Walt Disney

Walter Elias Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an Academy Award winning American animator who revolutionized animation in film. His name is known worldwide as that of the animation empire he built, and of the famous Disney theme parks.

He was born to Flora and Elias Disney in the winter of 1901.

As a co-founder (with his brother Roy O. Disney) of Walt Disney Productions, Walt became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. The company continues to be film juggernaut, as it has produced four of the top 25 grossing films in history.

Disney was a prolific award winner. He holds the record for most Oscar nominations with 48. He was nearly half of them - 22 in total.

Disney created many of the world's most renown and loved animations. Donald Duck, Goofy, and the iconic Mickey Mouse were all Disney creations.

During the winter of 1966, a few weeks prior to the opening of Disney World, Walt Disney died as a result of complications due to lung cancer.

There has been a persistent rumor that Disney's body was frozen after his death; however, in 1995 Snopes.com denied the rumor, while the official death certificate records that his body was cremated.