One of the world's biggest filmmakers and a pioneer in American animation industry passed away fifty years ago.
Walter Elias Disney was born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago, USA. His first success was in 1928 when he launched the world's best-known mouse, Mickey. In the following year he created the characters Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto to role next to Mickey Mouse.
The debut animated film was in 1937 with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Then came Pinocchio and Fantasia (both 1940), Dumbo (1941) and Bambi (1942).
Walt Disney's studios have adapted to cinema great fairy tales like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and gave classics like Mary Poppins in 1964.
Even with the success of the films, Walt wanted to make a park where adults and children could play together. After finding a large plot in California, Walt built Disneyland in 1955.
10 years later he began to construct another theme park of the franchise, Disney World, in Florida. A complex with hotels, resorts, restaurants and a lot of attractions. After seven years of planning and almost five of construction, Walt Disney World was opened to the public on October 1, 1971 with Magic Kingdom. It is the largest amusement complex in the world.
Walt did not get the chance to see the project finished - he passed away in 1966. After his death his brother Roy took over the family business, which now owns 11 theme parks in 4 countries around the world.