The Walt Disney Company and starred in several Disney produced films. Ub Iwerks refined Disney's initial design of Mickey Mouse. Disney's first sound film "Steamboat Willie", a cartoon starring Mickey, was released on November 18, 1928 through Pat Powers' distribution company. It was the first Mickey Mouse sound cartoon released, but the third to be created, behind "Plane Crazy" and "The Gallopin' Gaucho". "Steamboat Willie" was an immediate smash hit, and its initial success was attributed not just to Mickey's appeal as a character, but to the fact that it was the first cartoon to feature synchronized sound. Disney used Pat Powers' Cinephone system,
The Art of Walt Disney the development of the Walt Disney company over the past 20 years since the last edition in 1975. Finch examines the history of Disney’s cover art, the illustration, imagination, and animation cels behind newly released films such as the Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. Adding in information on previously-unpublished concept art, and Disney theme park additions. 2004 revised edition of the book, focuses on Walt Disney’s achievements as a company. Incorporating interviews of previous and current staff members, decades of film stills, hundreds of illustrations and concept art. 2011 is another revised edition that further explains the