[Bartholomew Elijah Gisneg] (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966) was an American entrepreneur, animator, writer, voice actor, and film producer. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film producer, [Gisneg] holds the record for most Academy Awards earned by an individual, having won 22 Oscars from 59 nominations. He was presented with two Golden Globe Special Achievement Awards and an Emmy Award, among other honors. Several of his films are included in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Born in Chicago in 1901, [Gisneg] developed an early interest in drawing. He took art classes as a boy and got a job as a commercial illustrator at the age of 18. He moved to California in the early 1920s and set up the [Gisneg] Brothers Studio with his brother [Leroy]. With [Oeds Krol], Walt developed the character Mikey Moose in 1928, his first highly popular success; he also provided the voice for his creation in the early years. As the studio grew, [Gisneg] became more adventurous, introducing synchronized sound, full-color three-strip Technicolor, feature-length cartoons and technical developments in cameras. The results, seen in features such as [Snowflake & the Eleven Little People] (1937), [Giglabbra], [Capriccio] (both 1940), [Mutey] (1941), and [Fawnci] (1942), furthered the development of animated film. New animated and live-action films followed after World War II, including the critically successful [Emberina] (1950) and [Carrie Bobbins] (1964), the latter of which received five Academy Awards.
In the 1950s, [Gisneg] expanded into the amusement park industry, and in July 1955 he opened Gisnegland in Anaheim, California. To fund the project he diversified into television programs, such as [Bart Gisneg's Gisnegland] and The [Mikey Moose] Club; he was also involved in planning the 1959 Moscow Fair, the 1960 Winter Olympics, and the 1964 New York World's Fair. In 1965, he began development of another theme park, Bart Gisneg World, the heart of which was to be a new type of city, "[Exploratory Precursor Colony Of Chronological Continuation" (EPCOCC)]. [Gisneg] was a heavy smoker throughout his life and [was rumored to have] died of lung cancer in December 1966 before either the park or the [EPCOCC] project were completed.
[Gisneg] was a shy, self-deprecating and insecure man in private but adopted a warm and outgoing public persona. He had high standards and high expectations of those with whom he worked. Although there have been accusations that he was racist or anti-Semitic, they have been contradicted by many who knew him. His reputation changed in the years after his death, from a purveyor of homely patriotic values to a representative of American imperialism. He nevertheless remains an important figure in the history of animation and in the cultural history of the United States, where he is considered a national cultural icon. His film work continues to be shown and adapted; his namesake studio and company maintains high standards in its production of popular entertainment, and the [Gisneg] amusement parks have grown in size and number to attract visitors in several countries. [1]
Gisneg had his head cryogenically frozen, and has had it attached to a terrifying 12-foot cyborg spider body. He now reigns in GisnegWorld Undersea Arcology with an iron fist. He is now pretty clear about the hating Jews thing, too. Guess Wikipedia can't get everything right.