Walt Disney: An American Original, Commemorative Edition

This is the Commemorative Edition of one of the most trusted and respected nonfiction books about Walt Disney ever written!

Includes 4 commemorative essays; a photo insert with more than 60 behind-the-scenes images; and an endnotes section with insightful passages from 15 Disney historians and authors to provide further context for modern audiences.

Walt Disney is an American hero. From Mickey Mouse to Disneyland, he changed the face of American culture. His is a success story like no other: a man who developed animated film into an art form and made a massive contribution to the folklore of the world.

After years of research, respected Hollywood biographer Bob Thomas produced this definitive biography of the person behind the legend of Disney: the unschooled cartoonist from Kansas City, Missouri, who--though his initial studio went bankrupt during his first movie venture--developed into a creative spirit who produced unmatched works of entertainment that have influenced generations.

Inside the Commemorative Edition paperback:
- Special essays by Christopher Miller, Jeff Kurtti, Marcy Carriker Smothers, and Rebecca Cline and an updated index from the 2023 edition
- Preface by Bob Thomas from the 1994 edition
- Foreground, 28 chapters, and sources by Bob Thomas from the 1976 edition
- Endnotes excerpting 15 books that have furthered Bob's research from the 2023 edition
- 32-page photo insert with more than 60 behind-the-scenes images from the 2023 edition

Searching for information about Walt Disney? Explore more books from Disney Editions:

• The Official Walt Disney Quote Book
• People Behind the Disney Parks: Stories of Those Honored with a Window on Main Street, U.S.A.
• Maps of the Disney Parks: Charting 60 Years from California to Shanghai
• Walt's Disneyland: A Walk in the Park with Walt Disney
• The Story of Disney: 100 Years of Wonder

Author: Bob Thomas,Christopher Miller,Jeff Kurtti
Publisher: Disney Editions
Published: 10/07/2025
Pages: 432
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.20lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.00w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9781368084123

About the Author
BOB THOMAS (1922-2014) is the author of numerous books, including biographies on Fred Astaire; Bing Crosby; Howard Hughes; and Joan Crawford, plus three editions of The Art of Animation (1958-1997) and the 1998 Roy O. Disney biography. He was issued a special commendation at the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony in 2001.

About the Commemorated Edition's Contributors:

• CHRISTOPHER MILLER grew up in southern California, the son of the late Ron and Diane Miller, and grandson of Walt and Lillian Disney. Christopher serves as a board member for The Walt Disney Family Museum and Walt Disney Family Foundation.
• JEFF KURTTI is a prolific author and leading authority on Disney history, with more than 40 volumes to his credit. He has enjoyed a career as an author, writer, producer, and consultant in the motion picture, theater, and themed-design industries.
• MARCY CARRIKER SMOTHERS is the author of the fan favorite Eat Like Walt, a New York Times New & Noteworthy selection in 2018. Her love of all things Disney inspired her to write Walt's Disneyland (2021) and 100 Disney Adventures of a Lifetime (2022).
• REBECCA CLINE, director of the Walt Disney Archives, is charged with collecting and preserving all aspects of Disney history and making the material available to researchers from all areas of the company. Becky also coauthored The Walt Disney Studios (2019) and Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks (2020).