Walt Disney
by Neal Gabler
Published by Random House
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Reviewed by Susan Palmer
Subtitled: The Triumph of the American Imagination
When I think about Walt Disney I think about the Disney movies or the Disney cartoons. Never do I think about the struggles that Walter Disney himself went through to get the name Walt Disney where it is today. Neal Gabler’s biography on Walt Disney takes you from the Disney family, to Walt himself, and the great imagination that got Disney the big name.
Walter Disney was born in 1901 to Flora and Elias Disney. Elias Disney was a hard man and was very hard on his children. Elias never thought the foolishness his son dreamed up would amount to anything. Elias wanted Walter to grow up and be in the same business he was, trying to make money in real estate or the stock market. Walter on the other hand grew up liking to draw and loved drawing cartoons. Walter pursued a career in drawing cartoons, but failed considerably because of the era and of his age. He was too young to be considered an artist. When the war started, Walter decided he would enlist to help his country but because of his age, 17, he had to sign up to be in the Red Cross.
Walter dealt with disappointment after disappointment, but never gave up on his dream. Walter is the man behind the mouse. Drawing Mickey and Minnie Mouse is what helped start Walt’s career in drawing and making cartoons. He progressed in the creation of adding sound to cartoons and started a whole revolution in the idea.
Walt’s imagination opened up new things for the world to see, including his cartoons to full-length movies. The eyes of the beholder sees a great artist and a man with a child’s heart. It’s his childlike heart that helped him create the idea of Disney World and Disneyland. The efforts of his brother Roy helped Disney to flourish after Walt’s death.
Neal Gabler helps the reader understand what an undertaking it was for Walt to create the things he did. The book takes you behind the name and helps you discover the wonderful world of Walter. For the name Disney, it’s more about the man than it is about the mouse.
Armchair Interviews says: Wonderful biography of a very creative and imaginative man.