| In 1923, twenty-one-year-old Walt Disney | | | | concerns.Once again, Walt used his makeshift |
| arrived in Los Angeles fresh from the | | | | press pass to sneak into Universal Studios. |
| disappointment of his first cartoon studio | | | | This was exciting filmmaking! Men dressed |
| going bankrupt in Kansas City. He went to see | | | | like cowboys pretending to shoot at each |
| his twenty-nine-year-old brother Roy in the | | | | other and falling over. And a castle. It |
| Veteran's Hospital were he was recovering | | | | reminded him of Paris where he had driven an |
| from tuberculosis. Roy, a former bank teller | | | | ambulance for the Red Cross after World War |
| and navy man was concerned about his | | | | I. Curious, he walked over to question some |
| brother's skinniness. "Hey kid, haven't you | | | | workmen about the structure. It turned out |
| been eating? I'm supposed to be the sick one. | | | | they were building the Court Of Miracles set |
| So now that you're in L.A. what are you are | | | | for The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, starring Lon |
| going to do with yourself?" "I don't know. | | | | Chaney. Walt who remained star struck all his |
| I've given up on animation. But I've got to | | | | life, began looking around for the famous |
| get into show business somehow. I'll think | | | | actor who was known for playing characters |
| I'll try and become a director."Walt who had | | | | who were deformed, sometimes armless and |
| filmed some newsreel footage in Kansas City, | | | | legless with incredible body contortions.Back |
| printed a business card stating he was a | | | | in the twenties there was a saying, "If you |
| member of the press, which he used to finagle | | | | see something unusual on the floor, don't |
| his way onto studio lots. He had a meeting | | | | step on it might be Lon Chaney." Suddenly |
| with a secretary at Metro. "Yes, I had my own | | | | Walt felt a tap on his shoulder. Sitting on a |
| studio in Kansas City, I made cartoons and | | | | horse behind him was the famous Austrian |
| live action films perhaps you heard of me?" | | | | director Eric Von Stroheim, known as the man |
| "No I can't say that I have. And we really | | | | you love to hate. Completely bald with a |
| have a lot of people coming here looking for | | | | monocle, riding crop and thick boots, which |
| work and no jobs." Metro was in a state of | | | | early film directors working in the Hollywood |
| chaos, Rudolph Valentino was demanding more | | | | hills wore to protect from snakes, Von |
| money and they had frozen his salary. Because | | | | Stroheim made an imposing figure. "What are |
| of the movie The Four Horseman Of The | | | | you doing here". Walt confessed he snuck in |
| Apocalypse (1921) Valentino was now an | | | | and asked if there was any work. But he was |
| international star who was surviving by | | | | talking to a man who used to twist the arms |
| hunting rabbits in the Santa Monica | | | | of his leading ladies when he wanted them to |
| Mountains. Walt, who would later know great | | | | cry in his films. "Get out now and never come |
| fame combined with money trouble could have | | | | back." Years later, when he had his own |
| identified, but he had his own | | | | studio, Walt went out of his way to give |
| problems.Turned away at Metro Walt decided to | | | | young people a chance to show what they could |
| go to Charlie Chaplin's studio in Hollywood | | | | do.With no other prospects Walt decided to |
| and ask the great star for work personally. | | | | get back into animation but this time he |
| Chaplin had been Walt's hero, when Disney was | | | | would get some help. One night in 1923 he |
| thirteen he had won a two dollar prize | | | | returned to the Veteran's Hospital where Roy |
| imitating the tramp on stage, not an easy | | | | was feeling better. Excitedly Walt told his |
| trick. One time Charlie Chaplin had entered a | | | | brother about his plans awakening other |
| similar contest and lost.Walt waited all day | | | | patients in the ward," But I can't do it |
| on the sidewalk for Chaplin to come out but | | | | alone. I don't have your head for numbers." |
| he never did. Disney didn't know that Chaplin | | | | "I don't know kid, cartoons that's risky. I |
| buried himself in his work, afraid to go home | | | | was thinking about getting a safe job at a |
| where his 16 year old pregnant wife Lita and | | | | bank, getting married. I mean I think your |
| her mother were filling his mansion with | | | | talented but. . ." "Ah come on Roy, forget |
| unwanted relatives, turning the Beverly Hills | | | | about a job. We'll work for ourselves. This |
| estate into the 1923 version of the Jerry | | | | is better than a job, we can do this thing." |
| Springer show. Or that the liberal Chaplin | | | | "I don't know. . ." "Ah please." Walt would |
| was infuriating his United Artist partner the | | | | not take no for an answer. Roy finally agreed |
| conservative Mary Pickford by taking forever | | | | to the new venture when one of the soldiers |
| to finish his films, sometimes emerging from | | | | in a nearby bed sat up and said, "Roy will |
| his editing room with a long beard looking | | | | you go with him already so we can get some |
| like Robinson Crusoe. Walt had his own | | | | sleep! |