Walt Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago. He enjoyed drawing from a young age and selling his drawings to neighbors. He studied art and photography in high school. During World War 1, Disney drove an ambulance for the Red Cross in France. In the 1920s, he started his own animation company and created some early animated films. He later moved to Hollywood and founded Walt Disney Studios, where he created iconic characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Disney also opened the first Disneyland theme park in California, which became hugely popular worldwide.