WALT. DISNEY’S ART

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 September 1934, Page 10

WALT. DISNEY’S ART

MAKER OF ANIMATED CARTOONS Walt Disney, the pied piper of the movies, is now an established wizard in the cinema world. He was the gay creator of Mickey Mouse, and his squeaky inamorata, Minnie, which series of “komic kartoons" intrigued not only the juvenile patrons of the film world, but, much to Disney’s surprise. found favour with adults, showing that after all fathers and mothers are only little children grown up. It must not be assumed that Walt Disney’s pathway through picturedom has ever been strewn with rose leaves. He was born in Chicago thirty-two years ago, and had a smattering of newspaper drawing before he left for Kansas City, where he endeavoured to barge into the commercial art busiJness with no success at all, and was reduced to doiiing up barbers’ signs in return for a usually much-needed haircut. He was keen on animated cartoons, and began by raiding the fairy tales, but this Kansas City venture failed. Still there was the idea, and it,was faith in it which induced him and his brother to head for Hollywood. There both went hungry for some time. Walt did not strike any luck until Charles Mintz for Universal engaged Disney to elaborate some rabbit animated pictures. That cnkfiled the birth of “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit,” which sold pretty well, and is still alive. It was while working on tho “Oswald” series that Disney, also aware of the “Krasy Kat” successes, resolved to try his clever hand on a mouse picture, so 1928 saw the entry into the world of that famous illusory robot, with the wide mouth and the goggly eyes, “Mickey Mouse.” This was made by Disney and Ub Iwerks (who was the artistic genius behind tho early Disneys). A partnership wa s formed between I lie two Disneys (the brother was a business man) and Iwerks, and together they peddled their wares up and down Broadway. Some difficulty was encountered, as tho cartoons were silent, and sound pictures were just beginning to boom. At this juncture the firm met Patrick Powers, the inventor of the cinephone sound process. He wanted pictures on which to impose his sound ideas, so they found it easy to sell “Steamboat Willie,” the first “Mickey Mouse”- picture, to him. After some difficulty Powers managed to get his second Disney into the great Roxy Theatre at New York. That was the beginning of fame. Instead of ono week the film held the screen for three weeks. The reaction of the comic appeal “Mickey” was beyoud speculation. The | Disneys by this time had entered intoj a ten-ycar agreement with the shrewd Irishman, and saw their mistake too late. I

In tho meantime the demand for; “Mickey Mouse” pictures became so great that the artists had to introduce a new series, (in 1929). So the Silly Symphonies came into being, and were a great success from thei first. Still the Disneys, tied up to I Powers, were not making . fortunes.] Such an unfair arrangement had to; end, and at length the law decided; the issue, and they began to work] somewhat freer of the trammels which had beset them. Then cattle] the introduction of colour, which has, given the Symphonies an added gla-] mour. They are now works of art, or ; perhaps one should say art and science combined, as each picture, in order

to get a moving sequence has to be almost mathematically “spaced,” so to speak. A LARGE STAFF It may interest the public to know that “The Three Little Pigs” required 12,992 drawings, .and after they are drawn they have to be coloured, and then matched with sound effects of all kinds, speaking and singing voices, and measured music. There is now a studio devoted solely to Disney productions, which includes tho drawing of newspaper cartoons. The Disney outfit employs a dozen story men, gag men and scenarists. There are forty men who draw the movements of the figures on the Disney plan, and forty-five assistant animators. There are thirty girls who trace and colour the non-moving parts of the pictures, and paint backgrounds. There is also an orchestra of twenty-four, in addition to which there are special sound effect men, special voices, electricians, film developers, photographers, laboratory chemists, dubbing staff and menial workers, in all an organisation of 187 people. This studio at night is identified by a large illuminated “Mickey Mouse,” and it is good to know that the property is that of the Disney Company, and ono of the few in Hollywood without a mortgage. Mickey Mouse” has no nationality. He is a “cosmop” of the gayest abandon. In France he is known as Michel Souris; in Germany Michael Maus; in Japan Mikel Kuchi; Spain, Miguel Ratonicito, or Miguel Pericote; in Italy, Michele Jopolino; in Greece, Mickel Mus; and so on. Each. country loves him, and every picture is “dubbed” in two foreign languages. Then as an adjunct to tho Disney enterprises there are the Mickey Mouse toys, writing paper, gum or candy, prints, novelettes, effigies, over which the creator has protected rights, so that it looks as though Wall Disney will yet become ono of fiimdom’s millionaires, and that through the magic of his humorous artistry.