Walt Disney: Did You Know?

Fun Facts About Walt Disney

Walt Disney was an entertainment pioneer, introducing families to groundbreaking cartoons, feature films, theme parks and more. Most everyone knows when he was born (in Chicago on Dec. 5, 1901), his first motion picture (a 1928 short titled "Steamboat Willie") and his other landmark family-entertainment ventures ("The Mickey Mouse Club," "Davy Crockett" and "The Wonderful World of Disney").

But did you also know that:

Walt Disney only attended one year of high school.

In 1923, in California, Walt and Roy formed the Disney Brothers Studio. At Roy's insistence, the company soon became the Walt Disney Studio, since he felt that Walt's name should be emphasized. This is officially recognized as the starting date of The Walt Disney Company.

He grew his famous mustache at age 25.

He was the voice of Mickey Mouse for two decades.

He often ate lunch at his desk -- his favorite meal was chili and beans, which he ate with tomato juice and soda crackers.

He admitted to being "scared to death" when he had to face the camera to introduce episodes of the "Disneyland" television series.

He won more Oscars than anyone else -- 32.