Product Description

One night, at a Los Angeles dinner gala, Walt Disney gave a rare public statement about his older brother, Roy: "We started the business here in 1923, and if it hadn't been for my big brother, I swear I'd've been in jail several times for checks bouncing. I never knew what was in the bank. He kept me on the straight and narrow."Although Walt wasn't quite that ignorant of the numbers, it's true that Roy handled most of the finances for the Disney empire. It was Roy who kept the studio running in the early years, Roy who put together the financing deals for Disneyland, Roy who oversaw the completion of Walt Disney World in Florida after his brother's death in 1966.Building a Company provides plenty of anecdotal details about the Disney entertainment empire's rise to power. Don't look for juicy scandal, though: Bob Thomas's fully authorized (and, ultimately, Disney-financed) biography steers clear of any controversies, such as Disney's attempts to get out of a contract with ABC in the late '50s, before they can cause a blight on the success story. Useful primarily to those interested in the details of business and entertainment history.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #201091 in Books
• Published on: 1998-07-15
• Released on: 1998-07-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 352 pages

Amazon.com
One night, at a Los Angeles dinner gala, Walt Disney gave a rare public statement about his older brother, Roy: "We started the business here in 1923, and if it hadn't been for my big brother, I swear I'd've been in jail several times for checks bouncing. I never knew what was in the bank. He kept me on the straight and narrow."

Although Walt wasn't quite that ignorant of the numbers, it's true that Roy handled most of the finances for the Disney empire. It was Roy who kept the studio running in the early years, Roy who put together the financing deals for Disneyland, Roy who oversaw the completion of Walt Disney World in Florida after his brother's death in 1966.

Building a Company provides plenty of anecdotal details about the Disney entertainment empire's rise to power. Don't look for juicy scandal, though: Bob Thomas's fully authorized (and, ultimately, Disney-financed) biography steers clear of any controversies, such as Disney's attempts to get out of a contract with ABC in the late '50s, before they can cause a blight on the success story. Useful primarily to those interested in the details of business and entertainment history.

From Publishers Weekly
Roy Disney was born in 1893, a full eight years before his brother Walt. Despite the age gap, the brothers were from the beginning almost inseparable. Roy joined the Navy during WWI, but following his discharge discovered he had tuberculosis. His search for a suitable climate for recovery brought him to California, where he was soon joined by Walt, who had already set up his first cartoon film company, Laugh-O-Gram. With Walt supplying the vision, Roy was brought onboard to handle the finances. Together they established the Walt Disney Company; by himself, Walt came up with a signature character named Mortimer Mouse, who made his debut as Mickey in the film Plane Crazy. Once he reappeared in his first talkie, Steamboat Willie, an American cartoon icon was born. Thomas (Walt Disney: An American Original) depicts the business acumen of Roy in such matters as licensing, the forming of the original Mickey Mouse Clubs and the retention of TV rights of Disney products as early as the 1930s. Thomas covers as well Roy's part in the company's going public; its financial restructuring after WWII; the production of feature films like Fantasia; and the creation of Disneyland, leading to the Florida land-buy necessary for DisneyWorld, which opened just before Roy's death in 1971. This is a highly entertaining book that will interest a business readership in addition to fans of Disney. 16 pages of b&w photos, not seen by PW. (July) FYI: Hyperion, a Disney company, appears to have taken its name from the first location of the Walt Disney Studios, 2719 Hyperion Avenue in downtown L.A.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Thomas (Disney's Art of Animation, LJ 11/15/91) offers both a family history of Walt and older brother Roy, the financial genius behind the Disney enterprises, and a business history of those enterprises. Beginning with the family's English and Irish origins, he moves smoothly from the years of hard farm work and often failed business starts in the Midwest through Walt's earliest animation attempts, dealings with often unscrupulous promoters and distributors, and move West to his teaming up with Roy and their progress from Mickey Mouse to Disneyland. While some of the story may be familiar, details about financial dealings such as those with Bank of America (an early and substantial backer) add another dimension to the Disney saga. Well written and full of insights into the personal lives of both Roy and Walt, this book is recommended for public libraries.AJoseph Toschik, Half Moon Bay P.L., CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

the brains behind the vision
I'm a big Disney fan. Having read "the animated man" all about Walt's life, I wanted to learn more about his right hand man. While Walt came up with great ideas, Roy (his older brother) ran the company and found the money to keep Walt going. This is a very interesting look at the man who occupied the second chair of one America's most influential companies. Great book.

Wind Beneath Walt's Wings
I had the good fortune to have Walt Disney World as my first employer while Roy O. Disney was alive. He actually came to one of my job locations while I was working. Alas I was working in the back and missed meeting him.

Prior to the theme park's opening fulltime employees were schooled at "Walt Disney World University" twenty to thirty hours a week. There were massive layers of learning. One lesson taught loud and clear was thousands of artists have come and gone unknown. The reason you know about Walt Disney is he had a brother who was a business genius named Roy. Roy made Walt Disney `happen'.

Before Chapter One is a page with a few colorful paragraphs. This fun quote is a part of that page giving readers a flavor to this book.

"When Walt and I were on the farm in Marceline, we had to sleep in the same bed. Now Walt was just a little guy, and he was always wetting the bed. And he's been peeing on me ever since."

Roy sometimes added with the lighthearted observation: "I can say I'm the only man in the world who has been peed on by a genius."

I enjoyed this book so much I had my high school age son read it. I am a fan of biographies and business. This is one of the top ten books I have read year to date. Today, December 20th is also the date Roy Disney entered eternity. This book gave me a clearer understanding of the Disney Organization that touched my life. I am so grateful it was written giving me a picture of Roy's sacrifices for building the Disney legacy of family fun to our world. His epitaph rings so true:

Roy Disney
A great and humble man who left this world a better place

The one who believed in the dreamer.
What an interesting read! I had never heard of 'Roy O Disney', and perhaps that's the way he wanted it. Great insight into the man behind the man at one of the most well-known and well-loved companies in the world.

This book will help you understand the difference between visionary leadership and organizational leadership. One without the other is all but irrelevant! Plus some interesting theories on money and risk-taking. Current self-absorbed (and overpaid) CEO's should read this book and take notes. Any comments Mr. Eisner?