Disney Memorabilia

I always enjoy hearing from other collectors on what they feel is the centerpiece of their collection.  Phil Sears has a great website that indexes his impressive collection, and he nominates this letter as his favorite piece.

The letter contains the details of the Walt Disney’s contract with a young woman named Virginia Davis, who starred as Alice in a series of productions chronicling Alice’s adventures in an animated world.  A detailed story behind the letter and a number of pictures are included, making this a must-see destination for all Disneyana collectors.

Here is a brief index of story behind the letters…

…“In October of 1923, Walt Disney was flat broke and living in a room at his Uncle Robert's house in Hollywood.  He had left Kansas City a few months earlier after declaring his Laugh-O-Grams company bankrupt.  He didn't even have the cash to finish the "Alice" comedy demo film he had begun.  Not ALICE IN WONDERLAND, but the adventures of a live-action little girl named Alice set in a cartoon world.   The 4 year- old girl who played Alice, Virginia Davis, stayed back in Kansas City when the bankrupt and discouraged Walt Disney turned his back on animation and hopped a train for Hollywood.  But after not finding work as a live-action director in Hollywood, Walt reconsidered the animation field, and desperately sent the half-completed "ALICE" film to distributors as a sample of his ability. 

Walt had no way of knowing it in advance, but October 23rd was to be the day the magic started.   That was the day Walt received a telegram from FELIX THE CAT film distributor Margaret Winkler, agreeing to distribute a series of Walt Disney ALICE comedies, as long as the same little girl- Virginia Davis- starred.  The Disney Studio was in business!  Walt immediately pulled out his "Walt Disney, Cartoonist" letterhead (which his brother Roy had loaned him $10 to have printed), and feverishly wrote a letter to the parents of the little girl in fountain pen- Walt couldn't afford a typewriter!

The three page letter contains misspelled words (Walt had only attended one year of high school) but more than makes up for it in enthusiastic Disney persuasiveness.”…

Phil’s collection includes a number of other gems that are sure to be appreciated by collectors.  Many of the items are also available for sale.