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Mickey Mouse

Voiced/Portrayed by

Walt Disney (1928-1947, 1955-1959, 1962, 2013)

Jimmy MacDonald (1947-1977)Wayne Allwine (1977-2009)Bret Iwan (2009-present)Chris Diamantopoulos (2013-present)

Gender

Male

Hair Color

Black

Eye Color

Black

Species

Mouse

Nationality

American

Studio Origin

Walt Disney Animation Studios

Occupation

Actor

Ajax employee Detective (comics)Jedi Sorcerer (Disney World)Others vary by role

Personality

Charismatic, boyish, heroic, brave, scrappy, cheerful, happy-go-lucky, whimsical, childish, youthful, classy, fun-loving, curious, creative, open, innovative, funny, kind, thoughtful, childlike, selfless, selfish (formerly), clean-living, bashful, innocent, irritated, mischievous, absent-minded (formerly), comical, forgetful, optimistic, gullible, naïve, very imaginative, carefree, friendly, stubborn, caring, humble, meek, sweet, shy, a perfect gentleman, sometimes lazy, impulsive, adventurous, clever (at times), intelligent, modest, multi-talented, cocky, aggressive, impatient, polite, competitive, authoritative, big-hearted, responsible, energetic, free-spirited, romantic, adorable, soft-spoken, good-hearted, happy, dim-witted (formerly), idiotic (formerly), clumsy, foolish (formerly), good-natured, charitable, remorseful, warm-hearted, laid-back, hard-working, noble, forgiving, understanding, sympathetic, reliable, competent, cute, handsome, disobedient (formerly), determined

Alignment

Good

Loves/Likes

Minnie, whistling, hot dogs, dancing, sandwiches, adventures, video games, movies, cheese, holidays, music, helping others, playing with Pluto, romance, camping, sleeping, traveling, spending time with Minnie, fig-newtons, work, Toodles (best-best-best friend), teaming up with Goofy and Donald, going on adventures, his friends and family, protecting those in need

Hates/Dislikes

Work (sometimes), authority figures, being called a "rat", criminals, being taken advantage of, upsetting Minnie, Pluto causing trouble, Donald's short temper, Goofy's clumsiness, storms, gossip, bugs, horror films, traffic, cheating, public humiliation, being disliked, Pete or Mortimer trying to steal Minnie

Goal

Use his magic force powers and lightsabers to kill Jafar, Palpatine, Hades and all Disney Villains (Disney World/succeeded)

Allies

Walt Disney, Genie, Minnie Mouse, Woody & Buzz Lightyear, Jack Skellington, Flik, Sulley & Mike, Aladdin, Peter Pan, Simba, Wreck-It Ralph, Mr. Incredible, Baymax, C-3PO, R2-D2, Iron Man, Groot, Rocket Raccoon, Donald Duck, Goofy, Daisy

Duck, Pluto, Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar, Clara Cluck, Oswald, Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse, Yen Sid, Ludwig Von Drake, Scrooge McDuck, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, Chip and Dale, Chief O'Hara, Detective Casey, Max Goof, José Carioca, Panchito Pistoles, Butch, Dr. Einmug, Gloomy, Doc Static, Captain Churchmouse, Eega Beeva, Ortensia, Duffy, Numerous other characters and real people

Enemies

Pete, Jafar, Cruella De Vil, Ursula, Captain Hook, Hades, Mortimer Mouse, The Phantom Blot, Sylvester Shyster, Kat Nipp, Emil Eagle, The Mad Doctor, The Blot, Miklos the Grey Mouse, Gustav the Giant, Beagle Boys, Doctor Vulter, Professors Ecks, Doublex, and Triplex, Eli Squinch, Dexter Dingus, Willie the Giant, Prince Penguin, Doctor Frankenollie, Weasels, Julius, Numerous Disney Villains

Home

USA

Fate

Becomes the King of Disney Heroes

Relatives

Morty and Ferdie Fieldmouse (nephews)

Felicity Fieldmouse (older sister)Unnamed mother (mentioned only)Madeline Mouse (cousin)Maxwell Mouse (uncle)Maximilian Mouse (great-uncle)Albemarle Mouse (great-grandfather)Numerous other relatives

Affiliations

Mickey Mouse franchise

Qoute

"See ya real soon!"

"Oh, boy!""Hot dog!""Aw, gosh!""Hiya, pal!""Ha ha!"

Mickey Mouse was the first character created by Walt Disney in 1928. He is an anthropomorphic mouse characterized as a cheerful optimist with an adventurous and mischievous streak. Estimated as standing 2' 3" (69 centimeters) and weighing 23 pounds (10 kilograms), Mickey is easily identified by his round ears, red shorts, falsetto voice, white gloves, and cartoonishly large yellow shoes.

For 90 years, Mickey has been the cornerstone of the Disney empire. His success paved the way for numerous breakthroughs in both the art of animation, and the entertainment industry as a whole.

Mickey's significance in pop culture came simultaneously with his public debut in Steamboat Willie, where he first wowed audiences with his cheerful smile and scampish personality.

Today, by far, Mickey is The Walt Disney Company's most famous character and serves as the company's mascot. His 3-circle silhouette serves as the logo for most of Disney's subsidiaries, save for the ones that don't carry the 'Disney' or 'Walt Disney' label.

1 Red Reaper (Pixel Gun 3D) For Mickey Mouse
- 1.1 Overall Impression & Recommendation
2 Background
3 Personality
4 Physical appearance
5 History
- 5.1 Creation; 1928-1930
- 5.2 1930-1950
- 5.3 1950-2000
- 5.4 2000-2020
- 5.5 2020-present
6 Trivia
7 Gallery

Red Reaper (Pixel Gun 3D) For Mickey Mouse[]

https://pg3d.wiki.gg/wiki/Red_Reaper#Red_Reaper_For_Mickey_Mouse < Here For Website

INT. MOUSE HOUSE — NIGHT

A cozy living room. A lamp casts warm light over a shelf of trophies and a framed photo of MICKEY and MINNIE. The window shows a sliver of moonlight. An old wooden chest sits in the corner.

Mickey (late-30s voice, bright, curious) tiptoes in, humming to himself.

MICKEY

(whispering)

Gosh—what a night. Minnie’s hat… the pie… everything’s perfect!

He walks to the chest, runs his fingers over the carved wood. The lock pops open with a small CLINK.

SFX: [CHEST OPEN — soft creak, faint metallic CLINK]

Mickey peers inside. A cloth-covered object. He lifts the cloth — revealed: the RED REAPER, a large ornate axe/weapon with a crooked handle and a glowing red gem embedded near the base.

SFX: [REVEAL — low hum, tiny chime]

MICKEY

(stunned, half-exclaiming)

Wha—oh! Would you look at that!

He gingerly picks up the Red Reaper. The weight is surprising but not unwieldy.

SFX: [WEIGHT LIFT — metallic CLANK, soft low WOOSH]

MICKEY (CONT’D)

(playing with the handle)

It’s… kinda scary. Kinda nifty!

CLOSE ON the red gem: it pulses in tempo with his heartbeat.

SFX: [GEM PULSE — slow electronic THROB]

CUT TO:

EXT. MOUSE HOUSE — BACK YARD — CONTINUOUS

Moonlit garden. A shadow moves at the fence line. Something rustles.

Mickey walks out, holding the Red Reaper like a curious explorer with a very odd umbrella.

MICKEY

(trying to be brave)

Now then — who’s out here at this hour?

A low GROWL echoes. Two glowing eyes appear from the bushes — a large mischievous RAVEN (or small monster, choose based on how dark you want the scene). It hops forward, aggressive.

SFX: [RUSTLE / LOW GROWL]

Mickey steps backwards, then plants his feet. He grips the Reaper.

MICKEY

(puts on a brave voice)

Aw, shucks. You picked the wrong yard, pal!

He swings the Red Reaper experimentally — not to harm, but to test the sound. The axe slices through the air.

SFX: [REAPER SWING — sharp WHOOSH followed immediately by a metallic ECHO]

The creature halts mid-hop, surprised by the sound. The gem flares a bright red flash.

SFX: [GEM FLASH — bright electronic PING + sub-bass RUMBLE]

The Raven recoils and takes off, terrified.

SFX: [CREATURE FLEE — frantic wing FLAP, quick scuttle]

Mickey exhales, relieved and amazed.

MICKEY

(laughing nervously)

Haha! Well—hot dog! That’s something else!

He examines the axe closer. On the blade’s edge faint runes shimmer.

SFX: [BLADE HUM — harmonic resonance, like a soft bell]

Mickey drags the tip through the grass and the blade sings.

SFX: [GRASS CUT — soft slicing sound paired with a crystalline RING]

MICKEY (CONT’D)

(soft, reverent)

Gee — this is a powerful gizmo. I oughta—well—be careful with it.

From the fence, a small VOICE calls out: it’s PLUTO, bounding in, tail wagging.

PLUTO

(enthusiastic yelp)

SFX: [PLUTO BARK — happy, three-note bark]

Mickey kneels, sets the Red Reaper on the ground blade-first — not to be disrespectful, but so it won’t fall.

MICKEY

(to Pluto)

Hey there, boy! Look at this!

Pluto sniffs the Reaper, tilts his head, then gives it a careful paw. When his paw touches the handle, the gem responds — a mellow chime and a protective shimmer surrounds both Mickey and Pluto, safe and warm.

SFX: [PAW TOUCH — soft chime; GEM RESPOND — warm shimmer sound]

Mickey smiles, relieved.

MICKEY (CONT’D)

Okay… maybe it’s not just a mean ol’ weapon. Maybe it’s—responsible. Yeah. Responsible.

BEAT. He looks at the house, hesitates, and then lifts the Reaper with a thoughtful smile.

MICKEY (CONT’D)

(softly)

I’ll take it inside. Put it in a safer place. For now, we’ll keep it as a… family heirloom. Right, pal?

Pluto barks in agreement and does a goofy spin. Mickey carries the Reaper back toward the house, careful.

SFX: [FOOTSTEPS ON GRASS — soft crunch; DOOR CLOSE — wood THUD + lock CLICK]

INT. MOUSE HOUSE — LIVING ROOM — MOMENTS LATER

Mickey tucks the Red Reaper back into the chest, covers it with the cloth. He gives one last look — respectful, not fearful.

SFX: [CHEST CLOSE — muffled creak, soft LOCK]

MICKEY

(whispering to the Reaper)

Goodnight, big fella. We’ll talk again tomorrow.

He flicks off the lamp, the room goes dim, and the gem gives a final, tiny pulse as if acknowledging him.

SFX: [GEM FINAL PULSE — single soft bell]

FADE OUT.

END.

Overall Impression & Recommendation[]

“Mickey with Red Reaper” is a compelling idea. It transforms Mickey from classic, gentle hero into a powerful, darker figure — but it must be handled with balance. The spectacle is there, but the heart must stay present.

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.

Mickey is normally depicted as living a modest life with his pet dog, Pluto. His earliest cartoons portrayed him as a country boy living in the Midwest. The Adventures of Mickey Mouse: Book I—published in 1931—described Mickey as living "in a cozy nest under the floor of the old barn." As the shorts evolved, Mickey's residence was moved to the more urban settings of Hollywood, California, as seen in Mickey's Kangaroo and Mickey's Elephant. The official backstory of Disneyland's Mickey's Toontown plays into this, explaining that Mickey is of midwestern origins, but moved to Hollywood for the sake of his acting career. In the comics, Mickey's hometown is the city of Mouseton in the state of Calisota.

Mickey's longtime girlfriend is Minnie Mouse. According to Walt Disney, Mickey and Minnie are married in private life and are merely depicted as dating onscreen. Despite their long-term relationship, Mickey has occasionally vied for Minnie's affections against her ex-boyfriend, Mortimer Mouse.

Mickey's occupational status is dependent on the story, but he is usually depicted as a jack-of-all-trades, working as anything from a steamboat deckhand to a sorcerer's apprentice. The most recurring employer of Mickey's is the Ajax Corporation, where he has worked alongside his best friends, Donald Duck and Goofy. Ajax consists of a variety of odd jobs (ghost exterminators, car washers, rollercoaster painters, etc.) and most of Mickey's assignments result in failure due to his and his team's incompetence. In comic stories, Mickey has frequently been portrayed as a detective working closely with his friend Horace Horsecollar and the Chief of Police, Chief O'Hara.

Though not for pay, Mickey has been a regular contributor to his local orphanage—which houses hundreds of nameless mice children. With help from Minnie, Donald and other friends, Mickey has organized numerous benefits for the orphans, such as picnic outings and theatre shows. In some cartoons, he and Pluto have even welcomed the orphans into their home.

In some continuities, such as that of Darkwing Duck, A Goofy Movie, and numerous meta Disney productions, like House of Mouse, Mickey is portrayed as an A-list celebrity made famous by his theatrical cartoon shorts, which are said to be based on real events in his life. According to Walt Disney himself, Mickey is officially an actor, meaning in every appearance, one sees the same Mickey, in his capacity as an actor. There is, and always is, only one Mickey.

Concerning his in-universe age, Mickey is depicted as being relatively young. The official character training video for Disneyland (recorded in the 1970s) describes him as "an average young boy of no particular age."

Personality[]

Steamboat Willie establishes Mickey's core characteristics. He is cheerful in spirit, yet roughish in complexion. He ignored the commands of his overbearing boss for the sake of gallivanting around the steamboat. His mentality mirrored that of a rebellious child, as he mocked his superiors and threw a tantrum when others rebuked his merriment. Though impishly self-serving, he showed empathy and chivalry by forgoing protocol to aid Minnie during her time of need. With an air of valiance in spite of his diminutive stature and put-upon background, Mickey is an underdog with a heart of gold. By the high society denizens seen in Society Dog Show, Mickey is regarded as riff raff. In The Klondike Kid, Mickey describes himself as "a nobody". Pete often refers to Mickey as "Runt", a derogative term meaning an undersized or weak person. Regardless, Mickey remains jovial. His rebellious and independent mien allows him to take his downtrodden lot in life in stride with a smile and laugh.

Walt Disney once explained that elements of Mickey's character were derived from comic actor Charlie Chaplin, stating, "I think we were rather indebted to Charlie Chaplin for the idea. 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." Iwerks described Mickey's characterization as having been inspired by Douglas Fairbanks. Iwerks once wrote, "He was the super-hero of his day, always winning, gallant and swashbuckling. Mickey's action was in that vein. He was never intended to be a sissy, he was always an adventurous character. I thought of him in that respect, and I had him do naturally the sort of thing Doug Fairbanks would do." In addition to Chaplin and Fairbanks, Disney has attributed the development of Mickey's personality to other Hollywood figures, as well, such as Fred Astaire and Harold Lloyd.

With limited resources to his name, Mickey's greatest attribute is his wit. He is a thinker and schemer, being able to construct quick plots and ploys to advance his ambitions. This is prominently displayed in times of crises, in which Mickey must come up with hasty solutions to rescue his friends from perils, such as natural disasters, or his nemesis Pete. When paired with Donald and Goofy, Mickey serves as the resourceful "brains" of the trio by coming up with the plans and directing his companions to their desired goals. However, Mickey's schemes are often hindered by his own clumsiness and reckless abandon. Though he presents himself as slick and confident, Mickey is awkward and bumbling in actuality. In Fantasia, Mickey carried himself with a mighty air while donning Yen Sid's sorcerer hat, but fumbled with his oversized clothing and bungled his magic spells. He enjoys dressing in dapper attire to imitate high society as seen in cartoons, such as Mickey Steps Out and Mickey's Delayed Date, only to trip over himself while showing off. When exposed for the little guy he is, Mickey's typical response is a sheepish, self-reflecting grin.

Even with his foibles, Mickey retains a can-do spirit that allows him to smile in the face of danger and move pass his mistakes. He gets by through optimism and has a positive outlook on the world and himself, often displayed by his jovial demeanor. Mickey's optimism is a double-edged sword, however, as while it pushes him to pursue his goals, it also causes him to underestimate trouble under the belief that he can do anything. In "Mickey's Piano Lesson", in fact, he justified his insolence by arrogantly proclaiming, "I'm Mickey Mouse!". Mickey is quick to share his positivity with others, to keep their spirits high during low times. At times, Mickey's buoyancy can be invasive. In cartoons, such as "The Adorable Couple", he attempts to force his positive demeanor onto Donald and Daisy, to disastrous results.

For all his juvenile mischief, Mickey is a reliable leader. When put in charge of a production, for example (such as a stage show or the House of Mouse nightclub theater) he is professional and composed, even when inconveniences get in the way. In addition to being a strong leader, Mickey is a devoted friend. He has, on numerous occasions, risked his life for the safety of others while never expecting recompense. This is most prominently seen with Minnie, for whom Mickey has often felt inclined to sacrifice his own happiness as seen in Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas. He is charitable and selfless, looking out for the less fortunate despite often being in undesirable predicaments, himself. In Mickey's Good Deed, Mickey sold Pluto to a wealthy household and used the money to supply a poor family with food and Christmas gifts—despite being homeless and hungry, himself. In Epic Mickey, Mickey sacrificed his only chance of escaping the Wasteland to rescue Oswald and Gus from danger, both of whom he had just met. A hero at his core, Mickey takes charge without second thought when trouble arises. In cartoons, such as Gulliver Mickey and Runaway Brain, he fearlessly fought against monsters to protect the people around him.

Occasionally, Mickey can be too caring towards others, which can drive him to disregard his own needs. At times, his empathetic heart blinds his better judgment, resulting in Mickey being taken advantage of by malicious forces. There have also been instances where Mickey's desire to help can be excessive to the point of being intrusive, thus causing even more trouble in the long run.

Mickey's temper can be rather explosive after being pushed to a certain limit. When faced with his two most frequent adversaries, Pete and Mortimer Mouse for example, Mickey tends to act irritable and churlish. He is also relentless when it comes to getting back at his foes for their harassment. In some cases, instead of outright giving his enemies satisfaction by losing his temper, Mickey would resort to sly pranks and trickery to best his foes—this being a way to one-up them, while also getting in a few laughs at the same time. Because of his laid-back nature, however, Mickey is usually remorseful after letting his anger get the best of him, and does all that he can to remedy affected feelings, if any.

Mickey evidently struggles with insecurity to some extent. In "Goofy for a Day", he panicked at the prospect of losing his hosting job at the House of Mouse, believing "show business" is the only profession that he's actually good at. His popularity seems to act as a double-edged sword. While he typically enjoys the attention, Mickey also feels a sense of pressure from the public to always be at his very best. This is most notably seen when Mickey is tasked with hosting live entertainment in front of a large audience. In which, he becomes short-fused and anxious. His insecurities are also apparent in his relationship with Minnie, as Mickey has repeatedly gone to great lengths to impress her—typically out of fear of losing her, as seen in "Mickey's Rival Returns" and "Mickey Tries to Cook". Some cartoons suggest that Mickey has commitment issues. In "A Midsummer Night's Dream", Mickey exclaims, "I just had the scariest dream!" after waking from a dream in which he married Minnie. The cartoon Mickey's Nightmare highlighted Mickey's apprehensions regarding parenthood.

In spite of being an anthropomorphic mouse, Mickey has the tendencies to act with his animal nature, including the fact that being a mouse, he loves cheese. In the television series House of Mouse, Mickey, being a mouse, is made fun of when he is shown to exercise on a hamster wheel and drink from a rodent drinking bottle (like the ones found in a hamster cage). These particular facts seem to only exist in the House of Mouse and haven't been shown again, proving to have been used for brief gags only.

Physical appearance[]

As designed by Ub Iwerks, Mickey's body was primarily comprised of circles and soft, rounded shapes. Mickey's most notable physical features are his ears, which are always depicted as circular from every angle. Mickey's 3-circle silhouette has become a well-known emblem of the character and an established symbol in pop culture. Originally, Mickey's face was a plain white color. When Fred Moore redesigned the character, Mickey's face adopted a Caucasian-toned hue.

One of the most significant changes to Mickey's design were his eyes. They were originally drawn as blackened ovals, which moved across the entirety of his face to convey looking in different directions. For a brief period of time, beginning in The Karnival Kid, Mickey was drawn with "pie eyes" to create the illusion of light reflection. For Moore's redesign, pupils were added to Mickey's eyes to allow for more expression in the character animation. In Kingdom Hearts III—which adds further detail to the character models through computer animation—Mickey is depicted with blue irises.

Mickey is diminutive in stature, standing at roughly 2 ft. He had a portly figure through the mid-1930s. In the Moore redesign, Mickey's body became a slimmer, pear shape. He is traditionally depicted as wearing a pair of red shorts with two white buttons on the front. In some instances, two additional buttons appear on the back of the shorts. Occasionally—as was the case in Parade of the Award Nominees—Mickey's buttons are instead colored yellow. When not wearing his usual shorts, red typically endures as Mickey's primary color motif (as seen in The Band Concert and Clock Cleaners).

Since The Opry House in 1929, Mickey has worn a pair of white opera gloves. Also known as "Toon Gloves", the garments were added to Mickey's ensemble as a means of distinguishing his hands from his black-furred body. In the first of Mickey's colored cartoons, his gloves were yellow. Mickey sports only three fingers and a thumb, which was a conscious choice by Walt Disney and his animators. Disney once stated, "Artistically, five digits are too many for a mouse. His hand would look like a bunch of bananas. Financially, not having an extra finger in each of 45,000 drawings that make up a six and one-half minute short has saved the studio millions."

Mickey's traditional ensemble is completed by a pair of large, yellow shoes, which first appeared in The Gallopin' Gaucho. Initially blocky in design, Mickey's shoes adopted a somewhat plush appearance over time, being pliable with rounded edges. For a period of time in the 1940s, the shoes were instead colored brown.

History[]

Creation; 1928-1930[]

“He popped out of my mind onto a drawing pad 20 years ago on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when the business fortunes of my brother Roy and myself were at lowest ebb, and disaster seemed right around the corner” ―Walt Disney in his 1948 essay, "What Mickey Means to Me"

On March 4, 1927, Walt Disney signed a contract with Universal Pictures to produce a series of cartoons starring his character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, under the authority of producer Charles Mintz. With animation being headed by Disney's longtime collaborator Ub Iwerks, the Oswald series was a hit with audiences. As the series gained traction, however, the partnership between Disney and Universal quickly began to fall apart. Walt was informed by Iwerks that Mintz's assistant, George Winkler, had been hiring away Disney's animators behind his back. When Disney traveled to New York to negotiate a more profitable contract in 1928, Mintz instead proposed a 20% cut. Rather than accept Mintz's deal, Disney quit the Oswald series. On the train ride back to California, Walt desperately brainstormed ideas for a new cartoon character, in order to keep his studio afloat. He would eventually conceive a mouse character. Disney believed that a mouse would make for a cute and sympathetic character. He also felt that mice hadn't been overused in motion pictures, allowing for Mickey to stand out against the competition of the time. Walt would name his new character "Mortimer Mouse". His wife, Lillian Disney, disliked the name and instead suggested "Mickey Mouse".

Walt created a sketch to get the basic idea of the character, and later shared it with Ub, who refined it. Mickey's model greatly resembled that of Oswald and other animal characters of the time, such as Otto Messmer's Felix the Cat. Iwerks would explain, "Pear-shaped body, ball on top, a couple of thin legs. You gave it long ears, and it was a rabbit. Short ears, it was a cat. With an elongated nose, it became a mouse." Along with Ub and a few other loyalists, Disney worked on the first two Mickey cartoons in secret, while simultaneously abiding to his contractual obligation to complete his final Oswald cartoons for Universal.

The first Mickey short to be produced was Plane Crazy, and it was first screened for test audiences on May 15, 1928. Plane Crazy focused on Mickey's attempt to become an aviator in emulation of Charles Lindbergh. In this short, Mickey was gloveless and shoeless. His appearance bore animalistic qualities more closely resembling an actual mouse than modern interpretations. In terms of personality, Mickey was portrayed as a rash and arrogant character, even going as far as to antagonize his love interest, Minnie Mouse. Plane Crazy failed to find a distributor and was not released that year. The second-produced Mickey short, The Gallopin' Gaucho, was significant in introducing Mickey's trademark shoes, while also depicting the mouse as a more noble and heroic character. The short centered on Mickey embarking on a chase to rescue Minnie from the villainous Pete, which would become a recurring story thread throughout Mickey's career. However, The Gallopin' Gaucho also failed to make an impact with potential distributors and would not be released to the public that year.

It was then that Walt decided to take an extremely ambitious step by breaking into "talkies". Sound had been in animated cartoons before, but never on a scale quite like Mickey's third-produced short, Steamboat Willie. A parody of Buster Keaton's Steamboat Bill, Jr., the cartoon featured Mickey as the mischievous deckhand of a steamboat commanded by Pete. Towards the climax of the short, he conducts a performance of the song "Turkey in the Straw" with Minnie. Steamboat Willie reinvented Mickey's character with a more appealing design and relatable personality. In addition to writing the script, Walt provided the vocal performances of both Mickey and Minnie (he would continue to voice Mickey for decades to follow). Steamboat Willie was released on November 18, 1928 at Universal's Colony Theater in New York City, to critical acclaim. Though it was the third short to be produced, it was the first to be publicly released. As such, November 18th is recognized as the official birthday of Mickey Mouse, as declared by archivist Dave Smith in 1978. The opening sequence of the short—in which Mickey whistles the tune of "Steamboat Bill"—has served as the opening logo of Walt Disney Animation Studios films since 2007. The success of Steamboat Willie later allowed for the official releases of both The Gallopin' Gaucho and Plane Crazy, remastered with sound.

A slew of shorts would quickly follow, a majority of which portrayed Mickey as a rascally mouse living in a barn-like setting. The plots in Mickey's earliest cartoons were typically bare bones. Generally, the majority of the runtime was dedicated to musical sequences accompanied by rubberhose gags involving the characters and anthropomorphic objects. As more cartoons were released, Mickey's character would develop in significant ways—much of which occurred in the character's sophomore year of 1929. In The Opry House (released on March 28), Mickey was given his trademark gloves, which made him easier to animate. The Plowboy (released on June 28) introduced Horace Horsecollar, who would regularly appear as Mickey's steed and friend. Clarabelle Cow was depicted as Minnie's best friend, and became a recurring character in the films, alongside Horace. In The Karnival Kid (released on July 31), Mickey spoke his first words, "Hot dog!". The phrase would become the character's catchphrase in later shorts. In Mickey's Follies (released on August 28), Mickey performed the song "Minnie's Yoo Hoo", an instrumental version of which would become the theme song of his film series until 1933.

With Mickey's success all but assured, Disney was offered a deal—$300 in cash for the right to feature Mickey on a children's pencil tablet. Walt accepted, and thus began Mickey Mouse's foray into merchandising. Furthermore, Disney created the original Mickey Mouse Club in 1929 for fans of his character and cartoons. Though the club had its start in the United States, it would later expand to overseas markets, such as Europe and Australia. The club had over one million members. In June of 1929, J.V. Connelly of King Features Syndicate proposed the concept of a Mickey Mouse comic strip for newspapers.

1930-1950[]

On January 30, 1930, the first of Mickey's printed adventures was distributed—as written by Walt Disney, and illustrated by Ub Iwerks. Dubbed "He's Going to Learn to Fly Like Lindy", the strip sees a barn-dwelling Mickey dreaming about becoming an aviator like Charles Lindbergh. By the summer of 1930, the comic had appeared in up to 40 newspapers across the world. By May of that year, Mickey's comic stories were taken over by Disney artist Floyd Gottfredson, who would become renowned for four decades worth of work on Mickey Mouse comic stories. Like Mickey's entry into merchandising, the Mickey Mouse strip is credited to having attributed to Mickey's "golden age" and worldwide success. That same year, The Chain Gang introduced a non-anthropomorphic bloodhound character who would evolve into Pluto, Mickey's pet dog and a frequent supporting character in the films.

At the 5th Academy Awards in 1932, Mickey received his first nomination for Mickey's Orphans. At the same ceremony, Walt was awarded an Honorary Academy Award in recognition of Mickey's creation. Coming off the success of Disney's Technicolor Silly Symphonies cartoon Flowers and Trees (which won the Academy Award that year, beating Mickey's Orphans), Mickey's first appearance in color was in Parade of the Award Nominees, a short created for the 5th Academy Awards banquet. As a result, it was not released to the public. In his first animated appearance in color, Mickey donned green shorts, yellow gloves, and shoes. Despite this, Mickey continued to appear in black and white films moving forward. One of which, Mickey's Revue, introduced the character Dippy Dawg, who would evolve in Mickey's friend Goofy.

The Disney artists indulged in Mickey's popularity by producing Mickey's Gala Premiere in 1933 (which paired Mickey with numerous A-list Hollywood stars). On June 1, 1934, Mickey briefly appeared in Hollywood Party opposite Jimmy Durante—the only animated character to appear in the crossover picture. That same year, Mickey made his debut in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and was the third character from pop culture to have a licensed balloon. 1934 also introduced Donald Duck as Mickey's temperamental foil and companion. Donald was created in response to the many taboos being placed upon Mickey by audiences of the time. Donald allowed for Disney and his artists to give their films "a little attitude". Disney chose to pair Mickey and Donald together to add contrast to the shorts, with their first shared cartoon being Orphan's Benefit.

It wouldn't be until 1935's The Band Concert, that Mickey was given his first official cartoon in color. The short depicted Mickey as the struggling conductor of a public band concert, with nuisances, such as Donald Duck and a sudden tornado causing havoc throughout the performance. Despite the breakthrough, two more Mickey cartoons were released that year in black and white. One of which was Mickey's Service Station, which is notable for being the first in a series of comedy films starring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy together. The other one, called Mickey's Kangaroo, was the last of Mickey's black and white cartoons. With the introduction of color, Mickey's body structure was given a new look; his round body was replaced by a pear-shaped-looking one and his head was changed so his nose was closer to his face. His ears were turned from round to oval and his eyes became more detailed (the pupils smaller, the eye itself outlined instead of partially open).

As Mickey's fame grew, a segment of unhappy parents disapproved of the character's flawed behavior. To appease the demographic, Mickey's later cartoons strayed away from the controversial gags and stories of the character's formative years. Consequently, the character's popularity declined steadily throughout the late '30s. He was even omitted from a number of the Mickey, Donald, and Goofy shorts, beginning with 1938's Polar Trappers. To boost Mickey's relevance, Walt envisioned, "an advancement in the sophistication of Mickey's roles and acting ability." To allow a broader range of emotion in the character animation, Fred Moore was brought on to redesign Mickey. In 1936, with Mickey's new design in place, Walt began early development on a deluxe short titled The Sorcerer's Apprentice, based on the 1797 poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and its 1897 orchestral adaptation by Paul Dukas. Starring Mickey as the titular apprentice, the piece was conceived as a cross between animation and classical music—not unlike Disney's Silly Symphonies. While development was underway for Sorcerer, Fred Moore's redesign of Mickey would appear in 1939's Mickey's Surprise Party, and The Pointer; the latter of which went on to receive an Academy Award nomination.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice's production cost ballooned to $125,000—three to four times greater than the usual Silly Symphony, according to producer Ben Sharpsteen. Knowing that The Sorcerer's Apprentice would not make back its budget, talks began in 1938 to expand the project and produce a full-length feature, of which The Sorcerer's Apprentice would be a segment. This would evolve into Fantasia, which would become Disney's third animated film, following the critical successes of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937 and Pinocchio in 1940. While the film is lauded today as a cinematic masterpiece, Fantasia was a financial and critical disappointment upon release in 1940. Rather than make a comeback as Walt had intended, Mickey would continue to decline. There were several contributing factors to Mickey's decline. For one, it was perceived that the essence of Mickey's character was too subtle and human for most storymen to capture accurately—the one exception being Walt Disney, himself. However, Walt had become too preoccupied with feature films to contribute to the shorts. Animator Ollie Johnston would explain, "The story guys were not capable of doing a Mickey story without Walt. He was the only one who could get the feeling of that personality." In a 1949 interview, Disney stated, "Mickey's decline was due to his heroic nature. He grew into such a legend that we couldn't gag around with him. He acquired as many taboos as a Western hero—no smoking, no drinking, no violence."

Mickey would continue to appear in noteworthy shorts, but these were few and far between. One of which included Lend a Paw, which became the only Mickey Mouse cartoon to date to win an Academy Award, having won for Best Animated Short of 1941. Around the same time, an effort was made within the studio to develop a full-length feature film starring Mickey Mouse. Animators Bill Cottrell and T. Hee pitched the idea of a feature film based on Jack and the Beanstalk, with Mickey in the role of Jack. In response to the pitch, Walt, "burst out laughing with tears rolling down his cheeks with joy", as Cottrell and Hee later recalled. Though Disney enjoyed it, he claimed that Cottrell and Hee, "murdered [his] characters", and thus rejected the pitch. Cottrell and Hee eventually coerced Walt into giving the greenlight, and after much delay in 1947, Mickey made his second feature film appearance, as the protagonist of the Fun and Fancy Free segment, Mickey and the Beanstalk where he co-starred Donald and Goofy. The feature would mark the first performance of Jimmy MacDonald as Mickey, who provided the character's voice for the film in tandem with Walt.

1950-2000[]

In the final years of Mickey's original theatrical run, Disney's cartoon shorts were given a "modernized" style of animation that Disney used from the mid-1950s to the later 1960s. Mickey, himself, was given eyebrows in his redesign. Eyebrows would continue to be seen on Mickey's face until the late 1980s and rarely in the early 1990s, until being removed altogether. There were 56 more color cartoons in the original Mickey Mouse theatrical series. The last of which was The Simple Things in 1953, which focused on Mickey and Pluto's day at the beach.

Afterward, Mickey's series would receive a thirty-year hiatus. Although he no longer appeared in theatrical cartoons, Mickey would maintain some degree of relevance by remaining the face of the Disney company, specifically in merchandising. In 1953, Disney commemorated Mickey's 25th anniversary with a portrait depicting the mouse by John Hench. This would be the first in a tradition in which the Disney company would commission and release a portrait to coincide with a major anniversary of Mickey's. Hench would paint the portraits for 1978, 1988, 1998 and 2003. Following Hench's death, Paul Felix designed the portrait for 2008, while veteran animator Mark Henn designed the portrait for 2018. The portraits are currently residing at the Walt Disney Archives.

Perhaps most notably in the 1950s, Walt debuted the popular The Mickey Mouse Club television show (with follow-ups of the same name debuting in 1977 and 1989). In relation to Mickey, the show is perhaps most notable for introducing Jimmie Dodd's "Mickey Mouse March", which would go on to become Mickey's trademark theme song. It also marked the first appearance of the iconic Mouse Ear hats that would become staples in Disney theme parks, the first of which—Disneyland—opened the same year in 1955. Mickey was present for Disneyland's opening, and continues to serve as the park's "ambassador" to this day.

On November 18, 1978, in honor of his 50th anniversary, Mickey became the first animated character to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star is located at 6925 Hollywood Blvd. That same year, Mickey would appear at the 50th Academy Awards ceremony to help announce the winner for Best Short Film (Animated). Mickey would later go on to appear at the Academy Awards ceremonies of 1988 and 2003.

In 1983, Mickey appeared in his first theatrical short since 1953's The Simple Things: Mickey's Christmas Carol, where he played the role of Bob Cratchit, opposite Scrooge McDuck's Ebenezer Scrooge. The short also marked the debut of Wayne Allwine, who would voice Mickey for three decades, until his death in 2009.

As Mickey's 60th anniversary grew near in the late '80s, there was an initiative to bring classic Disney characters back into the spotlight via animated short productions. Several projects were planned, one of which included 1990's The Prince and the Pauper, which was screened in front of The Rescuers Down Under and featured Mickey starring in the (duo) lead role. Two additional Mickey projects were slated to release around this time, including the featurette Swabbies (1989), and a Christopher Columbus-inspired period piece titled Mickey Columbus (1992). Both cartoons were shelved, however.

Outside of fleeting cameos and references, Mickey was largely absent from the Disney Afternoon block that aired throughout the 1990s on Disney's television networks. However, Mickey was featured in the opening and closing sequences of the block, interacting with some of the characters from its series.

In 1994, four of Mickey's cartoons were included in the book The 50 Greatest Cartoons, which listed the greatest cartoons of all time as voted by members of the animation field. The films were The Band Concert (#3), Steamboat Willie (#13), Brave Little Tailor (#26), and Clock Cleaners (#27).

In 1995, Mickey starred in a new theatrical cartoon short titled Runaway Brain, where Mickey's brain and body gets switched with that of a monster who falls in love with Minnie. This short was originally screened in front of A Kid in King Arthur's Court.

Mickey and his friends received a major comeback with the premiere of the Mickey Mouse Works series of shorts in 1999, shepherd by Roy E. Disney (son of Roy O. Disney and nephew of Walt). Developed in the style of Disney's Golden Age of Animation, the show featured new cartoons starring Mickey, in which he embarked on comical misadventures often caused by his own mischief. Outside of his mainline shorts, Mickey also starred in the 90-second umbrella title Mickey to the Rescue, which followed Mickey's quest to rescue Minnie from Pete's lair. In the 12-minute long Mouse Tales cartoons, Mickey served as the protagonist in adaptations of classic stories.

2000-2020[]

Immediately after Mouse Works's conclusion, Mickey starred in House of Mouse—a crossover sitcom series in which Mickey manages a club frequented by various characters from Disney's history. Debuting on January 31, 2001 on ABC as part of Disney's One Saturday Morning, House of Mouse ran for three seasons, and spawned two straight-to-DVD movies.

When development began for what would become the 2002 video game, Kingdom Hearts, developer Squaresoft wanted Mickey to serve as the game's protagonist—contrast to Disney's request to use Donald Duck. Director Tetsuya Nomura remedied the issue by creating the character Sora, who was inspired by Mickey. Despite only having a brief appearance in the original game, Mickey's role was greatly expanded in later entries to serve as the most significant Disney character in the franchise.

Mickey served as the Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day of 2005 as part of the kickoff of the "Happiest Homecoming on Earth", celebrating Disneyland's 50th Anniversary.

In 2004, Mickey starred in his first, non-compilation feature-length film Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers. A direct-to-video musical adaptation of the 1844 novel, the film follows Mickey, Donald and Goofy embarking on a quest to prove themselves as musketeers by rescuing Princess Minnie Mouse from the villainous Captain Pete. Three Musketeers was initially conceived in 1984 by storyboard artists Steve Hulett and Pete Young, and was to also feature José Carioca as the fourth musketeer, but this version never came to be. That same year on November 9, Mickey transitioned to computer animation with the release of Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas.

2006 saw the premiere of the interactive children's show Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. The series was a massive success amongst younger audiences, and popularized Mickey's catchphrase ("Hot dog!") with "The Hot Dog Song" by They Might Be Giants. Clubhouse ran on Playhouse Disney and Disney Jr. for four seasons, until its conclusion in 2016. The series spawned multiple preschool spin-offs, including 2017's Mickey and the Roadster Racers (later rebranded as Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures), Mickey Mouse Funhouse in 2021, and a revival series of the original Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, which is set to debut in 2025.

In 2009, Mickey reappeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, dressed as the captain in Tugboat Mickey. That same year, Disney sought to rebrand the Mickey Mouse character again by putting less emphasis on his pleasant, cheerful side and reintroducing the more mischievous and adventurous aspects of his personality, beginning with the video game Epic Mickey. Though the game received mixed reviews, it was significant as the first onscreen interaction of Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. 2009 also marked the debut of Bret Iwan as Mickey's official voice actor, succeeding the late Wayne Allwine. Unusual for a voice actor, Iwan has become a regular spokesperson for Disney, frequently appearing at promotional and fan events—most often covering the topics of Mickey and theme parks, among other experiences related to the company.

In 2010, three dozen Mickey statues were used to promote the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which was played in Anaheim, California, adorned with insignias of the teams.

In 2011, Mickey and Minnie were appointed Grand Marshals of the 20th Annual Festival of Lights Parade in Chicago.

In 2012, Mickey played a silent supporting role giving a dress to Minnie in the animated short Electric Holiday, a collaboration between Disney and the Barney's New York fashion industry.

In June 2013, Mickey and his friends were rebranded, once more, with the premiere of a new series of shorts (appropriately titled Mickey Mouse) headed by animator Paul Rudish. Inspired by the style of Mickey's earliest cartoons, the shorts highlight Mickey's more flawed personality traits while retaining his likability and wholesomeness. The series marks the debut of Chris Diamantopoulos as the voice of Mickey, who has since earned numerous accolades for his performance. The series garnered major acclaim, earning multiple Emmy and Annie Awards for its writing, music, voice work, and animation. In 2020, a spin-off series titled The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse was released on Disney+.

According to animation director Lauren MacMullan, there was a company-wide initiative to develop new ideas for classic Disney characters. MacMullan looked to the Ub Iwerks era of animation for inspiration, and would eventually conceive a hybrid traditional animation/CGI short Get A Horse! (released on November 27, 2013). In the short, Mickey is knocked out of the 2D world by Pete, who has once again kidnapped Minnie. With help from Horace Horsecollar, Mickey battles Pete between dimensions to rescue Minnie. Get a Horse! was screened theatrically in front of Frozen, and featured archival recordings of Walt Disney as the voice of Mickey Mouse. It also earned Mickey his tenth Oscar nomination at the 86th Academy Awards in 2014.

2018 marked Mickey's 90th anniversary; Disney launched a company-wide celebration dubbed "Mickey: The True Original", which highlighted Mickey's impact on pop-culture since his inception in Steamboat Willie. On November 4, ABC aired Mickey's 90th Spectacular, a two hour long television special centering Mickey's career. The gala included tributes, musical numbers and celebrity guest stars. From November 8th to February 10, 2019, New York City hosted a pop-up art exhibit dedicated to Mickey. The exhibit consists of ten interactive rooms and displays artists' recreations of various Mickey moments from over the years, as well as archived Mickey material, such as concept art and merchandise. Similar exhibits were opened in Seoul, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Dubai, and South Africa.

2020-present[]

In 2020, Walt Disney World debuted the first Mickey Mouse-themed dark ride in the parks' history with Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway—based on Paul Rudish's shorts. In the attraction, Mickey appears in both the pre-show musical short and as an audio animatronic. The ride also marks the debut of the song "Nothing Can Stop Us Now", performed by Mickey and Minnie.

In 2021, an animated Mickey made a guest appearance on ABC's Dancing With the Stars, as part of Season 30's Disney Week. Here, Mickey introduced the "Mickey Dance Challenge", which was intended to be performed by the couples for bonus points. Eric Goldberg animated Mickey's cameo appearance for the show.

In 2022, Disney+ released an original documentary titled Mickey: The Story of a Mouse. The film chronicles the history and cultural influence of Mickey, and was accompanied by an original hand-drawn animated short titled Mickey in a Minute, in which Mickey is sucked into one of his film posters and travels across a number of his cartoons. Mickey also starred in his own collection of Chibi Tiny Tales shorts, which depicts Mickey and his friends in a Japanese-inspired art style. A stop-motion animated television special, Mickey Saves Christmas, premiered across Disney’s linear networks in December and followed Mickey’s attempts to host the perfect Christmas at the risk of neglecting Pluto. A follow-up special themed after Halloween, Mickey and Friends: Trick or Treats, premiered the following year.

Mickey's next short, Once Upon a Studio, premiered on ABC on October 15 2023 and was released on Disney+ the following day. Taking place at the studio after closing hours, the short features Mickey corralling a gallery of legendary Disney characters for a group photo.

Trivia[]

Mickey Mouse has received ten nominations for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. These are Mickey's Orphans (1931), Building a Building (1933), Brave Little Tailor (1938), The Pointer (1939), Lend a Paw (1941), Squatter's Rights (1946), Mickey and the Seal (1948), Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983), Runaway Brain (1995), and Get a Horse! (2013). Among these, Lend a Paw was the only film to actually win the award. Additionally, in 1932, Walt Disney received an honorary Academy Award in recognition of Mickey's creation and popularity.
Mickey's ears are always round, no matter which direction he is facing.
- This was the case in the original Kingdom Hearts as well, but was not carried over into future games.
- In "Clarabelle's Big Secret", Mickey confessed that he regularly has his ears starched to keep them round.
Mickey's size is somewhat inconsistent. The Walt Disney Company's official position is that he is roughly 2 feet and 3 inches tall, as mentioned in this article. However, he is also shown to be the same size as Donald Duck, who, per Carl Barks, is three feet tall. There have also been instances where Mickey is taller than Donald, as was the case in their first cartoon together, Orphan's Benefit.
There are several recurring gags in Mickey's early cartoons, particularly those of the black-and-white era. These include:
- Mickey whimpering at the camera when something unfortunate befalls him.
- Mickey timidly addressing a masculine authority figure with, "Yes, ma'am."
- Mickey trying to shake Pluto's paw, only for Pluto to pull his paw away in jest.
A few of Mickey's cartoons feature nods and allusions to the character's real-life inspirations.
- Mickey's role in The Gallopin' Gaucho is an homage to Douglas Fairbanks as the titular character of 1927's The Gaucho.
- Both Charlie Chaplin and Harold Loyd made appearances in Mickey's Gala Premier.
- In Mickey Plays Papa, Mickey briefly caricatures himself as Charlie Chaplin.
- Mickey's dance atop the giant top hat in Thru the Mirror was modeled after the talents of Fred Astaire, whose career was greatly defined by his signature dancing.
During the 1930s, the Disney Studios had received numerous mail from fans asking to visit "where Mickey Mouse lived". This gave Walt the idea to build what was essentially described as Mickey's home—a small park across from the studio that would feature attractions and statues of Mickey and other Disney characters. The park was dubbed "Mickey Mouse Park". Though the original idea never came to be, the concept evolved into what would eventually become Disneyland.
In 1933, during an interview with Film Pictorial, Walt said, "In private life, Mickey is married to Minnie... What it really amounts to is that Minnie is, for screen purposes, his leading lady." As of right now, the couple is childless in official canon, although Mickey's Nightmare depicts them having 21 children in Mickey's dream. A short clip from their wedding is also in Mickey's dream as well.
Hidden Mickeys are a common Easter Egg found in Disney films, shows and park attractions. They are silhouettes of Mickey's head, made up of three circles. One of the first Hidden Mickeys was three bubbles that made up Mickey's head in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Although Mickey's full name was said to be Michel Mouse in the cartoons, according to the comic La planète des cerveaux ("The Brain Planet"), published in Le Journal de Mickey #2829, Mickey's full name is Michael Theodore Mouse. Michel is the French spelling of the name Michael.
- In the Mickey Mouse cartoon, "The Fancy Gentleman", he is addressed as Michel Francois Mouse by Wadsworth Thorndyke III.
As the company mascot, many variations of Mickey's silhouette have been used as logos for Disney properties, such as the Disney Channel, Toon Disney, and Playhouse Disney.
Wayne Allwine's final performance of Mickey Mouse before his death was in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. Because of this, there is a dedication to him in the credits of the English version of the game.
Mickey is usually shown to have magic powers, mainly with the Sorcerer Hat of Yen Sid. It has also been shown that Mickey can control magic without aid—usually in the form of parlor tricks, as was the case in Magician Mickey and "Potatoland".
In the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Mickey is often referred to by the Cast Members as "the boss" or "Mr. Mouse". This is to reflect the fact that Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse are essentially the same person.
In the 2011 Disney•Pixar film Cars 2, two characters named Mama Topolino and Uncle Topolino are tributes to Mickey, as Topolino (meaning "little mouse") is Mickey's name in Italian.
In 1933, Mickey Mouse received 800,000 pieces of fan mail.
The original Epic Mickey game showcases Mickey having a certain degree of superhuman strength, being able to break out of metal restrictions.
Mickey's Social Security number is 746-55-2769, as seen in Runaway Brain.
In 1945, the producers of the MGM musical Anchors Aweigh wanted Mickey to do a dance number with Gene Kelly and for Walt Disney to animate it. However, the role and dance number were instead given to Jerry Mouse of Tom and Jerry fame and was animated by Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera, who were still making Tom and Jerry cartoons at the time.
Most of the black-and-white Mickey Mouse cartoons were colorized three times:
- In the early 1970s, a colorized version of Mickey's Follies was part of When Funnies Were Funny, a package of redrawn cartoons produced by Radio and Television Packagers, Inc. This method of colorizing involved tracing almost every frame, coloring them in, shooting the frames over colorized copies of the backgrounds, and in some cases adding new music over a silent film print - making for a stiff, low-quality final product.
- In 1984, when contemplating a deal with CBS to air their cartoons on Saturday mornings, the Walt Disney Company sent more than ten shorts to Entercolor Technologies Corp. to get redrawn. Although this deal did not work out, clips of these versions would be shown elsewhere, like on some DTV music videos and the television special Totally Minnie. Much like the aforementioned redrawn colorized version Mickey's Follies, these 80s redrawn colorizations tend to suffer from a decrease in animation quality in comparison to the original animation.
- In 1990, American Film Technologies (under a deal with Disney) made computer-colorized versions of approximately 47 Mickey shorts, which preserved the original animation. These digitally-colorized Mickey shorts had aired on anthology shows, such as Mickey's Mouse Tracks, Mickey Mouse & Friends, and Donald's Quack Attack on the Disney Channel (and later its sister channel Toon Disney).
Mickey is mentioned in the Darkwing Duck episode "Comic Book Capers", where Launchpad talks about how Darkwing is starring in his own comic book like Mickey.
- Darkwing Duck comic book writer Aaron Sparrow has noted that he wanted to do a story for the comic that would've had Mickey teaming up with Darkwing to battle the Phantom Blot. Due to Disney cancelling the Joe Books comic and then firing Sparrow to replace him with Amanda Deibert for the next Darkwing Duck comic, however, this story is unlikely to ever see print.
In the fall of 1978, NBC aired Mickey Mouse cartoons on the Wonderful World of Disney block for his 50th birthday, five years before Disney Channel was launched in 1983.
In 2018, a floral structure of Mickey was added to the Miracle Garden in Dubai in honor of his 90th birthday.
- On the day of Mickey's 90th birthday, Tokyo Disneyland's Mickey Mouse meet-and-greet attraction saw an unprecedented 11-hour wait time.
At the start of the Simpsons short Playdate with Destiny, we see what is presumably Mickey Mouse's silhouette, only to be revealed as Homer Simpson holding two donuts above his head.
- Similarly, in The Simpsons in Plusaversary, Mickey's silhouette is briefly seen only to then reveal that it is actually Bart Simpson dressed as Mickey.
In The Muppet Show episode guest-starring Petula Clark, there was a character named Mickey Moose, whose name is a spoof of Mickey Mouse.
In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, a butler sarcastically tells Jones “if you are Scottish lord, then I am Mickey Mouse!”.
In Italian version, Mickey was renamed Topolino, which comes from Topo, the Italian word for Mouse.
According to "Sock Burglar", Mickey wears no-show socks.
From 1978 to 2001, Mickey Mouse was an official mascot of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.