From 1914 to 1921, this house was home to the family of world famous film animator Walt Disney. It was here that Disney first developed a passion for entertaining and an interest in cartooning. Walt set up a makeshift art studio in the garage where he used a borrowed motion picture camera to experiment with different animation techniques, creating what became the first Laugh-O-gram shorts and the start of his success. Various members of the Disney family occupied the residence until November 1921, when Walt’s father sold the house. Today, it remains a private residence and is not open to the public. The house and garage were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Walt wrote "Well here I am but no mustache."
In 1922, the Isis Theatre was one of the local theaters showing Walt Disney’s animated cartoon reels produced by Laugh-O-gram Films Inc.. Disney also used the theatre to promote the Laugh-O-gram studio, with footage captured during a South Central Business Association parade. Notable music composer Carl Stalling was the theater's organist and became friends with Disney, which sparked a working relationship with Laugh-O-gram Films and Disney Brothers years later. When several months of backdated rent was due to the McConahay building, Disney packed up and moved the Laugh-O-gram studio into the Wirthman Building, where Isis Theatre operated from. He spent one month here before leaving for California.
Shortly after founding Laugh-O-gram Films, Walt decided he could no longer afford the expense of keeping his apartment. He moved into the Laugh-O-gram building and it became both his home and his place of employment. As he slept there at night, he heard mice come out looking for the crumbs from his employees’ lunches which were tossed into a wire wastebasket. He began to put out food for these mice, luring them closer to him each night. He said that one muse was braver than the others and eventually that mouse became tame and played on Walt’s drawing board while he worked. The mouse stayed in a drawer of his desk and in a small cage Walt bought for him. A look back to 1922 to see the world of Walt Disney at the Laugh-O-gram Studio is black & white view of that world. Since color photography did not become commonplace until decades later, our view of Disney in Kansas City lacks the life and vibrancy of full color. Deb Pieti, however, is helping Laugh-O-gram devotees change that. Deb is an accomplished photo digital artist who specializes in colorizing old black & white photos. Deb is working with Thank You Walt Disney, the non-profit that owns and is renovating Walt Disney’s Laugh-O-gram Studio in Kansas City, to create colorized versions of Laugh-O-gram photos that will be displayed in the renovated building. Here is an example of one of Deb’s completed projects: The original black & white photo was taken on the roof of the McConahay building during a filming session of Walt and his Laugh-O-gram crew. Note how Deb’s colorized version brings that scene to life! Her colorized photos will help Laugh-O-gram visitors gain a greater sense of immediacy during their visit to Walt’s former studio. Here is another example of her work to date on photos relevant to Walt’s time at Laugh-O-gram in Kansas City: You have probably seen this black & white title logo from one of the Laugh-O-gram films. Deb’s use of vivid colors brings refreshing energy and spark to that artwork. Deb also used her photo retouching skills to help this 1920’s Baron Missakian photo transform from a sepia toned artifact to a dynamic image of the brooding young Disney.
Source: Thank you Walt Disney Toys for Tots began in 1947 as the brain child of Marine Corps Reserve Major Bill Hendricks. Bill Hendrick’s civilian job was Director of Public Relations at Warner Brothers Studios. He was friends with many celebrities who he asked to help support the newly created Marine Toys for Tots Program. As a personal friend and as a favor to Bill, Walt Disney designed the first Toys for Tots poster which included a miniature three-car train that was subsequently adopted as the Toys for Tots logo. Walt Disney designed the first national Toys for Tots poster which included the now famous Toys for Tots Train Logo. These Christmas posters have become a recognized part of the annual program, and through the years have featured such notable characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
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