FROM: Squeak of the Week Published Fridays

Want of Finer Phonics, Walt Finds Electronics

In a fascinating slice of history, John Donaldson tells the story of how Walt Disney - without ever knowing it! - started William Hewlett and David Packard in business with a purchase delivered to the Disney Studio on the back of a tomato truck.

- John Stanley Donaldson, June 3, 2011

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Early sound motion pictures were often referred to as "sizzlers" - given their pop and hiss impression of bacon being fried-up in a pan. As with anything else, it would be Walt Disney to try a new technology.

The orchestra conductor, Leopold Stokowski, had used an impressive, multi-microphone process for 100 Men and a Girl, a Deanna Durbin movie. Such sound had been sent to six tracks - and although the final mix was monophonic, the result was fuller, and finer, than the standard flat static.

Walt found the technique intriguing. The mechanics could be improved, yet pared. What was needed was expansion past the single theater speaker.

As with the multi-plane camera, Disney desired depth.

But, added depth, added debt.

Still, he kept on, to put sound in surround.

John Hawkins, an engineer on Fantasia, and member of an electronics club, was given, in a meeting, a demonstration of the one stable, resistance-capacitance audio oscillator, which could be used to regulate the "Fantasound" system.

About the size of a bread box, each of these units was being built by two fellows in a garage in Palo Alto - paint finish baked-on, in a home oven.

So, in 1938, Walt Disney ordered eight - at seventy-one dollars and fifty cents a set.

This important, first purchase put Hewlett-Packard into production.

The devices were delivered to the studio on the back of a tomato truck.

Twenty-five years later, being an anniversary, the now successful William Hewlett and David Packard thought they would present Walt Disney with a symbol of appreciation.

A miniature model of that original 200B was specially, and accurately, engineered.

Ushered into his office, they quickly realized that Walt had no idea who they were.

But - he would give the gold "toy" to his grandchildren.

What largely marked the start of the Silicon Valley - was probably sent to a sandbox.

Hey Kids!

Be the first on your block to build this scale model of the 200B audio oscillator! Just cut printed image along outside lines, fold, and paste into place!

Impress your friends!

John Stanley Donaldson, once the protege of Disney Legend Herb Ryman, is the author of Mr. Ryman's biography, Warp and Weft: Life Canvas of Herbert Ryman, which you can purchase directly from the author's site.

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