Did anyone here meet Walt Disney? If not, do you think he was like he's portrayed?

[Walt Disney1955]

Feel free to share any details of a time that you met Walt. Or even his family or someone that knew him well. I wouldn't be surprised if no one on these boards had met him but you never know.

So do you believe the stories about him? Do you think he was really a kind lovable man in real life?

All the stories point towards that being true. From all accounts he was a good man. A workaholic and a perfectionist but there is rarely a bad thing said about him. People have tried by creating rumours that Walt named Snow White after cocaine and the dwarves were the 7 stages of cocaine but most of us on here would know that Snow White was actually a silent play/movie Walt saw when he was a teenager. The names were already in place.

I've read the book "Quotable Walt Disney" or something along those lines and nothing changes my mind about the man, he seemed to have very strong moral values and seemed to truly love what he did.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

I being born in the early 80's (2 weeks before Epcot opened) have never met Walt! But if you are looking for some insight on the Man, May I suggest you reading The Animated Man (A life of Walt Disney) by Michael Barrier. I think the book served as a pretty good discription of Walt showing a very determined, and creative individual who had an eye for perfection and a drive unmatched by many. I will tell you the book tends to drag on in parts and in others sucks you in so much so you feel as though you met him, work for him, feel his triumphs and tribulations and then towards the end he dies all over again. (I found this hard to deal with)
Give it a shot you may enjoy it as much as I did!

 

[kcnole]

Go read the biography on Walt, it shows who he really was. The kind uncle Walt that we saw on tv was manufactured, even his signature was manufactured. It was part of who he was, but in truth he could be a harsh taskmaster, he was moody, often kept to himself, etc...

In essence, he was a human.

 

[matt_taylor1985]

I watched the special on the Biography Channel a couple of years back and it was very interesting. I'm sure I'm remember someone getting interview saying 'you didn't want to be the one telling him something's not ready'.

 

[radiohost]

Read Neal Gabler's biography "Walt Disney: Triumph of the American Imagination"

It is the only biography on Walt that the Walt Disney Company allowed total, and complete access to the disney archives. It took him 5 years to complete, and with good reason, he read every letter Walt ever received or wrote that is on record. He interviewed hundreds of former employees and artists who worked directly with Walt.

IT IS THE PERFECT BIOGRAPHY OF WALT DISNEY....THE BEST....PERIOD!!!

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Few men could be said to have as pervasive an influence on American culture as Walt Disney, and Gabler (Winchell) scours the historical record for as thorough an explanation of that influence as any biographer could muster. Every period of Disney's life is depicted in exacting detail, from the suffering endured on a childhood paper route to the making of Mary Poppins. The core of Gabler's story, though, is clearly in the early years of Disney's studio, from the creation of Mickey Mouse to the hands-on management of early hits like Fantasia and Pinocchio. "Even though Walt could neither animate, nor write, nor direct," Gabler notes, "he was the undisputed power at the studio." Yet there was significant disgruntlement within the ranks of Disney's employees, and Gabler traces the day-to-day resentments that eventually led to a bitter strike against the studio in 1941. That dispute helped harden Disney's anticommunism, which led to rumors of anti-Semitism, which are effectively debunked here. At times, Gabler lays on a bit thick the psychological interpretation of Disney as control freak, but his portrait is so engrossing that it's hard to picture the entertainment mogul playing with his toy trains and not imagine him building Disneyland in his head.

 

[Crazy4WDW1]

I'm sure like any businessman Walt ran a tight ship. I wouldn't expect anything else from any other head of a company. However, as a husband and father, he sounds like he was very loving.

As a child growing up in the 1960's I watched the Wonderful World of Disney every Sunday night. I remember being mesmerized when he would be on the t.v. talking about Disneyland and Disney World. I would have loved to have met him.

 

[TheBeatles]

Read Neal Gabler's biography "Walt Disney: Triumph of the American Imagination"

It is the only biography on Walt that the Walt Disney Company allowed total, and complete access to the disney archives. It took him 5 years to complete, and with good reason, he read every letter Walt ever received or wrote that is on record. He interviewed hundreds of former employees and artists who worked directly with Walt.

IT IS THE PERFECT BIOGRAPHY OF WALT DISNEY....THE BEST....PERIOD!!!

I've always been recommended the Bob Thomas book.

 

[radiohost]

I've always been recommended the Bob Thomas book.

Here's the difference, while I have read both books.

Both are great...

Bob Thomas' book is the bio that paints Walt as the man society see's today. Much like the Walt Disney exhibit at Disney Hollywood Studios.


Neal Gablers book tells the absolute TRUTH, whether the reader likes it or not. Its based on fact, not legend.

 

[raven]

Neal Gablers book tells the absolute TRUTH, whether the reader likes it or not. Its based on fact, not legend.

This is true. That book lays it all out front and doesn't sugar-coat anything. But even after reading that book you still have a greater appreciation for him. He had a dream, a vision and didn't settle for anything less than perfect. He always strived for the very best even if it took him into debt. This decision got him into some very tight predicaments but in the long run proved that it could be done. And while everyone thinks this should be the company's way of thinking right now they still have to understand the history of the company after Walt. It took several turns and has strived to get back on track but modern society has many bumps along it's road. That's a given.

 

[radiohost]

Neal Gabler talks about his book...

Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRbVXtma9iI

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt7M4e639OM&feature=related

Please, watch the whole video, which is about 15 minutes when you combine both videos. There may be times when you want to turn it off because he says somthing bad about Walt, but quickly turns it to be a positive about the man when he goes into greater detail on why Walt did the things he did....

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Gotta go with the Gaber, book, too.


Though it is not sugar coated, it is a great look at his life, and yes, does make you appreciate him more.

 

[MUTZIE77]

I just read "An American Original, Walt Disney" I could not put it down. I have always wanted to know more about Walt, and this book provides it. I would like to know even more. I knew the book had to end and I knew how it was going to end, but I didnt want it to. I will have to get some other books in hopes of finding new information.

I hear all the time from various locations that Walt was an Anti-semite, is there any truth to this? I cant imagine one of the worlds greatest men could be that way, especially someone who made it his lifes work to make family friendly films and Theme Parks.

 

[goreesha]

I just read "An American Original, Walt Disney" I could not put it down. I have always wanted to know more about Walt, and this book provides it. I would like to know even more. I knew the book had to end and I knew how it was going to end, but I didnt want it to. I will have to get some other books in hopes of finding new information.

I hear all the time from various locations that Walt was an Anti-semite, is there any truth to this? I cant imagine one of the worlds greatest men could be that way, especially someone who made it his lifes work to make family friendly films and Theme Parks.

Gabler, who is not always flattering to Walt, nevertheless had access to every single letter Walt ever wrote or received, as well as the transcripts of every single story session he ever attended, so I'm sure if the rumors had been true, he would have found out about it.

 

[radiohost]

I hear all the time from various locations that Walt was an Anti-semite, is there any truth to this?

Gabler talks about this extensively in "Triumph of the American Imagination"

To make a long story short, this rumor was started by anti-Disney union organizers during the Disney strike that occured in the early 40's...


Disney was not anti-jew, or anti-black. Just ask the Sherman Brothers or any one of Walts african american animators.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Gabler talks about this extensively in "Triumph of the American Imagination"

To make a long story short, this rumor was started by anti-Disney union organizers during the Disney strike that occured in the early 40's...


Disney was not anti-jew, or anti-black. Just ask the Sherman Brothers or any one of Walts african american animators.

Exactly. It's just one of those rumors that unfortunately stuck.

 

[MUTZIE77]

Gabler talks about this extensively in "Triumph of the American Imagination"

To make a long story short, this rumor was started by anti-Disney union organizers during the Disney strike that occured in the early 40's...


Disney was not anti-jew, or anti-black. Just ask the Sherman Brothers or any one of Walts african american animators.

Good call, I never even thought about that. It is just something that I hear on family guy and the simpsons and various other sources fairly often. Every time I hear it makes me a little mad, joke or not.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

I hear all the time from various locations that Walt was an Anti-semite, is there any truth to this? I cant imagine one of the worlds greatest men could be that way, especially someone who made it his lifes work to make family friendly films and Theme Parks.

Doubt it. Although Walt was never associated with being Jewish the quotes I have read about him mentioned him talking about always wanting to be a good "Christian" (it's in the book "Quotable Walt Disney"). Disney never promoted or shunned religion in any way but there have been many references in his movies about God (Snow White praying, When you wish upon a star etc. (interpret that any way you'd like)). And another quote he made was about he believed religion gave people hope.

That being said it would be hard to imagine him being openly anti-Semite because of what he believed in.

Also while I love Dumbo, the movie probably hasn't aged well over time when the crow scenes come up. People have accused Walt of being racist based on the crows being depicted and talking like blacks. Yet upon closer review a critic should look at the fact that if the crows are supposed to be "black" it is worth noting that they were one of the few characters that were actually nice to Dumbo. To me if a person brings that up they are just going fishing. No one has ever accused him of being anti-English because the elephants in Dumbo and the wicked Queen in Snow White had English accents right? Nor should they

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Um, I don't think anyone can speak for Walt Disney.

The only person who actually knows if Walt was a anti-semite or racist IS Walt, and last I checked he wasn't talking.

Anyone can say anything about dead people, I personally take a biography about a dead person with a grain of salt, because simply put, you just never know. No matter what you want to believe or how well worded it is, a dead person can't argue for himself.

Walt Disney accomplished amazing things, thats how he should be remembered.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Walt Disney accomplished amazing things, thats how he should be remembered.

Very true. On the surface Walt did many things that made us happy and still do: Snow White, Dumbo, Bambi, Pinocchio, Cinderella, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, Goofy, Disneyland, DisneyWorld etc. No one person in the last century has ever made people feel happier. If he angered an animator or wanted things done his way, well, that's just too bad. This is why we love his movies/theme parks. It was Walt's vision.

But I do love input about his life. Yes he died in 1966. But people that knew the man well were/are still alive. His daughter Diane is still alive I believe. His wife lived until 1997. Roy Disney Jr. just died in December. I would take what they say about him to be very accurate since they knew him very well.

 

[Ziffell]

Read Neal Gabler's biography "Walt Disney: Triumph of the American Imagination"

It is the only biography on Walt that the Walt Disney Company allowed total, and complete access to the disney archives. It took him 5 years to complete, and with good reason, he read every letter Walt ever received or wrote that is on record. He interviewed hundreds of former employees and artists who worked directly with Walt.

IT IS THE PERFECT BIOGRAPHY OF WALT DISNEY....THE BEST....PERIOD!!!

Great book! I like it because it portrays Walt as the true human being that he was. Knowing his flaws and shortcomings actually make his story all the more remarkable in my opinion.