5 Interesting facts about Walt Disney

The myth. The man. The legend. Walt Disney is a name we all know and that will certainly stay remembered for many generations to come. He created such a legacy and tried to make the world a slightly better place with his cartoons. Sure, he had his darker sides too, but I don’t want to focus on that. Instead, I want to share with you some interesting facts about Walt Disney that you probably didn’t hear before (unless you’re a hardcore fan. in that case you can share more fun facts with us in the comments).

While Walter aka Walt has a mixed family heritage (German, Irish, English, Canadian – it’s a bit hectic) his ancestors from France had D’Isigny as their original last name before being Anglicized to Disney.

Before the famous company Disney was established, Walt started a company called Laugh-O-Grams. He was only 17 at the time and the company fell bankrupt shortly after its founding. After that, Walt decided to go to Hollywood with $20 and one suitcase.

Neither Mickey Mouse nor the famed “Walt Disney” signature were actually drawn by Disney himself. He did make original plans for Mickey’s character, but it was Ub Iwerks, a famous Disney animator, that created the final design. Also, the famous signature is considered a styled version of  Disney’s. Rumour has it that Walt couldn’t even reproduce it as his own signature was way different.

Contrary to urban legends, Walt Disney was not frozen after his death. He passed away on December 15th, 1966 and was cremated two days later, in consistence with his wishes. His daughter, Diane stated: “There is absolutely no truth to the rumor that my father, Walt Disney, wished to be frozen. I doubt my father had ever heard of cryonics.”

Disney received more Academy Awards and nominations than anyone else.  He won 22 Academy Awards in his lifetime from 59 nominations, including a record of four nominations in one year.