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When did Walt Disney die?
Walter Elias Disney died on December 15, 1966 from lung cancer - after many years of chain smoking cigarettes.
On November 2, 1966 during pre-operative tests for a planned neck surgery to correct a polo injury, the Providence St. Joseph Medical Center discovered Walt Disney had a tumor on his lung. Doctors removed his entire left lung, but still told Walt that he has between six months and year to live.
During his last few months Walt and his wife spent time in Palm Springs. On November 30, 1966 Walt collapsed in his home but was saved by paramedics. He was taken to the hospital where he died.
Walt Disney was the co-founder of Walt Disney Production (now known as The Walt Disney Company) together with his brother, Roy O. Disney. Today, the Walt Disney Company has revenues of approximately $35 billion per year.
Walt was born on December 5, 1901 to father Elias Disney and mother Flora Call Disney in Chicago, Illinois. When Walt was four year old his family moved to Marceline, Missouri (the city which later became the inspiration for Main Street USA in the Disney theme parks).
The Disney family moved to Kansas City in 1911, but then moved back to Chicago in 1917 when Elias purchased chares in the O-Zell jelly factory. But Walt once again returned to Kansas City to begin his career as an artist in 1919 where he created ads for newspapers and magazines.
Next Walt Disney and his brother Roy joined together to start a cartoon studio in Hollywood, California. Disney lost the rights to his first popular character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, and in response created a new character - Mickey Mouse.
Walt received an Academy Award in 1932 for creating Mickey Mouse.
Disney expanded his work in animation by making plans for a full length animated movie – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The film industry dubbed it “Disney’s Folly” and both his wife and his bother tried to talk him out of doing the project. But he pushed forward. Walt Disney ran out of money while making the movie, but got money from a bank to finish the project. Disney later won an Oscar for the film.
In the late 1940s Walt Disney began drawing sketches for an amusement park for his employees and their children. The idea expanded, and later became Disneyland in California.
Walt did die before the opening of Walt Disney World in Florida on October 1, 1971.
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