Disney turns 100. A timeline of key events
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Dec. 5, 1901: Walter Elias Disney is born in Chicago.
Oct. 16, 1923: Walt and his brother Roy, sign an agreement to produce an animated film series called the “Alice Comedies.” They call their company Disney Brothers Studio.
1926: The company’s name is changed to Walt Disney Studio.
1928: Disney introduces the character Mickey Mouse with the release of “Steamboat Willie.”
1937: Disney releases its feature-length film, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," breaking new ground in animated storytelling.
1940: Disney completes its move to a new studio location in Burbank.
1941: Disney animators strike for four months, leaving Walt Disney embittered by what he considered ungrateful employees.
1950: The release of “Cinderella” is a big hit both commercially and critically, revitalizing Walt Disney and his studio.
1955: Disneyland opens in Anaheim.
1964: “Mary Poppins,” Julie Andrews’ first film, premieres.
Dec. 15, 1966: Walt Disney dies at the age of 65.
1971: Walt Disney World opens in Orlando.
1983: Tokyo Disneyland opens.
1984: The Disney board names Michael Eisner chief executive of the company.
1992: Euro Disney opens. (It was renamed Disneyland Paris in 1994.)
1995: Disney buys Capital Cities/ABC for $19 billion. The same year, Disney releases Pixar Animation Studios' "Toy Story," which takes in $361.5 million in worldwide ticket sales.
1997: Disney and Pixar announce a deal to make five additional films together.
1999: After previously owning a minority share, Disney fully purchases the Anaheim Angels baseball team.
2001: The new amusement park California Adventure opens adjacent to Disneyland.
2003: Disney sells the Anaheim Angels to Arte Moreno.
2003: Roy Disney, nephew of Walt Disney, quits the company’s board and calls for the resignation of Eisner, saying the entertainment conglomerate has "lost its focus, its creative energy, and its heritage.”
2005: Walt Disney Co. directors select Robert Iger to succeed Eisner as president.
2009: Disney reaches a deal to acquire comic book company Marvel Entertainment Inc. for $4 billion in cash and stock.
2019: Disney buys the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox for $71.3 billion.
2020: Iger steps down as Disney CEO and is replaced by Bob Chapek.
2022: Iger is rehired as CEO after the board becomes unhappy with the company’s financial performance under Chapek.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
