DOING THINGS WITH MUSIC WAS INTRIGUING AND EVERYTHING." "SO I STARTED THE SILLY SYMPHONY." "#AND I MADE THE FIRST ONE" "AND CALLED IT THE SKELETON DANCE." "#AND CALLED IT THE SKELETON DANCE." "AND ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A FILM THAT MUST HAVE BEEN" "A REAL EYE-OPENER FOR AUDIENCES WHEN IT CAME OUT BECAUSE NO ONE HAD SEEN" "ANYTHING LIKE IT. #IT REALLY DOESN'T HAVE MUCH OF A PLOT." "IT'S BASICALLY SOME SKELETONS EMERGE FROM THEIR TOMB AT NIGHT" "AND DANCE SOME RATHER JAUNTY DANCES AND SMASH EACH OTHER AND PLAY EACH OTHER" "AND BOUNCE UP AND DOWN AND HAVE A GOOD TIME, AND IT'S VERY RUBBERY ANIMATION" "ALL SET TO EDVARD GRIEG'S MARCH OF THE DWARVES." "MARCH OF THE DWARVES." "WHEN I WAS 7, I WENT TO THE MOVIES AND SAWTHE SKELETON DANCE, A MATINEE," "AND I STAYED THROUGH THE FILM, A DREADFUL FILM," "BUT I STAYED THROUGH TO SEETHE SKELETON DANCE" "SO MANY TIMES THAT MY FATHER HAD TO COME AND DRAG ME OUT OF THE THEATER." "THE GUY THOUGHT IN TERMS OF ENTERTAINMENT, AND THAT WAS" "THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT HIM. #AND THAT'S WHAT, I GUESS," "MADE US ALL SO LOYAL TO HIM." "#HE WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING" "THAT WAS DIFFERENT. #HE WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS" "WAY OUT IN FRONT OF WHAT ANYBODY ELSE WAS DOING IN THE BUSINESS OF ANIMATION." "HE CARED ENOUGH TO WANT TO MAKE IT ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. #HE'D DO IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN" "UNTIL IT WORKED, TILL IT WAS RIGHT." "#UNTIL IT WORKED, TILL IT WAS RIGHT." "IN LATE 1930, ROY BEGAN TO SUSPECT THAT POWERS HAD WITHHELD LARGE SUMS OF ROYALTIES." "HE SURMISED THAT POWERS WANTED TO TAKE OVER THE DISNEY STUDIO." "BELIEVING UB IWERKS TO BE THE KEY TO THEIR SUCCESS, HE LURED IWERKS AWAY." "THE DISNEY BROTHERS HAD GIVEN IWERKS A 20% INTEREST IN THEIR STUDIO," "WHICH HE SOLD BACK FOR A MERE $2.000. #UB WOULD RETURN TO THE STUDIO SOME YEARS LATER" "AND BECOME AN EXPERT IN SPECIAL EFFECTS. #WHEN UB LEFT, WALT WAS HURT." "BUT AT LEAST, THIS TIME, HE OWNED THE MICKEY CHARACTER." "THERE WAS TIMES WHEN WE WEREN'T PROCEEDING." "#I THINK HE HAD A SENSE OF DESTINY," "AND HE KNEW WHERE HE WANTED TO GO, AND HE WANTED TO GET ON WITH IT ALWAYS." "AND HE WANTED TO GET ON WITH IT ALWAYS. #ON JANUARY 10, 1930," "EDNA GAVE BIRTH TO A BABY BOY NAMED ROY EDWARD. #FOR SOME TIME, WALT HAD BEEN READY" "TO START A FAMILY, BUT LILLY WANTED TO WAIT. #AS THE YOUNGEST OF 10 CHILDREN" "IN A FAMILY OF HUMBLE MEANS, LILLY HAD SEEN HOW HARD HER MOTHER" "AND OLDER SISTER WERE FORCED TO WORK. #HER LIFE WITH WALT WAS ROMANTIC AND EXCITING," "AND THEY WERE ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE OF IT." "#AND THEY WERE ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE OF IT." "AFTER A FEW YEARS, WHEN LILLY DECIDED THE TIME HAD COME FOR CHILDREN," "IT WASN'T TO BE THAT EASY." "#IT WASN'T TO BE THAT EASY." "LILLY SUFFERED 2 MISCARRIAGES. #COMBINED WITH THE PRESSURES OF THE STUDIO," "WALT FELT PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY DRAINED." "I DID." "IN 1931, I HAD A HELL OF A BREAKDOWN. #I WENT ALL TO PIECES." "IT WAS A FACT THAT I CRACKED UP. #I JUST GOT VERY IRRITABLE." "I GOT TO THE POINT THAT I COULDN'T TALK ON THE TELEPHONE." "I'D BEGIN TO CRY." "I HAD TO GO AWAY." "#I HAD TO GO AWAY." "AND EVERYBODY WENT TO THE TRAIN STATION TO SEE THEM OFF." "TO THE TRAIN STATION TO SEE THEM OFF." "SO THEY WENT ON, THEY WENT TO WASHINGTON D.C., I BELIEVE," "AND THEN ON TO, UH, CUBA ON A STEAMSHIP, AND THEN I THINK THEY CAME ON" "THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL, IT WAS." "#AND I THINK IT WAS A VERY LANGUOROUS," "VERY RELAXING, AND MAYBE ROMANTIC..." "#VERY ROMANTIC TRIP FOR THEM." "VERY ROMANTIC TRIP FOR THEM." "WALT DECIDED HE NEEDED TO EXERCISE TO WORK OUT THE TENSION IN HIS LIFE." "GOLF, WRESTLING, AND BOXING DIDN'T QUITE WORK OUT." "DIDN'T QUITE WORK OUT. #AND THIS, YOU MUST REMEMBER," "WAS THE MACHO TIME OF FILMS. #THIS IS WHEN THE MEN TRIED TO SIMULATE," "IN A SENSE, THE CHARACTERS THEY PLAYED ON FILM," "AND THEY WERE ATHLETES, AND THEY JUMPED INTO THINGS" "THEY WEREN'T REALLY EQUIPPED TO DO..." "LIKE POLO, WHICH IS A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT GAME." "WHICH IS A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT GAME." "GABLE AND SPENCE TRACY AND BOB MONTGOMERY AND..." "THEY WOULD HAVE THESE TAILGATE PARTIES WITH THE WICKER BASKETS AND THE CHAMPAGNE" "AND THE CAVIAR AND THE WHOLE SONG AND DANCE, WHICH WAS NOT REALLY TYPICAL" "OF THE WAY HOLLYWOOD WAS AT ALL." "#WHILE HE WAS, UH, RIDING AROUND" "SCRIMMAGING WITH THE ARGENTINE TEAM, ONE OF THE ARGENTINE PLAYERS BACKED A BALL" "AND WALT TURNED AROUND JUST ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE BALL CAME AND, YOU KNOW," "THESE BALLS ARE HARD WOODEN OBJECTS," "AND IT HIT WALT, AND, UH, IT REALLY HURT HIM BADLY." "AND AT THAT POINT THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOLD WALT THAT HE HAD TO QUIT PLAYING POLO." "TOLD WALT THAT HE HAD TO QUIT PLAYING POLO." "IN 1932, WALT BEGAN WORK ON A PARTICULARLY RISKY SILLY SYMPHONY PROJECT." "FLOWERS AND TREESBEGAN AS A BLACK AND WHITE SILLY SYMPHONY," "AND DISNEY SOMEHOW LEARNED ABOUT THE TECHNICOLOR PROCESS," "SIGNED A DEAL FOR ITS EXCLUSIVE USE IN ANIMATION FOR, I BELIEVE, 3 YEARS," "AND THEN ANNOUNCED TO HIS BROTHER ROY THAT THEY WERE GOING TO RESHOOT THIS FILM" "THAT WAS HALF DONE ALL IN COLOR, UM, WHICH PROBABLY TREBLED THE COST" "AND SENT ROY'S BLOOD PRESSURE UP A NUMBER OF DEGREES." "I THINK PROBABLY 9 TIMES OUT OF 10 DAD'S QUESTION WOULD ALWAYS BE, UM," ""WHERE AM I GONNA GET THE MONEY TO..." "TO DO IT?"" "NOT, UH, "IS THAT A GOOD IDEA OR NOT?" I THINK HE REALLY WANTED HIS LITTLE BROTHER" "TO DO ANYTHING HE WANTED TO DO BECAUSE HE RECOGNIZED THE POWER OF THOSE IDEAS." "FLOWERS AND TREES WAS REPAINTED AND SHOT FROM SCRATCH." "AND SHOT FROM SCRATCH." "COLOR CATAPULTED THE SILLY SYMPHONIES TO NEW HEIGHTS OF POPULARITY." "THE ACADEMY CROWNED FLOWERS AND TREES" "WITH AN OSCAR, THE FIRST EVER GIVEN TO A CARTOON." "THE SILLY SYMPHONIES, ESPECIALLYTHREE LITTLE PIGS," "HAD HONED A NEW CLASS OF ANIMATORS, ABLE TO PRODUCE FLUID MOVEMENTS IN CHARACTERS" "IN HIGHLY REALISTIC SETTINGS." "#IN HIGHLY REALISTIC SETTINGS." "IN MAY OF 1933, LILLY TOLD WALT SHE WAS PREGNANT AGAIN." "IN DECEMBER, DIANE MARIE DISNEY WAS BORN." "#IN DECEMBER, DIANE MARIE DISNEY WAS BORN." "THE MORNING OF MY BIRTH, UH, SHE SAID HER..." "THAT HER WATER BROKE," "AND MY DAD CRIED, HE WAS SO EXCITED." "#AND MY DAD CRIED, HE WAS SO EXCITED." "WE HAD A WONDERFUL HOME, THIS SECOND HOME, THE HOME THAT I WAS..." "CAME INTO," "IN THE LOS FELIZ HILLS," "AND MANY WONDERFUL SUNDAYS WITH A LOT OF THE ANIMATORS," "AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT WORKED WITH HIM WOULD COME WITH THEIR FAMILIES," "AND A LOT OF FUN AND GAMES IN THE SWIMMING POOL." "AND A LOT OF FUN AND GAMES IN THE SWIMMING POOL." "HMM?" "#HMM?" "HOW'S THE OLD KITTY GO?" "HOW'S THE OLD KITTY CAT GO?" "#MEOW." "MEOW." "HUH?" "#MEOW." "HUH?" "WALT HAD LONG SINCE STOPPED DOING ANIMATION HIMSELF." "HE GUIDED HIS CREATIVE STAFF, FOCUSING ON STORY DEVELOPMENT." "FOCUSING ON STORY DEVELOPMENT." "WALT HAD MANY FACES... #AND THE FACE HE SHOWED HIS FAMILY" "WAS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM THE FACE HE SHOWED HIS ANIMATORS AND HIS ARTISTS." "THERE HE WAS A TASKMASTER, AND A VERY STERN ONE." "HE COULD BE VERY TOUGH AND HE WOULD NEVER PRAISE." "ONE OF HIS NON-TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES WAS TO PUT 2 ANTAGONISTS TOGETHER." "HE LIKED THE FRICTION THAT CAME WITH THAT." "HE THOUGHT SOMETHING CREATIVE WOULD COME OUT OF THAT." "HE ALSO, IF HE HAD A TEAM WORKING TOGETHER" "THAT LIKED EACH OTHER TOO MUCH, HE WOULD BREAK THEM UP. #WALT HAD A STRANGE HABIT." "HE FOUND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY TO YOU, "HEY, MARK, THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL JOB."" "HE WOULD..." "HE WOULD TALK TO OLLIE JOHNSTON OR SOMEBODY ELSE." "HE TURNS TO FRANK AND HE SAYS, "I HEAR YOU GOT THE BEST SCENE" "IN THE PICTURE." HE WOULD TELL OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT YOU." "YOU NEVER HEARD IT FIRST-HAND." "#IT WAS ALWAYS SECOND-HAND." "HE SAID, "I HEAR YOU'VE GOT THE BEST SCENE IN THE PICTURE."" "NOW, THAT'S PRETTY EVASIVE." "#THAT'S THE CLOSEST YOU'LL COME" "TO GETTING A COMPLIMENT. #HE WAS NOT DENYING ANYBODY PRAISE." "IT WAS JUST HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT. #HE WOULD TEST YOU SOMETIMES." "I MEAN, HE WOULD TEST PEOPLE TO SEE IF THEY COULD DEFEND WHAT THEY BELIEVED IN." "HE HAD..." "HE HAD A MARVELOUS WAY OF MAKING YOU WANT TO PLEASE HIM." "AND WHEN YOU PLEASED HIM, YOU DIDN'T TOUCH GROUND FOR A DAY OR TWO." "AND YOU'D JUST FEEL YOURSELF RISE UP OUT OF THE CHAIR." "HE WAS QUITE OUTSPOKEN ABOUT ANYTHING HE DIDN'T LIKE." "PARTICULARLY WHEN WE WERE IN WHAT WE CALLED "SWEATBOX"," "WHERE WE WOULD RUN OFF THE DAY'S ANIMATION, THE ROUGHS." "AND THEY CALLED THEM "SWEATBOXES", BECAUSE LITERALLY YOU WENT IN" "AND YOU SWEAT BLOOD." "HEH HEH." "#AND THIS IS THE GREAT STORY" "OF WALT'S EYEBROW COMING DOWN AND TAPPING HIS FINGERS ON THE TABLE," "AND I THOUGHT, "OH, GOD, I'M IN TROUBLE NOW." HE'D HUNCH FORWARD IN HIS SEAT," "HIS EYEBROW..." "VERY ANIMATED EYEBROW..." "#WOULD GO UP AND START LOOKING..." "HE'D SCOWL" "BECAUSE HE WAS CONCENTRATING SO HARD. #THIS WAS TERRIBLY UNNERVING." "THIS WAS TERRIBLY UNNERVING." "WALT SENT ARTISTS TO CLASSES AT THE CHOUINARD ART INSTITUTE." "THE FIRST THING I DID WHEN I GOT A LITTLE MONEY TO EXPERIMENT," "I PUT ALL MY ARTISTS BACK IN SCHOOL." "#ART SCHOOLS THAT EXISTED THEN" "DIDN'T QUITE HAVE ENOUGH FOR WHAT WE NEEDED, SO WE SET UP OUR OWN ART SCHOOL." "WE WERE DEALING IN MOTION, MOVEMENT, THE FLOW OF MOVEMENT, THE FLOW OF THINGS." "ACTION, REACTION, ALL OF THAT." "#WITH HIS NEWLY-TRAINED ANIMATORS," "WALT THOUGHT THE STUDIO WAS READY AT LAST TO BREAK OUT OF CARTOON SHORTS." "I DON'T KNOW WHY I PICKEDSNOW WHITE." "#IT WAS A THING I REMEMBERED AS A KID." "I SAW MARGUERITE CLARK IN IT IN KANSAS CITY" "WHEN I WAS A NEWSBOY." "THEY HAD A BIG SHOWING" "FOR ALL THE NEWSBOYS, AND I WENT AND SAWSNOW WHITE." "IT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF MY FIRST BIG FEATURE PICTURES I'D EVER SEEN." "TO ME, I THOUGHT IT WAS A PERFECT STORY." "#I HAD THE SYMPATHETIC DWARFS AND THINGS," "I HAD THE HEAVY. #I HAD THE PRINCE AND THE GIRL, THE ROMANCE." "I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A PERFECT STORY." "#I REMEMBER THAT HE CALLED A MEETING" "AND HAD A LARGE GROUP OVER ON THE SOUNDSTAGE ONE EVENING," "AND HE WENT THROUGH AND TOLD THE STORY. #AND SO WE WERE ALL A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT IT," "BUT WE SAT AROUND IN A HALF CIRCLE AS I RECALL, AND HE STARTED TELLING THE STORY." "OF COURSE, TYPICAL WALT, HE WAS A TERRIFIC ACTOR," "BUT HE COULDN'T DO IT BY MEMORIZING LINES OR DOING ANYTHING REHEARSED." "HE WAS A NATURAL ACTOR, AS IT WERE," "HE WAS ABLE TO GIVE HIS ANIMATORS AND HIS DIRECTORS" "AND SCRIPT PEOPLE SORT OF AN ESSENCE OF WHAT THESE CHARACTERS SHOULD BE DOING" "AND HOW THE STORY SHOULD FLOW." "HE WOULD JUST SAY, "THE QUEEN GETS UP HERE AND DOES THIS," ""AND SNOW WHITE'S DOWN HERE AND SHE'S SCRUBBING AWAY ON THIS, "AND SHE SINGSSOME DAY," "AND HERE COMES THE PRINCE ON HIS HORSE"," "HE JUST ACTS OUT EVERY PART OF IT SPONTANEOUSLY." "HE JUST ACTS OUT EVERY PART OF IT SPONTANEOUSLY." "BACK AT HOME, WALT WAS HAPPY WITH HIS LITTLE FAMILY." "IN FACT, HE WANTED MORE CHILDREN." "#LILLY'S DOCTORS DIDN'T AGREE." "MY MOTHER HAD BEEN TOLD THAT SHE SHOULD NOT TRY TO HAVE ANOTHER CHILD" "BECAUSE SHE HAD HAD ANOTHER PREGNANCY AFTER MY BIRTH THAT ENDED IN A MISCARRIAGE." "SO MY FATHER HAD PURSUED THE IDEA OF ADOPTION," "AND THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF SECRECY AROUND ADOPTION AT THAT TIME." "I'D BEEN TOLD I WAS GETTING A SISTER AND I WAS VERY EXCITED." "LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW, I SAW THE CAR DOOR OPEN AND MY SISTER WAS THERE." "SHARON MAE DISNEY HAD JOINED THE FAMILY. #WALT'S HOME WAS HIS SANCTUARY," "BUT HIS FAMILY KNEW THEY HAD TO SHARE WALT WITH THE STUDIO" "AND THE ONE PROJECT THAT COULD SPELL SUCCESS OR FAILURE... #SNOW WHITE." "SNOW WHITE." "MEETINGS FOCUSED ON EVERY DETAIL. #WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE, SHOULD SNOW WHITE NOTICE" "THE PRESENCE OF THE HUNTSMAN BEHIND HER?" "GOOD-BYE!" "#GOOD-BYE!" "AAH!" "#AAH!" "GAGS AND IDEAS WERE CONSTANTLY BEING ADDED OR CUT," "A PROCESS THAT WALT CALLED "PLUSSING." I DID A SOUP SEQUENCE FOR SNOW WHITE" "THAT WAS VERY FUNNY AND EVERYBODY LAUGHED. #AND SO DID WALT." "SHE CALLS THEM IN, DANG, DANG, DANG, AND SHE SERVES SOUP TO THEM." "ALL THE FUNNY WAYS THAT THEY SLURP THE SOUP, ESPECIALLY DOPEY." "?" "WITH A SPOO?" "#AND HE CALLED ME UP TO HIS OFFICE," "AND HE SAYS, "I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE FILM," "AND I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE OUT THE SOUP SEQUENCE." NOW, I'D SPENT 8 MONTHS ON IT." "AND HE GAVE ME THE REASON WAS, HE SAYS, "I'VE GOT TO GET BACK TO THE WITCH."" "AND IT KIND OF HURT. #COSTS SOARED FROM AN ESTIMATED $500,000" "TO 3 TIMES THAT. #CYNICS SNEERED AT THE IDEA THAT AUDIENCES" "WOULD SIT THROUGH A FEATURE-LENGTH CARTOON. #WE'RE MAKING" "A FEATURE-LENGTH CARTOON." "#A FEATURE-LENGTH CARTOON?" "YES, WE... #I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I HAD," "OR WHAT WOULD HAPPEN OR ANYTHING." "#WE HAD THE FAMILY FORTUNE," "WE HAD EVERYTHING WRAPPED UP INSNOW WHITE. #IN FACT, THE BANKER, I THINK," "WAS LOSING MORE SLEEP THAN I WAS." "#IFSTEAMBOAT WILLIE WAS THE FIRST TIME" "WALT RISKED EVERYTHING HE HAD ON A FILM, SNOW WHITE WAS THE SECOND." "HE WAS LITERALLY MORTGAGED TO THE HILT." "#EVERY NICKEL HE COULD RAISE, BORROW, BEG," "HE PUT INTO THAT FILM. #NOW, IT WASN'T THE FIRST ANIMATED FEATURE." "THERE HAD BEEN A COUPLE MADE IN ARGENTINA IN THE TEENS." "IN EUROPE, THERE HAD BEEN LOTTE REINIGER'S ADVENTURES OF PRINCE ACHMED," "BUT THE IDEA THAT THIS KIND OF FULLY-ANIMATED, TECHNICOLOR, SPECTACULAR FILM" "COULD BE MADE IN ANIMATION WAS AN EXTRAORDINARILY BOLD STROKE" "AND YET A VERY LOGICAL ONE." "ON DECEMBER 21, 1937, SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS" "HAD ITS PREMIERE AT THE CARTHAY CIRCLE THEATER. #A BIG, GRAND, HOLLYWOOD PREMIERE..." "IT WAS QUITE A CLIMAX TO SOMETHING, BECAUSE IT WENT WAY BACK." "ALL OF HOLLYWOOD'S BRASS TURNED OUT FOR A CARTOON." "SO IT WAS AN EXCITING THING TO HAVE THAT PREMIERE. #THE DARN THING WENT OUT" "AND GROSSED $8 MILLION AROUND THE WORLD." "#AND GROSSED $8 MILLION AROUND THE WORLD." "MONEY POURED IN." "#WITHIN 6 MONTHS," "ROY WAS ABLE TO PAY OFF THE ENTIRE STUDIO DEBT. #WALT RECEIVED A SPECIAL ACADEMY AWARD" "MADE UP OF ONE TALL AND 7 SMALL FIGURINES. #OH, ISN'T IT BRIGHT AND SHINY?" "OH, IT'S BEAUTIFUL. #AREN'T YOU PROUD OF IT, MR. DISNEY?" "WHY, I'M SO PROUD, I THINK I'LL BUST." "#FEATURE-LENGTH FILMS WERE THE FUTURE." "WALT REFUSED TO MAKE A SEQUEL TOSNOW WHITE AND OPTED FOR 3 VERY DIFFERENT STORIES..." "PINOCCHIO, FANTASIA, ANDBAMBI." "#ON NEW YEAR'S DAY, 1938," "THE WHOLE FAMILY CAME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE" "FLORA AND ELIAS'S 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY." "#HERE WAS A FAMILY THAT HAD JUST" "WORKED THEMSELVES TO THE BONE. #AND THEN..." "AND THIS BEAUTIFUL TALENT" "OF THE GIFT THAT WALT HAD BEEN GIVEN" "WAS JUST LIKE A RAY OF LIGHT COMING INTO OUR LIVES." "WAS JUST LIKE A RAY OF LIGHT COMING INTO OUR LIVES." "FOR SOME TIME NOW, FLORA, ELIAS, AND RUTH" "HAD BEEN LIVING IN PORTLAND, AWAY FROM THEIR SONS, WHO WERE ALL LIVING IN CALIFORNIA." "ROY AND WALT SAID, "NO, WE WANT THE FOLKS TO COME DOWN HERE" ""WHERE THE WEATHER IS BETTER "AND WE CAN KEEP AN EYE ON THEM" "AND THEY CAN WATCH THEIR GRANDCHILDREN GROW UP."" "AND SO THEY BROUGHT THEM DOWN TO LOS ANGELES AND THEY BOUGHT THEM" "A VERY NICE LITTLE HOUSE IN THE VALLEY CLOSE TO WHERE ROY LIVED." "AND FOR A TIME, THEY WERE VERY HAPPY." "#BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HOUSE." "THE GAS FURNACE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY." "WALT SENT STUDIO REPAIRMEN TO FIX THE FURNACE, BUT IT CONTINUED TO MALFUNCTION." "EARLY ONE MORNING IN NOVEMBER OF 1938, ELIAS FOUND HIS WIFE ON THE FLOOR," "OVERCOME BY GAS FUMES. #ELIAS SURVIVED, BUT FLORA DIED." "AND THIS WAS A DEVASTATING EVENT FOR WALT AND ROY. #THEY HAD BOUGHT THE HOUSE," "THEY HAD BROUGHT THEIR PARENTS DOWN HERE, AND NOW THEIR FATHER WAS ALONE," "AND I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE GREAT TRAGEDIES IN BOTH THEIR LIVES." "IN BOTH THEIR LIVES." "WALT BEGAN BUILDING A NEW STUDIO IN BURBANK. #BUDGETED AT $3 MILLION," "HE RELISHED THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A STATE-OF-THE-ART STUDIO" "FULL OF NEW IDEAS AND TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING THE MULTI-PLANE CAMERA." "THE MULTI-PLANE CAMERA HAD LEVELS," "AND ON EACH OF THESE LEVELS WE'D PUT A BIG GLASS ON IT." "WE COULD PAINT THE FOREGROUND TREE ON THE TOP ONE," "THE BACKGROUND..." "THE HOUSE THAT YOU'RE PHOTOGRAPHING THAT THE CHARACTERS COME OUT," "AND THE FOURTH LEVEL WOULD BE THE SUN AND THE SKY. #AND THEN THE CAMERA," "IF IT PANNED DOWN THROUGH THESE LEVELS, YOU GOT A THIRD-DIMENSION EFFECT." "I THINK YOU COULD FIND AMONG ANIMATORS AND ANIMATION HISTORIANS" "THATPINOCCHIO IS AS PERFECT AS AN ANIMATED FEATURE HAS EVER GOTTEN" "IN TERMS OF ITS ART DIRECTION, ITS ANIMATION, ITS LAYOUT, ITS SPECIAL EFFECTS." "IT'S A GORGEOUS FILM AND WITH A FRACTION OF THE TECHNOLOGY" "THAT'S AVAILABLE TO ARTISTS TODAY." "#HE WAS GREAT FOR SPONTANEOUS IDEAS." "FOR INSTANCE, WHEN PINOCCHIO AND GEPPETTO WERE LOCKED INSIDE OF THE WHALE," "AND THEY DID SOMETHING IN THERE TO TICKLE HIM AND THE WHALE SNEEZES..." "AND SNEEZES BOTH OF THEM IN THEIR BOAT OUT INTO THE WATER." "WALT LOOKED AT IT AND SAID, "WELL, THAT'S INTERESTING." "IT'S NOT BAD."" "BUT HE SAID, "HOW ABOUT THEM SAYING GESUNDHEIT?" GESUNDHEIT!" "WHICH IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST LAUGHS THAT PICTURE EVER GOT." "AN EVEN BOLDER EXPERIMENT WASFANTASIA." "IN FACT, FANTASIAMAY HAVE BEEN THE MOST ORIGINAL" "AND THE MOST UNUSUAL PROJECT DISNEY EVER UNDERTOOK." "DOING THISSORCERER'S APPRENTICE WITH MICKEY MOUSE," "AND I HAPPENED TO HAVE DINNER ONE NIGHT WITH STOKOWSKI." "STOKOWSKI SAID, "OH, I WOULD LOVE TO CONDUCT THAT FOR YOU."" "WELL, THAT LED TO NOT ONLY DOING THIS ONE LITTLE SHORT SUBJECT," "BUT IT GOT US INVOLVED..." "WELL, I DID ALL OFFANTASIA," "AND BEFORE I KNEW IT, I ENDED UP SPENDING 400 AND SOME ODD THOUSAND DOLLARS" "GETTING MUSIC WITH STOKOWSKI." "IT..." "COLOR SETS A MOOD." "#IT TELLS THEM THE STORY." "IT TELLS THEM... #A GREAT DEAL OF INFORMATION" "JUST FROM COLOR. #YOU CAN'T MAKE GOOD MUSIC OUT OF ONE NOTE." "YOU HAVE TO HAVE SEVERAL NOTES." "#AND COLOR'S THE SAME WAY." "AND COLOR'S THE SAME WAY." "IT'S STILL ASTONISHING TO SEE THAT FILM." "#IN FACT, WHEN HE WAS DOING STORYBOARDS" "FOR THEAVE MARIA SECTION OFFANTASIA, ONE OF THE STORY PEOPLE SAID," ""I DON'T THINK WE'RE USING THE CARTOON MEDIUM" "AS WE SHOULD BE WITH THIS KIND OF THING."" "AND HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON THE GUY AND SAID, "THIS IS NOT THE CARTOON MEDIUM." ""WE SHOULDN'T BE THINKING OF THIS AS A CARTOON. #WE HAVE WORLDS TO CONQUER HERE."" "WALT WANTED TO REPRODUCE THE SENSATION OF HEARING MUSIC IN A CONCERT HALL." "THE RESULT WAS AN EARLY VERSION OF STEREOPHONIC SOUND. #THE TOTAL BUDGET OFFANTASIA" "NOW CAME TO WELL OVER $2 MILLION." "#NOW CAME TO WELL OVER $2 MILLION." "THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BURBANK STUDIO WAS GOING WELL, BUT IN SEPTEMBER OF 1939," "GERMAN DICTATOR ADOLF HITLER INVADED POLAND," "PLUNGING EUROPE INTO THE SECOND WORLD WAR." "THE STUDIO'S INCOME FROM OVERSEAS DISTRIBUTION CEASED." "UNFORTUNATELY NEITHER PINOCCHIONORFANTASIA" "DUPLICATED THE SUCCESS OF SNOW WHITEAT THE BOX OFFICE." "FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, THE BIG ONE BEING" "THAT THE WAR HAD CUT OFF ABOUT 40% OF HIS REVENUES FROM OVERSEAS MARKETS." "AND IF HE COULD HAVE KEPT DOING FILMS THAT WERE AS EXPERIMENTAL ASFANTASIA," "THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT WE WOULD BE SEEING NOW IN ANIMATED FEATURES." "CASH FLOWED OUT FOR THE NEXT FEATURE..." "BAMBI. #IT WAS A DIFFICULT PICTURE" "BECAUSE WE'D NEVER DONE ANY CHARACTER WITH ANATOMY, ANY ANIMAL WITH ANATOMY," "AND WALT WANTED THE DEER TO BE VERY BELIEVABLE." "WALT'S IDEA WAS TO GET ALL OF HIS ARTISTS TO DRAW IN THE WAY OF THE OLD MASTERS" "AND THEN PUT THEM TO ANIMATION." "#THEY STARTED BRINGING IN REAL ANIMALS" "AND HAVING THEM ON THE SOUNDSTAGES." "THEY WOULD HAVE CAGES WITH ANIMALS AROUND THE PLACE. #IT BECAME A ZOO IN ITSELF." "WE WERE JUST GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS," "AND WE WERE ABLE TO ANIMATE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS WHICH WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO DO." "WHAT DID YOUR FATHER TELL YOU THIS MORNING?" "WHAT DID YOUR FATHER TELL YOU THIS MORNING?" "IF YOU CAN'T SAY SOMETHING NICE..." "#IF YOU CAN'T SAY SOMETHING NICE..." "DON'T SAY NOTHIN' AT ALL. #OF COURSE, THE GREAT THING IN THAT PICTURE" "WAS HOW HE PRESENTED THE DEATH OF THE MOTHER." "AND THAT WENT THROUGH STORY GUYS SAYING, "WALT, WE GOTTA SHOW THE MOTHER LYING THERE" ""AFTER SHE'S SHOT." "#"AND BAMBI COMES BACK" "AND SEES THIS BLOODY MESS THERE." AND WALT SAYS, "GEE, I DON'T KNOW, GUYS." "THAT JUST DOESN'T SOUND QUITE RIGHT." THE WAY HE FELT IT SHOULD BE" "WAS THAT BAMBI COMES BACK AND SEARCHES... #MOTHER!" "BUT HE NEVER SEES HER." "YOUR MOTHER CAN'T BE WITH YOU ANYMORE." "#YOUR MOTHER CAN'T BE WITH YOU ANYMORE." "COME..." "MY SON. #AND THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT." "BAMBI LOOKS BACK IN THE SNOW AND HE FOLLOWS HIS FATHER." "HE WAS THE BEST STORY MAN IN THE STUDIO, THE BEST STORY MAN IN HOLLYWOOD, REALLY." "BY 1941, THE STUDIO WAS $4.5 MILLION IN DEBT." "WALT AND ROY ISSUED STOCK TO SHORE UP THEIR FINANCES," "BUT THAT WAS JUST A STOP-GAP MEASURE. #A CRISIS WAS LOOMING." "A CRISIS WAS LOOMING. #WHEN THEY MOVED TO THE BURBANK STUDIO," "A LOT OF THE ARTISTS HAD COMPLAINED" "THAT IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS VERY COMPARTMENTALIZED," "AND THAT THERE WAS A REAL CLASS SYSTEM" "AMONGST THE VARIOUS ECHELONS AND LEVELS OF THE ARTISTS." "AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST FACTORS WAS THE SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN REVENUES" "THAT THE DISNEY STUDIOS FROM THE LOSS OF THE EUROPEAN MARKET" "DUE TO THE WAR. #MOSTLY BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU FIND THAT" "THERE WERE EXCESSIVE RUMORS RAMPANT AT THE DISNEY STUDIO" "TALKING ABOUT THE MASSIVE LAYOFFS THAT MOST ASSUREDLY WERE COMING" "AND THE MAJOR SALARY CUTS THAT WERE ON THE WAY. #SO THE DISNEY STUDIO WAS VERY RIPE" "FOR UNIONIZATION." "#FOR UNIONIZATION." "PAY LEVELS WERE GENERALLY SET BY HOW MUCH WALT OR HIS TOP EXECUTIVES" "THOUGHT YOU WERE WORTH." "#SENIORITY AND ITEMS LIKE THAT" "WHICH ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO EMPLOYEES WERE KIND OF NOT HONORED" "AND CREATED A FESTERING SITUATION." "THIS LATTER UNION WAS LED BY A FELLOW NAMED HERBERT SORRELL," "WHO WAS A VERY TOUGH, HARD-FISTED, LEFT-WING, UNION ORGANIZER" "THAT WAS WELL-KNOWN THROUGHOUT HOLLYWOOD CIRCLES." "IN FACT, THE MERE MENTION OF HIS NAME WOULD BRING MANY A STUDIO BOSS TO THEIR KNEES." "AND I TOLD MR. SORRELL THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY FOR ME TO GO" "AND THAT'S AN ELECTION AND THAT'S WHAT THE LAW HAD SET UP," "AND HE LAUGHED AT ME AND TOLD ME THAT I WAS NAIVE, I WAS FOOLISH." "HE SAID, "YOU CAN'T STAND A STRIKE." "#"I'LL SMEAR YOU AND I'LL MAKE A DUSTBOWL" "OUT OF YOUR PLACE IF I CHOOSE TO." OUT OF YOUR PLACE IF I CHOOSE TO."" "BOTH SIDES MADE MISTAKES." "#WALT TURNED OVER NEGOTIATIONS" "TO A HARD-LINE STUDIO LAWYER..." "GUNTHER LESSING." "GUNTHER LESSING AND, I GUESS, ROY DISNEY TOOK OVER THE HANDLING OF THE SITUATION." "THEY WERE ALL MY FRIENDS." "I COULDN'T GO PAST THEM." "AND A LOT OF THE GUYS THAT WENT THROUGH THE PICKET LINE WERE MY FRIENDS ALSO," "AND I TRIED TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME OUT AND JOIN US." "AND I TRIED TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME OUT AND JOIN US." "I THINK UNTIL THAT MOMENT THAT WALT REALLY THOUGHT OF EVERYBODY" "AS FRIENDS WORKING TOGETHER." "#AS FRIENDS WORKING TOGETHER." "AND HE WAS ASTONISHED TO SEE THE INGRATITUDE" "OF THESE PEOPLE OUT THERE ON THE PICKET LINE," "YELLING NAMES AT HIM AS HE PASSED THROUGH WITH HIS DAUGHTERS." "WITH HIS DAUGHTERS. #I GUESS MAYBE HE WAS SPOILED BY THE FACT" "HE'D HAD SO MUCH ADULATION AND SO MUCH SUCCESS. #CLEARLY, THE SUDDEN REALIZATION" "THAT THIS WAS A DIVISION BETWEEN BOSSES AND THE WORKERS." "HE THOUGHT HE WAS A FATHER FOR THESE PEOPLE" "AND THE CHILDREN WERE TURNING AGAINST HIM." "HE WAS APPARENTLY, I GUESS, DEEPLY DISTURBED. #HE WAS BETRAYED, AND HE HATED IT." "AND I TOLD HIM IT WAS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE WITH ME" "THAT I COULDN'T GO ON WORKING WITH MY BOYS FEELING I HAD SOLD THEM DOWN THE RIVER" "TO HIM ON HIS SAY-SO." "#TO HIM ON HIS SAY-SO." "IN PART TO ESCAPE FROM THE STRAINS OF UNION NEGOTIATIONS," "WALT ACCEPTED AN INVITATION FROM THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT" "TO TAKE A GOODWILL TOUR OF LATIN AMERICA." "#TO TAKE A GOODWILL TOUR OF LATIN AMERICA." "AND THEY FIRST WANTED ME TO GO ON A HANDSHAKING GOODWILL TOUR," "AND I SAID I DON'T GO FOR IT." "I'M NOT A GOOD HANDSHAKER." "THEN THEY CAME BACK AND SAID," ""WILL YOU GO DOWN AND MAKE SOME FILMS ABOUT THESE COUNTRIES?"" "I SAID, "THAT'S MY BUSINESS." "I CAN DO THAT."" "I SAID, "THAT'S MY BUSINESS." "I CAN DO THAT."" "THE TIMING WAS GREAT. #IT WAS A BREAK FROM SOME OF THE TENSIONS" "THAT WERE GOING ON AT THE STUDIO. #BUT MY SENSE ALSO IS THAT" "HE WELCOMED A CHANCE TO JUMP INTO SOMETHING NEW. #HE KIND OF DOUBTED HIS ABILITY" "AS A PUBLIC-RELATIONS MAN, BUT IF HE HAD ANY DOUBTS AT ALL," "THEY WOULD'VE BEEN ERASED WHEN HE FIRST ARRIVED IN THE MAJOR CITIES THERE," "BECAUSE HE WAS MOBBED EVERYWHERE HE WENT." "#BECAUSE HE WAS MOBBED EVERYWHERE HE WENT." "AND WHILE WALT WAS IN SOUTH AMERICA, THE STRIKE WAS SOLVED." "IT WAS SOLVED PRETTY POORLY AS FAR AS THE STUDIOS WERE CONCERNED." "WALT LATER COMMENTED, AND IT WAS PRETTY CLOSE TO THE TRUTH," "THAT THE ARBITRATOR HAD GIVEN SORRELL PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING THAT THEY'D ASKED FOR." "WHILE WALT WAS IN SOUTH AMERICA, HE RECEIVED A CABLE FROM ROY" "THAT THEIR FATHER ELIAS HAD DIED." "#THAT THEIR FATHER ELIAS HAD DIED." "AT THE STUDIO, WORK CONTINUED ON ANOTHER PRODUCTION..." "DUMBO." "LOOK!" "HOT DIGGETY!" "YOU'RE FLYIN'!" "#YOU'RE FLYIN'!" "DUMBOWAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO APPEAR" "ON THE COVER OFTIMEMAGAZINE IN EARLY DECEMBER OF 1941," "BUT WAS OVERTAKEN BY AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT STORY." "A DATE WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY... #I WAS AT HOME" "WHEN WE GOT THE WORD THAT THEY BOMBED PEARL HARBOR." "SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I GOT A CALL FROM THE STUDIO MANAGER," "AND HE HAD BEEN CALLED IN TURN BY THE POLICE." "HE SAID, "WALT, THE ARMY'S MOVING IN ON US." ""THEY CAME UP AND SAID THEY WANTED TO MOVE IN. #"AND I SAID I HAD TO CALL YOU," "AND THEY SAID, 'CALL HIM, BUT WE'RE MOVING IN ANYWAY.'"" "SO 500 TROOPS MOVED IN THE STUDIO." "#THEIR PURPOSE WAS TO PROTECT" "THE NEARBY LOCKHEED AIRCRAFT PLANT." "#MEANWHILE, THE STUDIO RETOOLED" "TO PRODUCE TRAINING AND PROPAGANDA FILMS." "IT CAME TO A POINT TO WHERE WALT JUST COULDN'T MAINTAIN" "THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT HE WAS TAKING ON AND TRAINING" "FOR ALL OF THE FILMS THAT HE WAS HOPING TO MAKE, AND HE HAD TO START LETTING THEM GO." "WALT, I ALWAYS FELT, MORE OR LESS LOST CONTROL IN A SENSE," "BECAUSE WE HAD..." "SO MANY OF THE ARMY BRASS WAS THERE AT THE STUDIO," "AND ALL OF THEM HAD ASPIRATIONS OF BEING A PRODUCER AND WHATNOT," "SO IT BECAME KIND OF A PUZZLING TIME FOR HIM." "SO IT BECAME KIND OF A PUZZLING TIME FOR HIM." "WALT CONTINUED TO PROWL THE STUDIO ON WEEKENDS. #ON WEEKENDS, THE NEW BURBANK STUDIO" "BECAME OUR PLAYGROUND..." "MY SISTER'S AND MINE." "AND WE ROLLER-SKATED THERE, LEARNED TO RIDE BIKES THERE," "RODE BIKES ALL OVER THAT LOT." "#SOMETIMES DAD WOULD JOIN US." "SOMETIMES DAD WOULD JOIN US." "DAD, WITH US, DID EVERYTHING A NORMAL FATHER WOULD DO FOR HIS CHILDREN" "AND THEN SOME. #HE DROVE US TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES" "UNTIL I HAD A DRIVER'S LICENSE AND COULD DRIVE, AND THEN HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE SHARON" "FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. #WALT DID NOT WANT TO SPOIL HIS DAUGHTERS," "BUT ON OCCASION HE DID HAVE A SPECIAL SURPRISE FOR THEM." "THE MOST EXCITING CHRISTMAS FOR US WAS THE PLAYHOUSE CHRISTMAS." "HE WAS DIRECTING US AND HE SAID, "NOW GO OVER TO THE MAILBOX."" ""NOW GO OVER TO THE MAILBOX."" ""NOW GO TO THE GATE." "OPEN THE GATE. #"NOW GO INSIDE." ""NOW OPEN THE TOP OF THE DOOR" "AND LOOK OUT." "DIANE, LEAN OUT FARTHER."" "AND I FELL ON MY FACE. #I'M RELIEVED TO SEE HE DROPPED THE CAMERA IMMEDIATELY," "BECAUSE ALL I REMEMBER IS WHEN I CAME UP CRYING" "WITH MY BLOODY LIP, HE WAS STILL FILMING ME. #WALT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED" "AS POLITICALLY CONSERVATIVE, BUT THROUGH 1940 HE PRIMARILY VOTED FOR DEMOCRATS." "IN FACT, PEOPLE WHO KNEW HIM WELL THOUGHT THAT IN POLITICS HE WAS SOMEWHAT NAIVE." "IN ANY CASE, WALT FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT THE 1941 STRIKE WAS INSPIRED BY COMMUNISTS." "... EVIDENTLY HEARD THAT I HAD CALLED THEM ALL A BUNCH OF COMMUNISTS," "AND I BELIEVE THEY ARE. #HOLLYWOOD WAS A NATURAL TARGET FOR THE POLITICIANS." "THAT'S THE WAY THEY COULD MAKE HEADLINES." "#AND SO THEY WOULD BRING PEOPLE BEFORE" "THE HOUSE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE." "ON OCTOBER 24, 1947, WALT FOLLOWED GARY COOPER AND RONALD REAGAN" "IN TESTIFYING FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS." "AND I FEEL THAT THEY REALLY OUGHT TO BE SMOKED OUT AND SHOWN UP FOR WHAT THEY ARE" "SO THAT ALL THE GOOD FREE CAUSES IN THIS COUNTRY," "ALL THE LIBERALISMS THAT REALLY ARE AMERICAN" "CAN GO OUT WITHOUT THIS TAINT OF COMMUNISM." "CAN GO OUT WITHOUT THIS TAINT OF COMMUNISM." "ONE OF THE MYTHS THAT GREW OUT OF THE STRIKE ERA WAS THAT WALT WAS ANTI-SEMITIC." "WHEN THE 1955 B'NAI BRITH WANTED TO GIVE WALT ITS "MAN OF THE YEAR" AWARD," "IT RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND FOUND IT TO BE QUITE UNTRUE." "IT WAS PURE NONSENSE. #I THINK THAT WHOLE IDEA SHOULD BE PUT TO REST" "AND BURIED DEEP, BECAUSE THERE'S NO VALIDITY THERE. #IT'S SLANDER." "WALT WAS THE MOST EVEN-DISPOSITIONED, EVEN-MINDED HUMAN BEING I EVER MET." "IF A PERSON IS A NICE PERSON, HE LOVED YOU." "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR COLOR, YOUR RACE, YOUR CREED." "THAT'S THE WAY HE WAS." "HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PREJUDICE." "OVER THE YEARS, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME" "THAT SAME QUESTION ABOUT WALT BEING ANTI-SEMITIC OR ANTI-BLACK." "I WOULD RESPECTFULLY HAVE TO DISAGREE. #THAT WAS NOT THE MAN I KNEW." "SPIKE LEE, WHO I RESPECT A GREAT DEAL AS A FILMMAKER," "MADE A COMMENT ONCE ABOUT WALT BEING A RACIST, AND I'D HAVE TO SAY," ""SPIKE, YOU NEVER MET WALT." "I DID." WHEN THE WAR ENDED, THE STUDIO HAD LOST ITS WAY." "ROY WANTED TO BE FINANCIALLY CONSERVATIVE." "#WALT YEARNED FOR NEW ADVENTURES." "THEY ARGUED OFTEN. #FINALLY, THE BROTHERS AGREED TO DIVERSIFY" "AND TURNED TO LIVE-ACTION FILMS." "#ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS" "ABOUT WALT'S GRADUAL INVOLVEMENT IN LIVE ACTION, WAS THAT HE..." "WITHOUT HAVING A LOT OF FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE..." "DID KNOW ONE THING..." "HE WANTED HIS FILMS" "TO HAVE THE SAME QUALITY THAT HIS ANIMATED FILMS DID. #FORSONG OF THE SOUTH," "HE HIRED GREGG TOLAND TO DO THE CINEMATOGRAPHY." "THIS WAS THE LEGENDARY CINEMATOGRAPHER WHO SHOTCITIZEN KANE WITH ORSON WELLES" "AND SCORES OF OTHER INCREDIBLE-LOOKING MOVIES." "AND SCORES OF OTHER INCREDIBLE-LOOKING MOVIES." "WALT DISPATCHED A COUPLE, THE MILOTTES, TO ALASKA TO FILM WILDLIFE." "FROM MILES OF MATERIAL, HE PERSONALLY CRAFTED A STORY LINE." "THE RESULT WAS A HALF-HOUR FEATURE CALLEDSEAL ISLAND. #RKO, DISNEY'S FILM DISTRIBUTOR," "THOUGHT IT WAS A BAD IDEA. #WALT THEN RAN THE FILM IN A LOCAL THEATER" "TO QUALIFY IT FOR THE ACADEMY AWARDS." "SEAL ISLANDWON THE OSCAR FOR THE BEST DOCUMENTARY. #SOON, TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURES" "BECAME ONE OF THE MAINSTAYS OF THE DISNEY STUDIO." "BECAME ONE OF THE MAINSTAYS OF THE DISNEY STUDIO." "AFTER WORLD WAR II, GREAT BRITAIN AND SOME OTHER COUNTRIES, TOO," "DECIDED THAT THEY COULD NOT AFFORD TO ALLOW" "AMERICAN MOVIE COMPANIES TO MAKE MONEY IN THEIR COUNTRIES" "AND THEN TAKE THAT MONEY OUT OF THE COUNTRY." "#WALT DISNEY MOVIES MADE A LOT OF MONEY" "IN ENGLAND AND THE U.K., BUT THAT MONEY WOULD HAVE TO REMAIN IN THE U.K." "AND BE SPENT THERE. #I GUESS THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS," ""WELL, WE HAVE TO MAKE A FILM IN ENGLAND. #WHAT SHOULD WE MAKE THERE?"" "THAT LED THEM TO A CLASSIC..." "TREASURE ISLAND" "WHAT'S COME OVER YE, LAD?" "CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE?" "#ONE THING HE MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED" "TO THE LIVE-ACTION FILM SCENE THAT ISN'T WIDELY RECOGNIZED" "IS THE USE OF STORYBOARDS." "#DISNEY, OF COURSE," "HAD PERFECTED THE STORYBOARD PROCESS FIRST IN HIS SHORT SUBJECTS" "AND THEN HIS ANIMATED FEATURE FILMS, BUT NO ONE HAD REALLY LEANED ON THAT TECHNIQUE" "FOR PLANNING OUT A LIVE-ACTION FILM UNTIL HE DID." "UNTIL HE DID. #WALT TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY" "TO BRING HIS DAUGHTERS ALONG ON THEIR FIRST TRIP TO EUROPE. #TREASURE ISLAND" "AND SEVERAL BRITISH FILMS THAT FOLLOWED GAVE WALT HIS START IN LIVE-ACTION" "AND ALSO BROUGHT HIM IN CONTACT WITH A NEW GROUP OF TALENTED MEN AND WOMEN." "AMONG THEM WERE DIRECTOR KEN ANNAKIN AND THE MASTER MATTE ARTIST PETER ELLENSHAW." "THE LESSON I HAD FROM WALT ON MY SECOND PICTURE WITH HIM," "ONSWORD AND THE ROSE, WHERE HE SAID, "DID I EVER QUESTION THE BUDGET WITH YOU" "AND QUESTION WHAT YOU WERE SPENDING?" AND I SAID, "NO", AND HE SAYS, "WELL," "LET'S GET THE SEQUENCE." THAT BECAME THE GUIDING FACTOR WITH ME" "FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH WALT. #HE'D BE VERY ANNOYED IF YOU WENT OVER AND SAID," ""HELLO, MR. DISNEY." "WHAT SO..." "WHAT DO YOU WANT?"" "AND HE WOULD ALSO VERY ANNOYED IF YOU SAID "MR. DISNEY"," "BECAUSE AS SOON AS I CAME TO AMERICA, HE TOLD ME, "I'M WALT." "YOU'RE PETER, I'M WALT." YOU'RE PETER, I'M WALT."" "WALT AND HIS SISTER AND ROY, TOO, SOMETIMES" "WOULD RACE DOWN THE STREET WHEN THEY HEARD THE TRAIN WHISTLE" "IN THE DISTANCE AND STAND BY THE TRAIN TRACKS AND WAVE" "AS UNCLE MIKE MARTIN CAME BY IN HIS HUGE LOCOMOTIVE." "IN HIS HUGE LOCOMOTIVE." "#WHEN WALT WAS LITTLE," "HE HAD FEW TOYS. #NOW HOBBIES BECAME IMPORTANT," "AND NONE MORE SO THAN HIS LOVE FOR MODEL TRAINS." "THERE WERE OTHER TRAIN BUFFS AT THE STUDIO," "INCLUDING OLLIE JOHNSTON AND WARD KIMBALL." "#WARD KIMBALL, WHO WORKED WITH WALT" "FOR MANY, MANY YEARS... #HE WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL NINE OLD MEN" "AND ALSO A GREAT RAILROADER." "#HE AND HIS WIFE BETTY" "WERE THE FIRST PRIVATE CITIZENS IN THE UNITED STATES" "TO OWN THEIR OWN STEAM LOCOMOTIVE. #OUT IN SAN GABRIEL," "AND WARD REALIZED THAT HE HAD NEVER INVITED THE BOSS" "TO COME OUT AND SEE THE RAILROAD IN THE BACKYARD. #AT A PARTY ONE NIGHT," "AND HE CAME TO IT. #I ASKED HIM IF HE'D LIKE TO RUN THE LOCOMOTIVE," "AND I..." "SO, OH, HE REFUSED THAT. #"YOU RUN IT." "YOU KNOW."" "I SAID, "WELL, IT'S SIMPLE, WALT. #"YOU TAKE THE JOHNSON BAR AND SHOVE IT FORWARD." "THAT MEANS IT'S GOING FORWARD." AND HE RAN IT, AND I CAN REMEMBER" "HOW HIS MOUTH DROPPED OPEN..." "#HOW HIS MOUTH DROPPED OPEN..." "AND WHAT HE WAS DOING. #SO HE CALLS ME EARLY IN THE MORNING." "I SAID, "WALT WHO?" AND HE SAYS, "WALT DISNEY, FOR GOSH SAKES!"" ""ANYWAY, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE CHICAGO RAILROAD FAIR?"" "TO THE CHICAGO RAILROAD FAIR?"" "WE RODE IN THE CAB, AND I TOOK MOVIES OF THAT. #AND WALT WAS OVER THE ENGINEER." "IT WAS A DIESEL. #THE ENGINEER SAID WHEN YOU SEE A SIGN OUT THE SIDE" "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BLOW THE WHISTLE. #AND SO HE GOT A KICK OUT OF BLOWING THE WHISTLE." "AND SO HE GOT A KICK OUT OF BLOWING THE WHISTLE." "WALT DECIDED HE HAD TO HAVE A LIVE STEAM LAYOUT FOR HIMSELF." "LILLY'S IDEA OF A NICELY-LANDSCAPED HOME DIDN'T INCLUDE A RAILROAD," "SO WALT LAID THE TRACK IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT WOULDN'T INTERFERE WITH HER FLOWER BEDS." "SO HE VISITED MY FATHER AT THE MACHINE SHOP IN THE STUDIO." "AND HE SAID, "ROGER, CAN YOU BUILD "A MINIATURE LIVE STEAM TRAIN" "FOR OUR NEW HOME?" AND MY FATHER HAD LEARNED EARLY ON WORKING FOR WALT," "IF WALT SAID, "CAN YOU DO IT", YOU SAY, "YES"," "AND THEN YOU FIGURE OUT LATER HOW YOU'RE GONNA." "AND THEN YOU FIGURE OUT LATER HOW YOU'RE GONNA." "BEFORE LONG, WALT HAD HIS TRAIN. #IT WAS 1/8 SCALE." "WALT CALLED IT THE CAROLWOOD PACIFIC RAILROAD." "WALT CALLED IT THE CAROLWOOD PACIFIC RAILROAD." "AND TO RIDE ON THE CAROLWOOD PACIFIC RAILROAD WAS A TREASURED EXPERIENCE." "NO ONE HAD A BACKYARD LIKE THIS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY." "NO ONE HAD A BACKYARD LIKE THIS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY." "WALT BUILT A BARN ON HIS PROPERTY WHICH CLOSELY RESEMBLED THE DISNEY BARN" "IN MARCELINE AS HE REMEMBERED IT." "IT BECAME HIS MACHINE SHOP WHERE HE WORKED ON TRAINS" "AND MINIATURES UNTIL LATE IN THE NIGHT." "#AND MINIATURES UNTIL LATE IN THE NIGHT." "NO MATTER HOW FAMOUS OR SUCCESSFUL WALT BECAME, HIS TASTES STAYED PLAIN AND SIMPLE" "AT HOME AND WHEN HE TRAVELED. #WALT WOULD ALWAYS TAKE WITH HIM CHILI AND BEANS" "IN CANS BECAUSE HE LOVED THAT, AND HE COULDN'T GET GOOD CHILI AND BEANS IN LONDON." "HE COULD GET GOURMET FOOD, BUT THAT ALWAYS TICKLED ME." "HE'D HAVE DINNER IN HIS SUITE IN THE HOTEL" "AND HE'D HAVE THE WAITER GET THE CANS OF CHILI AND BEANS" "AND WE'D HAVE THE CRACKERS AND THE WHOLE BIT." "AND WE'D HAVE THE CRACKERS AND THE WHOLE BIT." "DIANE AND SHARON WERE TEENAGERS NOW," "BUT WALT HAD ANOTHER BIG IDEA THAT HAD BEEN GROWING SINCE HIS DAUGHTERS WERE SMALL." "WELL, IT CAME ABOUT WHEN MY DAUGHTERS WERE VERY YOUNG." "SATURDAY WAS ALWAYS DADDY'S DAY WITH THE TWO DAUGHTERS." "SATURDAY WAS ALWAYS DADDY'S DAY WITH THE TWO DAUGHTERS." "SO WE'D START OUT AND TRY TO GO SOMEPLACE." "#AND THEN WE'D GO TO GRIFFITH PARK" "AND THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL CAROUSEL THERE. #IT'S STILL THERE." "WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL THING. #AS I'D SIT THERE WHILE THEY RODE THE MERRY-GO-ROUND," "DID ALL THESE THINGS, I'D SIT ON A BENCH EATING PEANUTS," "I FELT THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING BUILT," "SOME KIND OF AN AMUSEMENT ENTERPRISE BUILT WHERE THE PARENTS AND THE CHILDREN" "COULD HAVE FUN TOGETHER. #HE, AT FIRST, WAS GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE RIDE" "WHERE, ACROSS RIVERSIDE DRIVE, YOU'D GET ON HIS ONE-HALF SCALE STEAMER," "AND WOULD GO UNDER RIVERSIDE DRIVE UP TO WHERE THE SOUNDSTAGES WERE." "AND YOU'D SET ALL THESE LITTLE CARS AND GO FROM ONE PICTURE TO ANOTHER" "TO SEE HOW HOLLYWOOD WORKED." "AT THE TIME THAT WALT WAS THINKING ABOUT BUILDING A PARK," "MOST AMUSEMENT PARKS WERE NOT SOMEPLACE" "THAT YOU'D WANT TO LET YOUR KIDS GO ON THEIR OWN." "YOU PRETTY MUCH..." "THEY WERE KIND OF DIRTY, THEY WERE KIND OF SEEDY." "THERE WAS A PARK IN COPENHAGEN CALLED TIVOLI AND IT STRUCK WALT" "BY BEING VERY, VERY CLEAN, WELL RUN, FESTIVE." "LITTLE POPCORN LIGHTS ON ALL THE BUILDINGS EVERYWHERE." "A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT SORT OF CAME BACK INTO DISNEYLAND" "I THINK ALSO CAME FROM TIVOLI." "#AND WHEN WE WENT THROUGH" "THE TIVOLI GARDENS, HE WAS MAKING NOTES ALL THE TIME," "AND I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" AND HE SAYS, "I'M JUST MAKING NOTES" ""ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS DREAMED ABOUT, "AND THAT IS SOMEDAY" ""HAVING A GREAT, GREAT CENTER PLAYGROUNDS" "FOR THE CHILDREN AND THE FAMILIES OF AMERICA." ROY FELT THE COMPANY'S STOCKHOLDERS" "WOULDN'T THINK IT MADE SENSE FOR A FILM COMPANY" "TO GO INTO THE AMUSEMENT-PARK BUSINESS." "#CINDERELLA, THE FIRST FEATURE-LENGTH CARTOON" "SINCE THE WAR, HAD BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS IN 1950." "HELLO, FRIEND." "WELL, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE'RE ALL STEAMED UP OUT HERE" "OVERALICE IN WONDERLAND. #ALICE IN WONDERLAND ANDPETER PANWERE TO FOLLOW." "WHEN WALT WOULD BE COMING DOWN THE HALL TO THE MEETING," "WHY, THE DIRECTOR WOULD SAY, "HEY, EVERYBODY." "MAN'S IN THE FOREST."" "THAT MEANT THAT WALT WAS COMING." "#AND GENERALLY YOU COULD HEAR..." "IF WALT LOOKED LIKE HE WAS IN A BAD HUMOR, THE GUARD WOULD SAY, "BEAR SUIT"," "AND WE ALL KNEW THAT THIS WAS NOT A GOOD DAY. #ONE DAY HE WOULD COME IN" "AND APPARENTLY BE LIKE A WOUNDED BEAR, GROWLING AND SCOWLING," "AND YET IF HE SAW SOMETHING ON THE STORYBOARD THAT CAUGHT HIS FANCY," "HE WOULD JUMP UP AND BECOME THE CHARACTER AND MAKE EVERYBODY LAUGH." "AND MAKE EVERYBODY LAUGH. #OVER THE YEARS," "THE STUDIO HAD BECOME INCREASINGLY BUREAUCRATIC, LESS OPEN TO SPONTANEOUS IDEAS." "IN RESPONSE, WALT CREATED WED ENTERPRISES FOR WALTER ELIAS DISNEY." "WED WAS ORGANIZED OR DEVELOPED SO THAT WALT COULD INCORPORATE HIS NAME." "AND THEN, HE IN TURN, THEN, NEGOTIATED A CONTRACT WITH WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS" "TO LICENSE THE NAME AND TO DERIVE ROYALTIES FROM THE SALE" "OF CHARACTER MERCHANDISE AND INCOME." "#WED WOULD BECOME THE DESIGN CENTER" "BEHIND ALL THE EARLY PLANS AND ATTRACTIONS FOR DISNEYLAND." "WELL, IT WAS HIS SANDBOX." "#HE SAID IT WAS HIS SANDBOX." "HE SAID, "THIS IS WHERE I COME TO HAVE FUN." AND WE HAD NOTHING BUT FUN WITH WALT." "I MEAN, HE WAS A RIOT. #AND WHEN WE'D BE WORKING ON SOMETHING," "HE COULD HARDLY STAND IT. #IF I'D BE SOLDERING SOMETHING," "HE WOULD ALMOST WANT TO SOLDER IT HIMSELF, YOU KNOW?" "AT THE BEGINNING, IT WAS ALL SALT MONEY." "#IN FACT, HE HAWKED HIS LIFE INSURANCE" "AND A FEW OTHER THINGS TO GET THE MONEY TO BEGIN TO DO THE THINGS HE WANTED TO DO" "TO GET THE DISNEYLAND PROJECT STARTED." "#BUT WHERE WOULD THE NEW PARK GO?" "WE HAD 10 SITES THAT WE'D LOOKED AT." "THE FIRST SITE WAS HARBOR AT THE 5," "AT THE SANTA ANA FREEWAY. #AND HE WENT FOR THE FIRST SITE." "AND ALL HE DID WAS HE MOVED IT DOWN A QUARTER OF A SECTION" "TO GET IT AWAY FROM THE FREEWAY. #WHILE WALT WAS ABLE" "TO GET THE PARK STARTED WITH HIS OWN MONEY, HE COULDN'T AFFORD TO ACTUALLY BUILD IT." "HE SAW THE SOLUTION IN TELEVISION. #OTHER PRODUCERS," "THE REST OF THE HOLLYWOOD COMMUNITY, WAS SCARED TO DEATH OF TELEVISION." "THEY SAW THAT IF PEOPLE SAT HOME AND WATCHED TV FOR FREE," "THAT WOULD BE AN ADMISSION TICKET NOT SOLD AT THE MOVIE THEATER." "SO WALT REALLY STOOD OUT. #SO, YOU SEE, THIS IS THE RESULT" "OF BEING A GOOD BOY FOR 30 YEARS. #SANTA FINALLY CAME ACROSS." "SEE THAT LITTLE THROTTLE IN THERE?" "#SEE THAT THING THERE?" "IN DECEMBER OF 1950, WALT HAD PRODUCED HIS FIRST TELEVISION SHOW" "SCHEDULED FOR CHRISTMAS." "#SCHEDULED FOR CHRISTMAS." "ONE HOUR IN WONDERLANDWAS BASICALLY A ONE-HOUR COMMERCIAL FORALICE IN WONDERLAND." "THERE WAS A LOT OF FOOTAGE OF OTHER THINGS THAT THE STUDIO WAS DOING," "CLIPS OF DIFFERENT CARTOONS. #IT WAS BASICALLY A WELL-PLANNED INFOMERCIAL..." "ANOTHER WAY THAT WALT WAS AHEAD OF HIS TIME. #WILL IT REALLY DO MAGIC, MR. DISNEY?" "OH, SURE. #I'M A LITTLE RUSTY, THOUGH." "WE'LL TRY IT. #WALT PRODUCED ONE MORE SPECIAL," "BUT HE WOULD NOT RE-ENTER TELEVISION FOR SEVERAL YEARS." "STILL, THE POSSIBILITIES NEVER LEFT HIS MIND." "DID YOU GIRLS KNOW THIS CHARACTER DISNEY?" "#YES." "HE'S OUR FATHER." "UH..." "OH. #HEH HEH HEH HEH." "ROY WAS FINALLY CONVINCED THAT DISNEYLAND WAS A VIABLE VENTURE." "HE PREPARED TO TRAVEL TO NEW YORK TO SUBMIT THE IDEA TO POTENTIAL FINANCIERS." "HE NEEDED SOMETHING TO SHOW THEM, SO WALT TURNED TO HIS FRIEND HERB RYMAN," "AN ARTIST WHO HAD WORKED FOR THE STUDIO IN THE 1940s." "AN ARTIST WHO HAD WORKED FOR THE STUDIO IN THE 1940s." "ROY COMPLETED A DEAL WITH ABC WHICH GRANTED THE TELEVISION NETWORK" "A 35% STAKE IN DISNEYLAND IN RETURN FOR AN INVESTMENT" "OF A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS." "#IN THE BEGINNING OF 1954," "ABC PRESIDENT ROBERT KINTNER AND WALT WENT ON THE AIR" "TO ANNOUNCE THEIR PARTNERSHIP..." "#THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WEEKLY SHOW" "CALLEDDISNEYLAND." "#THIS IS A NEW MEDIUM," "AND, WELL... #I JUST WANT TO ASSURE YOU" "THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING IT LIGHTLY, THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE" "JUST A LITTLE STEPCHILD OF THE DISNEY ORGANIZATION." "IT'S GONNA BE ONE OF OUR MAJOR ENTERPRISES. #WALT DEFINITELY" "DID NOT WANT TO HOST A TV SERIES." "#THEY HAD A LOT OF STUDIES THAT WENT ON" "LOOKING AT OTHER PEOPLE. #FINALLY, AS EACH STUDY WENT BACK AND SHOWED," "THAT IT WAS WALT WHO HAD THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF ENTHUSIASM." "NOW WE WANT YOU TO SHARE WITH US OUR LATEST AND GREATEST DREAM." "THAT'S IT, RIGHT HERE... #DISNEYLAND." "SHOOTING WALT'S LEAD-INS WAS QUITE THE CHALLENGE." "YEAH, THAT'S ABOUT AS NERVOUS AS YOU CAN GET IS WHEN YOU WENT THROUGH" "DIRECTING WALT ON HIS LEAD-INS. #I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SHOW, AND INCIDENTALLY..." "EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, HE WOULD GET HUNG UP ON CERTAIN WORDS." "THE WORD "ALUMINUM", I GUESS, WAS PARTICULARLY TOUGH FOR WALT." "THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO THINK..." "#"I'LL DO MANY", AND MA-MM-MA, YOU KNOW?" "AND HE COULDN'T SAY IT. #FOR 3 YEARS," "DISNEYLANDWAS THE ONLY ABC SHOW IN THE TOP 15 RATED PROGRAMS." "WHEN WALT STARTED SHOOTING EPISODES FORDISNEYLAND," "HE DECIDED TO TAKE ON THE ADDED EXPENSE TO SHOOT THEM IN COLOR." "WELL, COLOR TELEVISION DIDN'T EXIST THEN, BUT HE WAS SMART ENOUGH" "TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT WAS A GOOD INVESTMENT. #ONE OF THE THINGS THAT" "MADEDAVY CROCKETT REALLY SUCCESSFUL AND REALLY MADE" "THEDISNEYLANDSERIES STAND OUT WAS THAT IT WAS DONE ON LOCATION." "WE BETTER SPLIT UP IF WE'RE GONNA COVER THE TOWN. #ABOUT $300 MILLION" "IN CROCKETT MERCHANDISE WAS SOLD." "#AROUND $2 BILLION ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION." "THAT ONE'S ABOUT THE RIGHT SIZE. #WALT ENTERTAINED" "GOVERNOR CLEMENT AND HIS WIFE, AND THEN SUDDENLY HE OPENED UP" "IN THIS LITTLE COMMISSARY THAT WE HAD THERE. #HE SAID, "TELL ME, MR. DISNEY," ""HAD YOU ANY IDEA "WHEN THIS MAGNIFICENT SHOWDAVY CROCKETT" ""OPENED ALL OVER THE WORLD, "THAT IT WOULD BE THE SENSATIONAL SUCCESS" "THAT IT IS TODAY?" AND EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM WAS LOOKING AT US FUNNY," "AND WALT SAYS..." "HE WINKED AT ME AND HE SAID, "NO." "WE'RE KIND OF DISAPPOINTED." "WE THOUGHT IT'D BE REALLY BIG."" "WALT HAD A MAGIC TOUCH WITH TELEVISION. #THERE'S OUR BOAT RIDE." "GET A MOVE ON, MAHALIA." "IT AIN'T MUCH FURTHER. #HE THEN SET OUT TO SKETCH" "ANOTHER ORIGINAL IDEA..." "A SHOW JUST FOR KIDS PRESENTED BY KIDS." "PRESENTED BY KIDS. #THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUB WAS A GROUNDBREAKING EFFORT," "PROGRAMMING THAT RESPECTED CHILDREN'S INTELLIGENCE." "I'D SAY ABOUT 80% OF WHAT HE HAD FLESHED OUT IN HIS OWN HANDWRITING FOR THIS SHOW" "WAS WHAT WE SAW ON THE AIR. #HE WANTED US TO CALL HIM AND REFER TO HIM" "AS UNCLE WALT, AND OF COURSE, WE ALL ADMIRED HIM" "AND RESPECTED HIM SO MUCH THAT WE CALLED HIM MR. DISNEY." "I UNDERSTAND THAT HE WOULD TAKE HIS PRODUCERS AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD" "AND HE WOULD GO TO THE PLAYGROUNDS AND THE SCHOOL AREAS AND SAY," ""SEE THOSE KIDS OVER THERE?" "#THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BE A MOUSEKETEER."" "WELL, WHAT HE MEANT WAS THE KIDS NEXT DOOR." "#HE DIDN'T WANT ANY SLICK PROFESSIONALS." "AS A CHILD, HE WAS VERY MUCH INTERESTED" "IN MAKING SURE THAT I WASN'T BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF" "AND THAT I ALWAYS FELT THAT HE WAS CONCERNED THAT I WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME, YOU KNOW?" "WALT HAD AN UNCANNY ABILITY TO ANALYZE PEOPLE AND TO SEE TALENTS" "THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY HAD. #WALT CALLED OVER, AND HE SAYS," "I WANT YOU TO DO THE SCRIPT FOR THE PIRATES' RIDE," "AND I HAD NEVER DONE ANY SCRIPTING BEFORE." "I HAD DONE STORYBOARDING IN THE ANIMATION END OF IT." "AND I THINK THAT WAS THE METHOD HE USED TO PICK PEOPLE, PUT 'EM ALL TOGETHER," "AND ONLY HE KNEW WHAT THE OUTCOME WAS GENERALLY GONNA BE." "AND YOU THINK, "WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES THIS MAN SPECIAL?"" "I MEAN, HE'S JUST AN ORDINARY MAN." "#AND THEN SUDDENLY HE'D COME OUT" "WITH THE MOST BRILLIANT SUGGESTION, AND YOU THINK, "WHY HADN'T I THOUGHT OF THAT?"" "AND YOU THINK, "WHY HADN'T I THOUGHT OF THAT?"" "EVEN IN THE TWO-DIMENSIONAL WORLD THAT WE DESIGNED FOR THE MOTION PICTURES," "THERE'S THE IMPLICATION OF SPACE." "IN FACT, WE USED MANY OF THE TECHNIQUES WE HAD LEARNED IN THE FILMS" "AND APPLIED THAT TO ACTUAL THIRD DIMENSION," "AND WHEN WE SET UP A KIND OF STORY IN OUR OWN MIND ABOUT WHAT IT WAS," "WE WOULD ESTABLISH AN IMAGINARY LONG SHOT" "AS IF WE WERE TAKING IT WITH MOTION PICTURES. #ONE OF THE LANDS IN THE PARK" "IS TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURE LAND... #WAS ITS ORIGINAL NAME," "BASED ON THE TRUE-LIFE ADVENTURE FILMS THAT WALT WAS CREATING." "AND THE JUNGLE CRUISE WAS THE BIG ATTRACTION," "WHERE YOU WOULD ACTUALLY SEE REAL ANIMALS. #WELL, THE BIG PROBLEM" "IS THAT THEY TEND TO SLEEP ALL DAY, SO THAT DURING THE DAY, NO ONE WOULD SEE THEM." "THEY WOULD ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT WHEN IT HAD COOLED OFF." "SO IT WAS VERY QUICK THAT THEY REALIZED THAT THEY NEEDED TO MAKE ARTIFICIAL ANIMALS." "AND THAT WOULD BE THE WAY THAT YOU COULD HAVE HIPPOS IN FRONT OF YOU ALL THE TIME" "AND A GORILLA IN FRONT OF YOU ALL THE TIME." "AND A GORILLA IN FRONT OF YOU ALL THE TIME." "I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT, BELIEVED, THAT THE REASON WALT BUILT DISNEYLAND" "WAS BECAUSE HE WANTED ONE. #HE WANTED THE BIGGEST TRAIN LAYOUT," "HE WANTED A PLACE FOR ALL HIS TOYS. #WALT WOULD GO TO THE PARK EARLY IN THE MORNING" "BEFORE THE PARK OPENED, AND HE'D GET IN THE FIRE TRUCK" "AND DRIVE THE FIRE TRUCK AROUND DISNEYLAND." "#AND PEOPLE WOULD THINK HE WAS CRAZY," "BUT WHAT HE WAS DOING WAS PLAYING WITH HIS TOY." "BUT WHAT HE WAS DOING WAS PLAYING WITH HIS TOY. #I CAN REMEMBER HIM SAYING" "THAT, YOU KNOW, "DICK, THIS PICTURE BUSINESS IS TOUGH BECAUSE WHEN YOU FINISH A MOVIE" "AND YOU PUT IT IN THE CAN, IT'S FINISHED, BUT DISNEYLAND WILL NEVER BE FINISHED." "WE CAN ALWAYS MAKE IT BETTER." WE CAN ALWAYS MAKE IT BETTER."" "THE STUDIO WITNESSED A MASSIVE EXPANSION IN THE 1950s." "GROSS REVENUES ZOOMED FROM $6 MILLION IN 1950" "TO 70 MILLION NEAR THE END OF THE DECADE." "#THROUGH IT ALL, STAFFERS WERE STUNNED" "THAT WALT WAS ABLE TO NURTURE IDEAS FOR YEARS, EVEN DECADES." "A CARTOON HE HAD DRAWN IN HIGH SCHOOL INSPIRED A SCENE INPETER PAN." "THE LITTLE CHOW DOG THAT WALT HAD GIVEN TO LILLY IN A HATBOX" "GREW INTO A SEQUENCE INLADY AND THE TRAMP. #HE NEVER FORGOT ANYTHING." "YOU HAD TO BE CAREFUL WITH SOMETHING YOU SAID 3 YEARS AGO." "HE MIGHT BRING IT OUT 3 YEARS LATER." "#HE MIGHT BRING IT OUT 3 YEARS LATER." "WALT'S FIRST BIG LIVE-ACTION FILM PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES" "WAS20.000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. #HE MADE A SURPRISING CHOICE FOR DIRECTOR..." "RICHARD FLEISCHER, THE SON OF MAX FLEISCHER, THE CREATOR OF BETTY BOOP AND POPEYE" "AND AN EARLY COMPETITOR OF WALT'S." "#AND AN EARLY COMPETITOR OF WALT'S." "AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT HE'D WANT ME. #I WAS A YOUNG DIRECTOR," "HAD NOT MADE A REALLY BIG, IMPORTANT PICTURE UP TO THAT TIME." "IT WAS DONE IN CINEMASCOPE, WHICH WAS STILL NEW AND EXCITING TO AUDIENCES THEN," "AND IN TECHNICOLOR, AND HE HIRED A-LIST MOVIE STARS TO BE IN IT..." "KIRK DOUGLAS, JAMES MASON, PETER LORRE. #THESE WERE ALL PROMINENT NAMES." "THE SCENE WAS WRITTEN "AT SUNSET ON A FLAT, CALM SEA."" "AND THERE WAS NO EXCITEMENT IN IT. #ONE DAY AS I WAS SHOOTING," "I FELT A TAP ON MY SHOULDER, AND IT WAS WALT." "HE SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING HERE, A KEYSTONE COMEDY?"" "I SAID, "NO, WALT." AND I EXPLAINED WHAT THE SITUATION WAS," "AND HE UNDERSTOOD IT IMMEDIATELY." "#EARL HAD SEEN THE FOOTAGE AS WELL." "HE'D RUN IT WITH WALT. #HE SAID, "THIS SHOULD BE A STORM SEQUENCE." "AT NIGHT WITH LIGHTNING AND THUNDER AND WIND AND WAVES." "AND LOTS OF EXCITEMENT SO YOU'RE FIGHTING NOT ONLY THE SQUID," "BUT YOU'RE FIGHTING NATURE ITSELF. #AND BLESS HIS HEART, IT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID." "AND BLESS HIS HEART, IT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID." "IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED, WALT'S FILMS BECAME SYNONYMOUS" "WITH FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT... #SOMETHING MUST HAVE GONE WRONG WITH THE FUSE." "WELL, THEY'RE NOT GOING BACK..." "#INCLUDING SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON" "DIRECTED BY KEN ANNAKIN." "#WHEN THE DOGS ATTACK," "HE INSISTED THAT THE DOGS ACTUALLY HIT THE TIGER." "TOUCHED HIM. #AND I JUST SAID, "WALT," ""I'VE BEEN SHOOTING IN SOUTH AFRICA, "AND I HAD A LION," ""AND A TIGER IS MUCH LESS TRAINABLE THAN A LION"," "AND WALT SUDDENLY SAID, "KEN'S AFRAID OF THE TIGER."" "AND THAT THING WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE TIME. #EVERY TIME WE CAME TO THE TIGER," "HE SAID, "WELL, OF COURSE, "WE KNOW KEN'S AFRAID OF THE TIGER," ""BUT DO YOU THINK YOU CAN POSSIBLY SHOOT IT THIS WAY?"" "SHOOT IT THIS WAY?" YOU HAD SOME MORE DIALOGUE AFTER THAT." "I BELIEVE THIS IS..." "#BY THE MID 1950s," "WALT HAD BECOME FAMILIAR TO MILLIONS OF TELEVISION VIEWERS." "WHILE AT USC, DIANE MET A TALL, HANDSOME FOOTBALL PLAYER" "NAMED RON MILLER. #OH, YEAH." "WHENEVER I FIRST ARRIVED," "THE FIRST THING ON MY MIND WAS GETTING DIANE AND GETTING OUT OF THERE," "BECAUSE YOU COULD TELL THAT BOTH OF THEM, LILLY AS WELL," "THEY WERE SIZING ME UP. #ON MAY 9, 1954," "DIANE AND RON WERE MARRIED IN A SMALL CEREMONY" "AT THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN SANTA BARBARA." "#AT THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN SANTA BARBARA." "WHEN WE WERE GOING DOWN THE AISLE TOGETHER..." "IT WAS A VERY SMALL WEDDING BY DESIGN, AND MY SISTER WAS MY ONLY ATTENDANT..." "HE BRINGS ME UP TO THE ALTAR, AND RON IS THERE," "AND I FELT A SNIFFLE. #I HEARD A SNIFFLE, AND I TURNED," "AND HE LOOKED AT ME LIKE THAT AND SQUEEZED MY HAND," "AND IT WAS HIS MOMENT." "#IT WAS SWEET." "YEAH." "RON LEFT COLLEGE AND ENTERED THE ARMY." "#DIANE LIVED CLOSE NEARBY IN PACIFIC GROVE." "WHEN THE FIRST BABY ARRIVED, WALT WAS OVERJOYED TO HAVE A GRANDSON." "WALT WAS OVERJOYED TO HAVE A GRANDSON." "IN JULY OF 1955, WALT AND LILLY CELEBRATED THEIR 30th ANNIVERSARY" "AT THE GOLDEN HORSESHOE SALOON AT DISNEYLAND." "#JUST DAYS BEFORE THE GRAND OPENING," "WALT WAS LIKE A KID AT THE BEST BIRTHDAY PARTY IN THE WORLD." "AT THAT POINT, EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM NOTICES THAT MY DAD" "SOMEHOW WAS UP IN A BALCONY ABOVE THE STAGE," "AND THEN HE STARTED TO CLIMB OVER THE BALCONY," "AND HE CLIMBED DOWN TO THE STAGE." "#AND THEN HE'S STANDING ON THE STAGE," "JUST BEAMING AT PEOPLE. #SO, WE HEADED HOME SHORTLY AFTER THAT." "DAD WAS VERY QUIET BACK THERE, AND I LOOKED BACK," "AND HE'S ASLEEP WITH A ROLL OF PLANS RIGHT HERE, YOU KNOW?" "LIKE A LITTLE KID, A LITTLE BOY." "#THE PEOPLE AND EYES AROUND THE WORLD" "ARE FOCUSED ON THESE 160 ACRES HERE IN ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA." "THIS AFTERNOON, DISNEYLAND, THE WORLD'S MOST FABULOUS KINGDOM," "WILL BE UNVEILED BEFORE AN INVITATIONAL WORLD PREMIERE" "AND YOU, OUR GUESTS. #ART LINKLETTER WILL BE YOUR HOST," "AND WITH ABC CREWS AND CAMERAS ON THE SPOT," "WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THIS TRULY MAGIC LAND. #A GREAT MISHMASH" "OF LAST MINUTE THINGS THAT HADN'T BEEN DONE..." "THE CEMENT WASN'T HARDENED IN SOME PLACES, PILES OF LUMBER WERE HERE AND THERE." "WELL, THIS JOB IN THE NEXT HOUR AND A HALF'S GONNA BE A DELIGHT." "I FEEL LIKE..." "HE HAD ASKED ME TO EMCEE THE OPENING AND ASKED ME TO PICK A COUPLE OF MY FRIENDS" "TO WORK WITH HIM, AND I ASKED MY DEAR FRIEND RONALD REAGAN" "THAT I'VE TRAVELED WITH ALL OVER THE WORLD TO BE WITH ME AND WALT." "HA!" "ISN'T THIS A RIOT TODAY?" "#OH, IT CERTAINLY IS." "... READY FOR THE OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONIES." "ALL ACTIVITY ON MAIN STREET HAS CEASED." "#AND NOW WALT DISNEY WILL STEP FORWARD" "TO READ THE DEDICATION OF DISNEYLAND." "YOU COULD SEE THE LUMP IN HIS THROAT, AND HE HAD A TEAR IN HIS EYE." "TO ALL WHO COME TO THIS HAPPY PLACE, WELCOME." "DISNEYLAND IS YOUR LAND. #HERE AGE RELIVES FOND MEMORIES OF THE PAST," "AND HERE YOUTH MAY SAVOR THE CHALLENGE AND PROMISE OF THE FUTURE." "DISNEYLAND IS DEDICATED TO THE IDEALS, THE DREAMS, AND THE HARD FACTS" "THAT HAVE CREATED AMERICA WITH THE HOPE THAT IT WILL BE A SOURCE OF JOY" "AND INSPIRATION TO ALL THE WORLD." "#AND INSPIRATION TO ALL THE WORLD." "THANK YOU. #AND THEN THE SHOW OPENED" "AND HISTORY WAS MADE, ALTHOUGH THE FIRST REVIEWS WERE NOT TOO KIND" "BECAUSE IT WAS A HOT DAY, THERE WAS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DISORGANIZATION." "LET'S GO INTO FANTASYLAND AND HAVE SOME FUN. #GOOD-BYE, FOLKS." "TRUE TO HIS WORD, WALT KEPT ADDING TO HIS PARK." "WALT CONTINUED TO WAIT FOR A GRANDSON TO BEAR HIS NAME." "AFTER CHRISTOPHER, DIANE HAD 3 DAUGHTERS. #FINALLY IN NOVEMBER OF 1961," "ALONG CAME ANOTHER BOY. #I REMEMBER WHEN WALT CAME INTO MY STUDIO" "AND HE HAD A BOX OF CIGARS AND HE WAS PASSING THEM OUT," "AND ON THOSE CIGARS IT SAID, "WALTER ELIAS DISNEY MILLER"," "AND HE WAS BEAMING AND HE WAS VERY PROUD OF THAT. #SHARON HAD BEEN DATING" "AN ARCHITECT NAMED ROBERT BROWN." "#THEY WERE MARRIED ON MAY 10, 1959," "IN PACIFIC PALISADES. #FOR A LONG TIME, BOB RESISTED WALT'S OFFERS" "TO JOIN THE STUDIO, BUT IN 1963, HE RELENTED AND BECAME A KEY PLANNER AT WED." "WELL, A BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW JUST A DREAM AWAY. #THAT SAYS WE'RE GOING PLACES." "THERE'S PROGRESS AHEAD. #THE WORLD'S FAIR" "WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR WALT, AND HE SAW SOMETHING" "THAT NONE OF US REALIZED AT THE TIME." "#HE ALREADY WAS PLANNING TO DO SOMETHING" "IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY, SO HE WAS TAKING HIS ENTERTAINMENT" "DIRECTLY TO WHERE ALL THE SOPHISTICATES," "WHO SOMETIMES CRITICIZED DISNEY ENTERTAINMENT..." "RIGHT IN THEIR HOMELAND, RIGHT IN NEW YORK." "THERE WERE 4 OF US IN OUR SHOP ORIGINALLY, WHICH BECAME, LIKE, 30," "WHICH BECAME DOUBLE, AND THEN 120, MAYBE." "I MEAN, THERE WEREN'T VERY MANY WHEN WE DID THE WORLD'S FAIR." "WALT FORESAW THAT MONEY SPENT ON BIG CORPORATE PAVILIONS" "WOULD ENABLE WED TO DEVELOP A RANGE OF NEW IDEAS AND TECHNOLOGIES." "YOU SEE, OUR WHOLE 40-SOME ODD YEARS HERE" "HAS BEEN IN THE WORLD OF MAKING THINGS MOVE, INANIMATE THINGS MOVE." "NOW WE'RE MAKING THESE HUMAN FIGURES, DIMENSIONAL HUMAN FIGURES MOVE," "MAKE ANIMALS MOVE, MAKE ANYTHING MOVE, THROUGH THE USE OF ELECTRONICS." "BEING THE PERFECTIONIST HE WAS, THE MINOR ACTIONS OF THE ANIMALS" "JUST WEREN'T GOOD ENOUGH, BUT TO DEVELOP A SKULL" "TO MAKE IT AS HUMAN-LIKE AS POSSIBLE. #AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN LINCOLN" "WAS FIRST IN THE SHOW, MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS AN ACTOR." "THEY JUST SWORE IT WASN'T REALLY AN ANIMATED PER..." "YOU KNOW, THING." "ROBERT MOSES, PRESIDENT OF THE FAIR, PERSUADED THE STATE OF ILLINOIS" "TO INCLUDE THE AUDIOANIMATRONICS MODEL IN ITS EXHIBIT." "WED WAS ALSO COMMISSIONED TO CREATE THE PAVILION AND ATTRACTIONS FOR FORD" "AND GENERAL ELECTRIC. #THEN, JUST ONE YEAR BEFORE THE FAIR OPENED," "PEPSI COLA APPROACHED WED." "#ABOUT AN EXHIBIT FOR UNICEF." "HE SAYS, "THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF REAL ESTATE LEFT."" "AND HE SAID, "AT THE WORLD'S FAIR." AND HE SAID, "I THINK" "WE'LL GET THAT PIECE OF REAL ESTATE." AND WE ALL KIND OF LOOKED AT HIM," "AND THERE WAS ONLY 5 OF US IN THERE, AND HE SAID," ""I WANT TO DO A LITTLE BOAT RIDE FOR CHILDREN", AND WE THOUGHT, "GOD," ""WHAT'S HE TALKING ABOUT?" "#"HERE WE'RE DOING ANIMATRONIC FIGURES," "AND HE WANTS TO DO A LITTLE BOAT RIDE?" AND WE JUST THOUGHT, YOU KNOW," ""WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?" NOW, THE SETS TOOK A LOT OF TIME," "BECAUSE WE HAD TO DO THE VARIOUS NATIONS... #THE RESEARCH, THE COSTUMES," "WHICH ALICE WAS DOING." "#WE HAD MONTHS TO DO IT." "BUT WE..." "ONLY MONTHS. #WELL, THERE'S A LONG STORY OF THE EVOLUTION" "OF HOW WE DID SMALL WORLD, BUT WE OPENED IT 9 MONTHS TO THE DATE THAT WALT CAME IN, AND THERE'S NEVER BEEN AN ATTRACTION" "EVER DESIGNED AND BUILT AND INSTALLED IN 9 MONTHS." "WHEN THE FAIR CLOSED, THE EXHIBITS WERE TRANSFERRED TO DISNEYLAND." "WALT GOT WHAT HE WANTED. #THE GENERAL ELECTRIC CAROUSEL OF PROGRESS" "AND THE DINOSAURS FROM THE FORD PAVILION AND IT'S A SMALL WORLD," "THAT PEPSI COLA PAID FOR, AND THE LINCOLN SHOW" "ALL CAME BACK TO DISNEYLAND, AND WE HAD GREAT NEW ENTERTAINMENT." "AND THE COMPANIES GOT WHAT THEY WANTED, WHICH WAS THE ASSOCIATION" "AND THE GOODWILL FROM THE DISNEY NAME." "#THE ENTIRE DISNEY TEAM HAS BEEN CALLED ON" "TO DEVELOP ENTERTAINING AND EXCITING ATTRACTIONS. #AS WALT'S ATTENTION" "WAS DIVERTED BY TELEVISION, DISNEYLAND, AND THE WORLD'S FAIR," "MOTION PICTURES WERE NO LONGER HIS PRINCIPAL CONCERN... #WITH ONE EXCEPTION." "ONE NIGHT, WHEN DIANE WAS SMALL, SHE INTRODUCED HIM TO A BOOK CALLEDMARY POPPINS" "BY THE BRITISH AUTHOR P.L. TRAVERS." "#HE PAID A CALL TO HER HUMBLE HOME" "NEAR KINGS ROAD IN CHELSEA, AND THE TWO GOT ALONG VERY WELL." "HE CLEARLY WORKED HIS CHARM ON MRS. TRAVERS, BECAUSE BY THE TIME" "THE MEETING HAD COME TO AN END," "SHE WAS PREPARED TO DISCUSS HOW THE FILM MIGHT BE MADE," "BUT ONLY AS A LIVE-ACTION FILM. #HE SAW JULIE ANDREWS," "AND HE SAID, "THAT'S EXACTLY THE RIGHT WOMAN TO PLAY MARY POPPINS."" "NOW, THAT WAS NOT CONVENTIONAL WISDOM." "#SHE'D BEEN PASSED OVER BY JACK L. WARNER," "A PRETTY CANNY PRODUCER HIMSELF, TO RECREATE HER ROLE OF ELIZA DOOLITTLE" "INMY FAIR LADY FOR THE SCREEN. #DICK VAN DYKE WAS ALREADY SUCCESSFUL ON TELEVISION" "AND HAD MADE A SUCCESS IN MOVIES LIKE BYE BYE BIRDIE." "BUT THIS FILM GAVE HIM THE GREATEST ROLE OF HIS CAREER." "HE WAS LIKE A KID. #HE WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT IT," "AND BY THE TIME I LEFT THERE, I WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT." "HE HAD ME SOLD." "I WANTED TO BE A PART OF THAT MOVIE SO MUCH." "HE HAD ALREADY GOTTEN OUT OF THE SHERMAN BROTHERS" "DELIGHTFUL SONGS FOR TV SHOWS, FOR RECORDS, BUT HE INSPIRED THEM WITHMARY POPPINS." "HE CHALLENGED THEM TO RISE TO NEW HEIGHTS AND GOT THE VERY BEST THEY HAD TO GIVE." "AND THEN, I THINK, WELL, GOD MUST HAVE SAT IN THE ROOM WITH US" "WHEN WE WROTE THE SONG FEED THE BIRDS, TUPPENCE A BAG." "WE FELT VERY STRONGLY ABOUT IT, AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS" "WE EVER PLAYED FOR WALT, WE SAID, WE FEEL THAT THE THEME OF THE PICTURE" "COULD BE DOING THAT LITTLE EXTRA SOMETHING. #?" "FEED THE BIRD?" "?" "TUPPENCE A BA?" "TUPPENCE, TUPPENCE, TUPPENCE A BA?" "FRIDAYS AFTER WORK, WE'D COME DOWN TO THE OFFICE" "AND WE'D TALK A WHILE, THEN HE'D LOOK THROUGH THE NORTH WINDOW" "AND HE'D SAY, "PLAY IT", AND WE KNEW WHAT HE MEANT." "WE'VE DISCUSSED EVERYTHING, AND WE'RE VERY SORRY" "ABOUT WHAT WE DID TODAY." "#AND FOR ME, AS A CHILD," "I REMEMBER HIM WANTING ME TO STAY NATURAL AND NORMAL AND INNOCENT," "AND I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE GIFTS THAT HE GAVE ME, THAT IT WAS OK TO BE INNOCENT." "YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO PRETEND YOU WERE A GROWNUP." "BE A KID." "IT WAS MAGIC." "ALL THE TIME, IT WAS MAGIC." "TECHNICALLY, HE WAS DOING SOME THINGS" "THAT WERE WAY AHEAD OF HIS TIME. #SOME OF THE..." "WHAT IS NOW BLUE-SCREEN EFFECTS," "I DON'T THINK ANYONE HAD EVER DONE BEFORE. #AT THAT TIME," "IT WAS AGAINST A YELLOW, SODIUM-LIT SCREEN," "SO EVERYTHING HAD TO BE VERY, VERY PRECISE." "NEVER DID HE ALLOW A MOVIE TO HAVE NEW TECHNOLOGY OR SOME LOOK" "WITHOUT IT BEING IN THE SERVICE OF THE STORY. #THE STORY WAS EVERYTHING," "AND THOSE GREAT CHARACTERS. #YOU WANT TO BE SWEPT AWAY IN THIS WORLD OF FANTASY," "AND THAT'S WHAT WALT ALWAYS DID SO WELL. #MARY POPPINS WENT ON TO GARNER 13 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS, 5 OF WHICH BECAME OSCAR WINS." "THE FILM PRODUCED A WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE OF $44 MILLION," "AN ASTOUNDING AMOUNT IN THE MID-SIXTIES" "AND MORE THAN ANY DISNEY FEATURE HAD EVER MADE." "AND MORE THAN ANY DISNEY FEATURE HAD EVER MADE." "WALT WAS NOW 62 YEARS OF AGE AND THE WINNER OF AN UNPRECEDENTED 31 ACADEMY AWARDS, INCLUDING THE PRESTIGIOUS IRVING THALBERG AWARD," "BUT HE GAVE NO SIGNS OF THINKING ABOUT RETIREMENT. #AS WALT REFLECTED ON HIS LIFE," "HE WAS SATISFIED WITH WHAT HE'D ACCOMPLISHED." "#WELL, MY GREATEST REWARD, I THINK," "IS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD THIS WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION." "I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ENJOY GOOD HEALTH. #AND THE WAY I FEEL TODAY," "I FEEL LIKE I CAN STILL GO ON BEING A PART OF THIS THING" "AFTER 40-SOME ODD YEARS IN THE BUSINESS. #AND ALSO, TO HAVE THE PUBLIC" "APPRECIATE AND ACCEPT WHAT I'VE DONE ALL THESE YEARS," "THAT IS A GREAT REWARD." "#WELL, PEOPLE OFTEN SAY TO ME," "AND I'M SURE THEY SAID TO WALT, "ARE YOU AN OPTIMIST?"" "I SAID, "NO, I'M NOT AN OPTIMIST." "#"I'M AN OPTIMAL BEHAVIORIST," "WHICH MEANS BEHAVING AT THE TOP OF YOUR ENERGY." AND THAT WAS WALT DISNEY." "HE BEHAVED EVERY DAY TO THE TOP OF HIS ENERGY." "AND THAT MAKES A FEELING OF OPTIMISM." "#AND THAT MAKES A FEELING OF OPTIMISM." "LIKE A LOT OF GRANDPARENTS, WALT AND LILLY OFTEN BABY-SAT THEIR GRANDCHILDREN." "AFTER SCHOOL, A STUDIO DRIVER WOULD OFTEN BRING THEM TO HIS OFFICE." "I THINK HE HAD A LITTLE ANTEROOM IN HIS OFFICE, WHICH WAS A PRETTY NEAT PLACE" "TO BE DOING YOUR HOMEWORK. #HE HAD CABINETS FULL OF MINIATURES," "MODELS, AWARDS, CITATIONS. #IT WAS A LITTLE BIT DISTRACTING." "WE'D TRY TO GET OUR HOMEWORK DONE, BUT BE FIDDLING AROUND MOST OF THE TIME" "WITH THE STUFF AT HAND." "RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, CHRIS GOT A LITTLE RED CAR," "AND THAT WAS OUT AT THE STUDIO." "#BEAUTIFUL LITTLE AUTOPIA CAR." "AND HE..." "WE HAD THAT TO DRIVE AROUND THE LOT IN..." "JUST HAD A WONDERFUL TIME." "#JUST HAD A WONDERFUL TIME." "IT WAS JUST AN ATMOSPHERE OF LOVE AND LAUGHTER." "THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WE COULDN'T DO THERE." "I FELT THAT THE WHOLE HOUSE WAS ALWAYS OPEN TO US." "THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, NO DOORS SHUT." "#THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, NO DOORS SHUT." "OCCASIONALLY WE'D SPEND THE NIGHT DOWN IN DISNEYLAND" "IN THE APARTMENT ABOVE THE FIREHOUSE THERE." "#AND THAT WAS A FAIRLY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE." "IT WAS BASICALLY LIKE WAKING UP IN THE MORNING AND HAVING YOUR DREAM CONTINUE." "WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THAT LITTLE APARTMENT." "I JUST..." "I CAN REMEMBER SITTING THERE, HE DOING THE THINGS HE NEEDED TO BE DOING," "WHETHER IT WAS READING OR JUST SITTING OUT ON THE PATIO." "WALT WAS THINKING OF THE WORLD HIS GRANDCHILDREN WOULD GROW UP IN." "WHAT IF ALL THAT WED HAD LEARNED ABOUT PEOPLE AND SPACE AND TRANSPORTATION" "COULD BE PUT TO GOOD USE, NOT ONLY FOR A THEME PARK," "BUT A COMMUNITY, A REAL CITY, AS WELL?" "#HE WANTED TO TRY" "GOING BEYOND THE PARK EXPERIENCE. #HE WANTED TO TRY IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENT," "THE URBAN SETTING, AND HE WAS FULL OF IDEAS" "ON WHAT THAT PLACE WOULD BE LIKE." "#IT WOULD NOT BE JUST A PARK." "IT WOULD BE IN THE SETTING OF AN URBAN EXPERIMENT. #EPCOT WILL TAKE ITS CUE" "FROM THE NEW IDEAS AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE NOW EMERGING" "FROM THE CREATIVE CENTERS OF AMERICAN INDUSTRY. #IT WILL BE A COMMUNITY OF TOMORROW" "THAT WILL NEVER BE COMPLETED, BUT WILL ALWAYS BE INTRODUCING" "AND TESTING AND DEMONSTRATING NEW MATERIALS AND NEW SYSTEMS." "NEW MATERIALS AND NEW SYSTEMS." "WALT'S DESIGN FOR EPCOT... #THE EXPERIMENTAL PROTOTYPE COMMUNITY OF TOMORROW..." "CALLED FOR A CENTRAL HOTEL, AN ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEX" "SURROUNDED BY A LARGE SUBURBAN AREA. #EARLY SKETCHES GIVE SOME IDEA" "WHAT THE AREA WOULD LOOK LIKE. #THAT WAS THE IDEA." "THIS WOULD BE THE GENESIS PLACE OF..." "#WHERE, TRULY, WE AS A BIG WORLD CIVILIZATION" "COULD ACTUALLY MAKE A REALLY NICE PLACE TO GO LIVE." "TO GO LIVE." "FLORIDA CAME TO THE FOREFRONT VERY QUICKLY FOR SEVERAL REASONS." "ONE..." "IT HAD A GOOD TOURIST POPULATION... #17 MILLION TOURISTS." "2..." "IT HAD GOOD TRANSPORTATION. #3..." "A LOT OF LAND AT A REASONABLE PRICE." "HE, REALLY, IS THE PERSON THAT SELECTED THE LOCATION." "AND I CAN REMEMBER HIM SAYING TO ME, "DICK, JUST THINK..." "THAT'LL BE OUR GREEN BELT," "AND NOBODY WILL EVER BE ABLE TO BUILD ON IT. #SO THAT'S WHAT EPCOT IS..." "AN EXPERIMENTAL PROTOTYPE COMMUNITY THAT WILL ALWAYS BE IN A STATE OF BECOMING." "ANOTHER MAJOR PROJECT AT THIS TIME WAS CALARTS. #SINCE THE LATE FIFTIES," "WALT HAD BEEN SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL." "#NOW HE ENVISIONED COMBINING CHOUINARD" "WITH THE LOS ANGELES CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC TO CREATE A SCHOOL WHERE THE ARTS..." "MUSIC, ART, FILM, DANCE, AND THEATER..." "#WOULD COME TOGETHER AND INSPIRE EACH OTHER..." "SOMETHING WHICH WALT CALLED CROSS-POLLINATION." "SOMETHING WHICH WALT CALLED CROSS-POLLINATION." "IN THE SUMMER OF 1966, WALT ORGANIZED A VACATION FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY." "HE RENTED A 140-FOOT YACHT COMPLETE WITH CREW FOR A LEISURELY CRUISE FROM VANCOUVER." "AND IT WAS SO WONDERFUL, BECAUSE IT WAS ALL MY CHILDREN" "FROM CHRIS DOWN TO LITTLE 2-YEAR-OLD RONNIE," "SHARON AND BOB, MY SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW, AND THEIR LITTLE BABY VICTORIA," "WHO WAS ABOUT 6 MONTHS OLD, AND MOTHER AND DAD, ALL ON THIS BOAT." "WE CELEBRATED TAMMY'S BIRTHDAY, JULY 3, ON THAT BOAT," "AND THEN MY PARENTS' WEDDING ANNIVERSARY 10 DAYS LATER." "10 DAYS LATER." "WHEN RON AND WALT FOUND A QUIET MOMENT TO TALK," "WALT TOLD HIM HE WAS GOING TO FOCUS ON EPCOT AND CALARTS." "WALT ALWAYS LOOKED FOR NEW CHALLENGES, AND EPCOT WAS HIS NEW AND FRESH CHALLENGE." "AND HE ONCE SAID TO ME, HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, I THINK I NEED ABOUT 15 YEARS." ""IF I COULD HAVE 15 YEARS, I CAN COMPLETE THIS PROJECT."" "AND AT THAT TIME, HE SAID, "YOU KNOW," ""I'M JUST GONNA TURN OVER THE FILMS TO YOU PEOPLE. #"I THINK YOU CAN DO A GOOD JOB." ""I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOU, BUT I HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON EPCOT."" "BUT I HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON EPCOT."" "WED WAS ALSO BUSY DESIGNING A SKI RESORT" "CALLED MINERAL KING NEAR SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK. #WALT'S INTEREST IN SUCH A RESORT" "WAS SPARKED BY HIS ROLE AS THE MASTER IN CHARGE OF PAGEANTRY" "DURING THE 1960 WINTER OLYMPICS IN SQUAW VALLEY. #IN 1965," "THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE ACCEPTED DISNEY'S BID FOR A 30-YEAR LEASE ON THE PROPERTY." "AND IN SEPTEMBER OF 1966, WALT JOINED GOVERNOR EDMUND G. BROWN" "FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE PROJECT. #WE HOPE THAT WE CAN DEVELOP IT IN SUCH A WAY" "THAT THE FAMILIES CAN COME UP HERE AND HAVE ACCESS" "TO THIS GREAT, WONDERFUL WILDERNESS AREA. #JOURNALISTS WHO ATTENDED THE EVENT" "WERE STRUCK BY WALT'S APPEARANCE." "#WALT LOOKED GAUNT AND DRAWN," "BUT NO ONE SUSPECTED THERE WAS SOMETHING FAR MORE SERIOUS AHEAD." "I WAS DOING A STORYBOARD, AND THE ROOM WAS FILLED WITH MY CREW AND SO FORTH," "AND HE GOT IN A COUGHING JAG, AND HIS FACE TURNED RED." "ANYWAY, HE KIND OF BENT OVER, AND I SAID, "FOR GOSH SAKES, WALT," "WHY DON'T YOU GIVE UP SMOKING?" AND HE SAID, "WELL, GUYS," "A GUY'S GOTTA HAVE A FEW VICES, DON'T HE?" SOMETHING LIKE THAT." "HE WAS GOING TO HAVE SURGERY ON THE BACK OF HIS NECK." "THAT WAS SET." "THEY WERE GOING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM THAT THE OLD POLO INJURY WAS CAUSING," "AND MY MOTHER CAME TO MY DOOR ONE MORNING. #SHE SAID," ""THEY TOOK AN X-RAY OF YOUR FATHER'S LUNG," "AND THEY FOUND A LUMP THE SIZE OF A WALNUT." WALT'S DOCTORS RECOMMENDED" "THAT HE IMMEDIATELY UNDERGO SURGERY." "#THEN WE TURNED TO HIM AND SAID," ""ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT GOING TO THE HOSPITAL?"" "AND WALT SAYS, "YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT I AM." AND WE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING IN" "BECAUSE OF HIS OLD POLO INJURY, BUT, UH, THAT WASN'T IT." "SO WE WERE ALL THERE SITTING IN THE ROOM, AND THE SURGEON CAME IN AFTER THE SURGERY," "AND HE SAID, "WELL, "THAT WAS JUST AS I SUSPECTED." ""UH, IT HAD..." "THE TUMOR HAD METASTASIZED." "#I GIVE HIM 6 MONTHS TO 2 YEARS."" "OF COURSE, IT WAS LIKE DROPPING A BOMB IN THAT ROOM." "DROPPING A BOMB IN THAT ROOM." "#TO ME, THE MOST POIGNANT STORY" "OF THIS WHOLE LAST TIME IS HIS LAST VISIT TO THE STUDIO LOT." "JUST LOOKING AT THIS PLACE THAT HE HAD BUILT," "THESE PEOPLE THAT HE BROUGHT ALONG, DONE THESE AMAZING THINGS," "AND KNOWING HE HAD TO LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND." "AND THEN HE STOPPED ABOUT 20 FEET AWAY, AND HE TURNED," "AND HE SAID, "GOOD-BYE, MARC." HE NEVER SAID THAT TO ANYBODY BEFORE." "HE NEVER SAID THAT TO ANYBODY BEFORE." "ROY DISNEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT HE, IN HIS LAST VISIT TO WALT IN THE HOSPITAL," "HE SAID, "I KNEW I WAS GONNA LOSE MY BROTHER THEN." HE SAID, "BECAUSE HERE HE WAS," "HE WAS TALKING VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE FLORIDA PROJECT."" "WALT SAW THE COMPLETE MAP, EVIDENTLY, OF THE FLORIDA PROJECT" "ON THE CEILING ABOVE HIS BED." "AND AS WE GOT OFF THE ELEVATOR ON THE FLOOR, I SAW RON GO STRIDING INTO DAD'S ROOM" "AND THEN COME OUT WITH HIS ARMS UP LIKE THAT, AS THOUGH SOMEONE PUSHED HIM BACK," "AND, UH, WHEN WE WENT INTO THE ROOM, I DON'T REALLY..." "DAD, YOU KNOW, HIS HANDS WERE ON HIS CHEST, AND HE WAS GONE." "AND UNCLE ROY WAS STANDING AT THE FOOT OF HIS BED," "AND HE WAS MASSAGING ONE OF DAD'S FEET, JUST KIND OF CARESSING IT," "AND HE WAS TALKING TO HIM, YOU KNOW?" "#I DON'T KNOW, IT SOUNDED SOMETHING LIKE," ""WELL, KID, THIS IS THE END, I GUESS." YOU KNOW, AND THAT SORT OF THING." "AND, UH, AND I SAW HIS LOVE AS I'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE." "AS I'VE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE." "#IT WAS 9:30 A.M. ON DECEMBER 15," "JUST 10 DAYS AFTER HIS 65th BIRTHDAY." "#JUST 10 DAYS AFTER HIS 65th BIRTHDAY." "I CRIED IN MY WIFE'S LAP." "#I CRIED IN MY WIFE'S LAP." "IT PUT AN END TO A MARVELOUS ERA." "I LAY AWAKE ALL NIGHT LONG. #I COULDN'T SLEEP," "TRYING TO THINK WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT. #THEY ANNOUNCED WALT'S PASSING," "AND THEN THEY CUT IN JULIE LONDON'S VOICE," "AND SHE'S SINGING THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUB SONG. #UM... ?" "M-I-?" "?" "K-E-?" "?" "M-O-U-S-?" "I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD..." "#I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD..." "BECAUSE MY TEARS WERE BLINDING... #MY ABILITY TO DRIVE." "MY ABILITY TO DRIVE." "THE NEWS OF HIS DEATH REVERBERATED AROUND THE WORLD." "NEWSPAPERS FROM NEW YORK TO PARIS REFLECTED ON HIS IMMENSE ROLE" "IN THE SHAPING OF 20th CENTURY ENTERTAINMENT. #JUST AN ORDINARY MAN" "WITH THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY TALENT OF MAKING YOU FEEL THAT YOU WERE IMPORTANT," "WHERE, IN ACTUAL FACT, HE WAS THE ONE. #THIS WAS A MAN THAT HAD ONE FOOT IN THE PAST," "BECAUSE HE LOVED THE NOSTALGIA AND USED IT IN MANY MOTION PICTURES" "AND TELEVISION SHOWS TO GET THROUGH TO THE PUBLIC," "AND ONE FOOT IN THE FUTURE, BECAUSE HE LOVED THE TECHNOLOGY." "YOU PUT HIM..." "YOU DROP HIM IN A GLASS OF WATER AND LIKE A JAPANESE FLOWER," "HE EXPANDS IN ALL DIRECTIONS." "#SO, IT'S THE EXPANSIVE DISNEY" "THAT'S MOVED OUT IN THE WORLD IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS." "AND IT'S DONE NOTHING BUT GOOD. #I MEAN, HERE WAS A MAN WHO HAD SCANT EDUCATION," "YOU KNOW?" "HIS PARENTS WERE NOT EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE, EXCEPT IN THEIR CHARACTER." "HE WAS NOT MUCH OF AN ARTIST, BUT SOMEWHERE CAME THIS AMAZING FACTOR" "OF KNOWING WHAT DRAMA AND COMEDY WAS." "AND SO I'M AFRAID WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO SAY," ""WELL, WALT DISNEY..." "GENIUS." "PERIOD."" "THE PARK MEANS A LOT TO ME. #IT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL NEVER BE FINISHED," "SOMETHING THAT OUGHT TO KEEP DEVELOPING, KEEP PLUSSING AND ADDING TO." "IT'S ALIVE, A LIVE BREATHING THING THAT WHEN WE CHANGE IT," "THE THING'LL GET MORE BEAUTIFUL EVERY YEAR." "THE THING'LL GET MORE BEAUTIFUL EVERY YEAR." "AND WE SAID, "WALT, WE GOT THE IDEA FOR THE ENDING." "IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT." "THIS IS WHAT IT IS."" "AND SO WE SAT DOWN AND DESCRIBED WHAT IT WOULD BE." "WHEN WE'RE THROUGH, HE LOOKED AT US AND SAID," ""YEAH." "THAT'S A GOOD ENDING OF A BROADWAY SHOW. #THAT'S A BROADWAY SHOW SONG."" "I MEAN, GOSH, HE LIKED THE IDEA, BUT HE DIDN'T LIKE STICKS, PAPER, AND STRINGS." "TSK." "WELL, I SUPPOSE I SHOULD TELL HIM TO GO FLY A KITE." "HE'D SAY, "YEAH, YEAH." "THAT'S IT. #LET'S GO FLY A KITE." "THAT'S..." "THERE'S THE TITLE."" "LET'S GO FLY A KITE." "THAT'S..." "THERE'S THE TITLE."" "SO HE ASKED ME TO COME IN AND TALK TO HIM, WHICH I DID, AND HE SAID..." "HE SAID, "WELL, WHY ARE YOU LEAVING?" "#DON'T YOU ENJOY IT HERE?"" "I SAID, "YES." BUT I SAID, "ACTUALLY," ""THERE'S ONLY ONE JOB HERE WORTH HAVING, AND THAT'S YOURS."" "AND HE SAID, "THAT'S TRUE." "ALL RIGHT." HE SAID, YOU KNOW..." "AND HE SAID, "WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S FILLED."" "AND HE SAID, "WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S FILLED."" "THE ROADS WERE SO FULL OF SNOW THAT SOME OF THE CBS ANNOUNCERS" "COULDN'T EVEN GET UP TO THE LOCATION IN SQUAW VALLEY," "AND I HAD TO BE PRESSED INTO SERVICE TO DO SOME OF THE BROADCASTING" "THAT THE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T SHOW UP WERE SUPPOSED TO DO." "BUT WALT WAS UNFAZED BY IT. #HE SAYS, "WE'LL JUST GO RIGHT AHEAD," ""AND WITH ANY KIND OF LUCK, "THE WEATHER WILL CLEAR," "AND WE'LL GET IT ON THE AIR." I WOULD SAY THAT 5 MINUTES TO 10 MINUTES OF 10:00," "IT STOPPED SNOWING, AND IT BEGAN TO LIGHTEN UP." "WE WENT ON THE AIR. #WE DID A 30-MINUTE BROADCAST," "AND 5 MINUTES AFTER WE WERE OVER, IT STARTED TO SNOW AGAIN." "AND I SAID, "WALT..." "#YOU HAVE A CONNECTION."" "HE SAYS, "NO." "IT'S JUST IF YOU LIVE RIGHT, THINGS HAPPEN RIGHT."" "THINGS HAPPEN RIGHT."" "IF YOU HAD IT TO DO OVER AGAIN, WOULD YOU DO ANY PART OF IT DIFFERENTLY?" "WELL, IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER AGAIN, I THINK, UH..." "NO, I DON'T THINK I WOULD." "I DON'T KNOW. #I HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO DO IT OVER AGAIN."