The Creation of Mickey Mouse

The anthropomorphic Mickey Mouse has evolved from a simple character in animated cartoon and comic strips to become a well distinguished icon in the world. Mickey Mouse has made his first appearance on 18 November in year 1928 upon the release of Steamboat Wille.

Steamboat Wille was the third Micky Mouse cartoon after Plane Crazy (May 1928) and The Gallopin' Gaucho (August 1928). Directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, it was renowned as the first animated short feature film with a completely post-produced soundtrack of music, dialogue, and sound effects.

Mickey Mouse was born in Mr Walt Disney's imagination when he was a a train ride from NY to Los Angeles in early 1928. He was returning with his wife after his cartoon creation, Oswald the Rabbit, had been wrestled and was copyrighted under his financial banker's name.

"..So there I was all alone and had nothing"
"I had this mouse in the back of my head because a mouse is sort of a sympathetic character in spite of the fact that everybody's frightened of a mouse including myself."

When Mr Walt Disney was in the train from NY, he thought that had to have something to tell them as he had already lost Oswald. He spent his train ride conjuring up a little mouse in red velvet pants with a sleight of hand. He named him "Mortimer" at first and his wide suggested "Mickey" as it sounded quite haughty.

A star was born!

The artistic triumph of the animators was honoured in 1932 when an Oscar was presented to Mr Walt Disney for the foundation of Mickey Mouse. Mickey Mouse's popularity spawned a Mickey Mouse Club in 1929. The clubbers had a secret handshake, special member greeting, code behaviour and even a song called "Minne's Yoo Hoo".

Mickey Mouse's evolution into an icon for Disney has made Mr Walt Disney to form The Mickey Mouse Club, which became the most successful children's show ever. It was debuted on television as a series The Disney Channel.

Until today, Mickey Mouse has gone through many evolutions. The little celebrity in red velvet pants will continue to shine, to be in the hearts of Mickey lovers.