Mickey Mouse Walt Disney’s primary cartoon character and international personality who made his debut in Steamboat Willie on November 18, 1928, at the Colony Theater in New York City. Walt once famously said, “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing—that it was all started by a mouse.” He told the story of coming up with the character in 1928, on a train ride from New York to Los Angeles, after losing control of his previous cartoon star, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. According to legend, Walt came up with the name Mortimer for his new mouse character, but his wife, Lillian, thought the name was too pretentious and suggested Mickey instead. Walt and Ub Iwerks began work on the first Mickey Mouse cartoons, Plane Crazy and The Gallopin’ Gaucho, but the advent of sound films prompted them to start on a third cartoon, Steamboat Willie, which would be released first and make Mickey an overnight sensation. Mickey’s heyday was the 1930s; in the 1940s his popularity on the screen was overtaken by Donald Duck and Goofy. In all, there have been 121 Mickey Mouse theatrical cartoons, with a 30-year gap between The Simple Things (1953) and Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983). He starred in the Mickey Mouse Club TV show in the 1950s, appeared on countless merchandise items, and acted as chief greeter at the Disney theme parks. Walt Disney provided Mickey Mouse’s voice up to 1946, when Jim Macdonald took over until his retirement three decades later. He was followed by Wayne Allwine and Bret Iwan. Chris Diamantopoulos began voicing Mickey for a new TV series of Mickey Mouse cartoons, debuting on Disney Channel in 2013.
Mickey was originally drawn using circles; many commentators have noted the character has one of the most powerful graphic designs ever created. In fact, the simplified 3-circle symbol of Mickey’s head and ears has become an internationally recognized icon. The Pointer, in 1939, was the first cartoon that featured a drastically new design for Mickey. His body became more pear-shaped than round, and pupils were added to his eyes, making them more expressive. In the early 1940s, animators gave him perspective ears—shadowing them to give a 3-D effect—but this change was short-lived. Later changes consisted mainly of costume changes, taking him out of his red shorts, for instance, and putting him in more contemporary clothes. Mickey was the first cartoon character honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with a presentation held November 13, 1978.
The theatrically released Mickey Mouse cartoons are:
1. Steamboat Willie 1928
2. The Gallopin Gaucho 1928
3. Plane Crazy 1928
4. The Barn Dance 1929
5. The Opry House 1929
6. When the Cat’s Away 1929
7. The Barnyard Battle 1929
8. The Plowboy 1929
9. The Karnival Kid 1929
10. Mickey’s Follies 1929
11. Mickey’s Choo Choo 1929
12. The Jazz Fool 1929
13. Jungle Rhythm 1929
14. The Haunted House 1929
15. Wild Waves 1929
16. Fiddling Around 1930 (working title was Just Mickey)
17. The Barnyard Concert 1930
18. The Cactus Kid 1930
19. The Fire Fighters 1930
20. The Shindig 1930
21. The Chain Gang 1930
22. The Gorilla Mystery 1930
23. The Picnic 1930
24. Pioneer Days 1930
25. The Birthday Party 1931
26. Traffic Troubles 1931
27. The Castaway 1931
28. The Moose Hunt 1931
29. The Delivery Boy 1931
30. Mickey Steps Out 1931
31. Blue Rhythm 1931
32. Fishin’ Around 1931
33. The Barnyard Broadcast 1931
34. The Beach Party 1931
35. Mickey Cuts Up 1931
36. Mickey’s Orphans 1931
37. The Duck Hunt 1932
38. The Grocery Boy 1932
39. The Mad Dog 1932
40. Barnyard Olympics 1932
41. Mickey’s Revue 1932
42. Musical Farmer 1932
43. Mickey in Arabia 1932
44. Mickey’s Nightmare 1932
45. Trader Mickey 1932
46. The Whoopee Party 1932
47. Touchdown Mickey 1932
48. The Wayward Canary 1932
49. The Klondike Kid 1932
50. Mickey’s Good Deed 1932
51. Building a Building 1933
52. The Mad Doctor 1933
53. Mickey’s Pal Pluto 1933
54. Mickey’s Mellerdrammer 1933
55. Ye Olden Days 1933
56. The Mail Pilot 1933
57. Mickey’s Mechanical Man 1933
58. Mickey’s Gala Premiere 1933
59. Puppy Love 1933
60. The Steeple Chase 1933
61. The Pet Store 1933
62. Giantland 1933
63. Shanghaied 1934
64. Camping Out 1934
65. Playful Pluto 1934
66. Gulliver Mickey 1934
67. Mickey’s Steam-Roller 1934
68. Orphans’ Benefit 1934
69. Mickey Plays Papa 1934
70. The Dognapper 1934
71. Two-Gun Mickey 1934
72. Mickey’s Man Friday 1935
73. The Band Concert 1935 (first color)
74. Mickey’s Service Station 1935 (black and white)
75. Mickey’s Kangaroo 1935 (black and white)
76. Mickey’s Garden 1935
77. Mickey’s Fire Brigade 1935
78. Pluto’s Judgement Day 1935
79. On Ice 1935
80. Mickey’s Polo Team 1936
81. Orphan’s Picnic 1936
82. Mickey’s Grand Opera 1936
83. Thru the Mirror 1936
84. Mickey’s Rival 1936
85. Moving Day 1936
86. Alpine Climbers 1936
87. Mickey’s Circus 1936
88. Mickey’s Elephant 1936
89. The Worm Turns 1937
90. Magician Mickey 1937
91. Moose Hunters 1937
92. Mickey’s Amateurs 1937
93. Hawaiian Holiday 1937
94. Clock Cleaners 1937
95. Lonesome Ghosts 1937
96. Boat Builders 1938
97. Mickey’s Trailer 1938
98. The Whalers 1938
99. Mickey’s Parrot 1938
100. Brave Little Tailor 1938
101. Society Dog Show 1939
102. The Pointer 1939
103. Tugboat Mickey 1940
104. Pluto’s Dream House 1940
105. Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip 1940
106. The Little Whirlwind 1941
107. The Nifty Nineties 1941
108. Orphans’ Benefit 1941 (remake)
109. Mickey’s Birthday Party 1942
110. Symphony Hour 1942
111. Mickey’s Delayed Date 1947
112. Mickey Down Under 1948
113. Mickey and the Seal 1948
114. Plutopia 1951
115. R’coon Dawg 1951
116. Pluto’s Party 1952
117. Pluto’s Christmas Tree 1952
118. The Simple Things 1953
119. Mickey’s Christmas Carol 1983
120. Runaway Brain 1995
121. Get a Horse! 2013