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Page 17 of 28 Creative Explosion Walt's Political Outlook

Hayley Mills in 'That Darn Cat'

Hayley Mills in 'That Darn Cat'. The FBI file on Walt deals mostly with the Bureau's efforts to ensure that this film didn't make fun of FBI agents.

There is another myth which suggests that Walt was so anti-communist, that he became some kind of a spy for the FBI. A thorough review of the FBI file on Walt, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, reveals absolutely nothing that would lead one to such a conclusion -- unless one pushes the material there to a ridiculous extreme. Much of the file deals with efforts on the part of the FBI to make sure Walt didn't make fun of agents in films like "That Darn Cat!" Some of the rest, believe it or not, deals with questions about whether Walt was, in fact, a communist himself (in part because he was apparently involved in a tribute to a deceased cartoonist sponsored by an organization connected to the Communist Party).
     Did Walt have no official contact with the FBI? The file does mention that he was a Special Agent in Charge contact. But FBI representatives today explain that that designation was the kind of thing awarded to anyone in a community who might be of use to the bureau; the owner of a car dealership, who might make arrangements for vehicles; or the owner of a restaurant where FBI parties could be held. 
In fact, the document that proclaims Walt was a Special Agent in Charge contact states, "Mr. Disney has volunteered representatives of this office complete access to the facilities of Disneyland for use in connection with official matters and for recreational purposes." Author Marc Eliot -- the foremost advocate of Walt as spy -- begins his case with the notion that Walt and J. Edgar Hoover were close associates through the years. Eliot says, "In July 1936, Hoover sent the now-famous Disney a letter, one of many attempts the Bureau had made as part of an ongoing campaign to recruit him. The last paragraph of the letter (the rest remains classified by the FBI) reads as follows: "I am indeed pleased that we can be of service to you in affording you a means of absolute identity throughout your lifetime." Sounds nefarious enough, in the context in which Eliot places it. But the fact is that there are no other documents in the file indicating any kind of campaign to recruit him. What's more, the "classified portion" (which Eliot alludes to in such a way that readers might believe it contains secrets shared between the two men) is actually a word or two at the top of the page."  Walt on the set of 'So Dear To My Heart'

Walt on the set of 'So Dear To My Heart' in 1948. Attempts by recent authors to depict Walt as a spy for the FBI have had no basis in fact. 

Artist Herb Ryman

Artist Herb Ryman joined the Studio in 1954. 

What is true is that ultimately Walt didn't concern himself much about the political leanings of the people he worked with. In sharp contrast to some of the myths that have grown up around Walt, he really didn't care what men or women believed -- as long as they did their job right. Herb Ryman was one of Walt's favorite artists, and a friend outside the studio as well. As Ryman recalled, "Everyone knew that Walt was a committed anti-communist. Very patriotic and all that. So someone thought they would do damage to one of the writers on "20,000 Leagues under the Sea" by telling Walt that he was a real Red. They thought that Walt would fire him or investigate him or kick him off the picture. Well, Walt's answer was, 'I'm glad to know that. It's a relief that he's a communist. I thought he was an alcoholic.'"

 
 

 

 
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