Chronology of the Walt Disney Company

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References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2023 December 20.


1929

January 1
  • The Disney studio begins animating the film The Skeleton Dance. [1102.130]
January
  • Walt Disney returns to New York to score two more Mickey Mouse films. [1102.129]
February 14
  • In New York, Walt Disney signs an agreement with Pat Powers for the use of his Cinephone sound system. Disney will pay 25 cents per foot of negative film, and $13,000 licensing fee per year for ten years for use of the Cinephone sound system. [34.52] [40.120] [267.61] [1102.131]
March 17
  • The Mark Strand Theater in New York City premieres the Mickey Mouse film Plane Crazy, with a soundtrack. [63.159]
March 20
  • Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Opry House. [16] [23] [228.374]
March
  • Ben Sharpsteen joins Disney. [501.495] [1102.133]
May 3
  • Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film When the Cat's Away. Minnie Mouse also appears. This film is a remake of the Alice Comedy film Alice Rattled by Rats. [16] [23] [63.73]
(month unknown)
  • The Mickey Mouse film When the Cat's Away is released to theaters. [501.606]
May 10
  • Disney completes the first Silly Symphony film, The Skeleton Dance. [7] [13] [16] [23] (1928 [15])
(month unknown)
  • The Mickey Mouse film When the Cat's Away is released to theaters. [501.606]
June 5
  • Walt Disney applies for a trademark of the image of Mickey Mouse, for use in motion pictures. [113.274]
June 10
  • The first "Sily Symphony" short film, The Skeleton Dance is first shown at the Carthay Circle Theatre. [1257.50]
June 11
  • Walt Disney's trademark application for the image of Mickey Mouse is filed with the United States Patent Office. [113.274]
June
  • King Features newspaper syndicate writes to Disney, suggesting a Mickey Mouse comic strip be produced. [1102.140]
June 28
  • Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Plow Boy introducing Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow. Minnie Mouse also appears. [7] [16] [23] [228.391]
(month unknown)
  • Bill Cottrell joins the Disney studio as a cameraman. [228.105]

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  • The Mickey Mouse film The Barn Dance is released. [1378.60]
  • Disney sues the producer of Aesop's Fables cartoons, claiming similarity to Mickey Mouse. Disney wins the suit. [267.68]
July 2
  • Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Barnyard Battle. [16] [23]
(month unknown)
  • The Mickey Mouse cartoon The Barnyard Battle is released. [1378.60]
July 31
  • The Mickey Mouse film The Karnival Kid is completed. Minnie Mouse also appears. Mickey Mouse speaks his first words: "Hot dog!". [16] [23] [26.167] [97.26] [228.272] [1102.154]
(month unknown)
  • The first song from the Disney studio is written, by Walt Disney and Carl Stalling: "Minnie's Yoo-Hoo". (1930 [37.16])
August 12
  • Walt Disney is granted a trademark for the use of the image of Mickey Mouse in motion pictures. [113.274]
August
  • Charles Giegerich (employee of Pat Powers) makes a distribution agreement with Columbia Pictures for Disney's Silly Symphony films. One film per month is to be delivered, with $5000 advance. Profit sharing is split 65/35 to Powers until all costs are repaid, then the split is 50/50. [1102.138]
August 22
  • The Silly Symphony film The Skeleton Dance premieres at the Carthay Circle Theater in Los Angeles, California. [22] [62] [113.16] [242.23] [267.63] [501.503] [1248.30] (December 31 [34.54])
August 28
  • Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film Mickey's Follies. It includes the first Disney song co-written by Walt Disney, "Minnie's Yoo Hoo". [16] [23] [15] [99.9] [228.326]
September 7
  • The Silly Symphony film El Terrible Toreador is completed. [16] [23]
(month unknown)
  • The Silly Symphony film El Terrible Toreador is released to theaters. [228.158]
September
  • Theater manager Harry Woodin approaches Walt Disney with the idea to start Mickey Mouse Club meetings at theaters. Walt agrees. [23] [96.80] [113.100] [228.321] [327.88] [911.22]
(month unknown)
  • Walt asks Ub Iwerks to prepare some samples for a Mickey Mouse comic strip. [267.69]
October 1
  • The Mickey Mouse film Mickey's Choo-Choo is completed. [16] [23] [228.324]
October 4
  • Disney completes the Silly Symphony film Springtime. [16] [23]
October 15
  • Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Jazz Fool. [16] [23] [228.262]
October 24
  • The Silly Symphony film Springtime is released to theaters. [501.519]
October 30
  • The Silly Symphony film Hell's Bells is released to theaters. This is the first cartoon directed by Ub Iwerks. [228.230]
November 11
  • Disney completes the Silly Symphony film Hell's Bells. [16] [23]
November 15
  • Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film Jungle Rhythm. [16] [23]
November 18
  • Walt Disney sends the first six specimens for a Mickey Mouse comic strip to King Features. [96.77] [113.17] [244.20]
November 21
  • King Features writes to Walt Disney, acknowledging the receipt of six Mickey Mouse comic strip samples, and asking for six more to show the publisher, William Randolph Hearst. [244.20]
(month unknown)
  • The Mickey Mouse film Jungle Rhythm is released to theaters. [228.269]
  • On a business trip to New York, Walt Disney accepts US$300 from a stationery company for the right to imprint Mickey Mouse on school writing tablets. This is the start of cross-promotion of Disney's cartoon characters. [1] [37.19] [48.106] [56.205] [96.72] [228.318] [267.67] (1930 [88.37])
December 1
  • Disney completes the Silly Symphony film The Merry Dwarfs. [16] [23]
December 2
  • Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Haunted House. [16] [23]
(month unknown)
  • The Mickey Mouse film The Haunted House is released to theaters. [228.229]
December 16
  • The partnership of Walt Disney Studios is incorporated and renamed to Walt Disney Productions, Limited. Walt and Lillian own 60 percent of the total 10,000 shares; Roy owns 40 percent. [1] [113.31] [23] [267.137] [1102.330] (1927 [47.140])
  • Disney Film Recording Company, Limited is created as a subsidiary of Walt Disney Productions. [113.31]
  • Walt and Roy Disney set up Walt Disney Enterprises, a division of the company for handling Disney merchandising. [96.72] [113.31]
  • Liled Realty and Investment Company is created, to own real estate used by the other two Disney corporations. [113.31]
  • The Silly Symphony The Merry Dwarfs is released to theaters. [228.318]
December 18
  • Walt Disney sends a second batch of six Mickey Mouse comic strips to King Features. [96.77] [113.17]
December 21
  • Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film Wild Waves. Minnie Mouse also appears. [7] [16] [23]
(month unknown)
  • Roy Disney travels to New York to confront Pat Powers regarding payment for film theater receipts. Powers gives nothing. [267.64]
  • Following Roy Disney's trip to see Pat Powers, Walt goes to see Pat Powers. [267.64]
  • Ub Iwerks tells Roy Disney that he wants to quit, citing differences with Walt. [267.64]
  • In New York, Pat Powers tries to get Walt to sign a five-year contract. Walt refuses. Powers says he has signed Ub Iwerks away for US$300 per week, double what Disney is paying. [267.64]
December 30
  • King Features sends a telegram to Walt Disney, asking permission for the New York Mirror newspaper to begin publishing the Mickey Mouse comic strip in January. Walt replies granting permission. [244.20]

End of 1929. Next: 1930.

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1919-1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933
1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943
1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953
1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963
1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973
1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
2004 2005 2006 2007-2008 2009 2010-2011 2012-end


A list of references to all source material is available.


Last updated: 2023 December 20.
Copyright © 1995-2024 Ken Polsson (email: ken@kpolsson.com).
URL: http://kpolsson.com/disnehis/
Link to Ken P's home page.

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