Walt Disney: The Magic and Menace | Horrorwood: True Crime in Tinseltown

We're embarking on a turbulent journey through the life of one of the most influential figures in entertainment history – the man behind the magic, Walt Disney (1901-1966). Walt was a pioneering American entrepreneur, animator, film producer, and creator of one of the most renowned entertainment companies in the world. But the beloved creator of Mickey Mouse faced a slew of criticism around accusations of gender bias, antisemitism, opposition to unions, retaliation, and an overbearing demeanor. We explore his life, the formation of the Disney company, and the not-so-magical side of Walt Disney.

Episode Sources:

“Fact-Checking the Age-Old Rumors of Walt Disney’s Dark Side” by Amanda Dobbins, December 11, 2013, Vulture

“Walt Disney experts rebut dogged anti-Semitic allegations” by Lynn Elber, August 2, 2015, Associated Press

“Was Meryl Streep Correct in Calling Walt Disney a ‘Bigot’? By Tim Appelo, January 9, 2014, The Hollywood Reporter

“Meryl Streep attacks Walt Disney on antisemitism and sexism” by Ben Beaumont-Thomas, January 8, 2014, The Guardian

“This 1938 Disney Rejection Letter Denies Woman Job Because of Her Gender” by Kirsten Acuna, January 8, 2014, Business Insider

“Peek Inside Walt Disney’s Secretive Club 33” by Engrid Barnett, January 18, 2024, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!

“Walt Disney: American Film Producer” by Bosley Crowther, fact checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Brittanica, originally published July 20, 1998, last updated January 19, 2024, Brittanica.com

“The Walt Disney Biography” by Biography.com Editors, published April 3, 2014, last updated January 7, 2022, A&E Television Networks, The Biography.com website

Join our Patreon!

https://www.patreon.com/horrorwoodpodcast

Follow us!