The Big Six - Walt Disney

Walt Disney is one of the most renowned film production companies in the history of the business and now holds 15.3 percent of the US/Canadian market share (2007 figures). With highly successful movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure, Meet the Robinsons and Enchanted, there's no doubt that Disney will continue to play a key role in the industry for years to come. 

• Walt Disney was founded by Walt and Ron Disney on October 16th, 1923, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. 
• Revenue for 2011 was $40.893 billion. 
• The company has 156,000 employees (2011 figures).
• The chairman and CEO of Walt Disney is now Bob Iger.
• 1923-1928: The Silent Era. In early 1923, Walt Disney created a short film entitled Alice's Wonderland. After the bankruptcy in 1923 of his previous firm, Laugh-O-Gram Films, Disney moved to Hollywood to join his brother Roy O. Disney. Film distributor Margaret J. Winkler of M.J. Winkler Productions contacted Disney with plans to distribute a series of Alice Comedies purchased at $1,500 per reel with Disney as a production partner. Walt and his brother Roy Disney formed Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio that same year. More animated films followed after Alice. In January 1926 with the completion of the Disney studio on Hyperion Street, the Disney Brother's Studio's name is changed to the Walt Disney Studio. Disney developed a cartoon series, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, distributed by Winkler Pictures through Universal Pictures. 
• 1928-1934: Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphonies. In 1928, Disney developed Mickey Mouse and Disney's first sound film Steamboat Willie was released on November 18th, 1928, through Pat Powers' distribution company. It was the first cartoon to feature synchronised sound. Disney continued to produce cartoons with Mickey Mouse and other characters, and began the Silly Symphonies series with Columbia Pictures signing on as Symphonies distributor in August 1929. On December 16th, the Walt Disney Studios partnership is reorganised as a corporation with the name of Walt Disney Productions. In 1932, Disney signed an exclusive contract with Technicolor to produce cartoons in colour, releasing them through Powers' Celebrity Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and United Artists. 
• 1934-1945: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Word War II. Disney began production of it's first feature-length animated film in 1934. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, premiered in December 1937 and became highest-grossing film of that time by 1939. Using the profits from Snow White, Disney financed the construction of a new studio complex in Burbank, California. The new Walt Disney Studios was completed and open by the end of 1939 and on April 2nd 1940, Walt Disney Productions had its initial public offering. After World War II began, box office profits declined. 
• 1946-1954: Post-War and Television. The release of Cinderella in 1950 proved that feature-length animation could still succeed in the marketplace. Other releases of the period included Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, both in production before the war began, and Treasure Island. Disney ended its distribution contract with RKO in 1953, forming its own distribution arm, Buena Vista Distribution. In December 1950, Walt Disney Productions and The Coca-Cola Company teamed up for Disney's first venture into television, the NBC television network special An Hour in Wonderland. In October 1954, the ABC network launched Disney's first regular television series, Disneyland. ABC became Disney's partner in the financing and development in Disney's next venture - It was the first phase of a long corporate relationship.
• 1955-1965: Disneyland. In 954, Walt Disney used his Disneyland series to unveil what would become Disneyland. On July 18th, 1955, Walt Disney opened Disneyland to the general public. On July 17th, Disneyland was previews with a live television broadcast. In November 1965, Disney World was announced in Orlando, Florida. Disney continued to focus its talents on television throughout the 1950s, but Walt Disney Productions invested little into television ventures in the 1960s. Disney's film studios stayed busy as well, averaging five or six releases per year during this period. Disney's most successful film of the 1960s was a live action/animated musical adaptation of Mary Poppins, which was one of the all time highest grossing movies and received five Academy Awards.
• 1966-1971: The Deaths of Walt and Roy Disney and the Opening of Disney World. On December 15th, 1966, Walt Disney died and Roy Disney took over as chairman, CEO, and president of the company. On October 1st, 1971, Walt Disney World opened to the public. On December 20th, 1971, Roy Disney died, leaving the company under control of Donn Tatum, Card Walker and Ron Miller, each trained by Walt and Roy. 
• 1972-1984: Theatrical Malaise and New Leadership. As head of the studio, Miller attempted to make films to drive the profitable teenage market who generally passed on seeing Disney movies. Inspired by the popularity of Star Wars, the Disney studio produced the science-fiction adventure The Black Hole in 1979 that cost $20 million to make, but was lost in the Star Wars' wake. The Black Hole was the first Disney production to carry a PG rating in the United States. In 1979, Disney entered a joint venture with Paramount Pictures on the production of the adaptation of Popeye and Dragonslayer - the first time Disney collaborated with another studio. Paramount distributed Disney films in Canada at the time, and it was hoped that Disney's marketing prestige would help sell the two films. In 1984, Disney CEO Ron Miller created Touchstone Pictures as a brand for Disney to release more adult-orientated material. In 1983, The Disney Channel debuted as a channel on cable systems nationwide. In 1978, Disney executives announced plans for the second Walt Disney World theme park, which would open in April 1983. 
• 1984-2004: The Eisner Era.
• 2005-Presnt: The Iger Era.