43 Mickey Mouse Fun Facts For Mickey's Birthday

November 18, 2018, marks the 90th birthday of Mickey Mouse. Always remember that all of Disneyland was made possible because of a little cartoon mouse. Here are some pieces of trivia about the world-famous rodent called Mickey Mouse.

FUN FACTS

1. A brief history of The Mouse. The first known appearance of Mickey Mouse as portrayed by an actor was in the Fanchon and Marco traveling stage show "Mickey Mouse Idea," which premiered on March 12, 1931, in Los Angeles. Popular vaudeville performer "Toots" Novelle was the man inside The Mouse. Mickey’s second appearance was at the premiere of the first full-length color animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) on December 21, 1937. The permanent appearance of Mickey Mouse, among other Disney characters, was at the grand opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955. Disney didn’t have official character costumes yet, so he borrowed them from the Ice Capades. Since they were originally intended for ice skaters, there had obnoxious-looking holes in the face to provide the skater with visibility. The body part of the costume was also meant for a skater, so it was more humanoid than a cartoon. Upon the park's opening, Walt had never intended to have characters permanently walk around and greet people, says Disney Legend and Disneyland attraction designer John Hench, who designed the torch for the 1960 Winter Olympics. After seeing how enthusiastic people were to see the characters, Walt decided to make them permanent. The costume didn’t have set measurements and would sometimes be six feet tall, depending on the performer. It wasn’t until the 1961 design done by Bill Justice and John Hench did the costume increase in quality and appearance. With these new standards, Disney cast Paul Castle as a permanent Mickey Mouse performer. Paul had performed as Mickey Mouse in the Ice Capades. In the 1960s, there were a set of 10-12 full-time performers that worked five days a week (Disneyland used to be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays) in the characters, and another 40 part-time performers worked nights, weekends, and holidays. The newest Mickey Mouse was added in 2010 and could move his mouth and blink his eyes in synchronization with shows and performances, which later carried over to Meet and Greets in 2013, but only in Disney World. Hopefully, soon he will make his way to Disneyland. 
2. After getting fired from Universal as the director of the shorts Oswald The Lucky Rabbit, Walt Disney first drew Mickey during a train ride back to Los Angeles.
3. Walt started calling him Mortimer Mouse, but Lillian didn’t like it so she suggested using a friendlier name. Walt suggested Mickey Mouse, and she agreed.
4. Contrary to the popular belief, Steamboat Willie was not Mickey’s first film; it was actually Plane Crazy. Walt, Lillian, and Ub Iwerks worked in secret on the film in a garage behind the Disney’s home.
5. Plane Crazy had a sneak preview at a Hollywood movie house in May 1928. The film was received and liked very well, but the idea of Mickey Mouse on the big screen was shot down by the theater due to a lack of interest. This film had no audio yet, which is why most don’t count it as Mickey’s first film.
6. Mickey’s second film was Gallopin' Gaucho, August 7, 1928; also with no sound.
7. The first two films, Plane Crazy and Gallopin' Gaucho, cost Walt $2,500 each to create.
8. Mickey’s third and most famous film, Steamboat Willie, played in the Colony Theater in New York on November 18, 1928.
9. Now, Mickey’s official birthday is November 18, 1928.
10. Walt's main animator, Ub Iwerks, would lock himself in his office and could put out 300 drawings of Mickey Mouse in a single night.
11. Walt was the first one to provide the voice for Mickey Mouse from 1929-1947. Walt was a smoker, which made his voice become raspy.  Because of this, he couldn’t do the high pitch of Mickey’s voice. Mickey was then voiced by:
• Jimmy MacDonald (1947-1977)
• Wayne Allwine (1977-2009)
• Bret Iwan (2009-present)
• Chris Diamantopoulos (2013-present)
12. Walt Disney provided the voice of Mickey Mouse until 1947. James MacDonald took over and was Mickey's voice for three decades until he retired. In 1987, Wayne Allwine started providing Mickey’s voice until his death in 2009. Bret Iwan took over after Wayne passed, but only for the video games and other Mickey Mouse voice work. The current Mickey Mouse series that started in 2013 uses the voice of comedian Chris Diamantopoulos because Disney wanted a more retro sound to Mickey’s voice. 
13. Mickey’s first words ever spoken were “Hot Dogs” in the 1929 film Karnival Kid.
14. The first merchandise to feature Mickey was a school tablet in 1929.
15. Mickey Mouse is ranked the third most recognizable character in the world, right after Santa Claus and Ronald McDonald.
16. Mickey Mouse is his name in America, in Sweden, he is Musse Pigg, in Iran, he is known as Mickey Moosh, in Iceland, they call him Mikki Mus, and in Italy, he is referred to as Topolino.
17. In the 1930s, Betty Boop became more popular than Mickey Mouse.
18. At one point, Max Fleischer’s (animator for Betty Boop and Superman in the ’30s and ’40s) Popeye the Sailor also surpassed Mickey in popularity.
19. Animator Les Clark was the only one of Walt's Nine Old Men to work on the Mickey Mouse cartoons from the beginning.
20. Mickey received his own star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame on November 13, 1978.
21. At the Fox Dome Theater located in Ocean Park CA, the first Mickey Mouse Club was formed in 1929. Following this startup, other Mickey Mouse Clubs started up in movie houses around the country.
22. The first Mickey Mouse comic strip was published on January 13, 1930. They were drawn by Ub Iwerks back then. After that, Win Smith, Ub Iwerks' assistant, drew them for 3 months. He was succeeded by Floyd Gottfredson, who drew the comic strip for 45 years.
23. The first Mickey Mouse book was The Mickey Mouse Book, published in 1930 by Bibo-Lang.
24. In 1932, a special Academy Award was given to Walt Disney for the creation of Mickey Mouse.
25. The Encyclopedia Britannica gave Mickey Mouse his own entry in 1934.
26. The first Mickey Mouse cartoon in color was The Band Concert, which premièred on February 23, 1935. The Silly Symphony Swings in California Adventure are themed after it.
27. The last black and white cartoon was Mickey's Kangaroo, which premièred April 13, 1935, only 1 ½ months after The Band Concert.
28. In 1935, The League of Nations awarded Walt Disney a medal for the creation of Mickey Mouse.
29. Mickey was originally drawn with circles for his head, body, and ears. In 1939, that design was changed to the more pear-shaped appearance we see now. Also, pupils were added to his eyes. The first film Mickey appeared in with his new features was The Pointer on July 21, 1939, and the first full-length feature, as Sorcerer Mickey, was Fantasia (1940).
30. Fred Moore was the animator who redesigned Mickey with the new look. It is said that he was sweating bullets in a group meeting when his new look for Mickey was revealed to Walt. Then Walt said, “That's the way I want Mickey to be drawn from now on.”
31. The 1935 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City was led by a 55-foot-high Mickey Mouse.
32. Mickey's first appearance in a feature film was in Fantasia (1940), where he appeared in his most famous role as the Sorcerer's Apprentice. His image was modified for this feature film debut to include eye pupils and a more three-dimensional appearance.
33. One of Mickey's greatest honors came in 1944 when the Allied Forces, under General Dwight D. Eisenhower, prepared to invade the continent of Europe. Eisenhower’s password for the mission was “Mickey Mouse.”
34. Between 1928, Steamboat Willie, and 1995, Runaway Brain, Mickey Mouse starred in 120 films. However, there was a 30-year gap between The Simple Things in 1953 and Mickey's Christmas Carol in 1983.
35. According to Walt Disney, Mickey and Minnie Mouse have never been married on screen. But, 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." Two years later in 1935, he told Louise Morgan in the News Chronicle "There's no marriage in the land of make-believe. Mickey and Minnie must live happily ever after." The discussion of Mickey and Minnie's wedding has been fueled by the 1932 film Mickey's Nightmare in which Mickey falls asleep in the armchair instead of meeting Minnie at the local dance. Mickey dreams of being married to Minnie and is surrounded by numerous little Mickey mice. Then in 1935, a cover for the sheet music "The Wedding of Mister Mickey Mouse" shows a picture of a beaming Mickey, dressed in a tux, leading Minnie, dressed in a veil, from the church to the happy cheering of Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow. This music was a Novelty Fox-trot with music by Franz Vienna and words by Edward Pola with special permission by Walt Disney.
36. In 1950, Walt Disney started The Mickey Mouse Club television show.
37. A 90-minute television show aired on November 19, 1978, to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 50th birthday. Guest appearances on the show were made by Gerald Ford, Billy Graham, Lawrence Welk, Willie Nelson, Gene Kelly, Roy Rogers, and Dale Evans, Edgar Bergen, Jodie Foster, Goldie Hawn, Eva Gabor, Anne Bancroft, Jo Anne Worley, and Burt Reynolds.
38. The Runaway Brain was made in 1995. Dr. Frankenollie transplants Mickey's brain. The name of Dr. Frankenollie was inspired by the famed animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston.
39. Mickey Mouse's favorite sayings are: "Gosh!" "Oh boy!" "That sure is swell!" "Aw, gee..." "See ya soon!"
40. Mickey Mouse is the official greeter of Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
41. Animator Freddy Moore was tasked with redesigning Mickey in 1938 for the film Fantasia (1940). He worked on Brave Little Tailor (1938) which was the last film Mickey was in with his solid-eyed appearance. He was in Society Dog Show (1939) with solid eyes, but that film was completed before Brave Little Tailor and released after it. After that, he had pupils, which was Fred’s idea.
42. When Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) was released, it had been 30 years since Mickey Mouse had appeared in a short. His last was The Simple Things (1953).
43. Let's not forget that today is also the 90th birthday of Mickey's leading lady, Minnie Mouse.

Here is a full list of all the shorts Mickey Mouse was in.

1928	Plane Crazy	1937	Moose Hunters
1928	The Gallopin' Gaucho	1937	Mickey's Amateurs
1928	Steamboat Willie	1937	Hawaiian Holiday
1929	The Barn Dance	1937	Clock Cleaners
1929	The Karnival Kid	1937	Lonesome Ghosts
1929	Mickey's Choo-Choo	1938	Boat Builders
1929	Mickey's Follies	1938	Mickey's Trailer
1929	The Plowboy	1938	The Fox Hunt
1929	The Jazz Fool	1938	The Whalers
1929	Wild Waves	1938	Mickey's Parrot
1929	Jungle Rhythm	1938	Brave Little Tailor
1929	Haunted House	1939	Society Dog Show
1930	Minnie's Yoo Hoo	1939	Mickey's Surprise Party
1930	The Barnyard Concert	1939	The Pointer
1930	Fiddling Around	1940	Tugboat Mickey
1930	The Cactus Kid	1940	Pluto's Dream House
1930	The Fire Fighters	1940	Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip
1930	The Shindig	1940	Fantasia
1930	The Chain Gang	1941	The Little Whirlwind
1930	The Gorilla Mystery	1941	A Gentleman's Gentleman
1930	The Picnic	1941	Canine Caddy
1930	Pioneer Days	1941	The Nifty Nineties
1931	The Birthday Party	1941	Orphans' Benefit
1931	Traffic Troubles	1941	Lend a Paw
1931	The Castaway	1942	All Together
1931	The Moose Hunt	1942	Mickey's Birthday Party
1931	The Delivery Boy	1942	Symphony Hour
1931	Mickey Steps Out	1943	Pluto and the Armadillo
1931	Blue Rhythm	1946	Squatter's Rights
1931	Fishin' Around	1947	Fun & Fancy Free
1931	The Barnyard Broadcast	1947	Mickey and the Beanstalk
1931	The Beach Party	1947	Mickey's Delayed Date
1931	Mickey Cuts Up	1948	Mickey Down Under
1931	Mickey's Orphans	1948	Pluto's Purchase
1932	The Duck Hunt	1948	Mickey and the Seal
1932	The Grocery Boy	1949	Pueblo Pluto
1932	The Mad Dog	1951	Plutopia
1932	Barnyard Olympics	1951	R'coon Dawg
1932	Mickey's Revue	1952	Pluto's Party
1932	Musical Farmer	1952	Pluto's Christmas Tree
1932	Mickey in Arabia	1953	The Simple Things
1932	Mickey's Nightmare	1954	Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1932	Trader Mickey	1973	The Walt Disney Story
1932	The Whoopee Party	1983	Mickey's Christmas Carol
1932	Touchdown Mickey	1986	DTV Valentine
1932	The Wayward Canary	1987	DTV 'Doggone' Valentine
1932	The Klondike Kid	1987	Down and Out with Donald Duck
1932	Mickey's Good Deed	1987	Funny, You Don't Look 200: A Constitutional Vaudeville
1933	Building a Building	1987	DTV Monster Hits
1933	The Mad Doctor	1988	Totally Minnie
1933	Mickey's Pal Pluto	1988	Who Framed Roger Rabbit
1933	Mickey's Mellerdrammer	1988	Mickey's 60th Birthday
1933	Ye Olden Days	1988	Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Very Merry Christmas Songs
1933	The Mail Pilot	1990	The Muppets at Walt Disney World
1933	Mickey's Mechanical Man	1990	Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Disneyland Fun
1933	Mickey's Gala Premier	1990	The Prince and the Pauper
1933	Puppy Love	1991	Muppet*vision 3-D
1933	The Steeplechase	1991	The Best of Disney: 50 Years of Magic
1933	The Pet Store	1993	Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Friend Like Me
1933	Giantland	1993	Bonkers"
1934	Shanghaied	1993	Disney Sing-Along-Songs: The Twelve Days of Christmas
1934	Camping Out	1994	A Day at Disneyland
1934	Playful Pluto	1994	Mickey's Fun Songs: Let's Go to the Circus
1934	Gulliver Mickey	1994	Mickey's Fun Songs: Campout at Walt Disney World
1934	Hollywood Party	1995	Disney Sing-Along-Songs: Beach Party at Walt Disney World
1934	The Hot Choc-late Soldiers	1995	A Goofy Movie
1934	Mickey's Steam Roller	1995	Runaway Brain
1934	Orphan's Benefit	1998	The Spirit of Mickey
1934	Mickey Plays Papa	1999	Disney's Mouseworks Spaceship
1934	The Dognapper	1999	Mickey's New Car
1934	Two-Gun Mickey	1999	How to Haunt a House
1935	Mickey's Man Friday	1999	Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
1935	Mickey's Service Station	1999	Fantasia 2000
1935	Mickey's Kangaroo	1999	Mickey Mouse Works
1935	Mickey's Garden	2001	Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse
1935	Mickey's Fire Brigade	2001	Mickey's House of Villains
1935	Pluto's Judgement Day	2001	House of Mouse
1935	On Ice	2003	The 75th Annual Academy Awards
1936	Mickey's Polo Team	2003	Mickey's PhilharMagic
1936	Orphans' Picnic	2004	Mouse Heaven
1936	Mickey's Grand Opera	2004	The Lion King 1½
1936	Thru the Mirror	2004	Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers
1936	Mickey's Rival	2004	Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas
1936	Moving Day	2005	Mickey's Around the World in 80 Days
1936	Alpine Climbers	2006	Mickey Saves Santa and Other Mouseketales
1936	Mickey's Circus	2007	Mickey's Great Clubhouse Hunt
1936	Mickey's Elephant	2007	Mickey's Treat
1937	The Worm Turns	2009	Mickey's Adventures in Wonderland
1937	Magician Mickey	2006	Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
2013	Get A Horse

Walt Disney had once said, "I hope that we never lose sight of one thing, that it was all started by a Mouse." We shall never forget the history of the park.

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