Walt Disney was born in 1901 in Chicago and showed an early interest in art. He pursued his artistic talents and studied commercial art. After serving in World War I, Disney began producing animated short films. He created the character Mickey Mouse in 1928, which was a huge success. Disney continued innovating, producing the first full-length animated films in the 1930s. He opened Disneyland theme park in 1955, which was hugely popular and the beginning of the Disney brand's expansion into parks and resorts.