Hollywood Icon Mickey Mouse Turns 75

By Stephen M. Silverman

Monday November 17, 2003 05:59 PM EST

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One of Hollywood's biggest stars turns 75 on Tuesday and, as with most screen legends, he's hardly been affected by age.

His name? Mickey Mouse.

On Nov. 18, 1928, Walt Disney's favorite leading man premiered in the one-reel, black-and-white animated short "Steamboat Willie" at New York's Colony Theater (subsequently renamed the Broadway Theater, where Baz Luhrmann's stage version of "La Boheme" recently closed). The movie was a talkie, though Mickey mostly just whistled and squeaked, with Disney having supplied his creation's voice.

"Steamboat Willie" was a sensation, and what is today a $47 billion global entertainment corporation was born. Yet as Disney, who died in 1966, often liked to say: "I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing -- that it was all started by a mouse."

That start was small. Mickey (originally named Mortimer, until Disney's wife Lillian told Walt that was too fancy for such a modest little guy) was born out of desperation after an out-of-work Disney had been weaseled out of the copyrights on two of his earlier characters, Oswald the Rabbitt and Peg Leg Pete.

More sophisticated cartoon shorts soon developed, and Mickey became a sort of Everyman with whom Americans could identify during the Depression. Historically, Donald Duck's contentious nature was better suited to American audiences during World War II, while Goofy delivered some much-needed yuks to the bland '50s. During these later decades, Mickey just sort of faded into the background as a kind of elder statesman for the Disney studios.

But not on Tuesday. According to Britain's Financial Times, Mickey will be celebrated with the launch a new TV channel in Japan. More than 5,000 miles away, in California, there will be an unveiling of 75 statues of Mickey that were designed by Tom Hanks, Janet Jackson, Elton John and others. Mexico City also will devote an entire avenue to images of the star.

It's just the beginning of a heavy media and merchandising campaigns aimed at placing Mickey on the same commercial peak currently occupied by Harry Potter and the Simpsons. The 18-month blitz is due to feature Mickey in two full-length films, postage stamps, a touring ice show and hundreds of stores worldwide.

Happy Birthday, old pal.