Walt's drive to perfect the art of animation was tireless. Technicolor was introduced to animation during the production
of his "Silly Symphonies." In 1932, the film "Flowers and Trees" won Walt the first of his 32 personal
Academy Awards®. In 1937, he released "The Old Mill," the first short subject to utilize the multiplane
camera technique.
On December 21 of that same year, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," the first full-length animated musical
feature, premiered at the Carthay Circle Theater in Los Angeles. Produced at the unheard-of cost of $1,499,000 during the
depths of the Depression, the film is still considered one of the great feats and imperishable monuments of the motion
picture industry. During the next five years, Walt completed such other full-length animated classics as
"Pinocchio," "Fantasia," "Dumbo," and "Bambi."
In 1940, construction was completed on Disney's Burbank studio, and the staff swelled to more than 1,000 artists,
animators, story men, and technicians. During World War II, 94 percent of the Disney facilities were engaged in special
government work, including the production of training and propaganda films for the armed services, as well as health films
that are still shown throughout the world by the U.S. State Department. The remainder of Disney's efforts were devoted to
the production of comedy short subjects, deemed essential to civilian and military morale.