Walt Disney: An American Original: Commemorative Edition - Hardcover

by Bob Thomas (Author)

The Walt Disney Company honors its 100th anniversary in 2023. As part of the festivities, this must-have biography tells the story of Walt Disney's life--told as no other book can!

Walt Disney is an American hero. From Mickey Mouse to Disneyland, he changed the face of American culture. His is a success story like no other: a man who developed animated film into an art form and made a massive contribution to the folklore of the world.

After years of research, respected Hollywood biographer Bob Thomas produced a definitive biography of the man behind the legend of Disney: the unschooled cartoonist from Kansas City who when bankrupt on his first movie venture and developed into the genius who produced unmatched works of animation, and ultimately was the creative spirit of an international entertainment empire that has enchanted generations.


Complete with a collection of rare photographs, Walt Disney: An American Original is a fascinating and inspirational work that captures the spirit of Walt Disney.


This Commemorative Edition includes new:

• introductions from Jeff Kurtti and Marcy Carriker Smothers
• a 32-page photo insert with rare behind-the-scenes photos
• endnotes to add further context and connect Walt's story to today

Searching for more ways to connect with the Disney Parks and films? Explore these books from Disney Editions:

• Delicious Disney: Walt Disney World: Recipes & Stories from The Most Magical Place on Earth
• A Portrait of Walt Disney World: 50 Years of The Most Magical Place on Earth
• Birnbaum's 2023 Walt Disney World: The Official Vacation Guide
• Birnbaum's 2023 Walt Disney World for Kids: The Official Guide
• Art of Coloring: Walt Disney World
• Maps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghai
• Poster Art of the Disney Parks
• Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks: Celebrations Around the World from Fall to Winter
• The Haunted Mansion: Imagineering a Disney Classic
• The Disney Monorail: Imagineering a Highway in the Sky

Author Biography

In 1958, Walt Disney encouraged thirty-six-year-old Bob Thomas to write The Art of Animation, the first book that would give full credit to the animators and explore the animation process. Thomas interviewed Walt Disney many times during the years he was a Hollywood correspondent for the Associate Press and in preparation for his two books, The Art of Animation and Walt Disney: Magician of the Movies.

After Disney's death in 1966, Thomas wrote the official biography, Walt Disney: An American Original. He is also the author of numerous other books, including biographies on Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Harry Cohn, Irving Thalberg, David O. Selznick, Joan Crawford, William Holden, Walter Winchell, and other Hollywood legends. His biographies of Howard Hughes and Abbot and Costello became television movies.

His other Disney books include Building a Company: Roy O. Disney and the Creation of an Entertainment Empire; The Art of Animation: From Mickey Mouse to Beauty and the Beast; and its revision, The Art of Animation, From Mickey Mouse to Hercules. He was issued a special commendation at the Disney Legends ceremony in 2001.