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24 November 2003
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Disney May Slash Animator Jobs as Mickey Mouse Turns 75
Shortly before his death, Walt Disney said, "I only hope we don't lose sight of one thing -- that it was all started by a mouse." That mouse, Mickey by name, turned 75 last week. At the same time, the Walt Disney Company announced that it was halting work on its only current animated project "A Few Good Ghosts." It may result in 250 cartoonists losing their jobs -- a pity for more than just economic reasons.
In 1928, "Steamboat Willie" introduced the world to Mickey Mouse, and from that beginning, Disney's empire grew to, well, an empire. Disney's animation studio began producing feature length films, Disneyland and Disney World were born and then exported, Disney bought the American Broadcasting Network, and its presence helped revive Times Square in New York City. Success breeds imitation, though, and competition sometimes favors innovators.
Bugs Bunny cartoons are more amusing than Mickey Mouse ones, Pixar movies have had more success recently than Disney's, and while Six Flags may not have the cache of Disney amusement parks, they are more numerous and by some measures more successful. In many ways, Disney was a retrograde entity in the 1980s, but that didn't last. "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King" put Disney back at the forefront of animation (and movie soundtracks).
Disney's numbers for the quarter were good, but its animation is not the best -- it used to be. The same can happen again, not just at Disney, but at any firm. In a way, Disney has had lightening in a bottle on occasion. Pure artistic inspiration coupled with business acumen and some money to make it happen. "A Few Good Ghosts" may or may not be worthwhile, but history shows that Disney's people can create cartoons that sometimes become cultural icons. Halting production on an animated film will save Disney some money. Starting work on an animated film is more likely the key to Disney's future success. All they have to do is complete this sequence: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Ariel, Belle, Simba . . . .
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