Lillian didn't worry about Walt cheating on her with another woman but would sometimes get jealous of his work. Often he would come home late, choosing instead to spend night at studio prowling around his animator's desks, even going through their trash cans to pull out their best ideas. One time he arrived late for a date and drunk. Angrily she locked him out of house. He made amends next day by presenting her with a female puppy in a hat box. That event later became basis for Disney classic Lady And The Tramp (1955).

The Disney's were world travelers. Lillian was thrilled to get call from Walt to pack up for their next surprise vacation and marvel how he would turn their experiences into Disneyland attractions. They fell in love with skiing in Switzerland and it lead to Matterhorn Bobsled Ride. They enjoyed buying antiques in French Quarter, inspiring creation of New Orleans Square. They learned about hidden treasure on a island near Cuba sparking construction of The Pirates Of The Caribbean, which Walt did not live to see completed.

Lillian fell short of her own dream. She did not share Walt's love of classical music, preferring to listen to Lawrence Welk. But she felt his pain when Fantasia (1940) failed at box office. In 1987, 21 years after he passed on, she donated fifty million dollars to build Walt Disney Concert Hall which would be new home for Los Angeles Philharmonic. What better legacy than to bring Beethoven and Mozart to masses just like Walt wanted. But she became discouraged when her idea for a simple brick building became much more elaborate in hands of architect Frank Gehry. Soon fifty million was gone and she wanted it back fearing she had wasted her money on an incomplete boondoggle. Her daughter Diane convinced her that Gehry's design was wonderful but she died six years before hall opened.

One great thing about Walt building Disneyland was that he and Lillian got to play tour guide to world leaders. But Mrs. Disney was very disappointed when head of Russia Nikita S. Khrushchev and his wife failed to come to park in 1960. The Anaheim police said they could not provide enough security. The Soviet Prime Minister grumpily settled for a star studded luncheon at Twentieth Century Fox instead. During meal Frank Sinatra was informed of Mrs. Khrushchev's disappointment at missing out on The Magic Kingdom. Old Blue Eyes slammed his fist on table. "Screw cops. I'll take old broad down there and watch her myself." He grabbed her by hand and was near door when he was stopped by KGB. Back at Disneyland Walt made Lillian smile by telling her he was just as disappointed as she was. He was dying to show Communist ruler his new submarine fleet.

A celebrity's money trouble can spill over to others that they work with. Judy Garland was a popular guest on television talk shows in 1960s. The problem with booking her was in cities where she appeared hotels were reluctant to put her up. She was famous for abusing help and skipping out on her bills. One time New York based Host Merv Griffin called up Waldorf to see if she could stay there. Absolutely not, he was told. She owes far too much money. What if Merv paid her outstanding bills? He was told he could pay double what she owed and she still wouldn't get a room there.

Comedian Stan Laurel found money so tight he ended up in a sixty dollar a month apartment in Santa Monica in early 1960s. He was listed in phone book and people would call him up. Are you Stan Laurel? Can we come over and meet you? Charlie Chaplin's former vaudeville understudy would warmly welcome fans who visited his residence. But what happened to all his money? Laurel would joke about his three wives getting it all, then explain that Producer Hal Roach owned all Laurel and Hardy films. He and Oliver Hardy, (or Babe, as his friends called him) had been scared to death when silent films had ended in 1928. When Director Leo McCarey came up with idea of teaming skinny English comic with rotund Georgia born actor, two were happy just to keep getting a weekly check. Who knew that two reelers that they were only paid once for would be shown to new generations on television? Stan often told story about how he and Babe had gone touring in Europe. While browsing in an airport gift shop in London they saw some miniature Laurel and Hardy figurines. To take them back as gifts they had been forced to pay full price.

Comebacks abound in movie business. Frank Sinatra, who had not served in World War II due to a punctured eardrum, was very unpopular with American fighting men who were jealous of him being back home crooning to their girlfriends. As our military forces began returning his popularity began to wane. By 1949 both his film and singing career had bottomed out to point he was telling his manager to pay people to attend his concerts. His voice was in bad shape, his marriage was ending, his weight had gone down to 118 pounds and there were reports of suicide attempts. Four years later he was back on top, winning an Academy Award for his performance in film From Here To Eternity (1953). He decided to enjoy his accomplishment by taking a solitary moonlight walk through quiet streets of Beverly Hills, just him and his Oscar. After ten minutes Chairman Of The Board was stopped by two police officers who rained on his parade by not recognizing him, and asking hard questions about where he had gotten that statue.

Being broke in Hollywood is often a matter of perspective. One time at a party Martin Scorsese was lamenting to his fellow director Frances Ford Coppola," Frances I'm broke. They've torn up my credit cards. I have nothing, do you understand me, nothing!" "Marty, will you shut up? I owe fifty million dollars."

Want to hear more stories? Stephen Schochet is the author and narrator of the audiobooks Fascinating Walt Disney and Tales Of Hollywood. The Saint Louis Post Dispatch says," These two elaborate productions are exceptionally entertaining." Hear RealAudio samples of these great, unique gifts at http://www.hollywoodstories.com.