Today Is One of the Most Important Disney Anniversaries (But Few Fans Even Realize It)

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Many Disney fans remember key moments like the debut of *Steamboat Willie*, the opening of Disneyland, or the start of the Disney Renaissance with *The Little Mermaid*. But arguably the most important anniversary is often overlooked. This date marks the very beginning of what is now a $91 billion media empire. Without it, we wouldn’t have Mickey Mouse, Disney’s famous theme parks, Pixar, Marvel, or the Disney experience we all love.

More than a hundred years ago, Walt and Roy O. Disney began pursuing their dream from a rented garage. On October 16, 1923, they officially launched the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in Los Feliz, California. Their first creation was *Alice’s Comedies*, a series that combined real-life footage of a young girl with animated cartoons. They had no idea that this small beginning would grow into a major force in 20th-century entertainment.

The Humble Beginning of the Global Disney Empire

On a memorable day in October, Walt and Roy Disney officially started their company after reaching an agreement with New York producer Margaret J. Winkler to distribute Alice’s Comedies. This deal was built around a test pilot called “Alice’s Wonderland,” which Walt had originally created with his previous studio in Kansas City. Winkler, a pioneering female producer in Hollywood, provided crucial support that allowed the brothers to develop the series. These short films uniquely blended live-action footage with animation, featuring a young actress named Virginia Davis interacting with hand-drawn cartoon characters. This innovative approach was ahead of its time, hinting at the future popularity of both animation and live-action filmmaking, and paving the way for later hybrid films like Mary Poppins, Pete’s Dragon, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

The studio started as a small office tucked away in the back of a real estate agency at 4651 Kingswell Avenue. Walt focused on creating the animations, while Roy managed the business side and operated the camera. Walt even lived close by, renting a room from his aunt and uncle so he could work late into the night. Their first released cartoon, “Alice’s Day at Sea,” came out in 1924 and, while not a huge hit, earned them enough money to move to a larger space on Hyperion Avenue. It was there that they created *Oswald the Lucky Rabbit* and, eventually, the world-famous *Mickey Mouse*.

Originally founded in 1923 as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, the company officially became The Walt Disney Studio in 1929. Over the next ten years, Disney revolutionized animation with groundbreaking achievements like *Steamboat Willie*, the first cartoon with synchronized sound, *Flowers and Trees*, the first full-color short, and *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*, the first full-length animated feature film. What began as a small operation in a rented room in Los Feliz has grown into a global storytelling empire, stretching from Burbank to Shanghai and encompassing everything from classic 2D animation and Walt Disney’s Academy Awards to modern franchises like Marvel, *Star Wars*, and the Disney+ streaming service. Today, October 16th, marks the company’s 102nd anniversary and is a special day for Disney enthusiasts.

What’s your most cherished memory from the beginning of Disney? Share it in the comments below and discuss with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-10-16 14:10