Disney's Birthday

The Walt Disney Studio, known today as Walt Disney Animation Studios, was officially founded on October 16, 1923.

At the time, Walt Disney was a young artist from Kansas City who had recently seen his first animation venture, Laugh-O-Gram Films, go bankrupt. Undeterred, he moved to Hollywood with only a few drawings, a camera, and a dream. There, he joined forces with his brother Roy O. Disney, who handled the business side while Walt focused on creativity. Together, they signed a contract with distributor Margaret Winkler to produce a series of short films known as the Alice Comedies, which blended live action and animation — a bold and innovative concept for its time. This contract marked the official founding of the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, the company that would later become The Walt Disney Studio.

From its humble beginnings in a small office on Kingswell Avenue in Los Angeles, the studio quickly gained recognition for its inventive storytelling and visual charm. In 1928, Walt and his top animator Ub Iwerks created Mickey Mouse, whose debut in Steamboat Willie introduced synchronized sound to animation and revolutionized the industry. This success allowed the studio to expand, moving to a larger facility in Hyperion Avenue, where it produced groundbreaking works like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) — the world’s first full-length cel-animated feature film.

Artistically, the early Disney studio was defined by its commitment to realism, emotional depth, and technical innovation. The animators studied anatomy, motion, and acting to make characters move convincingly and convey feeling. Their pioneering use of the multiplane camera, sophisticated color palettes, and carefully crafted backgrounds established a lush, storybook aesthetic that became the hallmark of Disney’s visual identity. As the studio celebrates another anniversary tomorrow, October 16, it remains a lasting symbol of imagination, collaboration, and the belief that art and technology together can create magic.