The untold story of ten critical, formative years in the great producer's life

For ten years before the creation of Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney struggled with, failed at, and eventually mastered the art and business of animation. Most biographies of his career begin in 1928, when Steamboat Willie was released. That first Disney Studio cartoon with synchronized sound made its main character—Mickey Mouse—an icon for generations. But Steamboat Willie was neither Disney's first cartoon nor Mickey Mouse's first appearance. Prior to this groundbreaking achievement, Walt Disney worked in a variety of venues and studios, refining what would become known as the Disney style. In Walt before Mickey: Disney's Early Years, 1919–1928, Timothy Susanin creates a portrait of the artist from age seventeen to the cusp of his international renown. After serving in the Red Cross in France after World War I, Walt Disney worked for advertising and commercial art in Kansas City. Walt used these experiences to create four studios—Kaycee Studios, Laugh-O-gram Films, Disney Brothers Studio, and Walt Disney Studio. Using company documents, private correspondence between Walt and his brother Roy, contemporary newspaper accounts, and new interviews with Disney's associates, Susanin traces Disney's path. The author shows Disney to be a complicated, resourceful man, especially during his early career. Walt before Mickey, a critical biography of a man at a crucial juncture, provides the “missing decade” that started Walt Disney's career and gave him the skills to become a name known worldwide.

The definitive portrait of one of the most important cultural figures in American history: Walt Disney. Walt Disney was a true visionary whose desire for escape, iron determination and obsessive perfectionism transformed animation from a novelty to an art form, first with Mickey Mouse and then with his feature films–most notably Snow White, Fantasia, and Bambi. In his superb biography, Neal Gabler shows us how, over the course of two decades, Disney revolutionized the entertainment industry. In a way that was unprecedented and later widely imitated, he built a synergistic empire that combined film, television, theme parks, music, book publishing, and merchandise. Walt Disney is a revelation of both the work and the man–of both the remarkable accomplishment and the hidden life. Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Biography USA Today Biography of the Year

In TASCHEN's first volume of one of the most expansive illustrated publications on Disney animation, 1,500 images take us to the beating heart of the studio's "Golden Age of Animation." Derived from the XXL book, this new edition again includes behind-the-scenes photos, story sketches, and cel setups of famous film scenes. It spans each of the...

During the Roaring Twenties--from 1921 through 1928--Walt Disney and his friends made more than ninety silent cartoons, turning them out as often as one or two per month. Years before Mickey Mouse, the young entrepreneur recruited and nurtured an extraordinary array of talented people. Drawing on interviews with Disney's coworkers, Disney's business papers, promotional materials, scripts, drawings, and correspondence, the richly illustrated Walt in Wonderland reconstructs Disney's silent film career and places his early films in critical perspective.

Walt Disney The name Disney is celebrated throughout the world because of its association with blockbuster animated films and most especially iconic cartoon characters. Just about everyone on the planet, regardless of time, place, or culture, has at one time or another become acquainted with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and everybody's favorite anthropomorphic dog, Goofy. These are the characters that we know and love. Inside you will read about... - Humble Beginnings - Serving in World War I - Disney, Iwerks, and Innovation - The Lucky Rabbit and Mickey Mouse - The Road to Success - Disney During World War II And much more! In recent years Disney has become set to become even larger by adopting a new host of characters from George Lucas' Star Wars franchise. It seems that the name Disney, even 50 some years after Walt Disney's death, is destined to get even bigger. But as much as we can associate the name Disney with these incredible films, it is amazing how little most people know about Walt Disney himself. Few know of Disney's humble upbringing in rural America, learning to draw farm animals and flowers. Very few know the origin of Mickey Mouse, and even fewer know of the role that Donald Duck played during the war effort of World War II. Come along as we present to you a tale just as fascinating as any plot sequence to have ever graced Walt Disney's storyboard.

The Art of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse is a celebration of the true original icon, spanning the ninety years that Mickey Mouse has been entertaining audiences with heartfelt performances and humorous antics. The book begins with a comprehensive filmography, listing Mickey's animated performances in shorts, films, and television shows. This impressive résumé is followed by an analysis of Mickey's milestones: the firsts he has attained, the achievements he has made, and the recognitions he has received throughout his life thus far. A special double gatefold commemorates Mickey and Minnie's ninetieth anniversary with ninety pieces of artwork depicting the famous pair, from never-before-seen animation drawings to classic comic book covers. The final portion of the book is a jubilant commemoration comprised of new artwork, interpretations of Mickey Mouse contributed by the inspired minds at Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media. Here, Mickey is reimagined in a variety of media ranging from digital renderings to traditional paintings, in styles as unique and different as the artists themselves.