Internet goes crazy over airbrushed image of Walt Disney

Publish date: 2024-05-08

Photographs of Walt Disney have been altered by the billion dollar company he started to gloss over the fact he was a heavy smoker who died from lung cancer linked to his three-pack-a-day habit.

Disney, who died in 1966 at the age of 65, was known to be an inveterate chain smoker and even had his left lung removed shortly after the movie release of Mary Poppins.

An eagle-eyed Reddit user spotted the airbrushed picture at the park in California, on Wednesday.

The company is understood to have edited the pictures of its founder so as not encourage smoking - particularly among children who visit Disneyland. 

An eagle-eyed Reddit user pointed out how no photos of Walt Disney smoking can be found at Disneyland and how the company has edited cigarettes out. Disney is pictured above with a cigarette Disney is pictured above without a cigarette

Before-and-after: An eagle-eyed Reddit user pointed out how no photos of Walt Disney smoking can be found at Disneyland and how the company has edited cigarettes out. Disney is pictured left with a cigarette and right without it

He even had his left lung removed shortly after the movie release of Mary Poppins. Disney is pictured above with a cigarette He is pictured above with the cigarette edited out by the company.

He even had his left lung removed shortly after the movie release of Mary Poppins. Disney is pictured above left with a cigarette and right with the cigarette edited out by the company

Disney (above in the 1950s), who passed away from lung cancer in 1966 at the age of 65, was known to be an inveterate chain smoker

Disney (above in the 1950s), who passed away from lung cancer in 1966 at the age of 65, was known to be an inveterate chain smoker

'At Disneyland all photos of Walt Disney have his cigarettes Photoshopped out,' the reddit user wrote in the post while sharing a photo of Disney without a cigarette and doing a weird two-finger point.  

The Disney brand has an on screen ban of smoking that came into effect in 2007 from Disney CEO and chairman Bob Iger.

The company reportedly started editing out the cigarettes its founder smoked to hide his smoking habit from children who would visit Disneyland. Disney is pictured above without a cigarette

The company reportedly started editing out the cigarettes its founder smoked to hide his smoking habit from children who would visit Disneyland. Disney is pictured above without a cigarette

Tom Hank's portrayal of Disney in the film Saving Mr. Banks did not show any scenes of him lighting up once. Hanks is pictured above doing the odd two-finger point that can be found in many of the edited photos of the icon

Tom Hank's portrayal of Disney in the film Saving Mr. Banks did not show any scenes of him lighting up once. Hanks is pictured above doing the odd two-finger point that can be found in many of the edited photos of the icon

'We expect that depictions of cigarette smoking in future Disney-branded films will be non-existent,' Iger said at that the time.

Tom Hank's portrayal of Disney in the film Saving Mr. Banks did not show any scenes of him lighting up once, despite the fact that the film producer and entrepreneur smoked at least three packs of cigarettes a day. 

While speaking at the Napa Valley Film Festival, the films producer, Alison Owen, and director, John Lee Hancock, said they were 'nervous' about working with the studio giant on the film about its founder, in fear that executives would try and control the picture. 

But the company only made one request and they told them 'there could be no smoking,' Owen said. 

However, there is at least one scene in the film that show Hanks doing the odd two-finger point like he is holding an imaginary cigarette that mimic the photoshopped pictures of Disney.

Disney even opened up a Tobacconist and Fine Tobbaco shops (above) on Disneyland's Main Street in 1955 between the Main Street Cinema and the Magic Shop

Disney even opened up a Tobacconist and Fine Tobbaco shops (above) on Disneyland's Main Street in 1955 between the Main Street Cinema and the Magic Shop

The shop sold Disney labeled tobacco, matches (above) and even cigar pipes until it was closed permanently in 1991. The shop sold Disney labeled tobacco (above), matches and even cigar pipes until it was closed permanently in 1991.

The shop sold Disney labeled tobacco (right), matches (left) and even cigar pipes until it was closed permanently in 1991.

In addition, the filmmakers have another scene in the movie where Hanks' character is seen putting out a cigarette in his office, though the cigarette and smoke are obscured. 

Disney fell into the habit of smoking when he was an ambulance driver in France during the First World War. He smoked both a pipe and his favorite brand of cigarettes, Lucky Strike.

He suffered from an incessant cough and made a point of never smoking around children. 

Disney fell into the habit of smoking when he was an ambulance driver in France during the First World War. He is pictured above smoking a cigarette next to his wife Lillian Bounds in the 1920s

Disney fell into the habit of smoking when he was an ambulance driver in France during the First World War. He is pictured above smoking a cigarette next to his wife Lillian Bounds in the 1920s

Disney even opened up a tobacconist on Disneyland's Main Street in 1955 between the Main Street Cinema and the Magic Shop. 

The shop sold Disney labeled tobacco, matches and even cigar pipes until it was closed permanently in 1991.  

In that spot, the 20th Century Music Company can be found selling Disney-themed CDs and videos. 

However, the traditional 'cigar store Indian' can be found still standing on the pavement outside of where the tobacconist shop once was.  

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