Figure 1.--Here is Walt with his siater Ruth at their home in Marceline, Missouri. He looks to be about 4 years old here so it was about 1905. Walt is wering a tunic suit, a popular stle at the time. Some people look different than their todler pictures, but you can see the future movie mogul here.

Walter Elias 'Walt' Disney was born in Chicago, Illinois (1901). His father was Elias Disney, an Irish-Canadian. His mother, Flora Call Disney, was German-American. Walt was one of five children, four boys and a girl. He spent most of his childhood in Marceline, Missouri. He loved to draw. He began drawing, painting and selling his pictures to neighbors and family friends at an early age. His parents took the family to Kansas City, where Disney developed a passion for trains. Kansas City was of coure a major rail hub. His uncle, Mike Martin, was a railroad engineer. He worked the line from Fort Madison, Iowa, and Marceline. Walt was able to get a summer job selling snacks and newspapers to rail travelers. Walt attended McKinley High School in Chicago, where he took drawing and photography classes. He became a contributing cartoonist for the school newspaper. At night he took courses at the Chicago Art Institute. When Disney was 16, amd America entered World War I, he dropped out of school to join the Army but was rejected for being too young. He joined the Red Cross and served in France as a ambulance driver. He went on to become the best known maker of annimated movies. Mickey Mouse first appearing as Stramboat Willie was Disney's first major sucess. Mickey and other Disney creatiins are some of the best-loved cartoon characters of all time.

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Created: 1:56 AM 12/7/2013
Last updated: 1:56 AM 12/7/2013