Walt's Bio - Did you know his dad was Canadian?

During a 43-year Hollywood career that spanned the development of the motion picture medium as a modern American art, Walter Elias Disney, a modern Aesop, established himself and his product as a genuine part of Americana. David Low, the late British political cartoonist, called Disney "the most significant figure in graphic arts since Leonardo."

A pioneer and innovator and the possessor of one of the most fertile imaginations the world has ever known, Walt Disney, along with members of his staff, received more than 950 honors and citations from every nation in the world, including 48 Academy Awards® and seven Emmys® in his lifetime. Walt Disney's personal awards included honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, the University of Southern California, and UCLA; the Presidential Medal of Freedom; France's Legion of Honor and Officer d'Academie decorations; Thailand's Order of the Crown; Brazil's Order of the Southern Cross; Mexico's Order of the Aztec Eagle; and the Showman of the World Award from the National Association of Theatre Owners.


The creator of Mickey Mouse and founder of the Disneyland® and Walt Disney World® Theme Parks was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 5, 1901. His father, Elias Disney, was Irish-Canadian. His mother, Flora Call Disney, was of German-American descent. Walt was one of five children, four boys and a girl.


;

http://disney.go.com/vault/read/walt/index.html

 

Little bit more on Walt's Dad

Elias DISNEY b: 6 FEB 1859 in Huron County, Ontario,Canada (rumor has it, it was Holmesville which is not far from Goderich)


Elias died 13 Sep 1941 in Los Angeles, California, at 82 years of age.

He married Flora Call in Akron, Lake, Florida, 1 Jan 1888. Flora was born in Greenfield, Huron, Ohio 22 Apr 1868. Flora was the daughter of Charles Call and Henrietta Gross. Flora died 26 Nov 1938 in Los Angeles, California, at 70 years of age.

Elias Disney and Flora Call had the following children:

Herbert Disney was born in Kissimmee, Florida 8 Dec 1888.
Raymond Disney was born in Chicago, Cook, Illinois 30 Dec 1890.
Roy O. Disney was born in Chicago, Cook, Illinois 24 Jun 1893.
Walter Elias Disney was born 5 Dec 1901.

It is kind of Ironic how Walt ended back in Kissimmee, FL where his first Brother Herbert was born.

 

I knew that!!! ; I have a head for generally useless trivia! ;

 

So we will call you the Cliff Clavin of the group

 

The very first Northern Mouse Podcast episode had a segment about this fact. Its now part of the archives never to be heard from again thankfully.