1925 - Romance in the Workplace

by Craig D. Barton

New Alice Margie Gay meets bad-tempered puzzle collector, "Bootleg Pete." His name would shortly change to Pegleg Pete, and, in Mickey Mouse shorts, become a cat instead of a bear. Because of the likeness and peg-leg, Pete is often credited as the longest running character in Disney history.

Aside from the business and stress of turning out these features, something else was blooming at the studio in ’25: a workplace romance. Of course, it wasn’t truly a romance that took place IN the workplace, as, according to Walt Disney biographer Bob Thomas, “Walt was too immersed in his work to pay too much attention to the new ink-and-paint girl,” Lillian Bounds, who had moved to Los Angeles herself in 1923. “But,” continues Thomas, “after he had bought a little Ford runabout for the studio’s errands, he sometimes drove the girls home from work.”

Recalled Lillian in 1968, ““We used to work nights. By that time, he had a Ford roadster with one seat and an open back. He used to take us home after work. He took the other girl home first. When he got to my sister’s he was embarrassed to stop in front of the house. One night he asked me ‘If I get a suit can I come and see you?’ So, he went down to Foreman & Clark’s with Roy. Walt got a two pants suit and Roy a one pants suit. (Walt always got the best.) Then one night he came to see me at home and met the family. He stood up and said ‘Well, how do you like my suit?’ The family liked him immediately…. It (the suit) looked terrible now that I look back.”

Obviously, it wasn’t just the family that liked him. Daughter Diane Disney-Miller once remarked that her mother was always “proud of the fact that Dad took her home last.”  Author and historian Jeff Kurtti adds, “Walt always dropped Lillian off last, even though her home was closer.” Walt had obviously found someone that was meant for him, that would be his partner in life, that would understand and let Walt be Walt. Walt was a constant caller of Lilly’s, often visiting her family for dinner. He bought her a dog – a romantic gesture for sure, but also to keep her company as he would drive to theaters to check out a rival’s animated feature, leaving Lilly in the car while he went in to watch! Apparently, Miss Bounds did not mind this at all, as this type of date would happen quite frequently. Lilly would listen as Walt, returning from watching, would pontificate and criticize what he had just seen.   



In front of the Kingswell studio, from left to right: Lillian, Walt, (Sister) Ruth Disney, Roy, and Edna. photo ©Disney

After Roy married his childhood sweetheart, Edna Francis, in April (a wedding in which Lillian served as maid of honor), Walt decided it was time for he and Lilly to do the same. He had always said that he wanted to be 25 years old and have at least $10,000 to his name, but his courtship with Lilly along with his brother getting married quickly changed his mind. As Lillian said, “Walt and I were going to wait (to get married) but Walt didn’t like to be alone.” She told Thomas in 1973, “We went to Idaho and got married there. Naturally we went first class on the train. We went to Mt. Rainier for our honeymoon and then came back to the studio.”



The honeymooners visit Mt. Ranier photo ©Disney

While “deciding to get married” may seem less than romantic, the truth is, Walt and Lillian were meant for each other and complimented each other perfectly. “Walt and Lilly also had a marriage based firmly in the unique bond forged by the magical mixture of love and laughter,” says Kurtti. “Frequently, their good-natured sparring surrounded Walt’s beloved hats. Through the 1930s and 1940s, Walt was rarely without a favorite fedora. ‘When asked to “fix” his hat, Walt would often respond with an exaggerated crush of the hat on his head. Lilly would occasionally abscond with his hat, sailing it far out of reach before Walt could rescue it from her clutches,’ says writer and Disney aficionado Reed Milnes.”

While Walt and Lillian were a match made in heaven for each other, another relationship, one on a professional level began to sour. With Walt continuing to produce Alice features, money was becoming tight, as was working space. Walt and Roy put a down payment on a new studio, but before a move could be made, money would have to be obtained, especially from distributor Charles Mintz. As Walt consistently pleaded for the payment promised in their initial contract, Mintz drew a hard line with Walt over terms and timelines – a stance that would delay a new contract on more features until the next year…

1925

• ^{More Alice Comedy Releases – New actresses portray Alice, Davis returns for one more in December, using archival footage.}
• ^{“Alice Solves the Puzzle” includes the earliest appearance of Disney regular, Pete.}
• ^{Roy marries childhood sweetheart Edna Francis, April 11th.}
• ^{Walt marries Lillian Bounds, July 13th.}
• ^{Walt and Roy put down payment on Hyperion Avenue Studio.}
• ^{Contract negotiations proceed for production on more Alice Comedies.}
• ^{Alice releases for 1925:}
•  ^{Alice Cans the Cannibals - January 1, 1925 - Virginia Davis}
• ^{Alice the Toreador -January 15, 1925 - Virginia Davis}
• ^{Alice Gets Stung - February 1, 1925 - Virginia Davis}
•  ^{Alice Solves the Puzzle - February 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
•  ^{Alice’s Egg Plant - May 30, 1925 - Dawn O’Day}
•  ^{Alice Loses Out - June 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
•  ^{Alice Gets Stage Struck - June 30, 1925 - Margie Gay}
•  ^{Alice Wins the Derby - July 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
•  ^{Alice Picks the Champ -July 30, 1925 - Margie Gay}
•  ^{Alice’s Tin Pony - August 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
•  ^{Alice Chops the Suey - August 30, 1925 - Margie Gay}
•  ^{Alice the Jail Bird - September 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
•  ^{Alice Plays Cupid - October 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
•  ^{Alice Rattled by Rats - November 15, 1925 - Margie Gay}
•  ^{Alice in the Jungle - December 15, 1925 -Virginia Davis}
   
  

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*"The Walt Disney Company: 100 Years in 100 Weeks" is a project conceived by Craig D. Barton and presented by Communerdy. It is in no way affiliated with The Walt Disney Company, and any opinions presented within its content are that of the author(s). For more updates, follow us on https://www.instagram.com/disney100in100/ .