ORLANDO -- Happy Birthday, Mickey Mouse! That's right, the little mouse recognized all over the world celebrates his birthday on Friday, Nov. 18.
Artists who have drawn Mickey through the years have referred to him as Walt Disney's "alter ego" and have said he "represents the world of animation."
U.S. cartoonist Walt Disney poses with one of his creations, Mickey Mouse, on the roof of Grosvenor House in London, June. 12, 1935.
AP Photo
Here are 11 facts about the famous mouse we all know and love:
Mickey's debut
Mickey Mouse made his debut on Nov. 18, 1928, in the animated short "Steamboat Willie" at the Colony Theater in New York City. That film also marked the public debut of Minnie Mouse. Both Minnie and Mickey had appeared previously in "Plane Crazy," a short film that was distributed after "Steamboat Willie."
World's first
"Steamboat Willie" was the world's first cartoon with synchronized sound and featured Walt Disney's own voice for Mickey's squeaks.
Hard work
Back in the day, a Mickey Mouse cartoon could include more than 10,000 drawings for a seven and half minute film and could take anywhere from six months to two years to complete.
Mickey fever
More than 100 Mickey Mouse cartoons were produced during the 1930s and were shown in theaters with feature films, newsreels, serial dramas and comedies. Disney's shorts were so popular that moviegoers would often ask if a Mickey cartoon would be part of the show before purchasing a ticket, according to Robert Tieman, author of "The Mickey Mouse Treasures."
Meet the Mouse
Mickey Mouse made his first live, in-person appearance on March 12, 1931, in Los Angeles in a live stage show called the "Mickey Mouse Idea."
The iconic watch
Arguably the most successful piece of Mickey merchandise was the iconic Mickey Mouse watch. Debuting in June 1933, more than 2.5 million watches were sold in the first two years of production, and a Mickey Watch was even included in the time capsule at the 1939 World's Fair in New York.
Bring in the color!
Mickey made his first color film appearance in "The Band Concert" in 1935.
Welcoming the white gloves
Mickey's white gloves made their first appearance in 1929's "When the Cat's Away."
All in the family
While you may be familiar with Mickey's friends like Donald and Goofy, he also has quite a large family! His nephews Morty and Ferdie may be the most recognizable, but Mickey also has more than a dozen cousins, uncles and grandparents, including Uncle Maxwell, a college professor, Cousin Digger, an Australian rancher, and Uncle Louie, a French chef.
A place in history
In honor of his 60th birthday, Mickey Mouse was given a place in the Smithsonian Institution. In 1988, Walt Disney Studios donated six original animation drawings from "Steamboat Willie" to the National Museum of American History.
From Charlie to Mickey
Walt Disney has said that silent film star Charlie Chaplin was one of the inspirations for the character of Mickey Mouse. "We wanted something appealing, and we thought of a tiny bit of a mouse that would have something of the wistfulness of Chaplin...a little fellow trying to do the best he could," Disney said, according to Tieman in The Mickey Mouse Treasures. Ub Iwerks, the artist who helped Disney first design Mickey, said of the character, "People accepted him as a symbolic character, and though he looked like a mouse, he was accepted as dashing and heroic."
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FAQs
Mickey Mouse was also the first cartoon character to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Mickey is known by different names around the world. For instance, Mickey is called Musse Pigg in Sweden, Mi Lao Shu in China and Topolino in Italy.
What was the first mascot of Mickey Mouse? ›
Steamboat Willie, a 1928 short film featuring early non-speaking versions of Mickey and Minnie, is widely seen as the moment that transformed Disney's fortunes and made cinema history. Their images are now available to the public in the US, after Disney's copyright expired.
What is Mickeys mouse full name? ›
Background. According to Symphony Hour, "Mickey and the Culture Clash", and "The Fancy Gentleman", Mickey's full name is Michel Mouse. He has an older sister named Felicity Fieldmouse, by whom Mickey has twin nephews named Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse, whom he occasionally watches over.
How old is the Mickey Mouse character? ›
Mickey Mouse is 93 years old. What is Mickey Mouse's birthday? Mickey Mouse was born on November 18, 1928. That's when Walt Disney showed Mickey to the world for the very first time in the movie Steamboat Willie.
Is Mickey a duck or a Mouse? ›
The longtime icon and mascot of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red shorts, large shoes, and white gloves.
What is Mickey's real name? ›
While on the train back to Hollywood, Disney was inspired by a pet mouse he'd had as a child and asked Iwerks to create a design. Walt Disney liked the name “Mortimer Mouse” but Lillian, his wife, suggested “Mickey” sounded better. Mickey's official full name is “Michael Theodore Mouse”.
What is Mickey short for? ›
What is the name Mickey a nickname for? Generally it's used as a nickname for Michael. All the Mickeys I've known were named Michael. Thus Mike, Mikey, and Mick are all co-nicknames.
What is Mickey Mouse first word? ›
During his first eight appearances Mickey whistled, laughed, cried and otherwise vocally expressed himself. Mickey's first spoken line is "Hot dogs! Hot dogs!", the voice being provided by composer Carl W. Stalling instead of Walt Disney.
What is Goofy's full name? ›
In his 1950s cartoons, he usually played a character called George G. Geef. Sources from the Goof Troop continuity give the character's full name as G. G. "Goofy" Goof, likely in reference to the 1950s name. In many other sources, both animated and comics, the surname Goof continues to be used.
What is Mickey's middle name? ›
* Walt Disney admitted privately in 1933 that Minnie and Mickey are married, but it's never been officially stated. * Their original names were Mortimer and Minerva. * Mickey has a middle name: Theodore.
Happy Birthday, Mickey Mouse! Iconic Disney mascot turns 94 today - ABC7 Chicago.
Is Mickey Mouse 91 years old? ›
The pair turn 91-years-old today (Nov. 18). They made their debuts in the animated movie Steamboat Willie in New York on November 18th, 1928.
Is Mickey a kid or adult? ›
Steamboat Willie (1928), the first Mickey Mouse cartoon to be publicly released, shows Mickey flirtatiously pursuing Minnie Mouse, playing with animals as if they are instruments, and discovering his curiosity and love of music; Mickey's actions are typified by that of a teenager or young boy.
Is Mickey Mouse over 90 years old? ›
Happy Birthday
Mickey Mouse, the reigning prince of the Disney Kingdom, made his big-screen debut 90 years ago, on November 18, 1928, in the animation short Steamboat Willie.
Is Mickey Mouse 93 years old? ›
(CNN) – On November 18th, Mickey Mouse turns 93.
What is special about Mickey Mouse? ›
Mickey Mouse's enduring popularity can likely be credited to the way he ubiquitously represents wholesome values of kindness and innocence.
What is Goofy's real name? ›
Originally known as Dippy Dawg, the character is more commonly known simply as "Goofy," a name used in his short film series. In his 1950s persona, Goofy was called George Geef, or G. G. Geef, implying that "Goofy" was merely a nickname.
What is Mickey Mouse's Favourite thing? ›
Mickey's favorite items change daily, but here is a list of some of his liked gifts: Red Falling Penstemon. Lettuce. Apple Cider Glazed Salmon.
