by Neal Gabler
Profits from Alice. General Expense Account, 1925, 1926, 1927, WDA.
“I have borrowed…” Walt to Mintz, Dec. 27, 1926, Winkler Film Corp. Folder, Early Corporate Documents, WDA.
“I remember I was so unhappy…” Lillian Disney Truyens interview by Thomas.
“Walt would have an idea…” Rudy Ising quoted in Merritt and Kaufman, Walt in Wonderland.
When animating… Friz Freleng, Reflections of Friz Freleng, 1969, Special Collections, Young Research Library, UCLA.
New Year’s 1926. Rudy Ising to Nadine Missakian, Jan. 22, 1926, Untitled Folder, Kansas City Box, A2364, WDA.
“clash of personalities.” Thurston Harper to David Smith, Oct. 26, 1973, Alice Comedies Folder, Oswald, A2357, WDA; Freleng quoted in Brian Burnes, “Cartoon History Stars KC Artists,” Kansas City Star, Feb. 22, 1990.
“I made mistakes…” Quoted in Barrier, Hollywood Cartoons.
“couldn’t bear the abuse.” Ibid.
“make insulting remarks to me.” Freleng, Reflections.
“Walt could make you feel real bad…” Wilfred Jackson, quoted in Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation (New York: Hyperion, 1981).
“He was that way.” Quoted on Walt Disney: An Intimate History of the Man and His Magic, CD-ROM, Pantheon Productions, 1998.
“This will leave Walt…” Harman and Ising to C. G. Maxwell, Aug. 1, 1926, Alice Comedies Folder, Oswald, A2357, WDA.
Firing Ising. Barrier, Hollywood Cartoons.
Firing Freleng. Steven Watts, The Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney and the American Way of Life (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1997).
“den of strife and vexation.” Ising to Thurston Harper, 1927, quoted in Barrier, Hollywood Cartoons.
“Koo-Koo Hatchery.” Drawings by Iwerks and Les Clark reprinted in John Canemaker, Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men and the Art of Animation (New York: Disney Editions, 2001).
Bonuses and schedule. Ising to C. G. Maxwell, Jun. 10, 1926, Alice Comedies Folder, Oswald, A2357, WDA.
“I have felt we have sort of been in a rut.” Walt to Mintz, Feb. 26, 1927, Winkler Film Corp. Folder, Early Corporate Documents, WDA.
“full of life and expression.” Walt to Mintz, Jan. 26, 1927, ibid.
“legs seemed kind of heavy.” Mintz to Walt, Jan. 31, 1927, ibid.
“[T]hey seem to think…” Mintz to Walt, Jan. 31, 1927, ibid.
“establish a specially constructed studio…” Motion Picture World, Mar. 12, 1927.
“shoot the first picture…” Mintz to Walt, Apr. 1, 1927, Winkler Film Corp. Folder, Early Corporate Documents, WDA.
“young and snappy looking…” Tel. Mintz to Walt, Apr. 15, 1927, ibid.
“rabbit character…” Walt to Mintz, Apr. 27, 1927, 1926-1927 Folder, Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
“That’s what I want to see…” Freleng quoted in Merritt and Kaufman, Walt in Wonderland.
“I am the LUCKY rabbit.” Universal Weekly, May 28, 1927, Oswald Photos, Alice Comedies, Oswald, A2357, WDA.
“Oswald looks like a real contender…” Film Daily, Jun. 7, 1927, ibid.
“This series is destined…” Motion Picture News, Aug. 19, 1927.
“simulate the gestures…” Moving Picture World, Aug. 13, 1927.
“It contains some of the best gags…” Motion Picture World, Sept. 10, 1927.
“transform the absurd…” and libidinous nature. Donald Crafton, Before Mickey: The Animated Film, 1898-1928 (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1982).
Two other historians… Merritt and Kaufman, Walt in Wonderland.
“bad as they look today…” Richard Huemer, Recollections of Dick Huemer, Special Collections, Young Research Library, UCLA.
Twenty-two on staff. Disney, Autobiography, 1934. The account in the Ledger, Disney Bros. 1923-1924, Studio Accounting Books, 1923-1930, seems to indicate there were only sixteen employees at the end of 1927.
Iwerks’s raise. David R. Smith, “Ub Iwerks, 1901-1971,” Funnyworld, no. 14 (Spring 1972).
“a man of experience…” Walt to Mintz, Apr. 27, 1927, 1926-1927 Folder, Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
Splitting the profits. General Expenses Account, 1925, 1926, 1927, WDA.
Buying land. Ibid.
“commonest type of middle-class…” Gilbert Seldes, “Mickey Mouse Maker,” The New Yorker, Dec. 19, 1931.
Cost of homes. Roy Disney interview by Hubler, Jun. 18, 1968.
Finest house she had ever seen. Quoted by Diane Disney in Greene and Greene, Inside the Dream.
“Walt was so good to my grandmother.” Ibid.
“I was interested…” Quoted in Barrier, Hollywood Cartoons.
Signing away staff. Ub Iwerks interview, ca. 1956, WDA.
“one of the best sellers…” Film Daily, Feb. 16, 1928.
“second honeymoon.” Mrs. Walt Disney, as told to Isabella Taves, “I Live with a Genius,” McCall’s, Feb. 1953.
Meeting Quimby. Walt to Roy, n.d. [Mar. 1928], RHC, Box 27, Folder 107.
Meeting with Mintz. Walt to Roy, n.d. [Mar. 1928], ibid.
“reserved and dignified.” Walt to Roy, Feb. 28, 1928, ibid.
“BREAK WITH CHARLIE LOOMING.” Tel. Walt to Roy, Mar. 1, 1928, ibid.
“from what remarks were dropped…” Walt to Roy, n.d. [Mar. 1928], ibid.
“MAKE THEM SIGN…” Tel. Walt to Roy, Mar. 2, 1928, Walt Disney 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
“CAN GET PLENTY OF GOOD MEN.” Tel. Walt to Roy, Mar. 2, 1928, ibid.
“Go on home…” Walt to Roy, Mar. 2, 1928, 10:30 p.m., ibid.
Meeting with Goldstein. Ibid.
Mintz’s last offer. Tel. Walt to Roy, Mar. 5, 1928, ibid.
Returning to hotel. Mrs. Walt Disney, “I Live With a Genius.”
“Well, we are still hanging around…” Walt to Roy, Mar. 7, 1928, Walt Disney, 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
“He told it just like the plot…” Ward Kimball quoted in Hubler, Disney.
FOUR || The Mouse
“He was like a raging lion…” Don Eddy, “The Amazing Secret of Walt Disney,” American Magazine, Aug. 1955.
New character. Quoted in Richard Hubler, Walt Disney, unpub. ms., 1968, RHC.
Mickey Mouse story. Eddy, “Amazing Secret;” Mrs. Walt Disney, as told to Isabella Taves, “I Live With a Genius,” McCall’s, Feb. 1953; Jack Alexander, “The Amazing Story of Walt Disney,” Saturday Evening Post, Oct. 31, 1953; Disney, Autobiography, unpub. ms., 1934, WDA; Diane Disney Miller, as told to Pete Martin, The Story of Walt Disney, (New York: Holt, 1956).
Mouse stories. LAT, Nov. 15, 1931, sec. 2; New York Journal American, Jan. 29, 1938; Nadine Missakian, interview by David Smith and Jim Stewart, Aug. 12, 1978, WDA; A. V. Cauger quoted in Walt Disney interview, Mar. 29, 1945, Ted Cauger Collection; Gerald Nachman, “Walt Disney: Portrait of the Artist,” New York Post, Oct. 10, 1965; Walt Disney, “Mickey Mouse Is 5 Years Old,” Film Pictorial, Sept. 30, 1933; J. P. McEvoy, “Walt Disney Goes to War,” This Week, Jul. 5, 1942.
“wonderful idea.” Quoted in Bob Thomas, Building a Company: Roy O. Disney and the Creation of an Entertainment Empire (New York: Hyperion, 1998).
“one of the absolute low points…” Quoted in Hubler, Disney. Iwerks recalls this as Walt returning from New York after trying to sell Plane Crazy, but Walt did not attempt to sell Plane Crazy in New York until later that summer, returning in a different frame of mind.
“highly exaggerated…” Ibid.
“We simply thought the mouse…” Mrs. Walt Disney, “Genius”.
“A couple of the mice…” Ub Iwerks, interview by George Sherman, Jul. 30, 1970, WDA.
Clifton Meek. Ben Sharpsteen, interview by Don Peri, Feb. 6, 1974, WDA; Ub Iwerks interview, ca. 1956, WDA.
“I grew up with those drawings…” Mary Bragiotti, “Mickey Mouse’s Dearest Friends,” New York Post, Jun. 30, 1944.
“Pear-shaped body…” Iwerks to John Culhane quoted in Robert W. Broc
kway, “The Masks of Mickey Mouse: Symbol of a Generation,” Journal of Popular Culture, Spring 1989.
“He was designed for maximum ease…” Christopher Finch, The Art of Walt Disney: From Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdoms (New York: New American Library, 1975).
“Walt designed a mouse.” Quoted in John Culhane, “A Mouse for All Seasons,” Saturday Review of Literature, Nov. 11, 1978.
“After trying various names…” Disney, Autobiography, 1934, WDA.
Mickey was shorter. Henry F. Pringle, “Mickey Mouse’s Father,” McCall’s, Aug. 1932.
Wilfred Jackson. Wilfred Jackson, interview by David Smith, May 14, 1971, WDA.
Jackson’s first week. Ibid.
“outcast.” Iwerks interview, ca. 1956.
“the great secret…” Harman quoted in Michael Barrier, Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in Its Golden Age (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999).
“The first Mickey Mouse…” Walt Disney, “Growing Pains,” American Cinematographer, Mar. 1941.
Seven hundred drawings a day. Iwerks interview, ca. 1956.
Cost of Plane Crazy. General Expense Account, 1925, 1926, 1927, WDA.
“We worked night and day.” Mrs. Walt Disney, “Genius.”
Les Clark dated… Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation (New York: Hyperion, 1981).
Walt’s own children… Ibid.
Minnie’s name. John Cowles, Jr., interview by author.
“It was applauded more…” Tel. Charles McManus to Walt, Jul. 17, 1955, Disneyland Premiere Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1955, C-D, A1557, WDA.
“make the name of ‘Mickey Mouse’…” Iwerks interview, ca. 1956; E. J. Denison to Bob C. Baldridge, May 18, 1928; Walt to Denison, May 21, 1928, Walt Disney 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
Metro’s decision. Tel. R. W. McGrath (MGM) to Walt, May 29, 1928, ibid.
“We’ll make them over with sound.” Mrs. Walt Disney, “Genius.”
Roy’s version. Roy Disney, interview by Richard Hubler, Jun. 18, 1968, RHC, Box 14, Folder 51.
Broaching sound. Jackson interview by Smith.
“Drawings are not vocal.” Wilfred Jackson, interview by Richard Hubler, Mar. 26, 1968, WDA.
“as if the noise…” Quoted in Barrier, Hollywood Cartoons.
“Damn it, I know how fast…” Jackson interview by Smith.
“We could break down…” Quoted in Leslie Iwerks and John Kenworthy, The Hand Behind the Mouse (New York: Disney Editions, 2001).
Steamboat Willie showing. Mike Barrier, “‘Building a Better Mouse’: Fifty Years of Disney Animation,” Funnyworld, no. 20 (Summer 1979); Jackson interview by Smith; Iwerks interview, ca. 1956.
“I never saw such a reaction…” Quoted in Hubler, Disney.
“You’re out here talking about babies…” Quoted in Iwerks and Kenworthy, Hand Behind.
“nothing since has ever equaled it.” Iwerks interview, ca. 1956.
“It was terrible…” Disney, “Growing Pains.”
Reassembled at six. Hubler, Disney.
“Jazz Singer of animation.” John Canemaker, Felix: The Twisted Tale of the World’s Most Famous Cat (New York: Da Capo Press, 1996).
“They are all afraid…” Walt to Nat Levine, Aug. 21, 1928, Mascot Pictures Corp. Folder, Roy O. Disney Corr., Lu-Mi (1930-1939), A2997, WDA.
“I hope I have not stumbled.” Roy to Walt and Ubbe, Sept. 4, 1928, Walt Disney 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
“[b]ig lovable friendly Irishman.” Walt Disney interview by Martin, Reel 2.
“good natured cuss.” Walt to Roy and Ub, Sept. 14, 1928, Walt Disney 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
“When in doubt, Powers attacks.” Terry Ramsaye, A Million and One Nights (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1926). For more on Powers see.
Tossing books out window. Ibid.
“very enthused…” Walt to Roy, [Sept. 1928]; Walt to Roy and Ubbe, Sept. 7, 1928, Walt Disney 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
“A lot of racket…” Walt to Roy and Ubbe, Sept. 7, 1928, ibid.
Costs of recording. Walt to Roy and Ubbe, Sept. 4, 1928; Walt to Roy and Ubbe, Sept. 7, 1928, ibid.
“My idea is to get the thing…” Walt to Roy and Ubbe, Sept. 7, 1928, ibid.
“Be sure and have enough money…” Walt to Roy, Sept. 11, 1928, ibid.
“our best bet is Powers.” Ibid.
“too many Symphonic effects.” Walt to Roy and Ub, Sept. 20, 1928, ibid.
First recording session. Walt Disney interview by Martin, Reel 2; Diane Disney Miller, as told to Pete Martin, The Story of Walt Disney (New York: Holt, 1956).
Hating New York. Walt to Roy, Sept. 11, 1928; Walt to Ub and Roy, Sept. 23, 1928, Walt Disney 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
Abscess. Ibid.
“If you knew the entire situation…” Walt to Ub and Roy, Sept. 20, 1928, ibid.
“GET AS LARGE A LOAN…” Tel. Walt to Walt Disney Studio, Sept. 21, 1928, ibid.
“Old Man Opportunity…” Walt to Roy and Ub, Sept. 23, 1928, ibid.
Ball system. Walt to Roy, Sept. 25, 1928, ibid.
“It worked like clock works.” Walt to “Gang,” Sept. 30, 1928, ibid.
“It proves one thing to me.” Ibid.
“All together now” Walt to Roy, Oct. 1, 1928, ibid.
“[w]e can lick them all…” Walt to Roy and Ub, Sept. 23, 1928, ibid.
“What better salesman could we want…” Walt to Roy and Ub, Sept. 14, 1928, ibid.
“Big Boys.” Walt to Roy and Ub, Sept. 20, 1928, ibid.
“I am going to stick as close…” Walt to Roy, Oct. 1, 1928, ibid.
Willie screening for Universal. Walt to Lilly, Oct. 15, 1928, ibid.
Agreement with Powers. Patrick A. Powers-et al. with Walt Disney, Oct. 15, 1928, Powers Cinephone Folder, WDA.
Universal deal. Walt to Lilly, Oct. 19, 1928, Walt Disney 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
Universal meeting and Powers office. Walt to Lilly, Oct. 20, 1928, ibid.
“In this game…” Walt to [Roy], Oct. 22, 1928, ibid.
“amased.” Walt to Lilly, Oct. 26, 1928, ibid.
Universal’s decision. Walt to Lilly, Oct. 27, 1928, ibid.
“If you ever worked like HELL…” Walt to Roy and Ubbe, Oct. 6, 1928, ibid.
Stalling’s arrival. Walt to Lilly, Oct. 26, 1928, ibid.
“I didn’t tell him…” Walt to Lilly, Oct. 27, 1928, ibid.
Finances. General Expense Account, 1925-1926-1927; Walt to Lilly, Oct. 27, 1928, ibid.
Harry Reichenbach. Harry Reichenbach, as told to David Freedman, Phantom Fame: The Anatomy of Ballyhoo (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1931).
Deal with Reichenbach. Walt Disney interview by Martin, Reel 2; Miller, Story of Disney. By another account, Walt received $250 a week for two weeks. See Hubler, Disney.
“heard laughs and snickers…” Quoted in Brian Burnes, Robert W. Butler, and Dan Viets, Walt Disney’s Missouri: The Roots of Creative Genius, ed. Donna Martin (Kansas City, Mo.: Kansas City Star Books, 2002).
“Not the first…” Variety, Nov. 21, 1928.
“knocked me out of my seat.” Exhibitor’s Herald, Nov. 1928.
“an ingenious piece of work…” NYT, Nov. 21, 1928.
“I do not believe…” Quoted in Thomas and Johnston, Illusion of Life.
Mickey’s walk. Ibid..
“It became the rage.” David Dodd Hand, Memoirs (Cambria, Calif.: Lighthouse Litho, 1990).
“Disney put us out of business…” Quoted in Canemaker, Felix.
“I knew that I would be restrained…” Disney, Autobiography, 1934.
Contract demands and terms. Walt Disney interview by Martin, Reel 2.
“With this is [sic] the bag…” Charles Giegerich to Walt, Dec. 19, 1928, Powers Cinephone Equipment Corp., Correspondence, 1928-29, WDA.
Deals for Mickey Mouse. Giegerich to Walt, Dec. 31, 1928; Giegerich
to Walt, Mar. 24, 1929; Walt to Giegerich, May 3, 1929, ibid.
“We give them the stuff…” Walt to Roy and Ubbe, Feb. 9, 1929, RHC, Box 27, Folder 107.
One-reel live-action talking comedies. Walt to Dr. J. V. Cowles, Dec. 28, 1928, ibid.
Originating with Stalling. Walt to Roy and Ubbe, Sept. 7, 1928, Walt Disney 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
Floating idea. Walt to Roy, Sept. 11, 1928, ibid.
Skeleton ad. Iwerks and Kenworthy, Hand Behind.
“Carl’s idea of the ‘Skeleton Dance’…” Walt to Roy, Sept. 25, 1928, Walt Disney 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
“quite out of the ordinary.” Walt to Giegerich, Jan. 16, 1929, Powers Cinephone Equipment Corp., Corr., 1928-29, WDA.
“He is…a ‘HIT.’” Walt to Lilly, Feb. 10, 1929, Walt Disney 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
“The public knows Life Savers.” Walt Disney interview by Martin, Disc 9, CD.
“Now is our chance…” Walt to Roy and Ubbe, Feb. 9, 1929, Walt Disney 1928 Corr., Walt Disney Early Corr., WDA.
“We should be able to clean up…” Walt to [Roy], [Nov. 1928], ibid.
Jimmy Lowerre. Walt to Lilly, Oct. 27, 1928, ibid.
Optioning sound outfits. Walt to Roy and Ubbe, Feb. 9, 1928, ibid.
“But we must raise the Dough.” Walt to Roy and Ubbe, Feb. 9, 1929, ibid.
“no gamble…” Walt to Elias [1929], ibid.
“When completed…” Roy to Nat Levine, Mar. 11, 1929, Mascot Pictures Corp. Folder, Roy O. Disney Corr., Lu-Mi (1930-1939), A2997, WDA.
Sound operation. See Disney Film Recording Studio Folder, WDA.
Skeleton Dance. Disney, Autobiography, 1934; Miller, Story of Disney; Walt Disney interview by Martin, Reel 2.
“It’s hard to explain…” Walt to Giegerich, Jun. 12, 1929, Powers Cinephone Equipment Corp., Corr., 1928-29, WDA.
“Are they laughing…” Iwerks interview, ca. 1956.
“making a big hit.” Walt to Giegerich, Jun. 12, 1929, Powers Cinephone Equipment Corp., Corr., 1928-29, WDA.
“Fox officials will be sold…” Tel. Walt to Powers, [July 1929], ibid.
“Here is one of the most novel…” Film Daily, July 21, 1929.
