The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney, is an American diversified multinational mass-media and entertainment conglomerate. The Disney logo, based on Walt Disney's signature, is one of the world's most recognizable logos. The company is a successor to the short-lived Laugh-O-Gram Studios.
==Disney Bros. Studio==
===1923–1926===
==Walt Disney Studio==
===1926–1928===
===1928–1929===
==Walt Disney Productions Ltd.==
Main article: Walt Disney Pictures
===1929–1937===
==Walt Disney (first era)==
===1937–1996===
The first incarnation of the Walt Disney logo was introduced in 1937. Despite ending normal usage in 1948, it was still used in some instances until the 1960s, and a variant was later used on the Disney's Wonderful World of Reading logo from 1973 to 1996.
===1948–1984===
Another logo based on Walt Disney's handwriting was created in 1948, though a similar version was previously used in the opening for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. This logo was still used in tandem with the next two, as it appeared on 70s-era iterations of The Wonderful World of Disney, as well as the Walt Disney Home Entertainment logo from 1978-1984.
===1956–present===
In 1956, the signature’s typeface became a bit smoother, marking the introduction of the most familiar iteration of the company’s logo. It first appeared on the 1956 Disneyland Guidehttps://web.archive.org/web/20230322100904/https://themousemuseum.com/2017/08/03/disneyland-a-complete-guide-to-adventureland-tomorrowland-fantasyland-frontierland-main-street-u-s-a-1956/; other early appearances included Disneyland’s Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom Guide Map (1958), some Official Mickey Mouse Club and Disneyland Records album covers in 1959 and throughout the 1960s, and the marquee for Progressland at the New York World’s Fair in April 1964. It eventually became the primary logo around the time of the opening of Walt Disney World in late 1971.
This signature probably has the most recognizable and distinct letters (the capital "W" and "D" in the name). The roundness has a single line down the center of the "D", and the circle over the "i", circles back toward the "D". None of these characteristics are present in Walt Disney’s real signature. This logo has served as The Walt Disney Company’s longest-standing logotype, with a lifespan of over 65 years. In 2000, a computer font based off this logo was introduced, initially known as “Walt Disney Script,” but renamed Waltograph in 2004. This font includes a lowercase "D" taken from the logo of Disneyland Paris, which ended up using the font officially.
Alternate versions of this logo were also used in the years between its introduction and when it became the official logo, including on a brochure of the iconic "Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room" attraction in 1963, advertisement posters for the "General Electric Progress Land" attraction at the 1964-65 World's Fair, 1965's "Fantasy on Parade" event at Disneyland (on the large drum at the start of the parade), and the "A Walt Disney Production" byline at the end of the studio's 1970 animated feature The Aristocats.
===1960–1980===
In 1960, a later variant was based on Walt Disney's handwriting. The typeface is sometimes erroneously believed to be the foundation for the current logo. Despite ending normal usage in 1980, a slightly similar script was used at the beginning of Saving Mr. Banks in 2013.
==Walt Disney Productions==
====1971–1986====
Prior to 1986, the version of the logo using the company's full name was only used in corporate contexts, an early example being on documents printed in late 1971 discussing the company's plans for its then-upcoming 50th anniversary. This logo debuted around the time of the opening of Walt Disney World.
==Walt Disney (second era)==
===2006–present===
In 2006, Disney began using a modified version of the 1956 and 1960 logos, with slightly thinner lines. The version of this logo formatted as "Walt Disney" was used on the Walt Disney Pictures logo from 2006 to 2011, and is currently used on several other Disney properties, including Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
===2007–present===
In 2007, Disney began using a special drawing script font based on Walt Disney’s original signature. This logo is currently being used on Walt Disney Animation Studios as well as its on-screen variant.
==The Walt Disney Company==
===1986–present===
====1986–2009====
On February 6, 1986, Walt Disney Productions was renamed to The Walt Disney Company to reflect the company's diversity. Prior to 2009, the words "The" and "Company" were set in Times New Roman (which was also used by many Disney and Buena Vista-branded properties at the time; Walt Disney World and Buena Vista Home Entertainment still uses Times New Roman in its logos today), with "Walt Disney" set in its signature font. This new name was revealed a month prior to its rename.
====2009–2012====
====2012–present====
==References==
==External links==
Category:The Walt Disney Company
Category:Disney
Category:Companies of the Dow Jones Industrial Average
Category:Companies of the S&P 500
Category:Media companies in the United States
Category:Entertainment companies of the United States
Category:Diversified conglomerates
Category:Conglomerates
Category:Burbank, California
Category:California
Category:United States
Category:1920s
Category:1923