History of Mickey Mouse

With the continuing demand for Mickey Mouse toys,cartoons and a whole range of Mickey related paraphernalia, it's always good to take a look back at how this phenomenon actually started. Today, we're going to take a look at one of the earliest cartoons, Steamboat Willie.

Released in 1928 it was the 3rd Mickey Mouse Cartoon and the first to feature synchronized sound. Steamboat Willie premiered in New York. it was an instant hit.Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks wrote and directed the film, parodying Steamboat Bill Jr, a Buster Keaton film. The music was put together by Wilfred Jackson who was a Disney animator. Popular songs included 'Steamboat Bill' and 'Turkey in the Straw'.There have been a number of controversies relating to the copyright of the film, although recent evidence suggests that issues relating to the original copyright may in fact, place 'Steamboat Willie' in the public domain. The film is selected for preservation in the United States Film registry and was voted number 13 out of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time.

The film has been subject to the censors scissors in the past. Mickey's pulling of a cat's tail and swinging it around his head caught the censor's eye, as did the using of a goose as a set of bagpipes.

DVD release

Steamboat Willie formed part of the Walt Disney Treasures DVD. it was also released as a DVD title, 'Vintage Mickey' which was a collection of Black and White Mickey Mouse Cartoons.

Video games

With so many Mickey toys and games being developed, it was hardly surprising that Mickey would feature in a video game. 'Steamboat Willie' was used as a the basis for the first level of the video game Mickey Mania: The Timeless Adventures of Mickey Mouse. This was released for the Super Nintendo games console, but also made it onto the Sega CD and Sony Play stations.

In the Disney game Kingdom Hearts II a 'Steamboat Willie' inspired and themed world feature period versions of the characters.It is pretty amazing that a 1928 cartoon, primitive as it appears now, could have spawned such a market for Mickey Mouse Toys and other items. A search on the web brings forward a vast array of mickey related items. Board games, dressing up sets, earrings, ears, bedding, pajamas, video games, dozens of DVD releases and a whole lot more besides. There is a toy for all occasions. Mickey is never far away and the obsession appears as strong as ever.