WALT DISNEY - THE FATHER OF MICKEY MOUSE Walt Disney is famous worldwide for creating beloved animated characters and building an entertainment empire. He was born on December 5, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in Missouri, where his love of drawing developed. He attended McKinley High School and took art classes at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts before beginning his animation career in Kansas City. He became a successful filmmaker, creating shorts and, with animator Ub Iwerks, Mickey Mouse in 1928. His studio produced the first full-length animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Apart from films, he pioneered theme parks, opening Disneyland in 1955, and advanced television programming and animation techniques. Walt married Lillian Bounds in 1925; they had two daughters, Diane and Sharon. He worked closely with his brother Roy O. Disney, who handled the business side of their company. Walt Disney died on December 15, 1966, but The Walt Disney Studios continued to grow even after his death, becoming a global leader in entertainment and keeping his imaginative legacy alive for generations.