The Walt Disney Company

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The Walt Disney Company
Type Public (NYSEDIS)
Founded Hollywood, California, USA[1]
(October 16, 1923)
Founder Walt and Roy Disney
Headquarters The Walt Disney Studios
Burbank, California, USA
Key people John E. Pepper, Jr. (Chairman)
Robert Iger (CEO) & (President)
Anne Sweeney (President, Disney-ABC Television Group and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks)
Industry Media and Entertainment
Market cap US$ 57 billion (2008)[2]
Revenue US$ 35.51 Billion (2007)[3]
Operating income US$ 7.827 billion (2007)[3]
Net income US$ 3.832 billion (2007)[3]
Employees 137,000 (2008)
Divisions ABC, ABC Family, ABC Kids, Walt Disney Distribution, Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, Disney Channel, ESPN, Jetix, Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Walt Disney Television Animation, Walt Disney Records, Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Miramax Films, ABC Studios, Playhouse Disney, Disney Consumer Products, Pixar, Soapnet, Disney Interactive Studios, Muppets Holding Company, Disney Store, Toon Disney, New Horizon Interactive, and Hollywood Records
Website Disney.com

The Walt Disney Company (NYSEDIS) is the largest media and entertainment corporations in the world. Founded on October 16, 1923, by brothers Walt and Roy Disney as an animation studio, it has become one of the biggest Hollywood studios, and owner and licensor of eleven theme parks and several television networks, including ABC and ESPN. Disney's corporate headquarters and primary production facilities are located at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. The company is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Contents

[edit] Subsidiaries

See also: List of assets owned by Disney
See also: List of channels owned by Disney

[edit] Consumer products

[edit] Disney parks

The Walt Disney Company owns and operates a series of resorts around the world including the Walt Disney World Resort, the largest vacation resort in the world. These resorts are managed by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts division. These are:


Tokyo Disney Resort is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company with a license from The Walt Disney Company.

[edit] Timeline

[edit] Founding and early success (1922–1966)

Year Notable Business Events Notable Releases
(See List of Disney feature films for complete film listing)
1923
  • Walt Disney signed a contract with M.J. Winkler to produce a series of Alice Comedies, beginning the Disney company under its original name Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, with brothers Walt and Roy Disney, as equal partners.[1]
1924
  • First Alice comedy, Alice's Day at Sea, released.
1926
  • Company changed name to The Walt Disney Studio shortly after moving into the new studio on Hyperion Avenue in the Silver Lake district.
1927
1928
  • Walt loses the Oswald series contract
1929
  • On December 16, the original partnership formed in 1923 is replaced by Walt Disney Productions, Ltd. Three other companies, Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company, and Liled Realty and Investment Company, are also formed.
1932
1937
1938
  • On September 29, Walt Disney Enterprises, Disney Film Recording Company, and Liled Realty and Investment Company are merged into Walt Disney Productions.
1940
  • Studio moves to Burbank, California
1941
1942
1943
1944
  • The company is short on money; a theatrical re-release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs generates much-needed revenue and begins a reissue pattern for the animated feature films.
1945

The Three Caballeros

1946

Song of the South

1947
  • Signs their first independent studio, The Byrnest Studio in Orlando[citation needed]
1949
  • The studio begins production on its first all-live action feature, Treasure Island
  • The True-Life Adventures series begins
1950
1951 Alice in Wonderland
1952
1953
1954
1955
1957
  • Walt Disney Productions goes public
1959
1961
1963
1964
1966

[edit] After Walt Disney's death (1967-1983)

Year Notable Business Events Notable Releases
(See List of Disney feature films for complete film listing)
1967
1968
  • The name Walt Disney Productions changed to Walt Disney Enterprises
1970
1971
  • The Walt Disney World Resort opens
  • Roy Oliver Disney dies; Donn Tatum becomes chairman and Card Walker becomes president
1973
1977
  • Walt's nephew Roy Edward Disney, resigns from the company citing a decline in overall product quality and issues with management.
1980
1981
  • Plans for a cable network are announced.
  • Dumbo is Disney's first animated feature released on video.
1982
1983

[edit] Eisner era (1984–2004)

Year Notable Business Events Notable Releases
(See List of Disney feature films for complete listing)
1984
1985
1986
  • The company's name is changed on February 6 from Walt Disney Productions to The Walt Disney Company.
  • Disney's first R-rated film, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, is released under the Touchstone banner.
1987
1988
1989
  • Disney offers a deal to buy Jim Henson's Muppets and have the famed puppeteer work with Disney resources.
  • Disney-MGM Studios opens at Walt Disney World.
1990
  • Jim Henson's death sours the deal to buy his holdings.
  • The anthology series is canceled for the second time. The Disney Afternoon block debuts.
1991
1992
1993
  • Disney acquires independent film distributor Miramax Films.
  • Winnie the Pooh merchandise outsells Mickey Mouse merchandise for the first time.
  • The policy of periodic theatrical re-issues ends with this year's re-issue of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but is augmented for video.
1994
1995
  • In October, the company hires Hollywood super agent Michael Ovitz to be president.
  • Disney purchases DiC Entertainment, and owned rights to shows, including Inspector Gadget (which eventually would be made into a live-action film in 1999) and dubbing of the first two seasons of Sailor Moon.
1996
  • The company takes on the Disney Enterprises name and acquires the Capital Cities/ABC group, renaming it ABC, Inc.
  • To celebrate the pairing, ABC's first Super Soap Weekend is held at Walt Disney World.
  • Disney makes deal with Tokuma Shoten for dubbing and releasing of Studio Ghibli films in the U.S. In December, Michael Ovitz, president of the company, leaves "by mutual consent".
1997
  • The anthology series is revived again.
  • The home video division releases its first DVDs.
  • Disney takes control of the Major League Baseball franchise the California Angels of the American League, renaming the team the Anaheim Angels in order to coincide with Disney's hockey team the Mighty Ducks and to draw more tourism to Anaheim and nearby Disneyland.
1998
1999
2000
  • Robert Iger becomes president.
  • Disney-owned TV channels are pulled from Time Warner Cable briefly during a dispute over carriage fees.
  • Disney begins its Gold Classic Collection DVD line.
2001
  • Disney's California Adventure and Tokyo DisneySea open to the public.
  • Disney buys Fox Family Network for $3 billion in July, giving Disney programming and cable network reaching 81 million homes.
  • Disney changes Fox Family Network to ABC Family.
  • Fort Worth billionaire Sid Bass is forced to sell his Disney holdings due to a margin call caused partially by the stock market fall that followed the 9/11 attacks.
  • The fact that Bass had bought his shares on margin was a shock when it was revealed.
  • Losing Bass was a blow to Eisner; Bass was one of his major backers and had recruited Eisner to Disney.
  • Disney begins its Platinum Edition DVD line with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as well as the Walt Disney Treasures DVD box set line for the collector's market.
2002
2003
  • Roy E. Disney resigns as the chairman of Feature Animation and from the board of directors, citing similar reasons to those that drove him off 26 years earlier. Fellow director Stanley Gold resigns with him. They establish a group called "Save Disney" to apply public pressure to oust Michael Eisner.
  • Pixar ends distribution agreement with Disney.[5]
  • Disney buys the Power Ranger franchise from Saban.
2004
  • Comcast makes an unsuccessful hostile bid for the company.
  • Eisner is replaced by George J. Mitchell as chairman of the board after a 43% vote of no confidence.
  • Disney turns down distributing controversial documentary film Fahrenheit 9/11, which ends up making $100 million.
  • On February 17, Disney buys the Muppets, excluding the Sesame Street characters.
  • Disney creates Jetix the children's block that mainly consists of Fox Kids shows and original programming on ABC Family and Toon Disney.
  • Disney Store chain licensed to The Children's Place.

[edit] Iger era (2005–Present)

Year Notable Business Events Notable Releases
(See List of Disney feature films for complete listing)
2005
  • Disney sells the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to Henry Samueli of Broadcom
  • On July 8, Roy E. Disney rejoins the company as a consultant with the title of Director Emeritus.
  • Disneyland celebrates its 50th anniversary on July 17.
  • Hong Kong Disneyland officially opens on September 12.
  • Bob Iger replaces Michael Eisner as CEO.
2006
2007
2008
  • Disney Store chain is reacquired from The Children's Place

[edit] Senior Executive Management

[edit] Current board of directors

[edit] Chairmen of the Board

  • 1945-1960: Walt Disney
  • 1945-1971: Roy O. Disney (Co-Chair 1945-1960)
  • 1971-1980: Donn Tatum
  • 1980-1983: Card Walker
  • 1983-1984: Raymond Watson
  • 1984-2004: Michael Eisner
  • 2004-2006: George J. Mitchell
  • 2007-present: John E. Pepper, Jr.

[edit] Vice Chairman of the Board

  • 1984-2003: Roy E. Disney
  • 1999-2000: Sanford Litvack (Co-Vice Chair)

[edit] Chief Executive Officers

  • 1968-1971: Roy O. Disney
  • 1971-1976: Donn Tatum
  • 1976-1983: Card Walker
  • 1983-1984: Ron W. Miller
  • 1984-2005: Michael Eisner
  • 2005-present: Robert Iger

[edit] Criticism & conflict

Disney's media releases and company practices, have prompted action, including from activists, artists and causes around the world.

  • Religious groups, such as the Catholic League, have spoken out against the release of material which they and others found offensive, including vehement protests of the Miramax Films features Priest (1994) and Dogma (1999).[6] Disney pushed back the release date for Dogma due to the controversy surrounding the movie, and eventually sold the distribution rights to Lions Gate Films. The ABC show Nothing Sacred, about a Jesuit priest, a children's book called Growing Up Gay (published by Disney-owned Hyperion Press), the annual Gay and Lesbian Days at Disney theme parks, and similar issues spurred boycotts of Disney and its advertisers by the Catholic League, the Assemblies of God, and other conservative groups.[7][6][8]
  • In 1995 an anti-abortion group, American Life League (ALL), alleged that several Disney films, including The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin, contained subliminal messages and sexual imagery.[11][12] The latter allegation was later denied by Tom Sito, a Disney animator and a writer for The Lion King, said that the letters written in the dust were actually "S.F.X". It was intended to be an easter egg signature from the animation department, and that the controversy that followed was entirely unintentional.[13]
  • The company has been accused of human rights violations regarding the working conditions in factories that produce their merchandise.[14][15] It has been criticized also by animal welfare groups, for their care of and procedures for wild animals at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park.[16] and for using purebred dogs in movies such as 101 Dalmatians. Animal rights groups claim movies with purebreds create an artificial demand for purebreds from people who may not be prepared or temperamentally suited for the animals, many of whom end up abandoned or surrendered to shelters or rescue groups.[17]
  • An environmental management plan for a zone of Great Guana Cay, in the Abaco Islands, criticized Disney for poor management of a 90-acre (36.4 ha) tract of the island. Disney partially developed but then abandoned the place, which was to have been a cruise ship resort called Treasure Island. The report, by the University of Miami and the College of the Bahamas, blames Disney for leaving hazardous materials, electrical transformers, and fuel tanks, and for introducing invasive alien plants and insects that threaten the natural flora and fauna of the island.[18]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Company History". Corporate Information. The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved on 2008-08-30.
  2. ^ "Company Profile for The Walt Disney Co (DIS)". Retrieved on 2008-09-30.
  3. ^ a b c "The Walt Disney Company 2007 Annual Report". The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved on 2008-08-30.
  4. ^ "Top 100 Animated Films @ Box Office". boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-30.
  5. ^ "Pixar dumps Disney". CNN (2004-01-30). Retrieved on 2008-08-30.
  6. ^ a b "75 Organizations Asked To Join Showtime Boycott". Catalyst Online. Catholic League (2001-05-29). Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  7. ^ "Disney Boycott Expands". Catalyst. Catholic League (October 1996). Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  8. ^ "Petitions and Boycott Stir Disney". Catalyst Online. Catholic League (October 1997). Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  9. ^ "Southern Baptists drop Disney boycott". Gay.com. PlanetOut Inc. (2005-06-22). Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  10. ^ "Christian group calls off Disney boycott". Gay.com. PlanetOut Inc. (2005-05-24). Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  11. ^ Ostman, Ronald E. (1996), "Disney and Its Conservative Critics: Images versus Realities", Journal of Popular Film and Television 24(2): 82 
  12. ^ Smith, Leef (1995-09-01). "Disney's Loin King? Group Sees Dirt in the Dust", Washington Post. Retrieved on 2008-08-30. 
  13. ^ Pinsky, Mark. The Gospel According to Disney: Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 0664225918. 
  14. ^ "Beware of Mickey: Disney's Sweatshop in South China". Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (2007-02-10). Archived from the original on 2007-02-10. Retrieved on 2008-08-30.
  15. ^ Staff writer (2001-06-20). "source Disney's duds are tops in sweatshop labour, Oxfam", CBC.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-30. 
  16. ^ Drummond, Tammerlin (1998-04-20). "Caution: Live Animals", TIME. Retrieved on 2008-08-30. 
  17. ^ Walton, Marsha (2003-06-30). "'Nemo' fans net fish warning". CNN.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-30.
  18. ^ Sullivan-Sealey, K; Cushion, N., Semon, K., Constantine, S. (2005). "Environmental Management Program for Baker’s Bay Club. Great Guana Cay, Abaco, Bahamas" (PDF). University of Miami. Retrieved on 2008-08-30.

[edit] See also

[edit] Books

  • Walt Disney: An American Original, Bob Thomas, 1976, revised 1994
  • The Story of Walt Disney, Diane Disney Miller & Pete Martin, 1957
  • Cult of the Mouse: Can We Stop Corporate Greed from Killing Innovation in America?, Henry M. Caroselli, 2004, Ten Speed Press, ISBN
  • The Disney Version: The Life, Times, Art and Commerce of Walt Disney, Richard Schickel, 1968, revised 1997, ISBN
  • The Man Behind the Magic; the Story of Walt Disney, Katherine & Richard Greene, 1991, revised 1998
  • Disney: The Mouse Betrayed, Peter Schweizer
  • Storming the Magic Kingdom: Wall Street, the raiders, and the battle for Disney, John Taylor, 1987, [1], [2], ISBN ISBN
  • Building a Company: Roy O. Disney and the Creation of an Entertainment Empire, Bob Thomas, 1998, ISBN
  • How to Read Donald Duck: Imperialist Ideology in the Disney Comic ISBN 0-88477-023-0 (Anti-Disney Marxist Critique) Ariel Dorfman, Armand Mattelart, David Kunzle
  • Donald Duck Joins Up; the Walt Disney Studio During World War II, Richard Shale, 1982
  • The Keys to the Kingdom: How Michael Eisner Lost His Grip, Kim Masters, 20, ISBN
  • Building a Dream; The Art of Disney Architecture, Beth Dunlop, 1996
  • Disneyization of Society: Alan Bryman, 2004, ISBN
  • DisneyWar, James B. Stewart, 2005, ISBN, ISBN
  • Married to the Mouse, Richard E. Foglesorg, Yale University Press.
  • Mouse Tracks: The Story of Walt Disney Records, Tim Hollis and Greg Ehrbar, 2006, ISBN
  • Mouse Tales: A Behind-the-Ears Look at Disneyland, David Koenig, 1994, revised 2005, ISBN 0-9640605-4-X
  • Inside the Dream: The Personal Story of Walt Disney, Katherine Greene & Richard Greene, 2001, ISBN
  • Team Rodent, Carl Hiassen.
  • Disneyana: Walt Disney Collectibles, Cecil Munsey, 1974

[edit] External links

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