The Walt Disney Company which captured the hearts of everyone, completes its successful 92nd anniversary today. This larger than life company’s inception was sown back in 1923 by the Disney brothers Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney.
The company which is now in it’s tenth decade, has grown exponentially and though it had a rough start, it has picked up its pace and is now world’s second largest media conglomerate in terms of revenue. Walt Disney always used to say, ‘All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them’ and he has lived up to what he followed. Started out as a small cartoon studio company, Disney now owns all kinds of ventures like movies, TV, merchandise, games. You name them and they have it all.
People are in notion that Mickey Mouse is the first animated character produced by the company but it’s not the case. Before Mickey, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was born who became an instant hit. This rabbit was praised for being exceptionally clever and for showing fine cartoon ingenuity. Due to legal loopholes, Disney lost the rights to it and that led to Disney creating another character and retain rights to it and this character was none other the legendary Mickey Mouse and this is how Disney’s success story started. Mickey provided to be lucky to the company and due to the immense success of him, he became the mascot of the Disney.
After that there was no looking back for the company. In 1930’s Disney came out with it’s first comic strip based on Mickey Mouse, after which first full-color cartoon was introduced – Flowers and Trees and the year also witnessed Disney’s first feature length animated film: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
1940’s era witnessed Walt Disney Productions first stock, followed by Treasure Island, Disney’s first completely live-action feature, and Disneyland. In late 1970’s Walt Disney World Village, a large outdoor mall with specialty shops all built by Disney designers which later became Disney Village Marketplace opens up. Finally in 1983, Disney Channel began broadcasting with 18 hours of programming a day.
Disney next ventured into Broadway line with Beauty and the Beast which is currently the ninth longest-running shows on Broadway and will cast its magic on the Indian audience. Currently, Disney owns and operated ABC broadcast television network, has 14 theme parks around the world, has its foot in music, merchandising and theatre divisions and has 4 Disney channels in place.
We got in touch with Disney India to know there plans for today and though the company is not celebrating the 92nd anniversary of the company in a big way, it surely has some exciting things in pipeline for Mickey’s birthday, the brainchild of Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks who was born on 18 November, 1928. He will be turning 84 next month and Disney won’t leave any stone unturned to celebrate this widely recognized cheeky little mouse’s special day.