How Was Mickey Born?by Tracy Woods | More from this Blogger 16 Jan 2007 06:53 PM Early in his career, Walt's studio got the contract to produce Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons. This gave Walt and Roy a sense of security. As the popularity of the cartoon grew, Walt decided to renew the contract, for a better price, and he and Lilly headed to New York to discuss a new deal. There was so much that Walt did not know as he headed back east though. Charlie Mintz and Universal Pictures legally owned the legal rights to Oswald. Charlie Mintz had also offered Walt's employees more money and freedom if they'd leave Walt and come to work for him, and most of them accepted Charlie Mintz's offer. Charlie Mintz demanded that Walt give up his own business and come to work for him, but Walt refused, and headed back home without Oswald, and without a good portion of his staff. Walt, before boarding the train home, sent Roy a telegram telling him that he would be stopping over in Kansas City, and that everything was ok. This was Walt's famous trip to Los Angeles. Walt knew that he had to come up with a new character, so he dreamt up Mickey Mouse. Walt had originally intended to call the mouse "Mortimer" but Lilly didn't like the name, and suggested Mickey instead. Of course, he took Lilly's advice, and when he arrived back home, he got started on three new cartoons with his new character as the star. The first efforts to sell Mickey, a creature to compete with Oswald and Felix the Cat, were discouraging, but as we all know, Walt triumphed. Walt created "Steamboat Willie" to sound, and it turned out to be Walt's ticket to fame. The public, as well as reviewers, loved it, and soon, Mickey was bringing in enough money to hire new trainees and animators. The world fell in love with the mouse, I'm sure to the chagrin of Mr. Charlie Mintz...where is Oswald today? That little rabbit is certainly not the icon that Mickey is, now is he? Walt's Early History in Hollywood Relevantdisney tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Discuss this article
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