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,
Timeline of The Walt Disney Company an emphasis on theme park expansion and improving the quality of film and television work. After becoming CEO, Robert Iger begins to rebuild the Disney brand by redirecting focus on core assets, such as feature animation and the theme parks. One early accomplishment was repairing the Disney-Pixar relationship, resulting in Disney's purchase of Pixar for $7 billion. Footnotes Timeline of The Walt Disney Company This is a timeline of The Walt Disney Company, listing notable business events for the organization. The Walt Disney Company was founded in 1923, and found much success under Walt Disney's leadership through his death in