The Disney Revolt: The Great Labor War of Animation's Golden Age

Praise for The Disney Revolt: The Great Labor War of Animation's Golden Age

“Jake S. Friedman has done an impressive job of research, to put it mildly. Without knowing the sequence of events it’s impossible to understand how this bitter strike came about. Add to that the perceived insults, slights, and resentments and you have the stuff of great drama.” —Leonard Maltin, film critic and historian, author of Of Mice and Magic

“Author Jake S. Friedman takes us on a deep dive into Hollywood history delivered in a style that reads like a film noir page turner. I could not put this book down.” —Don Hahn, producer of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King

“Gangsters, backroom deals, murder, and . . . cartoons? I’ve long been interested in the 1941 Disney strike, and Jake S. Friedman’s book does not disappoint. Well written and thoroughly researched—a great read!” —Pete Docter, director of Monsters Inc., Up, Inside Out, and Soul

“Friedman’s research is comprehensive, the cast of characters succinctly etched. Most impressive, in the candid telling of this tale of labor relations and film art, are the all-too-human stories woven with equity throughout. Highly recommended.” —John Canemaker, Oscar-winning filmmaker, animation historian, and author

“As engaging as it is informative, Friedman weaves a compelling chronology of the confluence of two industry leaders and the collision course that forever changed the industry they both helped to build.” —Mindy Johnson, author of Ink & Paint

“A complex, captivating account of the collision between hard-fought labor rights and the flights of fancy that would charm millions and make millions.” —David Alpern, veteran Newsweek senior editor

“The Disney Revolt is a lasting work of historiography and storytelling. With the skill and verve of a master artisan from the era he illuminates, Jake S. Friedman recounts an epic tale.” —Michael Dolan, editor, American History magazine

"Disney and animation historians and readers of American labor history will find a fascinating chronicle of an essential labor dispute in twentieth century America." — Booklist

"A fascinating look at how the Disney magic happened, and how close it came to tumbling down." — Library Journal

"[The Disney Revolt] is a fascinating account of the virulent labor tussle at Disney Studios that pitted the unbending company founder against one of his most valuable and innovative artists" — The Wall Street Journal

"[The Disney Revolt] was written for a broader audience with the hope that anyone, even those without a background or interest in animation and history, could draw inspiration from it. The book is a call to action." — The Jewish Exponent

"An easy read with its business aspect and its trip down Memory Lane. If you’re interested in labor relations or if you’ve always been a fan of The Mouse, this book’ll have you trapped." — The Nashville Ledger

"This is an eye-opening book full of many fascinating stories about a World War II-era Hollywood labor battle, and even readers who are familiar with the history of animation, or the growth of entertainment industry unions, will discover something new in its pages." — CineMontage

"...The Disney Revolt works not only as a fascinating story, meticulously researched, and engagingly written. It also holds up as a still-relevant tale in organizing and recognizing that all work, even producing cartoons, is still a job, and that allies, and enemies, in the class struggle are not always drawn in black and white." — New York Labor History Association