Colin Wells Sherry Minkowski Government 12 26 March 2000 Disney's Influence on American Culture How does one begin to describe a king? As generations change, society calls for new leaders and kings, that will continue to push the boundaries. Steven Watts describes it as: Hollywood's leading fantasy factory? (187) Disney is much more prominent in society, its impact now lives in every household, as well as a place in everyone's soul. Behind it all is a thriving business that will out live most humans now and in the future. Steven Watts breaks it down quite simply: Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck embodied a collective desire to escape the pressures of modern life and return to childhood. (127) The escape from reality, which Disney has provided over the years, comforts people of all ages. Disney has revolutionized family entertainment, and Walt himself would want people to remember one thing: That it was all started by a mouse. Walt Disney began his legacy with Steamboat Willy on November 18, 1928, at the Colony Theater in New York. Dave Smith wrote: Wells 2 This was the first synchronized sound cartoon, and it was a huge success. Reviewers commented on the cleverness of the cartoon, the advantage that sound brought to the medium, and the fun personality of Walt Disney's new character, Mickey Mouse. (25) The success of Mickey Mouse was the start of an unbreakable alliance that has and will always remain synonymous. A brilliant creator and a lovable creation joined forces to become the most powerful influence on American culture. It is inevitable, that every child will be brought up with Disney. What began inside one man's head has now made a huge contribution to the way life is lived. It seems as though Disney is embedded in every child's mind, the second they are conceived. ...