Nothing is impossible in the enchanted world of fantasy: a mouse can create an empire and become a universal celebrity, dethroning Santa Claus, being a symbol of a nation and a culture while rubbing shoulders with heads of state, making successive generations of children smile and retaining the irrepressible vigour of youth even at the age of 90.
The reality is that Mickey Mouse is as fresh and perhaps even more charming than when he emerged from Walt Disney’s prodigious imagination. His original outline has become more rounded, he has new expressions and went on to wear white gloves, which, when coupled with his red shorts and unmistakable ears, have created an identity fated for success. Recognised in the four corners of the world, in the USA he is even more popular than Santa Claus. The origins of his story feature the familiar overcoming of adversity found in the plot of any Disney lm, personifying the happy ending that invariably awaits their heroes.
As if by magic, the most famous mouse on the planet is actually a descendent of a rabbit named Oswald, originally created by Disney Brothers Studio for Universal. This smiling character was an immediate success, but just as young Walt was preparing to nalise a new contract, he learned the company had unexpectedly seized the rights to the character. Determined to continue his journey, he turned his focus to the creation of a new character, working at it for nights on end with animator Ub Iwerks, his loyal collaborator, by his side. Line after line, wielding his pen like a magic wand, the rabbit eventually became a mouse, initially named Mortimer. The name Mickey would have been suggested by Walt’s wife, Lillian.
After two short lms that went largely unnoticed, the charismatic mouse found the limelight with the lm Steamboat Willie, which premièred on 18 November 1928 in New York. The public
was charmed by this unexpectedly loveable and headstrong mouse, engaged in a thousand adventures. A star was born.
With Walt’s visionary genius, Mickey’s fame grew beyond the screen in no time. A wide- -ranging marketing campaign was developed and a fan club was created which remains active to this day. What followed were years of intense work and the recognition of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. By 1937, our little hero was the star of an average of 12 short lms a year.
Surrounded by his companions Donald, Goofy, his dog Pluto and his eternal girlfriend Minnie, Mickey took on the cloak of an endless cast of characters, from a reman to a sailor, a tailor, a pilot, a detective, a plumber, a conductor, a giant hunter, a cowboy and many, many others. Caught up in unlikely adventures, it is Mickey’s common sense that invariably wins the day and leads the plot to a sound resolution. Walt Disney himself lent him his voice in more than 100 lms.
Mickey’s fame skyrocketed in the 1950s with the creation of a theme park and a television show, The Mickey Mouse Club. The charismatic mouse became the ambassador of the Disney brand, with Walt’s making the memorable observation at one of his rst public appearances: “I just hope that we never lose sight of one thing: this all started with a mouse.”
As the rst ctional character to be given a star on the mythical Walk of Fame in Hollywood and posing alongside world leaders, Mickey has truly transcended the wildest dreams of his creator and became a world-wide pop icon. Completing almost a century, he has kept pace with technology by appearing in video games and 3D lms, and even earned a hashtag dedicated to his very own birthday: #Mickey90.
Congratulations Mickey! Long live Mickey!
