 Walt Disney had not had a huge hit since  _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)_ (qv). The production of  this film was regarded as a major gamble on his part. At a cost of  nearly $3,000,000, Disney insiders claimed that if this movie had  failed at the box office, it would have been the end of the Disney  studio. The film was a big hit. The profits from its release, with  the additional profits from record sales, music publishing,  publications and other merchandise gave Disney the cash flow to  finance a slate of productions (animated and live action), establish  his own distribution company, enter television production and begin  building Disneyland during the decade.