November 18, 2023
Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse
Who’d have thought the creation of a character with small stature and a plucky attitude would go on to become a household name and a global sensation symbolising hope, optimism, courage, resilience, positivity in the face of adversity, friendship and connection, creativity, imagination, perseverance, and leadership. The list of his attributes is endless.
The History of Mickey Mouse
Created by Walt Disney and Uniwerks at Walt Disney Studios, Micky Mouse made his debut appearance on November 18th, 1928, in the black and white feature film Steamboat Willie. It was the first animation synchronized to music and sound effects and premiered in New York. Mickey’s first appearance and his unique characteristics and behaviour caught the audience’s imagination and connected him deeply in the hearts and minds of the American people during the great Depression.
The idea for Mickey Mouse came when Walt Disney lost creative control over his earlier creation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, whilst working for Universal Studios. Similarities between the two characters can be seen in the early days.
Mickey Mouse Fandom
However, through the ages Mickey went on to become the most recognizable and loved mascots of Disney Characters and appeared on a range of merchandise, comic strips and inspiring the theme park, Disney Land. In fact, People became so absorbed in the character that they began to ask more in-depth questions, to understand what made Mickey Mouse who he was, and to understand his appeal to so many people from around the world. Questions included:
- What’s Mickey’s middle name?
- What’s Mickey’s favourite food?
- What were his first words he spoke?
- Is Minnie Mouse his girlfriend?
- Is Mickey Mouse married?
Do you know the answer to any of those questions?
Legacy of Mickey Mouse
Did you also know he was the first cartoon character to speak, and the first cartoon character to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? Back during the time of single-cell animation, Mickey Mouse cartoons could take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to complete and a seven-and-a-half-minute animation could include more than 10,000 drawings.
In 1935 the film Bad Concert saw Mickey’s transition into the world of technicolour. In 1993, Mickey Mouse’s toon town opened in Disneyland. And in 2024 Mickey appeared in his CGI form, in Mickey’s Twice upon a Christmas.
It’s true to say that Mickey Mouse means a lot to many different people. And his character has been analysed for its mass appeal and its symbolism. With so much information out there for you to peruse through and an incredible legacy of his own, all that remains to be said is……
Happy 95th birthday, Mickey Mouse
Why not head on over to Box of Broadcast and see the documentary about Walt Disney.
by Mo Almas
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Photo source by Brian McGowan
