The 18-Year-Old Cartoon Artist in the 1920 Census: Walt Disney
Legends Hiding in the Archives Newsletter: Walt Disney
On a winter day in 1920, a census taker knocked on a door in Kansas City. The home owner was a 31-year-old U.S. Postal Carrier, Herbert Disney. An 18-year-old cartoon artist — Herbert’s younger brother — lived at that house, too. His name? Walter E. “Walt” Disney.
Walt Disney founded Disney, built theme parks, won 22 Oscars (most for any individual). He amassed a fortune of approximately $100-$150 million by the time he died in 1966 — $750 million-$1.1 billion in 2023. But in 1920, he was in and out of work as a cartoonist and illustrator for advertisements. At home, he messed around with a camera and animation books.
If you mailed the young Walt Disney in 1921, he might have sent you back an envelope with his self-portrait.
Walt left his brother’s humble Kansas City rental in 1923 (age 21) and headed to Los Angeles. He and his wife built a mansion with a view of downtown Los Angeles in 1932. It had four bedrooms, five bathrooms, a movie-screening room, a pool, and a Juliet balcony. Safe to say, Walt Disney’s living arrangements drastically changed in only a decade.
And that is where the census found Walt, his wife Lillian, and two daughters in 1940. He employed and lived with a private butler, cook, and nurse! In only two decades, Walt went from an “Artist, cartoon” to a “Motion Picture Producer.” He went from scraping by to working for himself. Walt made “$5,000+" ($97,000+ in 2023) in 1940. His mansion was worth $40,000. With $40,000, he could have bought his brother’s 1920 Kansas City home eight times.
If you want to learn more about Walt Disney’s life, I recommend this biography: Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler!
The Legends in the Archives newsletter shares positive genealogical stories about your favorite celebrities and historical figures! Every week, I pick a celebrity or historical figure that inspires or fascinates me. Subscribe to get the Legends in the Archives newsletter every Friday morning.
Jack Palmer is a History and Psychology double-major at Duke University. I’ve done genealogy research since I was 10 and love writing about it for family, friends, and anybody else who might enjoy a blast from the past.
Another winner! 😊