Name: ______________________________________
Magical Cartoonist By Cynthia Sherwood
W
ithout the creativity of one man, Dumbo, and
there would be no “happiest place Bambi.
on earth,” also known as Disney-
It was in the
land. Walt Disney was a creative genius who
1940s that Walt
looked out on a huge orange grove and
Disney first had his
imagined building a “magic kingdom.”
brainstorm about a fun
Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago, park for families. His idea grew bigger and
Illinois. As a child, he enjoyed drawing and bigger, and he realized he needed a lot
even sold his pictures to neighbors. When of space for his park. He wanted it to have
he was sixteen, he joined the Red Cross and everything—a mountain, rockets, spinning
drove an ambulance in France during World teacups, and a fairy castle!
War One. After the war ended, Disney start-
ed making short cartoons in Kansas City, but Years after Walt Disney first had the
soon ran out of money. He decided to find idea, Disneyland opened in 1955 in a former
his fortune in Hollywood. He came to Califor- orange grove in Anaheim, California. Ad-
nia with a suitcase and $20 in his pocket. mission cost a dollar. By its tenth anniversary,
50-million visitors had come to the Magic
It took a while, but Disney began to
Kingdom.
enjoy success with his cartoons. He created
Mickey Mouse, the most famous cartoon Disney died in 1966, a few years before
character ever. Then in 1937, Snow White the opening of his next dream project, Dis-
and the Seven Dwarfs premiered. It was the ney World. If you ever visit one of the parks,
first full-length animated movie, and a huge go to a Disney movie, or watch the Disney
success. Disney made many more movies Channel, you can think of the man with
that we still watch today, including Pinocchio, amazing ideas who started it all.
Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com
Name: ______________________________________
Magical Cartoonist By Cynthia Sherwood
1. L ist two things that Walt Disney did before he began
making cartoons.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2. P
lace these events in sequential order. Label them with numbers 1-5 to show which
happened first, second, third, fourth, and fifth.
_____ Disneyland opened in California.
_____ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered.
_____ Disney moved to Hollywood, California.
_____ Walt Disney worked as an ambulance driver in France.
_____ Walt Disney lived in Kansas City and made short cartoons.
3. How many years ago was Disneyland first opened to the public?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
4. Which statement is an opinion?
a. Disney made many movies that we still watch today.
b. In the 1940s, Disney had a brainstorm about a fun park for families.
c. Disneyland opened in a former orange grove.
d. Walt Disney was a creative genius.
Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com
ANSWER KEY
Magical Cartoonist By Cynthia Sherwood
1. L ist two things that Walt Disney did before he began
making cartoons.
Walt Disney drew pictures and sold them to his neighbors.
________________________________________________________
He also joined the Red Cross and drove an ambulance
________________________________________________________
during World War I.
________________________________________________________
2. Place these events in sequential order. Label them with numbers 1-5 to show which
happened first, second, third, fourth, and fifth.
5
_____ Disneyland opened in California.
4
_____ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premiered.
3
_____ Disney moved to Hollywood, California.
1
_____ Walt Disney worked as an ambulance driver in France.
2
_____ Walt Disney lived in Kansas City and made short cartoons.
3. How many years ago was Disneyland first opened to the public?
Answers will change depending on current year. Students can subtract 1955 from
________________________________________________________________________________
current year. example: 2010 - 1955 = 55 years ago
________________________________________________________________________________
4. Which statement is an opinion?
a. Disney made many movies that we still watch today.
b. In the 1940s, Disney had a brainstorm about a fun park for families.
c. Disneyland opened in a former orange grove.
d. Walt Disney was a creative genius.
Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com
