On a train ride from New York to his home in Los Angeles in 1928, Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse.  However, that wasn't the original name Walt had intended for Mickey; he'd planned to call him Mortimer Mouse.  But Walt's wife, Lillian, felt that  Mortimer was too arrogant, so she suggested "Mickey Mouse".  And so it was that "Mickey Mouse" was born on November 18, 1928 when he made his first screen debut in Steamboat Willie, the first sound cartoon. 

Mickey's cartoons were loved by everyone!  His rise to fame escalated with 87 cartoon shorts in the 1930's.  Movie-goers would sit through a feature twice just to see Mickey again.  Soon the Mickey Mouse cartoons had an entire family of Disney characters, such as:  Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Clarabelle Cow, and many others.

In 1932, Walt Disney was honored with an Oscar for his creation of Mickey Mouse.  Due to Mickey's popularity, the Mickey Mouse Club was born in 1929.  Mouseketeers filled the theater with laughter, songs, and friendliness.  In 1940, Mickey's met the peak of his golden decade with the creation of Fantasia.  The animation used was years ahead of its time, and it brought stereophonic sound to theaters, as well.

Mickey Mouse had become an American symbol; and in fact, on D-Day, June 6, 1944, "Mickey Mouse" was the password used by the Allied Forces during World War II.

As the 1940's and 1950's rolled around, Mickey made room for his friends to have their own feature cartoons.  Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto all starred in their own features.  In 1954, The Mickey Mouse Club became the most successful children's TV show ever.  In 1955, Mickey Mouse moved to his new home at Disneyland; Walt's first theme park.  Mickey welcomed visitors, shaking hands, posing for pictures, and leading parades. 

However, in 1966, Mickey lost his best friends when Walt Disney was taken away from us.  It was a sad day for Disney fans.

But...with Walt's brother, Roy, Mickey helped open the Walt Disney World Resort in 1971.  Walt had planned to call the new Florida resort Disney World, but Roy said that this had been his brother's dream, and he named it in his honor - Walt Disney World.

Mickey Mouse has been honored at three Disney parks by having lands named after him.  Mickey's Starland (officially Mickey's Birthdayland) opened on November 18, 1988 in the Magic Kingdom inside Walt Disney World to honor Mickey's 60th birthday.  Mickey's Starland was remodeled in 1996 and renamed once again to Mickey's Toontown Fair.  Mickey's Toontown opened in 1993 in Disneyland, then in 1996 at Tokyo Disneyland. 

Mickey's voice talents are courtesy of...

Walt Disney (1928-1947)

Jim MacDonald (1947-1970's)

Wayne Allwine (1983-Present)

Mickey Mouse has grown from a simple animated character to one of the most recognizable symbols in the world.  And...one of the finest tributes to Mickey Mouse was given by Walt Disney himself when he said,

"I hope we never lose sight of one fact...that it was all started by a Mouse."