Walter Elias DISNEY
1938 - February 4 - Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first cel-animated feature in motion picture history, is released in the United States following a premiere the previous year.

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was a significant achievement for Walt Disney and the world of animation. The film was based on the German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm and was a major gamble for Disney Studios, as nothing like it had been attempted in animation before.

The production of the film was an enormous undertaking. It employed hundreds of artists, animators, and technicians, who worked for years to bring the story to life. The animation techniques used, particularly the multiplane camera, gave the film a depth and richness that had never been seen in animation before.

When the film premiered in December 1937, it was an instant success, both critically and commercially. It was praised for its storytelling, animation, and music, with songs like "Whistle While You Work" and "Heigh-Ho" becoming instant classics.

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" not only saved Disney Studios from financial ruin but also set the standard for animated filmmaking for years to come. It was the first animated film to receive a prestigious Academy Award, an honorary Oscar consisting of one full-sized statuette and seven miniature ones, presented to Walt Disney by Shirley Temple.

February 4, 1938

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