The first drawings by Walter Disney, creator of Mickey Mouse and the Silly Symphony, to attract attention were those he painted with tar on the white barn door at his farm home in Missouri. That was when he was a little fellow. The information comes from no less reliable source than his genial parents, Mr. and Mrs. Elias Disney of Portland, Oregon, who refer to Mickey Mouse as their mischievous grandchild.
Instead of the applause which greets Disney's screen productions today, a scolding — a rather mild one — was in order the day of the tar-drawing episode. He was about ten years old then and the grandparents-to-be of Mickey Mouse were used to his pranks, which included drawing all over the family furniture. They were patient, though, and encouraged him to develop his natural talent.
"Walt always has been a good boy," his father says, "and has worked hard for the success he has attained. We have three other sons, all older than Walt, and a daughter, and we are proud of them all."
Only the daughter, Ruth, youngest of the children, lives with the elder Disneys in Portland. All the sons are neighbors in North Hollywood. Roy, just a few years older than Walter, is business manager of his young brother's company.
"If Walter didn't have Roy with him, I don't know what he'd do," the mother said. "Walter is so busy he has little time to devote to business details."
The oldest son, Herbert, is a mail carrier and the next oldest, Raymond, is in the real estate business.
Walter was born in Chicago and when five years old moved with his parents to the farm in Missouri. The family lived there five years and moved to Kansas City, where they lived six years and returned to Chicago. Three years later they again were in Kansas City, In 1921 the parents and Herbert and Ruth moved to Portland.
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[note]Sadly the last page (89) is missing.[/note]
