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Walt Disney: The Biography by Neal Gabler (1-Jun-2011) Paperback
From Neal Gabler, the definitive portrait of one of the most important figures in twentieth-century American entertainment and cultural history.
Seven years in the making and meticulously researched - Gabler is the first writer to be given complete access to the Disney archives - this is the full story of a man whose work left an ineradicable brand on our culture but whose life has largely been enshrouded in myth.
Gabler shows us the young Walt Disney breaking free of a heartland childhood of discipline and deprivation and making his way to Hollywood. We see the visionary, whose desire for escape honed an innate sense of what people wanted to see on the screen and, when combined with iron determination and obsessive perfectionism, led him to the reinvention of animation. It was Disney, first with Mickey Mouse and then with his feature films - most notably Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi - who transformed animation from a novelty based on movement to an art form that presented an illusion of life.
We see him reimagine the amusement park with Disneyland, prompting critics to coin the word Disneyfication to describe the process by which reality can be modified to fit one's personal desires. At the same time, he provided a new way to connect with American history through his live-action films and purveyed a view of the country so coherent that even today one can speak meaningfully of "Walt Disney's America." We see how the True-Life Adventure nature documentaries he produced helped create the environmental movement by sensitizing the general public to issues of conservation. And we see how he reshaped the entertainment industry by building a synergistic empire that combined film, television, theme parks, music, book publishing, and merchandise in a way that was unprecedented and was later widely imitated.
Gabler also reveals a wounded, lonely, and often disappointed man, who, despite worldwide success, was plagued with financial problems much of his life, suffered a nervous breakdown, and at times retreated into pitiable seclusion in his workshop making model trains. Gabler explores accusations that Disney was a red-baiter, an anti-Semite, an embittered alcoholic. But whatever the characterizations of Disney's personal life, he appealed to the nation by demonstrating the power of wish fulfillment and the triumph of the American imagination. Walt Disney showed how one could impose one's will on the world.
This is a masterly biography, a revelation of both the work and the man - of both the remarkable accomplishment and the hidden life.
Seven years in the making and meticulously researched - Gabler is the first writer to be given complete access to the Disney archives - this is the full story of a man whose work left an ineradicable brand on our culture but whose life has largely been enshrouded in myth.
Gabler shows us the young Walt Disney breaking free of a heartland childhood of discipline and deprivation and making his way to Hollywood. We see the visionary, whose desire for escape honed an innate sense of what people wanted to see on the screen and, when combined with iron determination and obsessive perfectionism, led him to the reinvention of animation. It was Disney, first with Mickey Mouse and then with his feature films - most notably Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo, and Bambi - who transformed animation from a novelty based on movement to an art form that presented an illusion of life.
We see him reimagine the amusement park with Disneyland, prompting critics to coin the word Disneyfication to describe the process by which reality can be modified to fit one's personal desires. At the same time, he provided a new way to connect with American history through his live-action films and purveyed a view of the country so coherent that even today one can speak meaningfully of "Walt Disney's America." We see how the True-Life Adventure nature documentaries he produced helped create the environmental movement by sensitizing the general public to issues of conservation. And we see how he reshaped the entertainment industry by building a synergistic empire that combined film, television, theme parks, music, book publishing, and merchandise in a way that was unprecedented and was later widely imitated.
Gabler also reveals a wounded, lonely, and often disappointed man, who, despite worldwide success, was plagued with financial problems much of his life, suffered a nervous breakdown, and at times retreated into pitiable seclusion in his workshop making model trains. Gabler explores accusations that Disney was a red-baiter, an anti-Semite, an embittered alcoholic. But whatever the characterizations of Disney's personal life, he appealed to the nation by demonstrating the power of wish fulfillment and the triumph of the American imagination. Walt Disney showed how one could impose one's will on the world.
This is a masterly biography, a revelation of both the work and the man - of both the remarkable accomplishment and the hidden life.
Paperback
First published October 31, 2006
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About the author
Neal Gabler
13 books173 followersNeal Gabler is a distinguished author, cultural historian and television commentator who has been called “one of America’s most important public intellectuals.” His first book, An Empire of Their Own: How the Jews Invented Hollywood, won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for History and the Theatre Library Association Award for the best book on television, radio or film. On the centenary of the first public exhibition of motion pictures in America, a special panel of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences named it one of the one hundred outstanding books on the American film industry. His second book, Winchell: Gossip, Power and the Culture of Celebrity, was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award and was named the non-fiction book of the year by Time Magazine. His third book, Life the Movie: How Entertainment Conquered Reality, is currently being used in college courses across the country to examine the convergence of reality and entertainment. His fourth book, Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination, a New York Times best-seller, was named the biography of the year by USA Today and won Mr. Gabler his second Los Angeles Times Book Prize. It was also the runner-up for the prestigious Kraszna-Krausz Book Award in England. His new book, Barbra Streisand: Redefining Beauty, Femininity and Power, was published by Yale Univ Press this past April as part of its Jewish Lives series.
Mr. Gabler was graduated with high distinction and highest honors from the University of Michigan and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He holds advanced degrees in film and American Culture. He has also taught at the University of Michigan, where he won an outstanding teaching award, and at the Pennsylvania State University. Leaving academe, he was selected to replace departing co-hosts Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel on the public television movie review program, “Sneak Previews.” He has also been the host of the American Movie Classics cable television network, of “Reel to Real” on the History Channel, and of “Reel Thirteen” on WNET, the public television station in New York, for which he won an Emmy.
Mr. Gabler is a contributing editor at Playboy and a regular contributor to the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, and Reuters Opinion, and his essays and articles have appeared in Atlantic, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, The Nation, The New Republic, Men’s Journal, George, Time, TV Guide, Variety and many other publications. In 2014, he won the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Award from the Los Angeles Press Club. He has also been a contributor to the Fox News Channel and served as a panelist on the weekly media review program “Fox News Watch” from 2002 to 2007. One television critic called him a “megawatt brain…whose take on media coverage was fiercely individualistic, profound and original.” He has made appearances on “The Today Show,” “CBS Morning News,” “Entertainment Tonight,” “Charlie Rose” and the PBS “NewsHour.” And this year he is contributing a weekly column to billmoyers.com on the election and the media
Mr. Gabler has been the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Shorenstein Fellowship at Harvard University, a Freedom Forum Fellowship, and was a Woodrow Wilson Public Policy Scholar. He has also been the chief non-fiction judge of the National Book Awards and a judge of the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. He is currently a senior fellow at the Norman Lear Center for the Study of Society and Entertainment at the University of Southern California and is a Visiting Professor in the MFA Literature and Writing program at SUNY Stony Brook. He was also the 2013 recipient of the Patrick Henry Writing Fellowship at Washington College. His older daughter Laurel was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford where she received her doctorate in Public Health. She is currently matriculating at Harvard Medical School. His younger daughter Tanne taught in the World Teach program in American Samoa, was an A
Mr. Gabler was graduated with high distinction and highest honors from the University of Michigan and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He holds advanced degrees in film and American Culture. He has also taught at the University of Michigan, where he won an outstanding teaching award, and at the Pennsylvania State University. Leaving academe, he was selected to replace departing co-hosts Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel on the public television movie review program, “Sneak Previews.” He has also been the host of the American Movie Classics cable television network, of “Reel to Real” on the History Channel, and of “Reel Thirteen” on WNET, the public television station in New York, for which he won an Emmy.
Mr. Gabler is a contributing editor at Playboy and a regular contributor to the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, and Reuters Opinion, and his essays and articles have appeared in Atlantic, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, The Nation, The New Republic, Men’s Journal, George, Time, TV Guide, Variety and many other publications. In 2014, he won the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Award from the Los Angeles Press Club. He has also been a contributor to the Fox News Channel and served as a panelist on the weekly media review program “Fox News Watch” from 2002 to 2007. One television critic called him a “megawatt brain…whose take on media coverage was fiercely individualistic, profound and original.” He has made appearances on “The Today Show,” “CBS Morning News,” “Entertainment Tonight,” “Charlie Rose” and the PBS “NewsHour.” And this year he is contributing a weekly column to billmoyers.com on the election and the media
Mr. Gabler has been the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Shorenstein Fellowship at Harvard University, a Freedom Forum Fellowship, and was a Woodrow Wilson Public Policy Scholar. He has also been the chief non-fiction judge of the National Book Awards and a judge of the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. He is currently a senior fellow at the Norman Lear Center for the Study of Society and Entertainment at the University of Southern California and is a Visiting Professor in the MFA Literature and Writing program at SUNY Stony Brook. He was also the 2013 recipient of the Patrick Henry Writing Fellowship at Washington College. His older daughter Laurel was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford where she received her doctorate in Public Health. She is currently matriculating at Harvard Medical School. His younger daughter Tanne taught in the World Teach program in American Samoa, was an A
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 869 reviews
May 20, 2021
Thought this was a great biography of Disney but also turned out to be exactly what I came to the book looking for - a thorough history of Walt Disney studios. There are reviews here that say it’s too much detail, and that’s true in many places but I didn’t mind because I love that I got the full story.
This is definitely a book to read with YouTube open. About halfway through Gabler mentions the “The Reluctant Dragon” which was basically a movie designed to show off the studio in a behind-the-scenes style. I watched it and it was a great way to see some of the production processes from the first half of the book up close, especially the multiplane camera - a device that Gabler describes in detail, but I didn’t understand until I saw it in the film. What an incredible piece of technology, especially for the time!
There were a lot of great parts like that in the book, and the fact that so much of Disney history is also shown on YouTube - the first color cartoon, the first sound cartoon, the shorts that Gabler puts you in the room for the creation of - makes it even better.
Gabler spends some time trying to find psychological through-lines between what Disney was making and his upbringing, need for control, etc. It was a stretch and I kind of rolled my eyes at it and left it at that. Wasn’t a distraction for me.
Some of the things that stood out to me:
- Gabler does a great job with all the conflicting stories around the creation of Mickey Mouse, very interesting.
- One of the best scenes of my favorite movie - Jim Dear giving Lady as a present to Darling in a hat box - came almost shot for shot from Walt and Lilian’s real life experience.
- “Disney didn’t trust women, or cats. Every villain was a woman or a cat.” - Ward Kimball
- Loved the history of Donald Duck, how he came about because Mickey couldn’t have the mischievous personality everybody wanted. The early DD cartoons are fantastic.
- This book is also the rise and history of animation, and it was really interesting. Felix the Cat was the big thing, and then Mickey and Donald came along and crushed him because Disney pushed animation more detailed, technical, realistic. But then Mr. Magoo came along and was the next big thing (really!) because modern animation swung toward more simplistic, “limited” animation - less nuance, flat backgrounds, straight lines. Hanna-Barbera succeeded on this type of animation. But ... Disney is the one still around and making boatloads of cash to this day.
This is definitely a book to read with YouTube open. About halfway through Gabler mentions the “The Reluctant Dragon” which was basically a movie designed to show off the studio in a behind-the-scenes style. I watched it and it was a great way to see some of the production processes from the first half of the book up close, especially the multiplane camera - a device that Gabler describes in detail, but I didn’t understand until I saw it in the film. What an incredible piece of technology, especially for the time!
There were a lot of great parts like that in the book, and the fact that so much of Disney history is also shown on YouTube - the first color cartoon, the first sound cartoon, the shorts that Gabler puts you in the room for the creation of - makes it even better.
Gabler spends some time trying to find psychological through-lines between what Disney was making and his upbringing, need for control, etc. It was a stretch and I kind of rolled my eyes at it and left it at that. Wasn’t a distraction for me.
Some of the things that stood out to me:
- Gabler does a great job with all the conflicting stories around the creation of Mickey Mouse, very interesting.
- One of the best scenes of my favorite movie - Jim Dear giving Lady as a present to Darling in a hat box - came almost shot for shot from Walt and Lilian’s real life experience.
- “Disney didn’t trust women, or cats. Every villain was a woman or a cat.” - Ward Kimball
- Loved the history of Donald Duck, how he came about because Mickey couldn’t have the mischievous personality everybody wanted. The early DD cartoons are fantastic.
- This book is also the rise and history of animation, and it was really interesting. Felix the Cat was the big thing, and then Mickey and Donald came along and crushed him because Disney pushed animation more detailed, technical, realistic. But then Mr. Magoo came along and was the next big thing (really!) because modern animation swung toward more simplistic, “limited” animation - less nuance, flat backgrounds, straight lines. Hanna-Barbera succeeded on this type of animation. But ... Disney is the one still around and making boatloads of cash to this day.
April 28, 2010
I wavered between 3 and 4 stars on this book.
One of the problems with writing a biography about Walt Disney is that people either see him as the lovable "Uncle Walt", or a driven and obsessive tyrant. This book does a fine job of objectively showing you all the sides of this complex man. (It also didn't hurt that the writing and research were exceptionally well done).
On one hand, I loved all the details about Walt Disney, his life, family, and career. However, all that detail became weighed down in the middle of the book when the author spent too much time on Walt's legal, financial, and political troubles, and not enough on the good stuff (ie: feature animation, television/live action programs, and Disneyland).
Overall, a very interesting glimpse at the man who revolutionized the film industry and changed popular culture forever.
One of the problems with writing a biography about Walt Disney is that people either see him as the lovable "Uncle Walt", or a driven and obsessive tyrant. This book does a fine job of objectively showing you all the sides of this complex man. (It also didn't hurt that the writing and research were exceptionally well done).
On one hand, I loved all the details about Walt Disney, his life, family, and career. However, all that detail became weighed down in the middle of the book when the author spent too much time on Walt's legal, financial, and political troubles, and not enough on the good stuff (ie: feature animation, television/live action programs, and Disneyland).
Overall, a very interesting glimpse at the man who revolutionized the film industry and changed popular culture forever.
January 21, 2020
https://thebestbiographies.com/2020/0...
“Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination” by Neal Gabler was published in 2006 and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Biography. Gabler is an author, journalist and former film critic whose previous books include a biography of Barbra Streisand and a behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood. He is currently working on a biography of Edward Kennedy.
This biography of Walt Disney is one of two recent, compelling works reviewing the life of a man whose lasting impression on American culture is indisputable (the other being Michael Barrier’s 2007 “The Animated Man.”) Biography aficionados will quickly discover that Gabler’s hefty book – with 633 pages of text and about 200 pages of notes and bibliography – provides much to enjoy.
To suggest this book is built upon a foundation of impressive research seems an understatement. Every important moment of Walt’s early life appears to have been uncovered and, at times, it seems certain Gabler must have followed Disney through his entire life…and interviewed everyone who ever knew him.
Like many talented and highly-driven individuals, Walt Disney was a far more complex person than is generally appreciated and this biography adroitly captures his multifaceted (and occasionally unpleasant) personality. Gabler also offered me something slightly unusual: a reading experience where I frequently found myself slowing my pace in order to more fully savor the literary journey.
From an engrossing introduction to coverage of the early days of the Disney Brothers Studio to a surprisingly interesting exploration of motion picture technology and, finally, to the consummation of Disney’s dream of building a theme park, Gabler’s book offers an impressive balance of insight, erudition and accessibility.
But fastidious detail and insight is not just one of this book's great gifts, it is also the biography's primary vice. Coverage of some topics is far more meticulous than many readers will desire, including the mechanics of Disney's third-party business arrangements, minutiae relating to contracts and negotiations, blow-by-blow accounts of various hassles encountered during film production...
While the detail is undoubtedly enlightening, encyclopedic coverage of all events great and small will strike many as unnecessary and, quite possibly, tedious. So although this author seems to possess biographer Robert Caro's penchant for unusually attentive and vigilant research, he also demonstrates a similar gift for garrulous gab.
Overall, however, Neal Gabler’s “Walt Disney” is a methodical, revealing and often engrossing look at a fabulously creative and complicated individual. But rather than convincing me I do not need to read Michael Barrier’s contemporaneously-published biography of Disney, this book (to its credit) convinced me I would be crazy not to.
Overall rating: 4¼ stars
“Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination” by Neal Gabler was published in 2006 and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Biography. Gabler is an author, journalist and former film critic whose previous books include a biography of Barbra Streisand and a behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood. He is currently working on a biography of Edward Kennedy.
This biography of Walt Disney is one of two recent, compelling works reviewing the life of a man whose lasting impression on American culture is indisputable (the other being Michael Barrier’s 2007 “The Animated Man.”) Biography aficionados will quickly discover that Gabler’s hefty book – with 633 pages of text and about 200 pages of notes and bibliography – provides much to enjoy.
To suggest this book is built upon a foundation of impressive research seems an understatement. Every important moment of Walt’s early life appears to have been uncovered and, at times, it seems certain Gabler must have followed Disney through his entire life…and interviewed everyone who ever knew him.
Like many talented and highly-driven individuals, Walt Disney was a far more complex person than is generally appreciated and this biography adroitly captures his multifaceted (and occasionally unpleasant) personality. Gabler also offered me something slightly unusual: a reading experience where I frequently found myself slowing my pace in order to more fully savor the literary journey.
From an engrossing introduction to coverage of the early days of the Disney Brothers Studio to a surprisingly interesting exploration of motion picture technology and, finally, to the consummation of Disney’s dream of building a theme park, Gabler’s book offers an impressive balance of insight, erudition and accessibility.
But fastidious detail and insight is not just one of this book's great gifts, it is also the biography's primary vice. Coverage of some topics is far more meticulous than many readers will desire, including the mechanics of Disney's third-party business arrangements, minutiae relating to contracts and negotiations, blow-by-blow accounts of various hassles encountered during film production...
While the detail is undoubtedly enlightening, encyclopedic coverage of all events great and small will strike many as unnecessary and, quite possibly, tedious. So although this author seems to possess biographer Robert Caro's penchant for unusually attentive and vigilant research, he also demonstrates a similar gift for garrulous gab.
Overall, however, Neal Gabler’s “Walt Disney” is a methodical, revealing and often engrossing look at a fabulously creative and complicated individual. But rather than convincing me I do not need to read Michael Barrier’s contemporaneously-published biography of Disney, this book (to its credit) convinced me I would be crazy not to.
Overall rating: 4¼ stars
November 17, 2015
this is undoubtedly a 5 star book, but it took me two months to get through it and there were parts of it that seemed endless, so i'm knocking it down one just for my own reading experience. that said, this is an exceptionally well done biography. it is so thorough and so well researched, which is almost universally a strength, but got pretty sloggy in the middle, while world war II was the catalyst for a miserable period in walt's life (and by extension, the reader) as he was bogged down with seemingly endless legal, financial and political misfortunes. for a 900 page biography built entirely of documentation and hard facts (office memos, legal and financial records, interviews with family and personnel, etc) and little if any speculation, it says a lot about the quality of writing here that reading this book was an emotional roller coaster. it's such an in-depth characterization of such a larger than life cultural figure that you feel, very early in the story, an emotional connection with the man and soar when he soars, crash when he crashes. it's also extremely unbiased, depicting him as neither tyrant nor beloved uncle, but as a complex human being whose genius made his life alternately exhilarating and exhausting. i loved the depth and length of the making of snow white especially, and wish the same treatment had been given to the creation of disneyland, walt's other passion project. it's also a really great portrait of the time, and you learn so much about the cultural landscape (worst phrase) as we progress. and lastly, as a disney lover from birth, i was blown away at how much i learned about how completely innovative this man was. the earlier years of his company were, especially, really inspiring. while i'm sure, like any person too brilliant to exist like a normal person, he was a huge pain in the ass to know and work with, i'm walking away from this feeling justified in my disney love and with a much greater understanding of what made this man and his legacy so special. oh, and i cried when he died. like a baby.
January 17, 2015
This is how a biography should be written. Gabler's treatment of Disney is thoroughly fair, engaging, engrossing, and professional. In short, a wonderful read. He leaves no relevant details out of Disney's life, yet I seldom if ever felt inundated with minutiae. The closest Gabler comes to delving too deeply into a particular area is during the (long) discussion about the making of Snow White. However, it was such a seminal event in Disney's life that I fully understand why Gabler lingered over it. It was Disney at his finest and most exacting.
Gabler shows that Disney was nowhere near the genial "Uncle Walt" persona that he so carefully tried to cultivate as he grew older. He was tyrannical towards his employees, and also towards his family at times. Disney's life was always about what mattered to him the most: and that was, alternately, his studio, Disneyland, The 1964 New York World's Fair, or EPCOT. His wife and his two daughters usually took a backseat to those things, although by his daughters' accounts, when Disney was home, he was an exceptionally devoted and caring father. It seems ironic that the person responsible for entertaining millions and millions of people around the world, was also a very lonely, isolated man who had few real friends and always seemed distant from everyone else.
I think this is one of the best biographies that I have ever read.
Grade: A
Gabler shows that Disney was nowhere near the genial "Uncle Walt" persona that he so carefully tried to cultivate as he grew older. He was tyrannical towards his employees, and also towards his family at times. Disney's life was always about what mattered to him the most: and that was, alternately, his studio, Disneyland, The 1964 New York World's Fair, or EPCOT. His wife and his two daughters usually took a backseat to those things, although by his daughters' accounts, when Disney was home, he was an exceptionally devoted and caring father. It seems ironic that the person responsible for entertaining millions and millions of people around the world, was also a very lonely, isolated man who had few real friends and always seemed distant from everyone else.
I think this is one of the best biographies that I have ever read.
Grade: A
November 25, 2007
In my childhood, I was a Walt Disney nut. I loved the cartoons, I loved the movies, and I loved reading about the man himself, ever since I checked out one of those American Pioneers mini-novels from my elementary school's library. The problem with most Walt Disney bios is that there's a hard and fast line that's drawn between them. Either they paint an absolutely rosy picture of the man (fully and completely sanctioned by The Disney Corporation) or they go in the absolute opposite direction, highlighting his anti-semitism and racism.
This is the first biography that does an admirable job of splitting the difference, and that makes it a great read. All the standard Walt Disney stories are included (his hardscrabble childhood, "You can't top pigs with pigs" and so on) but they're tempered with genuine insight. The best thing I can say about a book that was written with the full cooperation of the Disney family is that it doesn't FEEL like it was written with full cooperation. There's bad stuff here as well, especially Disney's shameful appearance in front of HUAC.
Really stellar biography.
This is the first biography that does an admirable job of splitting the difference, and that makes it a great read. All the standard Walt Disney stories are included (his hardscrabble childhood, "You can't top pigs with pigs" and so on) but they're tempered with genuine insight. The best thing I can say about a book that was written with the full cooperation of the Disney family is that it doesn't FEEL like it was written with full cooperation. There's bad stuff here as well, especially Disney's shameful appearance in front of HUAC.
Really stellar biography.
February 5, 2022
At 33+ hours of listening (roughly 850 pages), this was way more than I ever needed to know about Walt Disney, but so fascinating! His start in animation, how his studio made it through WWII, and beyond is quite remarkable. The way he chose to cope with job stress, nurturing his mental health, and how that eccentric coping mechanism ultimately evolved into the first multimedia conglomerate boggles the mind. I wish he’d lived to see more.
February 10, 2021
A detailed, unbiased look at Walt Disney. The good, the bad and the ugly. As a big fan of Walt’s, the ugly parts were hard to read but it’s important that a biography is truthful, and there’s plenty of quotes from imagineers and family to give a balanced look at his life. I thought I wouldn’t be able to get through this book due to how small the print was and how many pages it was, but honestly I devoured it. I love books that really go into detail about each event and this book did. I actually cried at the end because I hadn’t read about his death in that much detail before either. Highly recommend this book!
Paperback
Paperback
September 22, 2024
I feel completely overwhelmed right now as I sit trying to think of what to say after finishing this book. Overwhelmed with thoughts, emotions, and awe at this man’s life. Firstly, let me give some praise to the biography itself. It’s excellent. So insightful and inspiring. The author provides an amazing outline of Disney’s life while piling in tons of stories and details of Disney’s: adventures that were so intriguing to read through. It’s almost 1000 pages long, and I wasn’t ever bored with it. That should tell you something. (Especially coming from me, who typically lives on a strict diet of fiction, fantasy, romance, and fairytales.) I also cried at the end. Feeling the incredible loss that the world felt at the death of Disney.
Now on to the praise of Disney the man. I cannot believe how amazing he was. The impact that he was able to make on the world is mind blowing. The assertion of his will and vision on society is impressive. And the way he has inspired millions to dream, create, and push forward against all odds leaves me speechless. I love this man. Quirking brow, fiery temper, perfectionist tendencies and all. And I can only dream to make the smallest fraction of an impact on the world for the cause of warmth, goodness and beauty as he did.
Now on to the praise of Disney the man. I cannot believe how amazing he was. The impact that he was able to make on the world is mind blowing. The assertion of his will and vision on society is impressive. And the way he has inspired millions to dream, create, and push forward against all odds leaves me speechless. I love this man. Quirking brow, fiery temper, perfectionist tendencies and all. And I can only dream to make the smallest fraction of an impact on the world for the cause of warmth, goodness and beauty as he did.
August 10, 2016
The book has a powerful introduction. It gives the reader the expectation of an epic biography with an analysis of Disney and his place in our culture and legacy. The book has many good points but does not deliver on this promise. Some of the promised insight is present, but is overwhelmed by facts and chronology.
Gabler does a good job on the biographical outline of both Disney and his company. He describes the different pictures, projects, technologies. He relates Walt's enthusiasm, level of involvement, and appraisal of each and the role of the main projects in building Disney as a company and a brand. We learn about Walt's insistence on quality and how this was at odds with his brother's job of keeping the cash/credit rolling in. We learn about his family life and something about his remembering people from his youth and childhood.
There is a lot of detail on dollar amounts in costs, revenues, bonds, shares, etc. Only rarely were current values stated, and stated relevance was even rarer. One year's revenues on merchandizing (the only successful operation at the time) were $100 million, with profits just over $1 million. Was this an acceptable profit margin for the time? More seriously, is confusion about actual money in the 1930's. Walt's parents are in Oregon, not coping well the depression. Despite all the talk of revenues, salaries etc., its hard to figure out why Walt doesn't have the money to help them. While he's heavily mortgaged, he IS maintaining polo horses at this time. In short, there is a lot of info on Disney's financials, but the dots are not all connected.
On the staffing side, I was looking for an answer that wasn't here. Years ago I met a woman (now deceased) who had worked at Disney in the 40's and 50's. She said there was strict segregation of men and women. Women had their own entrance and could be fired for fraternizing with the men. This is not mentioned at all, but there are clues. There is reference to the "women's paint and ink building", the "women's cafeteria" and nude sunbathing on the roof (doubt that this would be coed). If what she said is true, this is a serious omission. Gabler gives us dots, but, again, no connections.
Gabler alludes to Walt's nostalgia for the early days of what seemed to be an artist's dream studio with positive energy, creativity and devotion. This is a theme throughout the book, but there are stray sentences about long hours, pay squabbles and people freezing before Walt in these early days. The main flow of the text suggests that the strike comes from nowhere and is life changing for Walt. After it he is difficult to impossible to work for. He fires people frequently. People clam up in his presence and develop strategies for dealing with him. Walt as a boss, and Disney as an organization needs a more cohesive treatment.
A bio of Disney is an ambitious project. Here is a man without a high school diploma who pioneered animation, sound, color, TV, and the theme park. He had a great vision, energy and know-how. I know there are other bios, but have not read them, so I'm unaware of how this one fits in. This is an important collection of data arranged in a readable chronology. It gives a starting point for others.
Gabler does a good job on the biographical outline of both Disney and his company. He describes the different pictures, projects, technologies. He relates Walt's enthusiasm, level of involvement, and appraisal of each and the role of the main projects in building Disney as a company and a brand. We learn about Walt's insistence on quality and how this was at odds with his brother's job of keeping the cash/credit rolling in. We learn about his family life and something about his remembering people from his youth and childhood.
There is a lot of detail on dollar amounts in costs, revenues, bonds, shares, etc. Only rarely were current values stated, and stated relevance was even rarer. One year's revenues on merchandizing (the only successful operation at the time) were $100 million, with profits just over $1 million. Was this an acceptable profit margin for the time? More seriously, is confusion about actual money in the 1930's. Walt's parents are in Oregon, not coping well the depression. Despite all the talk of revenues, salaries etc., its hard to figure out why Walt doesn't have the money to help them. While he's heavily mortgaged, he IS maintaining polo horses at this time. In short, there is a lot of info on Disney's financials, but the dots are not all connected.
On the staffing side, I was looking for an answer that wasn't here. Years ago I met a woman (now deceased) who had worked at Disney in the 40's and 50's. She said there was strict segregation of men and women. Women had their own entrance and could be fired for fraternizing with the men. This is not mentioned at all, but there are clues. There is reference to the "women's paint and ink building", the "women's cafeteria" and nude sunbathing on the roof (doubt that this would be coed). If what she said is true, this is a serious omission. Gabler gives us dots, but, again, no connections.
Gabler alludes to Walt's nostalgia for the early days of what seemed to be an artist's dream studio with positive energy, creativity and devotion. This is a theme throughout the book, but there are stray sentences about long hours, pay squabbles and people freezing before Walt in these early days. The main flow of the text suggests that the strike comes from nowhere and is life changing for Walt. After it he is difficult to impossible to work for. He fires people frequently. People clam up in his presence and develop strategies for dealing with him. Walt as a boss, and Disney as an organization needs a more cohesive treatment.
A bio of Disney is an ambitious project. Here is a man without a high school diploma who pioneered animation, sound, color, TV, and the theme park. He had a great vision, energy and know-how. I know there are other bios, but have not read them, so I'm unaware of how this one fits in. This is an important collection of data arranged in a readable chronology. It gives a starting point for others.
October 10, 2016
My favorite part of this book was learning that Walt Disney wasn't an anti-Semite and how that rumor got going (tl;dr haters gonna hate when you make all that $$$). Overall, this book was good...but it kinda got bogged down in the middle. There's a lot of information on business and trades and numbers because that was the driving force in Disney's life...it's just not always fun to read about.
February 22, 2025
Where’s the shift from controlling magic to being controlled by it? A question subtly posed in Fantasia, but borne more deeply in the life and work of Walt Disney. Both a compelling and contemplative story. From Walt’s childhood in a restless, ragged, and abusive home, to the building of his magic kingdom, his life is marked by his idyllic, anxious desire to create and control a perfect world - one where good triumphs, wonder thrives, and love reigns. In his shadow-attainment and imitation, we learn that it matters, even in the pursuit of good, whose kingdom we are building. Walt found his kingdom and magic incomplete. For all his genius, power, kindness, ego, and success, he wrestled with his value and significance. But even in his story’s heavy reality, there is truth to be better understood - perfection is not ours to create but it does exist. One day The Kingdom will be - good will triumph, wonder will thrive, love will reign, and perfection will be given us. And this is truly magical.
April 21, 2025
It’s taken over a year to read this book on and off, but I’m so glad I bought it and pushing through to finish it!!
What a book. I can’t even begin to imagine how much research and time has been poured into this book.
It goes through everything within Walt’s life - personal and employee relationships, building Disneyland, all the financial ups and downs, the behind the scenes of the original movies…. Everything! And yes there’s things the company has done which I don’t agree on but there’s no denying that Walt was an instrumental part to the entertainment industry and American pop culture.
I definitely recommend reading this book whether you consider yourself a Disney fan or not. It’s very unbiased and gives all the facts which is great to learn about.
What a book. I can’t even begin to imagine how much research and time has been poured into this book.
It goes through everything within Walt’s life - personal and employee relationships, building Disneyland, all the financial ups and downs, the behind the scenes of the original movies…. Everything! And yes there’s things the company has done which I don’t agree on but there’s no denying that Walt was an instrumental part to the entertainment industry and American pop culture.
I definitely recommend reading this book whether you consider yourself a Disney fan or not. It’s very unbiased and gives all the facts which is great to learn about.
July 29, 2017
Whatever your feelings about the man, his legacy, his company, or his movies, you can't deny Walt Disney was an icon. It's an overused word, but it fits him. So does legend. This was a remarkably (sometimes overly) detailed book about the man behind the myth, and I learned a lot I didn't know about him, his movies, and his empire.
This book covers Walt's life from birth to death. One thing that I liked was Gabler dealt with the cryrogenic rumors up front. No, Walt Disney isn't frozen somewhere, waiting to come back. As much as that might be an amazing thing.
After the story of his childhood and his World War I service (which I didn't know about) pass, you get to his professional career. The recurring theme for everything he did was that Walt Diseny was an idealist, a perfectionist, and a lot of his problems came from the fact that he honestly couldn't seem to see why everyone didn't see things like he did. He rose from struggling artist to cartoonist, and spent a really alarming part of his career hurting for money.
He finally formed his own company and his first big hit, the first feature cartoon ever, was Snow White. That, I knew. That so many of his movies, like Fantasia and Pinnochio and even Sleeping Beauty were box office failures, I did not.
Aside from his perfectionism, Disney's other big problems were being willfully ignorant of economic needs, and always looking for the next thing. He was obsessed with cartoons, then feature cartoons, then live action movies, and as he mastered each, he got bored and moved on. Disneyland came about through a combination of boredom, wanting a new challenge, and a big obsession with model trains. Not the kind on your table, the kind you can actually ride.
Walt was far from perfect. He was a man of his times. He wasn't actively anti-Semitic or racist, but he made comments that sounded a bit like both. He got swept up in the Red Scare of the 50's and did some regrettable things. He had a temper, largely when people didn't live up to his nearly impossible ideas.
Disney was a visionary, and a dreamer, and a genius. This is his story, and, along the way, the story of Mickey Mouse, Disneyland, The Mickey Mouse Club, EPCOT, and even a few other characters not as popular now, like Davy Crockett and Zorro. The long time link between Disney and ABC comes clear.
And I'll risk pissing a few people off. Disney died earlier than he had to because he got lung cancer. He got THAT from being a chain smoker. A man who helped reshape the world of popular culture died too soon because of a stupid, filthy habit. If there's a better anti-smoking message, I don't know what it is.
A good read about Disney, but if you're more a casual fan (like me) than a devout Disney-ite, this might be a bit much. There's a LOT of detail. About everything.
This book covers Walt's life from birth to death. One thing that I liked was Gabler dealt with the cryrogenic rumors up front. No, Walt Disney isn't frozen somewhere, waiting to come back. As much as that might be an amazing thing.
After the story of his childhood and his World War I service (which I didn't know about) pass, you get to his professional career. The recurring theme for everything he did was that Walt Diseny was an idealist, a perfectionist, and a lot of his problems came from the fact that he honestly couldn't seem to see why everyone didn't see things like he did. He rose from struggling artist to cartoonist, and spent a really alarming part of his career hurting for money.
He finally formed his own company and his first big hit, the first feature cartoon ever, was Snow White. That, I knew. That so many of his movies, like Fantasia and Pinnochio and even Sleeping Beauty were box office failures, I did not.
Aside from his perfectionism, Disney's other big problems were being willfully ignorant of economic needs, and always looking for the next thing. He was obsessed with cartoons, then feature cartoons, then live action movies, and as he mastered each, he got bored and moved on. Disneyland came about through a combination of boredom, wanting a new challenge, and a big obsession with model trains. Not the kind on your table, the kind you can actually ride.
Walt was far from perfect. He was a man of his times. He wasn't actively anti-Semitic or racist, but he made comments that sounded a bit like both. He got swept up in the Red Scare of the 50's and did some regrettable things. He had a temper, largely when people didn't live up to his nearly impossible ideas.
Disney was a visionary, and a dreamer, and a genius. This is his story, and, along the way, the story of Mickey Mouse, Disneyland, The Mickey Mouse Club, EPCOT, and even a few other characters not as popular now, like Davy Crockett and Zorro. The long time link between Disney and ABC comes clear.
And I'll risk pissing a few people off. Disney died earlier than he had to because he got lung cancer. He got THAT from being a chain smoker. A man who helped reshape the world of popular culture died too soon because of a stupid, filthy habit. If there's a better anti-smoking message, I don't know what it is.
A good read about Disney, but if you're more a casual fan (like me) than a devout Disney-ite, this might be a bit much. There's a LOT of detail. About everything.
September 10, 2019
This was a well written and exceptionally well researched book about "America's Uncle" - the great Walt Disney. I learned that Disney wasn't just a passionate perfectionist; he was obsessive, zealous, even, about his visions for animation and entertainment. If he had not been this way, we wouldn't have what Disney is today. The legacy and creations and even the spirit of all things Disney would not be what they are without his drive for a perfection that was beyond perfection. He didn't want to just create good movies; he wanted to change animation all together. He didn't just want a theme park; he wanted to change the definitions of theme parks altogether. Get where I'm going with this?
I also appreciated how this book showed the positive and the negative about Disney. Yes, he was a warm, creative visionary but he was also a moody chainsmoker who didn't approve of workers' unions. I also liked the way Gabler addressed the notorious, (and still around today!), allegations that Disney was anti-semitic. Gabler's opinion is that he was not, but being a white man of his time, Disney would not completely dissociate with those who were, be they neighbors or coworkers. He also lived in a neighborhood with a high population of anti-semitic people. The rumor that he was anti-semitic started from a disgruntled ex-employee (disgruntled about Disney's handling of workers unions) and just stuck around, much in the same way Marie Antoinette never actually said "let them eat cake". My opinion? I think he didn't hate the Jews, but he could've done a better job of sticking up for them instead of turning a blind eye to those around him who were anti-semitic.
Now, was he racist? Yes, obviously. Even though he tried not be, he just couldn't get past the kind of ignorance that was lived and breathed in that time period. He would often have his studios collaborate with the NAACP for suggestions about how to correctly portray black characters, but he wouldn't always accept all of their suggestions. Watch Song of the South for more details.
I view Walt Disney as I view many of America's founding fathers: with the understanding that goodness is not black and white. I cannot deny Thomas Jefferson's contribution to American government, but I cannot ignore his ownership of slaves. While not as severe, It's the same with Disney. I love the worlds he created both in his movies and in the amusement parks. I respect him for his work ethic and obsession with perfection, and for what he contributed to American culture and ideals. But, I also acknowledge that there were sides to him that warranted improvement. Maybe if he had lived longer, he would've corrected some things. All in all, I do consider him one of my favorite people from history.
I also appreciated how this book showed the positive and the negative about Disney. Yes, he was a warm, creative visionary but he was also a moody chainsmoker who didn't approve of workers' unions. I also liked the way Gabler addressed the notorious, (and still around today!), allegations that Disney was anti-semitic. Gabler's opinion is that he was not, but being a white man of his time, Disney would not completely dissociate with those who were, be they neighbors or coworkers. He also lived in a neighborhood with a high population of anti-semitic people. The rumor that he was anti-semitic started from a disgruntled ex-employee (disgruntled about Disney's handling of workers unions) and just stuck around, much in the same way Marie Antoinette never actually said "let them eat cake". My opinion? I think he didn't hate the Jews, but he could've done a better job of sticking up for them instead of turning a blind eye to those around him who were anti-semitic.
Now, was he racist? Yes, obviously. Even though he tried not be, he just couldn't get past the kind of ignorance that was lived and breathed in that time period. He would often have his studios collaborate with the NAACP for suggestions about how to correctly portray black characters, but he wouldn't always accept all of their suggestions. Watch Song of the South for more details.
I view Walt Disney as I view many of America's founding fathers: with the understanding that goodness is not black and white. I cannot deny Thomas Jefferson's contribution to American government, but I cannot ignore his ownership of slaves. While not as severe, It's the same with Disney. I love the worlds he created both in his movies and in the amusement parks. I respect him for his work ethic and obsession with perfection, and for what he contributed to American culture and ideals. But, I also acknowledge that there were sides to him that warranted improvement. Maybe if he had lived longer, he would've corrected some things. All in all, I do consider him one of my favorite people from history.
August 7, 2022
Wow! This was such a tome with so many different aspects to unpack and I loved everything about it! Firstly, Gabler successfully creates a thesis of sorts, which is impartial in its narrative, allowing the reader to come to their own conclusions regarding Mr. Disney and his life's work. I felt that whether you feel positive or negatively about the man, you'd still get something out of this book.
If anyone is a fan of animation history, this is simply a must read-- it really goes into the ins and outs of the early studio days and also how progressive Walt and his team was-- and also WHY Walt was always just ahead of the curve. If you are a fan of producing and it's role in Hollywood history, you'd also enjoy this read.
What is most interesting is the way in which Gabler tackles all of the Disney controversial topics from anti-Semetism to the Red Scare and again, allows the reader to come to their own conclusions. He was an imperfect man, just like any man, but I postulate that Walt was not a politically savvy man and even naive when it came to controversy. The historical research pieces together how such dogma surrounding Walt could have come to be and what was based in reality as well as what was based on rumor that comes with being larger than life and famous.
What also struck me was the discussion of Walt's "political themes" in his work, art and theme park which was simultaneously right and left and a bit of an anomaly. He also didn't seem to be very sexually driven-- almost an inference of asexuality and his truest love was his art. This Sensibility did not bode well between him and his difficult father, and his unloving childhood and drive to achieve greatness was a sentiment all too familiar. It would seem to us observers that Disney was always attempting to repair his inner child. I didn't feel he was very close with his wife, but rather his brother Roy. He could be a real SOB sometimes but on the flip side a sweet soul and loving father.
The last chapter had me in tears. I wish he had a longer life. I kind of feel like he would have progressed as a humane man and progressed as the world changed because he was about looking forward. And it seemed he had so much more he wanted to do. Sixty-five was too soon for one who had such a consistent output of of artistic ideas and I felt crushed when it ended.
If anyone is a fan of animation history, this is simply a must read-- it really goes into the ins and outs of the early studio days and also how progressive Walt and his team was-- and also WHY Walt was always just ahead of the curve. If you are a fan of producing and it's role in Hollywood history, you'd also enjoy this read.
What is most interesting is the way in which Gabler tackles all of the Disney controversial topics from anti-Semetism to the Red Scare and again, allows the reader to come to their own conclusions. He was an imperfect man, just like any man, but I postulate that Walt was not a politically savvy man and even naive when it came to controversy. The historical research pieces together how such dogma surrounding Walt could have come to be and what was based in reality as well as what was based on rumor that comes with being larger than life and famous.
What also struck me was the discussion of Walt's "political themes" in his work, art and theme park which was simultaneously right and left and a bit of an anomaly. He also didn't seem to be very sexually driven-- almost an inference of asexuality and his truest love was his art. This Sensibility did not bode well between him and his difficult father, and his unloving childhood and drive to achieve greatness was a sentiment all too familiar. It would seem to us observers that Disney was always attempting to repair his inner child. I didn't feel he was very close with his wife, but rather his brother Roy. He could be a real SOB sometimes but on the flip side a sweet soul and loving father.
The last chapter had me in tears. I wish he had a longer life. I kind of feel like he would have progressed as a humane man and progressed as the world changed because he was about looking forward. And it seemed he had so much more he wanted to do. Sixty-five was too soon for one who had such a consistent output of of artistic ideas and I felt crushed when it ended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2009
This was a really good book. As anyone who knows me and my family, we love all things Disney. So when this book was published I thought I would give it a try. At over 800 pages (over 200 of which are bibliography information) I wasn’t sure I’d get through it. But it kept me intrigued. It was written really well with a good narrative.
The book delves into Walt Disney’s upbringing, and all of the milestones along his life path until his death. It was interesting to read about how he was continually trying to out do himself. Nothing was ever “done”, he was always trying to “plus” things. And for that reason, Disneyland was his greatest accomplishment, his greatest triumph. It was something that he could continually update.
His plans for Walt Disney World were also very interesting to read. I believe that if Disney hadn’t have died when he did, Walt Disney World would be something much different than what it is today - and I’m not sure if that would be good or bad.
So, if you’re a Disney fan at all, you should read this book. And if you’re only a minor fan, it is still very interesting and a good read.
The book delves into Walt Disney’s upbringing, and all of the milestones along his life path until his death. It was interesting to read about how he was continually trying to out do himself. Nothing was ever “done”, he was always trying to “plus” things. And for that reason, Disneyland was his greatest accomplishment, his greatest triumph. It was something that he could continually update.
His plans for Walt Disney World were also very interesting to read. I believe that if Disney hadn’t have died when he did, Walt Disney World would be something much different than what it is today - and I’m not sure if that would be good or bad.
So, if you’re a Disney fan at all, you should read this book. And if you’re only a minor fan, it is still very interesting and a good read.
October 29, 2015
That's how a biography should be written. Thoroughly researched and actually combed through Walt Disney's complete life, very objectively. Great read!
February 7, 2025
This book was a slog at times, as many biographies tend to be (almost 700 pages!). But for the most part it kept my interest - Disney was a true titan, and love him or hate him, he changed the world as a true visionary and innovator. The best parts of this book were easily the peeks behind the curtain for the feature animation. Getting to learn the backstory as to how Walt pioneered and breathed life into the Disney classics was incredibly fascinating. My eyes glazed over a bit whenever the book dips into the financial minutiae (Disney rarely made any real money on his original movies, and the money he did make was spent instantly and extravagantly), but I’m sure there are other readers who would find that aspect of Walt’s empire more interesting. Overall an intriguing life story and portrait of a complex but incredibly influential man.
April 8, 2021
I don't know if this is the best biography out there of Walt Disney, but it certainly seemed thorough, balanced and respectful of its subject.
Gabler starts with Disney's humble upbringing in the Midwest, and describes how his fierce determination and genius to succeed as an animator drove him ultimately to Hollywood where he became legendary.
The most fascinating parts were Gabler's account of how Disney radically altered animation. He was the first to provide color, more cells of drawing per second and also was the first to create animation shorts with sound. He pioneered all of this when they were barely concepts in regular movies, much less cartoons.
Gabler describes Disney's tyrannical and perfectionist nature that forced him to do anything and everything to make his vision a reality. As an animator, this involved scouting out the best talent, even creating an animation school to provide continual training for the animators he hired.
This part, the process of creating such phenomenal movies as Snow White is extremely interesting and I would advise all aspiring movie makers and animators to read this. Not only because it provides the history of animation, of course it's all on computer now, but the techniques used to create convincing movement and character.
Disney would have the cartoonists go out and watch deer and other animals. They would dance about in the studio and base facial expressions on each other. Disney was all about realism in the beginning.
This gradually changed, largely because the audience changed and also the financial requirements were prohibitive. That is the second most invaluable part of this book for aspiring movie makers: just what everything costs. I couldn't believe how just creating a Disney short could be so expensive.
Walt's brother Roy was the business side of it. It was his job to beg, borrow and in every way above the law acquire the money to support Disney's dream.
Later Walt's dreams expanded into live action TV and movies and finally culminated into Disneyland. The process by which these were accomplished was also enlightening.
My only grievance against the book was the author's denigrating of most of Disney's movies. According to Gable, the only good movie Disney made was Snow White. Every other animated movie was a failure. I think he bases this largely because the other movies barely recovered the costs to make them.
Maybe I'm looking through the rose glasses of childhood memories, but I LOVED the Disney movies. Bambi was one of my all time favorites and so was Pinocchio.
The other grievance, if I can call it that, is Gabler's habit of presuming Disney's motives, which I think no one but Disney can really know. Also to make sweeping generalizations about the American populace and what everyone was feeling or thinking during particular world events (World Wars, Depression, etc.) is rather presumptuous. Who knows why people liked certain types of movies at one time and didn't at another. I think most people don't think much about it and just go with the flow. A scary thought, to be sure, when one considers what kind of power that gives Hollywood and I think there is plenty of evidence in our culture that they have wielded that power.
Those complaints aside, this is an excellent biography and one for those who would like to put an actual person behind the famous name.
Gabler starts with Disney's humble upbringing in the Midwest, and describes how his fierce determination and genius to succeed as an animator drove him ultimately to Hollywood where he became legendary.
The most fascinating parts were Gabler's account of how Disney radically altered animation. He was the first to provide color, more cells of drawing per second and also was the first to create animation shorts with sound. He pioneered all of this when they were barely concepts in regular movies, much less cartoons.
Gabler describes Disney's tyrannical and perfectionist nature that forced him to do anything and everything to make his vision a reality. As an animator, this involved scouting out the best talent, even creating an animation school to provide continual training for the animators he hired.
This part, the process of creating such phenomenal movies as Snow White is extremely interesting and I would advise all aspiring movie makers and animators to read this. Not only because it provides the history of animation, of course it's all on computer now, but the techniques used to create convincing movement and character.
Disney would have the cartoonists go out and watch deer and other animals. They would dance about in the studio and base facial expressions on each other. Disney was all about realism in the beginning.
This gradually changed, largely because the audience changed and also the financial requirements were prohibitive. That is the second most invaluable part of this book for aspiring movie makers: just what everything costs. I couldn't believe how just creating a Disney short could be so expensive.
Walt's brother Roy was the business side of it. It was his job to beg, borrow and in every way above the law acquire the money to support Disney's dream.
Later Walt's dreams expanded into live action TV and movies and finally culminated into Disneyland. The process by which these were accomplished was also enlightening.
My only grievance against the book was the author's denigrating of most of Disney's movies. According to Gable, the only good movie Disney made was Snow White. Every other animated movie was a failure. I think he bases this largely because the other movies barely recovered the costs to make them.
Maybe I'm looking through the rose glasses of childhood memories, but I LOVED the Disney movies. Bambi was one of my all time favorites and so was Pinocchio.
The other grievance, if I can call it that, is Gabler's habit of presuming Disney's motives, which I think no one but Disney can really know. Also to make sweeping generalizations about the American populace and what everyone was feeling or thinking during particular world events (World Wars, Depression, etc.) is rather presumptuous. Who knows why people liked certain types of movies at one time and didn't at another. I think most people don't think much about it and just go with the flow. A scary thought, to be sure, when one considers what kind of power that gives Hollywood and I think there is plenty of evidence in our culture that they have wielded that power.
Those complaints aside, this is an excellent biography and one for those who would like to put an actual person behind the famous name.
January 8, 2014
Walt Disney is one of those figures that everyone knows without really knowing at all. One of the primary themes of this biography is that even the people in his life who had daily contact with him, who lived with him, worked with him, even grew up with him, would have said the same thing. He was an intensely private person, and one wonders how much of the carefully cultivated image of himself that was created and wrapped up with his films was a deliberate attempt to hide that private self.
Disney, as an individual, a company and a cultural influence, has had a lot of criticism over the years, but for better or worse you cannot deny that there are few people who have had the same level of influence on popular culture as Walt Disney. And I for one like that influence!
This is an exceptionally well-written book, lively and engaging, fair and balanced, and very readable. The descriptions of the creation of some of the films, most particularly 'Snow White', are incredibly detailed, and it's made me want to go back and revisit some of those films. And go to Disneyland!
Disney, as an individual, a company and a cultural influence, has had a lot of criticism over the years, but for better or worse you cannot deny that there are few people who have had the same level of influence on popular culture as Walt Disney. And I for one like that influence!
This is an exceptionally well-written book, lively and engaging, fair and balanced, and very readable. The descriptions of the creation of some of the films, most particularly 'Snow White', are incredibly detailed, and it's made me want to go back and revisit some of those films. And go to Disneyland!
April 12, 2013
I have a list of 10 people (living or dead) that I would like to meet and Walt Disney is on my list. How different America would be without Walt Disney! "Wish fulfillment" is a good term for this amazing man. (That term taken from the book). Lots of things in this book you didn't know about this man....dropped out of High School as a Freshman and never went back....had his camera repossessed at 16....lied about his age to serve with the Red Cross during WWI....1st person to ever film "wildlife documentaries" and the book goes on and on with interesting facts and information about his many achievements. Mickey Mouse Club and Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color were "not to be missed" TV ! (Did you know those shows are how Walt raised the money to build Disneyland?) Ok...I'll stop now......
December 11, 2014
I'll be honest, I didn't actually finish the book. I couldn't make myself. I was disgusted by Walt Disney. I wanted to read about a creative man who was responsible for creating some of the best loved memories from my childhood. Instead, I read about a man who was a tyrant, who terrorized his employees, who took credit for art that he was incapable of creating. Yes, he came up with ideas and okayed everything, but he was not the end-all be-all. I guess I couldn't handle the disillusionment.
January 12, 2025
Walt Disney is a man that’s either loved or hated by many people, so when I decided I wanted to read a biography on him, I tried to find one that was as unbiased as possible, and I think this book does a very good job at being just that.
Regardless of how you feel about him, Disney was an extraordinary man who changed the world for better or for worse depending on who you ask. To summarize the life and accomplishments of Disney into one 600+ page long book is a very daunting task, but for the most part Neil Gabler does an admirable job at not only including most of Disney’s major accomplishments, but also going into extreme detail (sometimes a little too much detail, as evidenced by the sometimes monotonous discussion surrounding the finances behind nearly every major deal in Disney’s life).
This book does an excellent job at providing a mostly unbiased view on Disney as I mentioned earlier, and even goes out if its way to disprove many unpleasant rumors that have circulated about him, such as the idea that was antisemitic or a Nazi sympathizer. That being said, it doesn’t gloss over the unseemly parts of his life, such as his union-busting or short temper.
One part I really enjoyed about this book was that because Walt Disney pioneered a lot of animation techniques, this book also serves as a sort of history of animation as well, which was very interesting to read about. I knew that Disney was one of the leading names in animation, but I didn’t realize just how much he and his company were responsible for pushing the medium as a whole forward.
I did have a few gripes with this book, one of which was the author’s sometimes weird desire to psychoanalyze Disney and relate a lot of his behaviors and decisions to some sort of sexual undertone, which often came across as unnecessary and reaching. I also wish the author had gone into more detail regarding the design and construction of Disneyland, as there a lot of fun stories and anecdotes from that time period that would have been nice to read about. It seems like the author went into a large amount of detail regarding the early days of the Disney studio and Snow White (which is interesting, don’t get me wrong) and then realized that he had a page limit and sometimes ended up rushing through later parts of Disney’s life.
Overall, this is an enjoyable read for anyone who’s a fan of Disney or even anyone who’s interested in reading a good biography of one of history’s most influential and polarizing figures. There’s a lot of fun details and information in here that will give you a new perspective on the man and a new appreciation for his work and legacy.
Regardless of how you feel about him, Disney was an extraordinary man who changed the world for better or for worse depending on who you ask. To summarize the life and accomplishments of Disney into one 600+ page long book is a very daunting task, but for the most part Neil Gabler does an admirable job at not only including most of Disney’s major accomplishments, but also going into extreme detail (sometimes a little too much detail, as evidenced by the sometimes monotonous discussion surrounding the finances behind nearly every major deal in Disney’s life).
This book does an excellent job at providing a mostly unbiased view on Disney as I mentioned earlier, and even goes out if its way to disprove many unpleasant rumors that have circulated about him, such as the idea that was antisemitic or a Nazi sympathizer. That being said, it doesn’t gloss over the unseemly parts of his life, such as his union-busting or short temper.
One part I really enjoyed about this book was that because Walt Disney pioneered a lot of animation techniques, this book also serves as a sort of history of animation as well, which was very interesting to read about. I knew that Disney was one of the leading names in animation, but I didn’t realize just how much he and his company were responsible for pushing the medium as a whole forward.
I did have a few gripes with this book, one of which was the author’s sometimes weird desire to psychoanalyze Disney and relate a lot of his behaviors and decisions to some sort of sexual undertone, which often came across as unnecessary and reaching. I also wish the author had gone into more detail regarding the design and construction of Disneyland, as there a lot of fun stories and anecdotes from that time period that would have been nice to read about. It seems like the author went into a large amount of detail regarding the early days of the Disney studio and Snow White (which is interesting, don’t get me wrong) and then realized that he had a page limit and sometimes ended up rushing through later parts of Disney’s life.
Overall, this is an enjoyable read for anyone who’s a fan of Disney or even anyone who’s interested in reading a good biography of one of history’s most influential and polarizing figures. There’s a lot of fun details and information in here that will give you a new perspective on the man and a new appreciation for his work and legacy.
August 26, 2008
As fascinating as this man was, I just couldn't get through this book. It was about 700 pages of every biographical note about Walt Disney -- very in depth even down to what his resting heart rate was on Tuesdays (joking). I made it into the 200's (barely) and just couldn't trudge on. If you're looking for something to sink your teeth into -- go for it! Maybe I'll look for another version/author. Whew!
August 11, 2017
Good biography about one of the great and most influential minds of the 20th century. Very informative, but maybe not the most captivating writing. Luckily, the life of Walt and especially his Mickey Mouse empire provides much amazement.
Walt Disney changed the game and we are all sharing the benefits through our childhood memories. It's amazing to think that Snow White was the first ever animated full-length feature film and was first introduced to the cinema screen 80 years ago.
True success for me means creating something that provides value long after your death, and by that measure, Walt Disney must be one of the most successful people of our time. Having been born almost 30 years after his passing, I feel fortunate to have received so much laughter and joy from his creations.
Walt Disney changed the game and we are all sharing the benefits through our childhood memories. It's amazing to think that Snow White was the first ever animated full-length feature film and was first introduced to the cinema screen 80 years ago.
True success for me means creating something that provides value long after your death, and by that measure, Walt Disney must be one of the most successful people of our time. Having been born almost 30 years after his passing, I feel fortunate to have received so much laughter and joy from his creations.
December 4, 2024
This was truly an undertaking. I’m glad I listened on audio, it would have been too detailed to physically read for me.
I loved going through Walt’s whole life and his achievements. Something I also really liked about this was that the author was unbiased when talking about Walt. He would say that Walt was difficult to work with and other things like that.
I do wish the chapters about some of the animations were shorter, they seemed to really drag. I also wished some of the chapters about Disneyland were longer. The ending was emotional and the impact of Walt Disney is ever lasting.
I loved going through Walt’s whole life and his achievements. Something I also really liked about this was that the author was unbiased when talking about Walt. He would say that Walt was difficult to work with and other things like that.
I do wish the chapters about some of the animations were shorter, they seemed to really drag. I also wished some of the chapters about Disneyland were longer. The ending was emotional and the impact of Walt Disney is ever lasting.
August 27, 2018
Interesting read about a complicated figure of american history. As someone who loves disney, both media and the parks, it was interesting to read about the man who created it. Rated 3* not 4* simply because at times I feel it got a bit heavy handed with names and prices and ran away from the point a bit.
January 28, 2019
This was a fun read on the history of film, animation, and one of the most recognizable names in the world. But it could gain from being a couple hundred pages shorter. I’m intrigued by reading about visionaries and I found many similarities (both good and bad) between Disney and Steve Jobs. Overall it is a well-written, fair biography.
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