From Animation Studio to Cultural Empire
In this special Rest Is History event, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the story behind the wonderful world of Disney and the man from whose extraordinary imagination it sprang.
To mark the 70th anniversary of Disneyland, Tom and Dominic are joined by Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, for a special bonus episode including a rare tour of the Disney Studios, Walt Disney’s offices, and his greatest passion project: Disneyland itself.
What is the light that is always kept on in Disneyland and what does it commemorate? Which famous star has hands exactly the same size and shape as Dominic’s? What led Theo to be briefly arrested by cast members in Galaxy’s Edge?
And how can Walt Disney’s personality still be seen in the final project he was working on before his sudden death?
Along the way, Tom, Dominic and Bob explore Walt’s legacy, the strange power of theme parks, and why Disneyland may be one of the most influential architectural creations of the modern age.
They also discuss Bob Iger’s own journey how he first discovered The Rest Is History, how he thinks about leadership and legacy, whether Walt Disney would approve of the company today, and who his dream dinner-party guest from history might be.
This is the story of Disney placed back into history from the Second World War to Star Wars, from animation desks to empire-building, and from one man’s imagination to a world that never quite stops believing.
