With multiple international theme parks, a world-class animation studio, dozens of corporate franchises, and one of the largest film studios in the world, Disney has become one of the biggest media brands of all time. This short Disney retrospective explores the origins and evolution of the entertainment industry giant.

The Walt Disney Company began as a joint venture between Walt Disney and his brother Roy. The company, then called Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, was launched on October 16, 1923. Within three years, the company had produced two films and purchased a studio in Hollywood, but pitfalls with distribution rights nearly destroyed the company.

The creation of Mickey Mouse in 1928 changed everything. Around that time, Disney launched many other famous characters, such as Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck, which together formed the basis of a company that has now branched out far beyond animation. Today, many major studios, television networks, and intellectual properties, including Marvel Entertainment, Lucasfilm, ABC, Pixar Animation Studios, and ESPN, fall under the Disney umbrella.

In 1932, the Disney Company won its first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, thanks to "Silly Symphony," a series of animated shorts. In 1934, Disney began production on its first feature-length film, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves." It was released in 1937 and became the highest-grossing film of its time. However, the enormous production costs caused problems for Disney's next few animated films. World War II brought Disney's film production to a complete standstill, as the company contributed its skills to the war effort by producing propaganda films for the U.S. government.