It's Mickey Mouse's birthday, here's 10 facts you might not know about him
Mickey Mouse (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
OAKLAND, Calif. (KTVU) - Mickey Mouse is 89 on Saturday and my has he aged well.
The mouse whose story began as a Rabbit has left behind a legacy that makes him one of the most recognizable images in the world.
Here are 10 facts you might not know about the lovable mouse:
- Mickey mouse was created after Walt Disney lost the rights of his popular rabbit cartoon character “Oswald” to Universal pictures.
- The star was cemented in history with the production of Walt Disney’s 1928 animated short film “Steamboat Willie,” which was the first publicly released cartoon.
- Mickey is married to Minnie – she’s his first love.
- Mickey’s first spoken words were “Hot Dogs!” He spoke for his first time in "The Karnival Kid," the ninth movie he appeared in. For the previous eight, he was silent.
- The first Mickey Mouse club opened in Salem, Oregon within a year of Mickey’s arrival. By 1930, clubs had spread across the country. The clubs helped to propel kids to stardom – think Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.
- Mickey received the makeover we recognize today in 1935 by animator Fred Moore, further planting himself in the hearts of children across the globe.
- Walt Disney was the original voice for Mickey. Since, four have shared the role. Including: Jimmy MacDonald (1947-1977), Anthony Allwine (1977-2009), Bret Iwan (current) and Christopher Diamantopoulos (current).
- The first short that Mickey appeared in color was “The Band Concert” (1935).
- Mickey was the first cartoon character to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It came on his 50th birthday in 1078.
- The “Mickey Mouse Disco Album” went double-platinum in 1979.