Today is the anniversary of the 1901 birth of one of the most famous and culturally significant Americans in history: Walt Disney.
Walt Disney was a quintessential American and one of the most inspiring instances of the rags-to-riches American Dream. He was a visionary and a pioneer in so many fields: animation, film-making, documentaries, technology, theme parks, themed merchandising, and more. He was an artist, an actor, a producer, an educator, and a company head.
Walt, who was a Christian and a Republican, would be shocked and horrified at how woke his company has become now, but he cemented his own legacy before his premature death in a way that even his own company cannot destroy. He and his studio had a lot of firsts during his career, including the first sound cartoon, the first color cartoon, the first animated feature film, the first major theme park, and the first black male star to win an Oscar.
Not only that, but Walt Disney still holds the record for winning the most Academy Awards (22, plus four honorary) out of anyone else in the history of the Oscars. And his insights and imagination continue to inspire millions of people both in America and overseas to this day.
Related: Walt and Mickey: ‘It Was All Started by a Mouse’
So on the anniversary of Walt’s birth, I’d like to share a few quotes from the man who invented modern entertainment:
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”
“To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” (July 17, 1955, opening day)
“If you can dream it, you can do it.”
“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”
“Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children.”
Related: The Happiest Place on Earth: Disneyland Turns 70
“I love the nostalgic myself. I hope we never lose some of the things of the past.”
“The important thing is the family.”
“A man should never neglect his family for business.”
“I believe firmly in the efficacy of religion, in its powerful influence on a person’s whole life.”
“Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, dreams are forever.”
“Actually, if you could see close in my eyes, the American flag is waving in both of them, and up my spine is growing this red, white, and blue stripe.”
“The difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting.”
“By nature I’m an experimenter. To this day, I don’t believe in sequels. I can’t follow popular cycles. I have to move on to new things. So with the success of Mickey, I was determined to diversify.”
“Whatever you do, do it well.”
Related: Walt Disney, Patriot and Lover of American Rights
“People often ask me if I know the secret of success and if I could tell others how to make their dreams come true. My answer is, you do it by working.”
“Laughter is America’s most important export.”
“It’s a mistake not to give people a chance to learn to depend on themselves while they are young.”
“Happiness is a state of mind. It’s just according to the way you look at things.”
“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates’ loot on Treasure Island and at the bottom of the Spanish Main … and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life.”
“Why do we have to grow up? I know more adults who have the children’s approach to life … They are not afraid to be delighted with simple pleasures, and they have a degree of contentment with what life has brought — sometimes it isn’t much, either.”
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things because we’re curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
Editor’s Note: Support and follow PJ Media’s coverage of breaking news and cultural analysis. Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
