The Disney Revolt: The Great Labor War of Animation's Golden Age

by Jake S. Friedman

An essential piece of Disney history has been largely unreported for eighty years.

Soon after the birth of Mickey Mouse, one animator raised the Disney Studio far beyond Walt's expectations. That animator also led a union war that almost destroyed it. Art Babbitt animated for the Disney studio throughout the 1930s and through 1941, years in which he and Walt were jointly driven to elevate animation as an art form, up through Snow White , Pinocchio , and Fantasia .

But as America prepared for World War II, labor unions spread across Hollywood. Disney fought the unions while Babbitt embraced them. Soon, angry Disney cartoon characters graced picket signs as hundreds of animation artists went out on strike. Adding fuel to the fire was Willie Bioff, one of Al Capone's wiseguys who was seizing control of Hollywood workers and vied for the animators' union.

Using never-before-seen research from previously lost records, including conversation transcriptions from within the studio walls, author and historian Jake S. Friedman reveals the details behind the labor dispute that changed animation and Hollywood forever.

The Disney Revolt is an American story of industry and of the underdog, the golden age of animated cartoons at the world's most famous studio.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Audiobook, Politics, Business, Historical, Labor

1 pages, Audio CD

Published July 5, 2022

Reviews

[Pamela Ribon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would love to hand deliver a copy to every TAG and non-union animation artist out there.

[James Rhydderch · Rating 4 out of 5]

A throughly detailed recount of how Disney studios began with innovation and then entered a period of turmoil. The book primarily focused on the lives of Walt Disney and Art Babbitt. The stories of their different upbringings gave an indication of the values they'd have later in life. As a massive Disney fan, this was a great read that didn't demonize nor idolize either men and gave a fair retelling of the events.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

This was a well researched and informative book about the big Disney strike of 1941 - an event that Walt Disney never forgot or forgave and which set standards and examples in the labor industry at the time. What I appreciated most here is that the author uses facts, not recollections, from documentation at the time. He resists the temptation to either demonize or lionize the key figures like Walt Disney and instead gives us a perspective on the needs and desires of both sides of the picket line.

The author gives background information on all the key players - where they grew up and how events in their life likely influenced the decisions they made before and during the strike. At its heart, the key players are striker Art Babbitt, Walt Disney, and Disney's obstreperous chief counsel/lawyer. But there were many fascinating characters influencing either directly or peripherally: from mob bosses, various unions and their leaders, and animators at other studios (such as Chuck Jones). Indeed, much of the book is about those people and the focus here is not on Babbitt or Disney as a result.

There were many fascinating insights of the time (1930s/1940s): corrupt unions, the creation of unions within the burgeoning movie industry, Disney paying their workers far less than other studios and reneging on bonus promises, growing fears of communism taking over Hollywood, the sudden viability of cartoons as a profitable venture, the rise of World War II and how it affected the studios. The author did an excellent job of capturing the time and place of 1940s America.

We have a lot of lead up to the strike and then quite a bit of information of the aftermath. Since the focus is not on Walt Disney or Babbitt, the author explores the ramifications on the industry, labor unions, and the government attempting to both clean up the unions but also come to peace with the American work force. All this while rising fears of communism were beginning to raise their ugly heads.

In all, I highly recommend this well researched and written book. It has all the information you need to understand the situation of the strike, gives very balanced viewpoints to the parties involved, and is concise enough to keep interest and not go off on unnecessary tangents. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. Most things about Walt Disney tend to either demonize him or hold him as a man without fault. Friedman does an excellent job of avoiding those trends and instead writes about everyone involved as objectively as possible.

This is a great blend of film, animation, labor, and cultural history all wrapped into one. Fans of Disney will find plenty here to enjoy. As will those who find everything Disney to be the worst thing in the world. This book has everything from Mickey Mouse to the mob and is a pleasure to read. The details flowed seemlessly and not once did I ever feel bogged down by description. The narrative is laid out in such a way that you feel you are reading a legal drama and the author even does a good job at distinguishing between various committees so you don't feel like you're stuck in alphabet soup with all the different acronyms that get introduced.

[britt_brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

1940s cartoonist labor relations, so if that sounds kinda boring, you’re not wrong! The writing’s a bit dry, but it’s probably hard to apply a narrative spin to such a topic. This in-depth history of the animation company Walt built, covers the struggles and successes, positives and negatives. There’s significant focus on famous animator Art Babbitt, mastermind behind Goofy. Disney history nerds, pick it up.

[Kim Ammons (youthbookreview) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounding up for rating

The first half was way more interesting than the second half

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

From BetweenDisney.com

The Disney Revolt by Jake S Friedman could be my favorite new Disney book of 2022. It entertains, educates, and provides more depth into a turning point moment in Disney history. This book is a must-read for those who are Disney animation history enthusiasts.

The Disney Revolt: The Great Labor War of Animation’s Golden Age by Jake S, Friedman details the rise of Disney animation, the animation strike of 1941, and the long-term repercussions of this event. While at moments, it reminds me of a Parallel Lives of Plutarch formula, using Walt Disney and Art Babbit as the main entries into the story, it is really the insight into Babbit’s life that gave me the most interest as a reader. Friedman discusses the early life and career of Walt Disney to the founding of his animation studio and the release of animated shorts to features with Snow White. Disney evolves as a businessman with working-class roots who was close to his small yet growing staff and invested in their development with the creation of the in-studio art school as he attempted to maximize his artist’s efforts. As the business grew, the gap between labor and management also grew. This led to miscommunication and differing priorities over schedules, salaries, credit, and bonuses. Additionally, labor in Hollywood became increasingly organized, due to market and criminal forces, which meant eventually union influences would make their way to the studio. Disney and his leadership team attempted to shepherd and control, these influences in an attempt to keep the union voices pro-Disney, At the same time, the intelligent and outspoken Babbit worked to limit management control hoping that the voice of the worker would be truly heard. This eventually led Babbit to lead the 1941 lockout that would polarize employees and in some cases break relationships forever. Case in point, Babbit himself would virtually be exiled within the studio and later forced to leave with his art contributions largely ignored by the studio. Friedman presents us a history of Disney labor relations that is factual and highlights the faults of all involved in what was a painful and messy moment in Disney history.

While I at times saw similarities with the Parallel lives structure, it was really the Babbit content that stuck most with me. Friedman, in my mind, does not make him the hero of the book he provides a balanced view of Babbit’s life. I have found that other books will make mention of Babbit as only a victim, but Friedman introduces us to a man who was innovative and artistic and yet flawed. Babbit could carry grudges and act on perceived offenses that perhaps would be best ignored. He was passionate about things that he believed matter, and in this case, making sure that Disney employees were able to be heard on the union issue and not forced into a decision and organization that did not truly represent them. It is easy to see him standing on the picket line, yelling at his colleagues for breaking the line, and doing so with a tone that would forever break their friendships, until their elder years. Friedman shows us also an artist who was not perfect, at times needing to work outside of the Disney standard, and was innovative as he brought forth ideas like film reference.

The Disney Studio does not leave this account guilt-free. Walt and his leadership team were very invested, too invested, in creating a pro-management union at the studio. And many of their actions were underhanded and deceitful. It was not Babbit, but the studio, that interacted with gangsters in attempts to end the strike! Reading this account, one’s stomach gets squeamish as you read about Disney’s counsel Gunther Lessing and some of his actions at and before Disney. For strikers and management, everyone has a share of the blame for the moment that turned vicious and ended the family feeling at the studio.

The text is a solid work of history. It is extensively researched and notated. Additionally, it is well-written and engaging for a work that is primarily academic in tone. I enjoyed the use of pictures, which are sprinkled through the pages instead of condensed in one spot. They are put next to the most relevant moments and help to move the story along.

The Disney Revolt: The Great Labor War of Animation’s Golden Age by Jake S, Friedman is an engaging story of a key moment in Disney and animation history. Readers get to better know Art Babbit, both his strengths and weaknesses, and are reminded that Disney is a company that acts on business interests. If you told me that I would “enjoy” a labor history, I would have likely laughed. But seeing this moment through the eyes of Babbit and Disney created different views of this moment and likely a better understanding of this turning point!



Review Copy Provided by Publisher

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty informative!! I feel like I got a little lost with all of the union drama towards the later parts, but overall I think Friedman did a good job of highlighting a clear narrative.

I'm glad this focused so heavily on the silly symphony cartoons because I watched some of the ones mentioned in the reading. They're great!!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched, even-handed treatment of the birth and early years of animation at Disney, the people involved in creating these films and characters, the challenges involved and and the events surrounding the artists’s strike in the 1930’s. Recommended for anyone interested in this subject. I received an advance listener copy of this audiobook from the publisher through Libro.fm.

[Reza Amiri Praramadhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disney studio is a place mostly known where magic is at work and dreams come true. It has been one of the giants of filming industry, if not the whole entertainment. Walt Disney, its founder, was depicted as a father figure, who never lacks optimism and encourages his artists to push the limits of animation making. However, as this book shows, there was a side of Disney that rarely discussed today.

Back in early 20th century, far from the giant that it is today, Disney is a constantly struggling business, often forced to go into debt to finance its projects, which, due to Walt's perfectionism sucked money and time. Among artists employed by Walt was an animator named Art Babbitt. A combative, rough and ready not unlike Walt, Babbitt was responsible for animating characters such as Goofy (which has become his signature character), leader animator on Fantasia and others. He, among many others, presided over Disney's times of struggle, which culminated with the Premiere of Snow White. Despite its success, behind it was numerous hours of overtimes and overpaid works. Walt promised the workers 20% profits from the Snow White (which never got paid). Then, during that time, Industrial Labor Unionism was the most active, as most profession unionize and bargained for better working condition. Disney corporation itself, was notoriously non=unionized, and it gave its workers the lowest wages among other companies.

Against this backdrop, Babbitt organized some of his fellow workers into forming a union. The first attempt was failed due to the union being compromised by the company, thus driving them into joining other, more established Guild. As negotiations continuously broke down, Disney Employees went on one of the largest strikes in Hollywood. The strikes divided the workers, with some staying loyal to the company, causing irreparable damages to their relationships. Babbitt himself was one of the most caustic strikers, with his words hurled to the loyalists causing them to hate him. While after 9 months, Disney agreed to most of the strikers' demands, the workers' victory proved to be bittersweet, for many of the strikers were laid off, Babbitt included. Babbitt's reconciliation with Disney only happened 40 years after he was fired, after Walt Disney himself long gone, with Babbitt's getting his name acknowledged in Fantasia's credit.

While Disney's struggle to finish Snow White was certainly commendable, I found his shunning of his workers, refusing to increase their livelihood absolutely despicable. This book also presenting some information on Labor Unionism in WW2 America, with some labor unions became entangled with shadier elements of society such as the Mafia, and thus became a protection racket.

[Cyril & Elodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Disney Revolt took me some time, not because the book is complex — the author is quite clear and accessible — but because I’m not used to reading nonfiction. The book covers Walt Disney’s youth, the founding of his studios, and the lives of two crucial figures in the studio's history: Art Babbitt and William Bioff. The book centers on the animators' strike.

It’s difficult to critique nonfiction, especially when it reads like a history book on such a niche topic. The book is thoroughly documented; every interview excerpt and historical fact is meticulously referenced. Clearly, it’s not a book for everyone. You need at least some interest in animation or obscure film history. It's easy to find books about Disney's rise; it's much harder to find ones about events that might seem minor but shaped the studio as we know it today.

The pacing picks up as the strike approaches. The author details each day and event leading up to it, making you wonder how so much could happen in so little time.

I enjoyed reading this book. The author introduces every topic with context and clearly explains the events. Some chapters, such as those about Walt Disney’s youth, Art Babbitt’s background, and William Biloff’s rise within the IATSE, may seem irrelevant but are essential to understanding the motives of those involved.

Beyond learning about the strike itself, I also learned a lot about the broader history of labor in the U.S., especially in Hollywood.

The strike is covered across four chapters, which follow the events chronologically and show how the strike could have ended or dragged on longer.

Finally, the author tells us what became of the main figures. Though brief — about ten pages — the conclusion is fascinating, detailing how Art Babbitt went from "troublemaker" to Disney Legend.
Though titled Disney Revolt, the book reveals much more than just the strike. It also provides insight into the class struggles within the studio and the broader history of animation. If you’re already familiar with Disney's history, this book offers a unique perspective on a pivotal event.

Also, visit the author’s website, which is a gold mine of additional material, including document excerpts, videos of the strike, scene reconstructions, and information on the various players and strikers.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of history, Disney, or labor reform, this is the book for you.

Starting at the turn of the 20th century, animation was solely in newspapers as comic strips. This book chronicles the start of the Golden Age of Animation with Mickey cartoon shorts into Snow White as the first animated feature film.

With the Great Depression, FDR brought about labor reforms to make it more fair for the employees. As this was happening, Screen Cartoonists across all studios were discussing the formation of a union. They ended up being one of the last unions to be formed in the entertainment industry.

I listened to this while the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes were in full swing. It is ridiculous to me that Hollywood continues to have the same problems. The CEOs running the companies believe that they don’t need to pay people fairly for their work.

In addition to believing that unions are run by communists, Walt Disney continued to exploit his cartoonists in the run up to Snow White’s release. These artists to built this studio were promised bonuses but to protect themselves, they never shared what the bonus structure was. I’m flabbergasted that almost 100 years later we’re still facing the same struggles.

The timeline is well constructed and easy to follow. However, because I was listening instead of reading, I needed to rewind a few times to make sure I had the year correct. If I was reading, or not listening while driving, I’m sure I wouldn’t have had that problem.

Either way, learning about labor reform and how it came to the animation industry and the start of the animation industry was amazing and I’m glad I picked this up.

[Benedict · Rating 3 out of 5]

A part of Disney history that is often dismissed or ignored is that there was an artist strike in 1941 in response to the treatment of unionised employees within the animation studio. This book goes into why the strike happened and how it played out.

It begins with a brief on Walt Disney's family history, his first forays into animation and the eventual creation of the Walt Disney Animation Studio. The main foundation characters of the studio join, including one Art Babbit, and eventually the studio finds success with their short films. Business progresses with the release of feature film Snow White, which became the highest grossing animated film of all time. The studio is quids-in, and the animators start to realise that they're all being paid differently, and the huge income from Snow White isn't trickling down to the people who made it all happen in the first place. They start to unionise. And when losses are made with Fantasia and Pinocchio, lay-offs happen, and Disney targets the union-members. Uh oh. Strike action is imminent.

It's an interesting piece of history but you can see why it's not talked about much. Walt doesn't come out of this looking good in the slightest. He takes all of the glory and money from what is clearly a collaborative effort, and it's understandable why resentment built. During a time when trade unions were becoming more commonplace, Disney's refusal to let his staff unionise only exacerbated the frustrations.

Sigh. Capitalism.

[Calis Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walt Disney faced many challenges during the early days of his studio, two in particular stand out. The European market being cut off due to the beginning of world War II and the cartoonist strike both of which happened simultaneously.

Even with Walt long gone the Disney company still does not like talking about this point in their history which makes this book being independently written a good thing so no stone can be left unturned. Friedman does a fair job of documenting everyone's perspective of what led to and what was going on during the strike. Walt having minor PTSD of the negative effects of his father following socialism, the gangsters who had a minor hand to play and the Disney artist themselves mainly Art Babbit who created the character Goofy.

What really stands out is how things like a worker strike can cause a rift or destroy relationships. As many documentaries have stated after the strike was settled Walt was never as close to his artist ever again. We see things like this with friends and family going on with things like politics.

The Disney company may not have Walt's head deep Frozen somewhere but it has many skeletons that they would like people to think very little about such as the topic of this book. With independent and fair-minded writers I'm pretty sure there'll be more looks like this to come on the dark secrets of Disney.

[Jamie Hecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Friedman candidly outlines that his research and writing of "The Disney Revolt" took over ten years. This certainly bears fruit in the final product. Characters in the history of Disney are fully fleshed out, giving the reader tremendous insight into their personalities, skills and artistic talents and growth. The focus is on animator Art Babbitt, once held in high-esteem by Walt but who, eventually, became persona non grata at the Studio following his leadership in the animators strike of 1941. Although rehired, his best days at Disney were behind him. Regardless, his contributions to the legacy of Disney animation came full circle when he was honored for his animation during Disney's Golden era (1932 to 1942, with progressively sophisticated shorts and the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, up to Bambi), when he was named a Disney Legend in 2007.

This book is highly recommended for animation enthusiasts, and Disney history enthusiasts, casual or serious. Friedman does a wonderful job of outlining the history of organized labor in the 20th century, a topic that continues to resonate today. The discipline at the time was animation, and today unionization efforts focus on newer disciplines such as coffee baristas, and timeless subjects such as warehouse employees.

[James Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jake S. Friedman's "The Disney Revolt: The Great Labor War of Animation's Golden Age" is a thoroughly researched and well-written history regarding the 1941 Disney strike. The book focuses on two men: Studio head Walt Disney and animator Art Babbitt. During the 1930s and up to 1941, both men strived to take animation beyond gag-filled short subjects to feature-length productions that could captivate audiences. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," along with "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia," did just that.

However, the 1930s also saw labor unions spread across Hollywood. The union that became the Screen Cartoonists Guild included animators from Warner Brothers and MGM. Babbitt felt Disney animators could benefit from joining such a union. Disney opposed labor unions and fought attempts to unionize his studio. Tensions mounted with calls for a strike, which began on May 28, 1941.

Friedman does an excellent job describing the strike, the toll the strike took on both strikers and non-strikers, and the strike's eventual outcome: Walt Disney Productions became a union shop, and Babbitt left the Disney studio. Animation fans, especially Disney animation fans, should seek "The Disney Revolt: The Great Labor War of Animation's Golden Age."

[Ralphz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A widely forgotten episode of Disney history is covered in this very fair, enlightening book.

"The Disney Revolt" is about the 1941 animator strike that changed the studio for all time. Animators got the money and other perks they wanted, but the atmosphere of the studio changed.

This follows the two main characters, Walt Disney and animator and strike leader Art Babbitt. The background of both men is outlined first to show how it got to the point of strike and the mess afterward.

This book fires straight down the middle, sympathetic to both sides and pointing out mistakes both made. It's very fair and a little sad it came to what it did.

Walt, reeling from the high costs of animation and the loss of European markets because of the war, was on the brink of bankruptcy. Babbitt and some of the animators felt underappreciated and wanted more. Both sides were stubborn and almost brought down the studio.

Ultimately, the strikers got a good deal of what they wanted and Walt was so angry and disheartened that his interest started to move away from animation to another interest ... Disneyland.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book after a recommendation in the Editor's Guild newsletter. I am a scholar of Hollywood history. This book is a well written story about the rise of the cartoonists at Disney in the '30's and '40's led by Art Babbit, an artist very much like his one time friend, Walt Disney. The story follows these two artists as they become enemies. Not only does the book cover the history but it uncovers the personalities and the drama of this moment. The book follows, The involvement of organized crime in IATSE and the attempts to expunge the crooks from ranks; The evolution of the art of animation; Walt Disney's struggle to stay above water as Europe went to war; Art Babbit's fight to help the underpaid people around him; Art Babbit's tumultuous marriage to the women who was the model for Snow White. The wild parties; The studio sponsored lectures and educational events. The tensions of the picket line. A terrific and edifying read.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s not much I can say about this book honestly. It just felt like a solid read about Walt Disney history. The book kind of had a slow start as it begins as a sort of biography about Walt Disney and Art Babbitt. If you’ve read any biographies about Walt Disney, then you will probably know a lot of this already before reading, which might make the beginning, feel like it drags a little bit.

Overall, though, I can’t fault it for wanting to inform the reader about the history of both men. So the book itself wasn’t that slow as it is in the beginning. Like I said, it was just a pretty solid biography/history of two men and the strike that affected them. I learned a few things myself, and it does do a bit to tarnish Walt’s reputation. I felt pretty bad for Art Babbitt and a lot of the strikers. I do think they got a raw deal from the strike.

I would definitely say this book deserves to be on the shelf of anyone who is a fan of Walt Disney and the history of the company.

[Richard Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very timely read, especially given that the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes were still ongoing at the time I picked this up. In Neal Gabler's definitive Walt Disney biography, Walt is shown to be anti-union, a reported tyrant as a boss at times, generous at others, and constantly driven by his work. In the midst of production on some classic films, the non-unionised animators went on strike for five weeks to protest inequities of pay and privileges at Disney. It resulted in a new contract, but left a massive gap in the workforce with some heavy-hitter animators leaving (read: fired) as a result of the strike action. Friedman paints an amazing portrait of a moment in time, and while other people have covered this in parts (not least of which being Gabler), this is the most comprehensive coverage of this period we're likely to see for a while. Essential reading for film historians, Disney fans or anyone looking for a proper good story.

[wbforeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was excellent, across-the-board, and a refreshing candor that you don’t really get an official Disney documentaries. This book does a really good job at setting up the main characters of Art Babbitt, his place in Disney history. The innovative growth that happened during Disney’s golden age. Why, Disney and Babbitt would have their view on unionization. What led to the strike, and the issues with the union entities at the period of time. I never felt like this book had a particular viewpoint about the strikers or the non-strikers, and viewed one of the other in a more favorable light. If you are a Disney nerd, I think this book is a great resource for a period of time that Disney never explorers or talks about. I would love a book similar to this about Disney’s war period during World War II. Excellent across-the-board

[Becky Ginther · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a long and detailed history of labor unions and specifically how the Disney Company handled them in the 1940s. I found parts of it interesting, though it was probably a bit too long for me (and too much focused on labor unions in general vs. the Disney parts). It was primarily about cartoonist Art Babbitt, and we really got his whole backstory in great detail too.

The read is fairly dry, though I guess that's to be expected. If you are interested in this topic I can say you will get full coverage, and the author does a good job of staying neutral - it didn't feel like Walt Disney himself was portrayed as either horrible or wonderful.

I wish it had been more condensed because I lost interest a lot in the first half, which felt somewhat unnecessary. But once we actually got to the strike itself I thought it was pretty interesting.

[Gus McClain · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of (if not) the most comprehensive accounts of the Animators' Strike during Disney's Golden Age. Many of the institutions, techniques, and artists of the time are provided not only as context for the inevitable "Revolt," as Friedman puts it, but are given real life in their descriptions. In the end, the book is more than a boilerplate account of events; it really sells you on the time period and the men (and women) who made Disney successful, who were responsible for how the animation industry are shaped today, and how they were cheated and screwed by an industry unwilling to provide for them.

If you are interested in animation, this is a nearly perfect read. Unfortunately, many of the struggles these people endured are still present in our Industry today.

Finished November 2024.

[Debbie Wakefield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this non-fiction book. It's a historical narrative about the rise of Disney Animation, focusing on Art Babbitt who would become a key player in the Disney Animation strike in 1941. The book gives key events broader historical context and historical family dynamics.

I feel like I learned a lot and most importantly learned a different side of the narrative I'd always been told at Disney World and from Disney films. Some of the events from the opening chapters are outlined in the "One Man's Dream" movie shown at MGM students, just in a completely "Walt's rosy retrospection" way. Like in Walt's narration the video would say, "I suddenly decided to go to Hollywood" whereas in the book you learn he moved to avoid creditors and he was fleeing.

[Atticus · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Defunctland fan, I had a little knowledge of the history of Disney studios and the issues they faced. This book dived into the details of it all - Art Babbitt, Willie Bioff, Walt's history of fear of union men, and (of course) a greedy corporate lawyer. I was totally captured by this. Even the parts that I found a little slow, where the author discussed the history of mafia interference with unions, were easy to read. The entire book was accessible, with an engaging writing style and copies of pictures and sketches. What I found the most interesting was how Friedman never attempted to dehumanize any party, or make them seem pitiable. He just told the details of the entire saga in a way that kept me coming back for more.

[Mariah Oleszkowicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched, exceptionally well organized, and all sides of the labor dispute treated fairly. I really enjoyed reading this book - the way each major person was introduced made them memorable and their role was clearly defined. I learned a lot about how cartoons were made and the history of the early Disney classics.
The fact that Art Babbitt's second wife survived concentration camps because of Snow White was amazing (p 135).
I had heard that Disney was an anti-semite but "Veterans of the Disney strike called Walt an anti-semite...However the accusation had only emerged in the fury and aftermath of the labor dispute; at no time beforehand is it remotely alluded to." (p247)

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and enlightening book about a topic and time period not often discussed in other Disney history books, the Disney animators' strike of 1941. Most of the book provides background information about the main players, especially Walt Disney and animator Art Babbitt, as well as the early days of the Walt Disney Studios from Steamboat Willie and the Silly Symphonies to the first feature length animated movie, Snow White, and the making of Fantasia, Pinocchio, and Dumbo. A must read for fans of Disney history!

[Cherrie Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up for research as I’m getting more involved in organizing for the animation union, fully expecting this be a boring textbook-like read.

To my surprise, it’s a total page turner, well written and well researched. It starts from the very very very beginning of Walt Disney and everything leading up to the unionization of Hollywood. The historical context was way more fascinating than I could have imagined and it was incredibly informative to have this perspective in light of the recent strike discussions (WGA/SAG, etc)

Highly recommend!

[Julian Hester · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite book of the year! Any fan of Animation, Disney hell even the Mafia will get a kick out of this book. I felt like a fly on the wall with this book, Jake paints a picture of the atmosphere, the intent, the players in the story so vividly. I can't say enough good things about this book. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars, I am on my second go around of reading this book and Im having just as much fun rereading it! Well done Jake, can't wait for your next book!

[Dennis Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating and thorough study of a very important historical event, largely buried in the Disney image. Over a thousand references are listed in the appendix, and they are all excellently condensed into a text one only 250 pages. I learned a lot about the people involve, the causes and the results of the strike. There was much I didn't know, and this book concisely tells this story. Very highly recommended