Disney's 100-year journey from garage studio to media empire
(Reuters) — In 1923, Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) left his failing animation company called Laugh-O-gram Films and used his last $40 to buy a train ticket to join his brother, Roy, in Los Angeles, where they began making animated films out of their uncle's garage. The company they founded would become one of the most influential media and entertainment brands in history.
The Walt Disney Co turns 100 this month.
The company, which Walt Disney famously observed «was all started by a mouse», is now a $156 billion behemoth, spanning theme parks, television networks, films and a streaming service that reaches millions of people across continents.
As it marks its centennial, Disney is navigating a tumultuous period for the industry, marked by the decline of the traditional television business, slumping ad revenue, a movie box office that has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels and video streaming services that for the most part have failed to achieve profitability.
Here's a timeline of Disney's journey from a small studio in Burbank to a global media behemoth:
Oct 1923 Walt Disney and brother Roy Disney start «Disney
Brothers Cartoon Studio» after signing a contract
with distributer M.J. Winkler for «Alice Comedies»
March «Alice's Day at Sea», the first short film of the
1924 Alice Comedies series, is released
Jan 1926 Renames to «Walt Disney Studio»
Sept 1927 All-cartoon series «Oswald the Lucky Rabbit», a
character created by Walt Disney, is released by
the distributor MJ Winkler. However, Disney later
has a falling-out with Winkler after realizing he
doesn't own the rights to his work
May 1928 Popular character Mickey Mouse, co-created with Ub
Iwerks, debuts in relatively unsuccessful cartoon
shows «Plane Crazy»
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