Talk:Mickey Mouse

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Contents

[edit] Through the Keyhole

Just thought it would amuse you to know that someone else literally edited the name section (mortimer) at the same time that they had just seen the same TV programme re Mickey Rooney. I've checked it out, and yes, it appears that Mickey Rooney's claim to be the first 'Mickey' has very common currency.Iamlondon 14:54, 12 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] PARODY PICTURES

Aren't parody pictures allowed even if its copyrighted, so couldnt we post a parody of mick mouse from some source?

[edit] First appearence or first with sound?

Was 'Steamboat Willie' the first appearance of Mickey, or the first with sound?

The first with sound. Now was Steamboat Willie the first Mickey cartoon with sound or the first cartoon of any sort with sound? --rmhermen

Here's some evidence that "Steamboat Willie" was not the first sound cartoon (as is claimed in the Steamboat Willie and Walt Disney articles). First, in the book Hollywood Cartoons by Michael Barrier, it is mentioned that at least two sound cartoons were released earlier in 1928 than "Willie": the Aesop's Fable cartoon "Dinner Time" and the Fleischer Brothers cartoon "The Sidewalks of New York". Barrier quotes some letters by Disney, written before the release of "Steamboat Willie", in which those cartoons are mentioned. Second, this website claims that "Dinner Time" was the first sound cartoon.

-Joel Schlosberg

[edit] Mickey inspired by blackface?

I remember hearing something way back in the day about Mickey Mouse have been originally based on blackface performers. I don't remember any of the old cartoons well enough to know, but if someone can add some encyclopedic information on this to the article, it would be nice. Tokerboy

That's what Wikipedia says at Bosko. -- Error 02:15, 29 Nov 2004 (UTC)

[edit] How about Mickey in "blackface" in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" -- or, "The Meller Drammer" (1933)?

Important because it's a good example of the racism of Disney Studios. deeceevoice 01:59, 28 Nov 2004 (UTC)

What? Still no taste for this subject among diehard Mickey Mouse fans?

  • The United Artists 1933 release "The Meller Drammer" -- the name a corruption of "melodrama" thought to harken back to the earliest minstrel shows -- was a film short based on Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. Mickey, of course, was already black; but for this role he was depicted with exaggerated, orange lips; bushy, white sidewhiskers; and, of course, his now trademark white gloves. Animation utilizing darky iconography aired on U.S. television as late as the mid 1990s, but rarely has appeared since. From blackface deeceevoice 10:27, 7 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Here's a quote to support this notion, taken from Sacks, Howard L, and Sacks Judith (1993). Way up North in Dixie: A Black Family's Claim to the Confederate Anthem. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, p. 158: "Mickey Mouse is the most graphic offspring of blackface minstrels' portrayals of the plantation slave. Black, wild-eyed, childlike, falsetto-voiced, and ever the clown, Mickey Mouse even takes his costuming from the burnt-cork brotherhood: see the oversized white gloves, the suspender buttons (minus suspenders), big feet, coy stance." —BrianSmithson 16:05, 4 November 2005 (UTC)

I don't know that Disney is notable for a pattern of racism, but the debt that the old black-and-white cartoons owe to minstrelling seems like important context. I support the inclusion of this information, possibly in a separate article detailing the relationship of cartoon archetypes to the blackface tradition, with Mickey in the vanguard. Pjrich 20:51, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Mickey's behavior

Mickey Mouse started his career as what has been described as "at best a fresh and bratty kid, at worst a dimunitive and sadistic monster". In Steamboat Willie, he honks ducks with tight hugs, uses the teeth of a cow as a xylophone, and winds the tail of a goat like a music box. Mickey wasn't truly depraved; he just engaged in "pure, amoral, very boyish mischief". Because Mickey was somewhat fashioned after Charlie Chaplin, there were many similarities between these two characters.

Parents were alarmed with Mickey's obnoxious and crass behavior; a deluge of letters flooded Walt Disney's office, demanding a "kinder, gentler" mouse. Accompanying Mickey's physical makeover came a definite shift in behavior. Mickey was no longer loud and brash, but more quiet and charming. Mickey, then and now, is not particularly funny; he is attractive in a pleasant and appealing fashion. This is a trait that was inherited from Disney himself, who was not known to be truly humorous. Mickey abandoned slapsick comedy; he would forever be destined to be a "nice guy" with this major alteration.

Mickey's persona continued to soften as his physical traits smoothed out. One can say that he became a "goody-two shoes"; Mickey would never do anything questionable. He also gained more human traits: Mickey is probably the first mouse to wash a car or to conduct a symphony orchestra. Unlike the average mouse, he would never carry parasitic mites or nibble on electrical wiring. In essence, Mickey became a perfect gentleman-- but in the body of a mouse.

As Mickey grew in popularity around the world (although his heyday was quite brief; after World War II, Mickey ranked third in a poll regarding favorite cartoon characters-- Donald Duck took first while Bugs Bunny landed second), Mickey's abilities increased. He could do anything and everything well; he would never be doing anything remotely immoral. Should something terrible befall Mickey, there is always an innocent reason behind the trouble. Because of this angelic construction, there are definite parameters as to what Mickey can and cannot do. Mickey is expected to be a lovable and sweet mouse. Thus, his wild days must stay in the past... but everybody loves Mickey nonetheless.

These days, Mickey is still widely known for his charm, manners, and shy kindness. "Mickey" is synonymous with all that is good and benign; he is the ultimate symbol of happiness and delight. Mickey has survived through the ravages of World War II (where his name was the code word for the entire Allied mission) as well as the different trends that the world has followed. Whether he is donning an immaculate tuxedo or clad only in swimming trunks, Mickey will forever be hailed as the greatest mouse to grace the earth.

from User:213.146.192.200


It's sort of not NPOV (Neutral Point of View). Good, but keep it a NPOV.Abby724 05:38, 7 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] First appearance?

When did Mickey Mouse actually make his first appearance? The current page states that it was on November 18, 1928; the September 18 page states that Steamboat Willie was first released in 1928 on that day; and the entry on Steamboat Willie says the movie was released on July 29, 1928. I'm a bit lost... -- Schnee 03:17, 18 Sep 2003 (UTC)

ImdB says November 18. I'll make the correction. RickK 03:29, 18 Sep 2003 (UTC)

Mickey Mouse did not debut in Steamboat Willie. He debuted in an earlier cartoon, Plane Crazy, on May 15, 1928

[edit] Silly and Irrelevant image

Removed this from the page, as it is silly and irrelevant:

On November 14, 2002, the following image was discovered during restoration of a church's outside wall in the town of Malta in Austria. It is part of a 14th century fresco depicting Saint Christopher of the Catholic Church, who is often shown accompanied by fabulous creatures:

Image:Micky.jpg

Mickey Mouse bears a striking resemblance to this image.
I thought it was kinda funny, trivial as it might be...
"Silly" perhaps (though any more so than Mickey himself?), but I thought it was useful having a clearly public domain image that gives a pretty good idea of what Mickey looks like. I'd like this to go back in the article. -- Infrogmation 00:26, 31 Dec 2004 (UTC)
I also liked that image. Maybe it shouldn't be the main one, but I think it should be in there somewhere. LizardWizard 02:33, Jan 24, 2005 (UTC)
More than silly, this dubious claim is uncited and un-sourced. Please include a citation or ditch it. Looks bogus to me. Zosodada 8 July 2005 22:02 (UTC)
Well sourced or un-sourced, the photo caused a media storm when it was released, after the image was found. The Walt Disney Company were reported to have purchased the fresco to keep it in their reception area at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, but I believe that is trash. Anyway, it is real. --Speedway July 9, 2005 18:17 (UTC)
  • I just restored the 14th century picture as there is no copyright problem with that and removed the original Mickey mouse picture and the one that was showing Disney signing. These are copyrighted. I'm not sure how to arrange the text and links that have been in the text? Could somebody take care of this? Or I'll go into this the next days. (anon)
    • I have a photo of a 15th century fresco in a church in Gotland, Sweden, depicting St. George fighting a dragon. Believe it or not, the dragon has Mickey ears! But, that, too, is trivia, and really doesn't belong in the article... --Janke | Talk 06:52, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

---

[edit] Sections

Does anyone want to tackle the task of adding sections to this article? It'd make it much more accessible. If not, I may tackle it someday. —Frecklefoot 19:11, 18 Nov 2003 (UTC)

[edit] MM's height and weight?

Where is MM's height and weight documented? This article currently says:

  Standing 2'3" and weighing 23 pounds, the mouse rapidly rose to the
  pinnacle of American culture, being more widely recognized overseas
  than any other American icon but the US flag.

Bevo 04:11, 11 Dec 2003 (UTC)

I'm not sure where this came from, but it sounded odd as included in the opening paragraph. I removed it. kmccoy (talk) 09:33, 18 Jun 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Mickey Mouse as private eye?

Almost all recent (ie. 1980 and onwards) Mickey Mouse comics depict him as a private detective, who cooperates with Chief O'Hara to stop Black Pete or the Phantom Blot. Is this well known outside of Europe? Was it invented by American or Italian artist? When did it start? arj 18:29, 26 Jan 2004 (UTC)

I know about it, but I'm a fairly big Disney nut. Most Canadians, and even more Americans, have no clue there is even Disney comics, let alone ones where Mickey is a private eye. I'm guessing an American writer created it, and the plots took flight when the Italians got a hold of it, seeing how much they helped shape the Disney comic universe. -- user:zanimum
Doesn't this originally stem from Paul Murry's 60's-70's Mickey comics, or am I off-track here?
Mickey as a private detective goes definitively further back, possibly the first clear 'mystery-thriller' plot in which he acts more or less as a private eye/detective is the story 'Mickey Mouse Outwits The Phantom Blot' by Floyd Gottfredson published in 1941! BTW: as a child that story really scared me. Although many stories by Gottfredson had a mistery tone, I agree that the most 'classic' Mickey detective stories have been written in Italy but already since the '50s, one of the best of that period is Romano Scarpa's "Kali's Nail" (Topolino e l'unghia di Kalí). I think something on this side of Mickey should be added to the article. Plch 01:08, 4 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] WDP's creation?

The term Walt Disney Pictures is used since 1980s. Even after 1980s, WDP can't stand for the whole Sections about animation in The Walt Disney Company. So I think this term should be changed.Mickeymousechen 16:18, 23 Aug 2004 (UTC)mickeymousechen

[edit] Mickey on parade

Just heard on the news that Mickey Mouse is going to be Grand Marshall of the 2005 Rose Bowl parade. Even though this is just a guy in a suit, maybe this could somehow be added to the article as reference to his appearances in and links to modern culture beyond cartoons?

I saw the thing too, and it's been added. Mickey is a character, and as long as it fits within his copyrightable tome, it fits. Also, who's to say it's a guy in there? -- user:zanimum

[edit] Images

Are we able to get one of Mickey Mouse? - Ta bu shi da yu 05:19, 14 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Trumpeter costumed as Mickey Mouse, New Orleans Mardi Gras, 2003.
Enlarge
Trumpeter costumed as Mickey Mouse, New Orleans Mardi Gras, 2003.
Disney is NOTORIOUS about not allowing and "Fairuse" of images of Mickey. I rather like the one above (removed by someone who didn't sign themselves), and would like it back in the article. Who objects? ... At the right is my own contribution of a Mickey image... Hm.... -- Infrogmation 00:29, 31 Dec 2004 (UTC)
A typical style of sign in Walt Disney World, showing one of many uses by Disney of the Mickey ears logo.
Enlarge
A typical style of sign in Walt Disney World, showing one of many uses by Disney of the Mickey ears logo.
I should be able to get a photo from public property of one of the displays at the entrance to Disney World, like the one at [1] but better quality. Or, if that's not OK (since the display is on private property), how about the one at right? This sign is on public property owned by the Reedy Creek Improvement District. --SPUI 07:30, 19 Jan 2005 (UTC)
I added the road sign to the 'The icon' section, since it does a decent job of showing a use of the Mickey ears without any copyright problems. --SPUI 02:03, 21 Jan 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Copyright

Mickey is often said to be "copyrighted", but a character cannot be copyrighted. A copyright applies to a concrete work such as a book or a film, not a character. A drawing of a character can be copyrighted, but the character itself cannot be. So I'm puzzled why it's said that Mickey Mouse will fall into the public domain when Steamboat Willie does, since Mickey Mouse is protected by trademark law, not copyright law. Would the expiration of the copyright also result in the expiration of the trademark? The only reason I can imagine is the argument that a trademark that is undefended is invalid, but I don't think that would hold here. - furrykef (Talk at me) 14:50, 2 Feb 2005 (UTC)

As I understand it, any drawing or photo of Mickey is a derivative work, just as if I take a photo of a recent sculpture. --SPUI 22:23, 2 Feb 2005 (UTC)

I'm confused. A photo of a sculpture can still be copyrighted even if the sculpture is ancient, if I understand correctly. This suggests that a work derived from the public domain is not itself public domain. But then, if I did take a photo of a recent sculpture that was itself copyrighted, I'd have to get rights to redistribute the photo. But all this suggests to me is that Disney need no longer be paid when somebody distributes Steamboat Willie, which I can't imagine being a large source of revenue. It oughtn't affect later works, unless that free distribution affects the ability to defend the trademark... is that it? Sounds very contrived to me, even for intellectual property law. - furrykef (Talk at me) 05:45, 3 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Yeah, a photo can be copyrighted, but if you take a picture of one you can release it to the public domain. However, if you take a photo of a copyrighted sculpture, you can only release your additional parts to the public domain (so that when the sculpture itself passes, or when it would pass if Disney didn't control copyright law, your photo will too). If I make an exact or close copy of that sculpture, it's a derivative work, and similarly cannot be public domain. If I make a drawing or photo of Mickey, I believe it would be the same sort of thing. Steamboat Willie (and every depiction of Mickey) is still copyrighted, thanks to Mr. Bono. I'm not a lawyer though, and I may be wrong. --SPUI 06:21, 3 Feb 2005 (UTC)

I still don't buy this explanation. Yes, when you take a photo of a sculpture you can only claim copyright on "the additional parts", but that does not mean your copyright expires when the copyright on the sculpture expires. In other words, the copyright on the photo and the copyright on the sculpture are entirely separate, in my understanding. The photo would indeed be a derivative work, but that only means that the holder of the copyright on the sculpture could restrict the distribution of the photograph (except in cases of fair use, of course); it doesn't mean that the copyright of the one is "tied" to that of the other. The same goes for copying the sculpture, except it's much less likely that you can copyright it at all since you have essentially copied the sculpture itself, which is the thing being protected. (Likewise you can't copyright your version if the original was public domain, unless it's part of a larger work that can be. However, you can still copyright a photograph of a public domain piece. So, again, I don't see how the analogy fits.) - furrykef (Talk at me) 12:00, 3 Feb 2005 (UTC)

I'm not sure if I'm interpreting you correctly, but you seem to be assuming that Mickey himself is public domain. This is false. Disney's servants have and probably will continue to extend copyright to keep Mickey from falling into the public domain. Thus the only possible grounds for use of a picture of Mickey will be fair use. --SPUI 12:58, 3 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Where did I suggest that? I have said quite explicitly that Mickey Mouse is trademarked (but not copyrighted). What I'm not understanding is how copyright would have anything to do with Mickey (as opposed to an individual cartoon) becoming public domain. - furrykef (Talk at me) 02:23, 4 Feb 2005 (UTC)

The character will leave copyright once the first work using the character enters the public domain. Note that the ways to draw the character changed over the years so each of those different ways will not enter the public domain until that particular version has entered the public domain. The 2003 US Supreme Court decision in Dastar Corp. v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. found that you cannot use a trademark on a public domain work to make an infinite copyright term using trademark law instead of copyright law. Note also that any drawing made by another person whcih copies the essential elements of the character as it has been drawn by the original copyright holder may be a derivative work and possible copyright infringment (or possible fair use, depending on the circumstances). Jamesday 16:44, 3 Feb 2005 (UTC)

The phrase, "The character will leave copyright" pretty much ignores everything I've said. ;) I have been arguing this whole time that Mickey Mouse is not copyrighted because a character cannot be copyrighted, an idea that is made clear by pretty much any website explaining copyright. I don't think Dastar v. Fox really applies here. The tricky thing with that was that Dastar actually used the public domain work, rather than, say, creating a new series with the same characters. I think the latter would still be trademark infringement. In other words, this would seem to suggest that I could do whatever I want with a reworking of Steamboat Willie (again, if it were public domain), but I can't just create a Mickey Mouse cartoon with no connection to Steamboat Willie. So even though copyright law may trump trademark law, a character being in a public domain work does not seem to suggest that the character's trademark effectively expires. - furrykef (Talk at me) 02:23, 4 Feb 2005 (UTC)

You can't copyright a character, but you can copyright an image. Suppose I draw a cartoon mouse that looks exactly like Mickey, but I gve him a different name and use him as a dour spaceship captain in a sci-fi comic book. The character wouldn't be anything like Disney's Mickey, but Disney could prevent me from using a drawing that was sufficiently close to Mickey to constitute a copyright violation.
You're right that trademark is separate. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney also had a trademark on the character, along with the copyright on the image. JamesMLane 01:11, 22 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Allow me to dispel a widely-reported urban legend about copyright and Disney. In 1993, the European Union adopted a directive extending copyright terms. Because this extended term was made available within the EU to non-EU copyright owners on the basis of reciprocity, the directive was one of the main arguments in favor of the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act passed by the U.S. Congress. The trend over the last few decades has been for U.S. copyright law to move into conformity with international copyright law and intellectual property conventions. Of course Disney supported the extension of copyright terms — so did virtually the entire publishing and entertainment industry! The idea that the U.S. Congress acted primarily to keep Mickey Mouse cartoons from falling into the public domain is just silly. There are larger issues involved here. Walloon 11:02, 8 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Fired or quit?

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit states that Walt Disney quit in disgust when his budget was cut: the article on Mickey Mouse states that Charles B. Mintz fired him. Which is correct? --Phil | Talk 08:50, July 11, 2005 (UTC)

Disney quit in disgust. – Pietro Shakarian 21:14, 25 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Banned in Germany?

A couple edits ago an IP address added:

"In 1936, Adolf Hitler declared Mickey Mouse to be an enemy of the state in Nazi Germany."

Sine Hitler is a favourite subject of vandals, I tried to verify this, but as can be imagined google searches for such things return too many spurious results. Can anyone verify this? Tnikkel 06:44, August 1, 2005 (UTC)

On my last trip to Germany about 15 years ago one of the museums in Berlin had an exhibition called something like "In the reich of Mickey Mouse" (In das Reich des Mickey Maus?). The exhibition had posters and other documents giving a chronicle (in German with a bit of English translations here and there) of the rise and fall of Mickey Mouse cartoons in Germany between the two world wars. It noted that Adolf Hitler was enraged at the great popularity of those foreign movies, and was most angry when he was told that members of the Nazi party would sometimes come to assemblies with Mickey Mouse pins on their lapels. This eventually led to a legal ban once he had come to power. It was all part of his campaign against foreign influences. --AlainV 03:47, 2 August 2005 (UTC)

Hitler actually enjoyed Disney's shorts. However, when he saw the 1929 Mickey Mouse cartoon, The Barnyard Battle, his opinion quickly changed. The short depicted World War I German soldiers as feline foils for Mickey. This could have been a reason that eventual lead towards the character being banned from Nazi Germany. Actually, I'm not sure if he was completely banned at all. In any case, I added this information to the article. You guys can determine if it's useful or not. - Pietro Shakarian 02:41, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

I have removed the claim that Hitler declared Mickey Mouse an "enemy of the state" in 1936. Documentation for this claim (repeated on many Internet sites, many simply echoing Wikipedia) is lacking. It should be noted that Hitler's propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels wrote in his diary on December 22, 1937,

"Ich schenke dem Führer 30 Klassefilme der letzten Jahre und 18 Micky-Maus-Filme. (...) Er freut sich darüber. Ist ganz glücklich über diesen Schatz." ("I am giving the Führer . . . 18 Mickey Mouse films [for Christmas]. He is very excited about it. He is completely happy about this treasure.”)

The exhibition "Als Mickey Mouse Nach Deutschland Kam" (When Mickey Mouse Came to Germany), at the Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Museum of the History of the Federal Republic of Germany), which ought to be considered an authoritative source, says,

After Hitler's takeover in 1933, Mickey Mouse initially remained on the German scene; but in 1941, when war was declared on the USA, he was banned in Germany.

The Mickey Mouse cartoon The Barnyard Battle was actually banned in 1930, three years before the Nazi Party came into power; it was permitted in 1931 after the offensive scenes were edited out. — Walloon 04:24, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Mickey Rooney...?

Is it worth it putting the fact that Mickey Rooney claims Mickey is really named after him? (More info on his page)... Kreachure 03:27, 3 August 2005 (UTC)

...only if it's noted that the claim is not true. --FuriousFreddy 03:30, 3 August 2005 (UTC)
It might well be true, although it is impossible to verify. It does deserve to be included on the page.

[edit] Space Jam reference

It was not the Monstarrs that Bugs was referring to, but the suggestion of Daffy that their team, the Toon Squad, be named the "Ducks". As the Walt Disney Company had some influence in the naming of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks with their Mighty Ducks movies, that would be the "Mickey Mouse organization". --Geopgeop 12:50, 26 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Pejorative use of Mickey's name

The reference to Finns' apparent prejudice towards Microsoft I think is a bit over-blown. This reference is probably sustained within a very small group and I have never personally encountered it. Unless someone can cite it I think it should be removed.

[edit] Mickey Films

Section currently states:

"Mickey has only starred in one feature film: the "Mickey and the Beanstalk" segment of Fun and Fancy Free (1947). He has also starred in two half-hour theatrical featurettes, Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983, screened in front of a re-issue of The Rescuers) and The Prince and the Pauper (1990, screened in front of The Rescuers Down Under)."

So the Sorceror's Apprentice segment of Fantasia (the section that inspired and was built upon to form Fantasia) doesn't count then?

When almost bust, Disney used Fantasia as either a last ditch effort to boost popularity, or as a final farewell as the studio couldn't afford to carry on production... Guess which happened!

[edit] Gretzky incident

Just wanted to mention that I fixed the Gretzky part, removing this:

"Wayne Gretzky once described the New Jersey Devils as a "Mickey Mouse" organization. The laugh was on him as they went on to win several Stanley Cups but Wayne did not."

If the person who wrote that ever reads this, I want to tell them they are a moron, and shouldn't be adding things unless they do a minimal amount of research first. It is quite well known that Gretzky won 4 Stanley Cups, 3 of which came after this incident.

[edit] first film/creation date not aligned?

How can the character be created in November 1928, yet the first film released is in May 1928?

[edit] Images

Every image now has a fair-use, all the right tags and has a summary. I also salvaged the kingdom hearts one from deletion. I was interested in nominating this for Wikipedia:Esperanza/Programs#Esperanzian Drive if I'd could get some interest. I'm interested in getting this up to featured, so I might ask for a peer review too. Any other ideas of what to do? Highway Rainbow Sneakers 21:28, 8 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Incorrect caption?

The caption for Image:Mickey-025.gif appears to be incorrect on several counts - steamboat willie (which should at least be capitalized) was not Mickey's first appearance. Also, is anyone certain that the image is actually from that particular cartoon in the first place? Even if it is, there are already several screencaps from Steamboat Willie included in the article so I'm not sure that image qualifies for fair use. -Big Smooth 19:38, 26 April 2006 (UTC)

Okay. I've removed the "steamboat willie" party. Ace Class Shadow 19:51, 26 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Symbol of America

"Aside from the national flag, Mickey Mouse may be the most recognizable symbol of modern America."

Says who? I see no citations. There are also claims that Ronald McDonald is the most recognized icon of America, being second only after Santa Claus.

Next to Santa Claus, the most instantly recognised figure in the world by children is Ronald McDonald, the annoying clown who serves as the company's “chief happiness officer”.
The Economist, October 2004.

bogdan 16:09, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

This isn't conclusive, but perhaps lends some credence to the idea of Mickey representing America. In 1934, with tensions mounting between the two countries, a Japanese animator created a cartoon of what is obviously Mickey Mouse (with a robber's mask covering his eyes) terrorizing a South Pacific population. He is defeated by heroic "Kuroneko Banzai" ("Black Cat Banzai") and heroes from Japanese mythology.
The Anime Encyclopedia by Jonathan Clements & Helen McCarthy (p. 461) has an image of it with:
"Cunningly wearing a mask so that his true identity is never revealed, an unidentified foreign rodent threatens an innocent rag doll on a South Pacific beach. The Wartime Anime Black Cat Banzai was made in 1934, after the annexation of Manchuria, but only released in 1936. It was one of several anime that depicted the foreign threat to islanders who seek Japanese 'help'-- a reference to Japan's mandate over the Inner South Pacific region, which was revoked by the League of Nations in 1935."
and page 438:
"In Takao Nakano's Black Cat Banzai (1933, Kuroneko Banzai), a peaceful parade of toys is disrupted by a fleet of flying bat-bombers, each ridden by a clone of Mickey Mouse..."
See also:
Kuroneko Banzai
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0438290/]
and:
http://mag.awn.com/index.php?int_check=yes&ltype=search&sval=Anime&article_no=1076&page=2]
"The most striking is the last image, taken from wartime anime Black Cat Banzai; it shows an evil and decidedly unauthorised Mickey Mouse."
Not sure whether it's worth putting into this article... interesting though. -- Rizzleboffin 18:47, 15 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Super mario more ICONIC then Mickey mouse?

I heard somewhere that the Mario charecter was more iconic then Mckey mouse, this true?—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 67.189.99.161 (talk • contribs).

Please use article Talk pages for discussing improvements to the article. Jkelly 01:57, 14 June 2006 (UTC)

Look buddy the guy has a question, and while I know talk pages aren't for this stuff, at least answer him. now then Mario was ,at one point, more recognizable than mickey. This was at the hight of Nintendo's Popularity of the NES era dont have a username

[edit] Bring WikiProject Disney to life!

Disney fans rejoince, WikiProject Disney has been propsed, just add your name to the category of intrrested Wikipedians to join here(it's at the bottom). Make sure to spread the word and bring the project to a goood start! Julz

[edit] DVD release of MM's short films?

Is there some list that shows the DVD releases of all of Mickey Mouse's short films since 1928? Siyavash 14:54, 29 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Alazraqui equals Mickey? Since when?

I haven't seen anything on that change... --FigmentJedi 19:50, 6 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] "Firsts"

Some entries in the list of "firsts" provide little or no context to motivate them. Why do we care when Mickey's "first encounter with ghosts" or "first adventure at sea" was? These things seem like so much trivia. Are these somehow signature elements of Mickey Mouse in some way that just wasn't made clear? 66.30.205.65 21:49, 16 September 2006 (UTC)

I agree with everything you say. There is no need to making these trivial "firsts" into major portions of this article. If someone wants to make them into separate articles about each Mickey Mouse short, fine. But they don't belong in the main article on MM. You should have seen how those sections used to be, before I edited out the complete names and birth-death years of composers whose themes were used as a music cue in a particular MM cartoon. Some people lack all sense of proportion. — Walloon 02:12, 17 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] was walt disney the original creator of mickey mouse!

personaly i think so and it breaks my heart to hear people say that its not true because i have always had a fantacy of me and walt being together and mickey mouse instructing our every move becuase he is fully dedicATED to his creator!

[edit] Michael?

He is mentioned in the header as Michael Mouse, with "Mickey" given in quotes as a nickname. What is the basis for this? Mickey usually being a nickname for Michael aside, I know of no reference to this in the cartoons. Either the origin of this supposed true name should be mentioned somewhere in the article, or it the opening paragraph should simply read "Mickey Mouse".131.194.200.148 09:21, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

  • I agree that there is no basis for Mickey's 'Michael' designation. I have a great interest in Walt Disney and the early history of the Disney Company, and my literature all seems to indicate that he was Mickey directly after his conception as Mortimer. I cannot find any prominent source listing his name as Michael. Also, the edition of this article that names him 'Michael' appears to have originated rather late in the article's history. The same editor also originally edited his name to read 'Mickael' before re-editing his change to read 'Michael' (refer to 12 August 2006 and 12 August 2006 both by anonymous user 60.224.67.247). In light of this, I am removing that content as patent nonsense. OBriain 04:01, 18 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Origin...?

On a trip to Disneyworld we went to a pavilion about Mickey Mouse, and it explicitly told the story of the invention of Mickey Mouse: a train ride with his wife, drawing a mouse (just before he learned that he'd lost the rights to the lucky rabbit or something like that) and calling it Mortimer. His wife said that it was too pompous and said that he should call him Mickey. I didn't hear anything about the name "Moty." Can someone back me up on this, or is my memory fuzzier than I thought? BlueStarz 06:59, 4 November 2006 (UTC)

The only reference to "Moty" with regard to Mickey Mouse that I have ever seen is on Mickey's Wikipedia article page! Lillian Disney confirmed to me, back in the early 1990's, that the naming on the train story was "pretty much" true. The Mickey Rooney version of events seems very unoffical indeed, for example it is not mentioned under Mickey Rooney's entry in "The Disney A to Z - The Official Updated Encycolpedia" by Dave Smith, which is published by Disney's own publishing house, Hyperion. User: ukchris 06:05, 6 November 2006 (GMT)

[edit] Evolution of Mickey Mouse, missing images

The article is supposed to show 4 images on the evolution of Mickey Mouse but none of the images seem to display. -Philwiki 01:26, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

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