While living in Kansas City, Walt created a company called Laugh-O-Grams Films to create animated cartoons for local clients. In May of 1922 the company was incorporated and the new studio resided on the upper floor of the McConahy Building, here at 1127 East 31st Street.
Walt worked tirelessly on this venture, often spending nights at the office when money was too low to afford housing. He would eat beans from a can, shave in the public restroom down the hall, and pay ten cents for a shower at Union Station.
This studio was just starting production of their first Alice comedy, Alice’s Wonderland (which can be seen as a bonus feature in the 2010 DVD release of Alice in Wonderland).
The company only lasted one year at this location before going bankrupt in June of 1923.
The Laugh-O-Gram studio was featured in two different unauthorized biopics about Walt: As Dreamers Do (2014) and Walt Before Mickey (2015).
Today, a grassroots non-profit called Thank You Walt Disney saved the building from demolition and is currently working on restoring it as an animation museum and co-working space for new media start-ups.
Address: 1127 E 31st St, Kansas City, MO 64109
Visitor Information: Thank You Walt Disney, Inc
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1127 E 31st St, Kansas City, MO 64109
