Leopold Stokowski was born on April 18, 1882, in London, England. He became one of the most famous orchestra conductors in the world. Most conductors used a thin stick called a baton. Stokowski threw his away. He used only his bare hands to guide the orchestra. His dramatic arm movements made concerts feel like performances, not just music. In 1940, Stokowski worked with Walt Disney on a movie called Fantasia. The film paired famous classical music with animated scenes. Dancing mushrooms bounced to a piece by Tchaikovsky. A sorcerer's apprentice -- played by Mickey Mouse -- brought broomsticks to life while music by Paul Dukas played. Stokowski himself appeared in the film, shaking hands with Mickey Mouse. It was the first time a real person and a cartoon character appeared together on screen. Fantasia was expensive to make and did not earn much money at first. Some music critics thought it was disrespectful to pair serious music with cartoons. But over time, the film became beloved. It introduced millions of children to classical music for the first time.