Here is a brief excerpt from an article by Jacob Davidson for TIME magazine. To read the complete article, please click here.

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There may be no entertainment industry figure more influential than the Disney company’s eponymous founder. In his 65 years, Walt Disney succeeded in moving animation from a black-and-white novelty to a highly respected genre that would produce Oscar-worthy feature films. More than a few of his creations — including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy — are instantly recognizable global icons. And the small animation house he founded on October 16, 1923 is now valued at more than $42 billion.

Yet, despite his fame, Disney remains a relatively unknown figure. His story is overshadowed by his achievements, and, sometimes, by outright myth. In honor of The Walt Disney Company’s 90th anniversary, here are ten items you probably didn’t know about the man behind Mickey Mouse.

1. He dropped out of high school to join the army

During the first World War, a 16-year-old Walt Disney left school and attempted to enlist in the army. He was rejected for being underage, but managed to find employment with the Red Cross as an ambulance driver. The organization sent Disney to France for a year, but by the time he arrived, the armistice agreement had already been signed.

2. Mickey Mouse’s original name was “Mortimer”

Mickey Mouse is virtually synonymous with Disney’s company, but if the animator’s wife hadn’t intervened, he might have been represented by Mortimer Mouse instead. In the mouse’s first few shorts, he was referred to as Mortimer Mouse, but Lillian Disney managed to convince her husband that Mickey would be a more marketable name. Mortimer later became Mickey’s Brooklyn-accented rival, vying for Minnie Mouse’s affection.

3. He was the original voice behind Mickey Mouse

While mostly known for his skills as an animator, director and producer (not to mention his business acumen), Disney also tried his hand at voice acting. From Mickey’s inception in 1928, all the way to 1947, the mouse’s voice was provided by Disney before being turned over to English voice actor Jimmy MacDonald. Disney loved the character so much that he returned to the studio in 1955 to voice Mickey Mouse shorts for his company’s television show The Mickey Mouse Club.

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To learn more about Walt Disney, please click here.