Have you ever wondered how cartoon Mickey Mouse came about, and why is he referred to as the world’s favorite mouse? Well, it might just interest you to read this account of the Mickey Mouse History Timeline.
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I always wondered how Walt Disney designed Mickey Mouse, because he doesn’t resemble an ordinary mouse in many ways, yet he is still recognizable as a mouse.
Disney’s Sing & Giggle Mickey
As you can see there is a vast difference between Mickey Mouse and a real mouse. Cartoon Mickey Mouse has been humanized and he even wears clothes, as you can see in this cute toy on your right.
Now manufacturers have taken full advantage of the worldwide love that this favorite mouse gets and they have created many products around him for every age. Click on the pictures to find out more about them, or look at these Mickey Mouse Toys.
Mickey Mouse History
Cartoon Mickey Mouse History Timeline
The release of the first Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoon, Trolley Troubles. When Walt lost his rabbit to Universal Studio’s he vowed to create characters adding his own name to the rights.
Steamboat Willie is released at the Colony Theatre in New York — this marks the release of the very first Mickey Mouse cartoon and the first major appearance by Minnie Mouse. This was Mickey’s third cartoon, but the first successful one.
In The Barn Dance, Minnie turns Mickey down for the first time in favor of Pete.
In The Opry House, Mickey Mouse is seen wearing his white gloves for the first time.
Jungle rhythm finds Mickey Mouse riding on an elephant in Africa.
The Mickey Mouse comic strip debuts.
The Band Concert, the first Mickey Mouse cartoon in color, is released. Mickey is said to have gotten a makeover during this period, with his previous round shape changing to a pear-shaped one.
Disney is now making 12 Mickey shorts a year. Disney himself did Mickey’s highly pitched voice.
Mickey gets another makeover by animator Fred Moore in The Pointer. He was given white eyes with pupils and a Caucasian skin colored face. In the 40’s he lost his tail and got more realistic ears.
Disney releases one of its highly regarded classics, Fantasia in which Mickey is one of the main characters.
Walt stopped doing Mickey Mouse’s voice and the job is released to other actors.
Walt Disney Music Company is Formed.
The Mickey Mouse Club debuts on television and is successful over the next four years.
The arena show Disney on Parade, in which costumed Disney characters put on lavish dance numbers, debuts in Chicago.
Walt Disney World Resort opens with the Magic Kingdom and two hotels near Orlando, Florida.
After the making of Mickey’s Christmas carol, Mickey goes on semi-retirement
Mickey Mouse turns 50 and is the first animated character to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Disney Channel begins broadcasting with 18 hours of programming a day.
Mickey’s Christmas Carol had a theatrical debut with Wayne Allwine as Mickey Mouse. Allwine then did Mickey’s official voice from 1977 until his death in 2009.
First Disney Dollars sold at Disneyland. Mickey Mouse’s face is featured on these dollars.
Cartoon Mickey Mouse turns 80. He’s a little rounder than he used to be, but not a grey hair on him. Been wearing the same clothes for decades, but they still look new.
Walt Disney’s wife has said of the relationship between her husband and Mickey that over the years Cartoon Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney grew close and mirrored each other’s personalities.
I hope that you have found this Mickey Mouse History Timeline of interest.
Please feel free to leave your comments below.
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Hey there Michel,
I never knew there was an Oswald bunny in the picture, why didn’t they re-make Oswald though, seemed like his show had good potential :/
I love Mickey and the gang and I love this timeline, glad I you took the time to write about it. Walt Disney was a great man, I would love to have a peek on how he sees the world, wouldn’t you? The world would be a much better place to live in.
Oswald was unfortunately bought by the opposition. And I agree with you the Walt Disney was a unique character. Thanks for stopping by Diaz
Mickey Mouse has to be the most recognizable cartoon figure in the history of the world. I’d say Walt Disney did pretty good considering he had been fired from one of his jobs with a newspaper due to his lack of creativity and originality! Steamboat Willie is one of those classics that I love to watch because it transports me backward in time to the beginning of that magical world of Disney!
Hey Michel, the timeline is great! Do you know the reason Walt lost the bunny? I wonder how that would have worked out with Bugs Bunny. Bugs is the most famous bunny I know of. I’m glad you put together this timeline, its so cool to see how Mickey and Disney evolved over the years. One of the awesome things about Mickey is, no matter when you were born, you grow up with Mickey, everyone knows and loves Mickey!
Walt Disney lost his bunny to Universal Studios, who he was working with at the time. Glad you enjoyed the post Ryan.
What an interesting site, never would have thought about a site on Disney and Mickey Mouse. I enjoyed watching the video on the history of Mickey Mouse and the Mickey Mouse timeline. Didn’t know that Disney himself did Mickey Mouses voice, that’s interesting.
Worth a visit to Florida to Disney, took my kids there when they were younger and hoping to take them again someday. It;s a kids dream
Thanks Jenny. Have loved Disney since I was a kid, so this is my just for fun site.
Hey Michel:
I love your Mickey Mouse time-line. The Mouse rules! It was fun seeing the many faces of Mickey…how he has changed and evolved over time.
Perhaps you might consider putting together an expanded version of this evolution? He has gone from looking somewhat ratty to being a jollier-looking dude over time.
Thanks for the comment Netta, and I will definitely look into this, as Cartoon Mickey Mouse is such a popular mouse.