Walt Disney
The headline in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that morning read, “Disney reveals ideas of large amusement unit on riverfront.” Disney had long wanted to build an entertainment complex in his home state. But his plans were met with resistance by locals, particularly August “Gussie” Busch Jr., who insisted that if a theme park was built …
November 18, 1928, was the debut of Mickey Mouse. Walt Disney was quoted as saying, “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing—that it was all started by a mouse.” He was talking, of course, about Mickey Mouse, who made his debut in Disney’s first sound-synchronized animated film, Steamboat Willie. Disney’s impact on generations of children is impossible to measure, and his career started in Missouri.
Walt Disney meets with St. Louis officials to discuss plans for the Riverfront Square theme park. But his plans were met with resistance, particularly from August “Gussie” Busch Jr., who insisted that if a theme park were to be built at the site, Disney would have to sell beer