Chronology of
Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse

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This document is an attempt to bring various published sources together to present a timeline about Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse.

Note: This document is not sponsored or endorsed by the Walt Disney Company in any way. No infringement of any of their trademarks is intended, and it is acknowledged that the Disney characters and theme park attractions mentioned within this document are registered trademarks of the Walt Disney Company - including, but not limited to: Walt Disney, Disneyland Paris, Euro Disney, Magic Kingdom, Main Street USA, Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Discoveryland, Festival Disney, Audio-Animatronics, Adventure Isle, Space Mountain, Mickey Mouse, Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park, and Captain EO.

References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2009 October 29.

1928 March Ub Iwerks modifies the Oswald character, turning him into Mickey Mouse. [34.36] [96.15] [911.6] Ub Iwerks begins work on the first Mickey Mouse cartoon. [34.37] April Production begins on the Mickey Mouse film Plane Crazy inspired by Charles Lindbergh's trans-atlantic flight, and by the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit film The Ocean Hop. Ub Iwerks works on the film in isolation so that the animators that are defecting will not see Mickey Mouse. [63.120] [113.15] [1102.114] May 15 Work is completed on the film Plane Crazy. [232.85] [63.121] [1102.115] Walt Disney's first silent film featuring Mickey Mouse, Plane Crazy premieres as a sneak preview at a theatre on Sunset Boulevard, in Los Angeles, California. It cost US$1772.89 to make. Minnie Mouse also debuts. [7] [13] [16] [23] [15] [229.13] [34.39] [40.103] [48.89] [63.159] [96.16] [267.59] May 16 Walt Disney applies for a trademark for "Mickey Mouse", for use in motion pictures. [113.274] May 21 Walt Disney's trademark application for "Mickey Mouse" is filed with the United States Patent Office. [63.120] [113.274] June Production begins on the Mickey Mouse film Gallopin' Gaucho. [63.159] July Production begins on the Mickey Mouse film Steamboat Willie. This is the first cartoon designed for use with a soundtrack. [63.159] August 7 Disney completes the second Mickey Mouse film, Gallopin' Gaucho. [7] [13] [16] [15] [63.159] August 28 The Mickey Mouse film Gallopin' Gaucho is previewed in Los Angeles. [63.159] [96.16] September 18 Walt Disney's "Mickey Mouse" trademark application is granted. [113.274] (month unknown) While in New York, Walt writes to Ub Iwerks instructing him to make the Mickey Mouse cartoon The Barn Dance. [267.62] November 15 Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Barn Dance. Minnie Mouse also appears. [16] [23] November 18 The Colony Theater in New York debuts the Mickey Mouse film Steamboat Willie, prior to the main feature Gang War. This is the sound debut of Mickey Mouse, with Minnie Mouse (unnamed) as co-star. The music of "Turkey in the Straw" is used. The film uses Pat Powers' Cinephone system, which was illegally copied from RCA's sound recording equipment. The film is shown every night for two weeks, with Walt Disney attending every showing. [1] [4] [6] [7] [13] [5] [22] [23] [24] [15] [26.47] [34.44] [37.15] [40.116] [49.252] [48.96] [50.297] [62] [63.159] [79.280] [90.27] [92.58] [96.6] [97.6] [113.15,263] [176.6] [191] [192.105] [194.20] [225.42] [228.98] [229.15] [234.57] [238.176] [267.62] [328.67] [501.522] [911.16] [1073.24] [1102.126] December 30 The Mark Strand Theater in New York City premieres the Mickey Mouse film Gallopin' Gaucho, with a soundtrack. [63.159] 1929 March 17 The Mark Strand Theater in New York City premieres the Mickey Mouse film Plane Crazy, with a soundtrack. [63.159] March 20 Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Opry House. [16] [23] [228.374] May 3 Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film When the Cat's Away. Minnie Mouse also appears. This film is a remake of the Alice Comedy film Alice Rattled by Rats. [16] [23] [63.73] (month unknown) The Mickey Mouse film When the Cat's Away is released to theaters. [501.606] The Mickey Mouse film When the Cat's Away is released to theaters. [501.606] June 5 Walt Disney applies for a trademark of the image of Mickey Mouse, for use in motion pictures. [113.274] June 11 Walt Disney's trademark application for the image of Mickey Mouse is filed with the United States Patent Office. [113.274] June 28 Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Plow Boy introducing Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow. Minnie Mouse also appears. [7] [16] [23] [228.391] (month unknown) The Mickey Mouse film The Barn Dance is released. [228.42] Disney sues the producer of Aesop's Fables cartoons, claiming similarity to Mickey Mouse. Disney wins the suit. [267.68] July 2 Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Barnyard Battle. [16] [23] (month unknown) The Mickey Mouse cartoon The Barnyard Battle is released. [228.42] July 31 The Mickey Mouse film The Karnival Kid is completed. Minnie Mouse also appears. Mickey Mouse speaks his first words: "Hot dog!". [16] [23] [26.167] [97.26] [228.272] [1102.154] August 12 Walt Disney is granted a trademark for the use of the image of Mickey Mouse in motion pictures. [113.274] August 28 Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film Mickey's Follies. It includes the first Disney song co-written by Walt Disney, "Minnie's Yoo Hoo". [16] [23] [15] [99.9] [228.326] September Theater manager Harry Woodin approaches Walt Disney with the idea to start Mickey Mouse Club meetings at theaters. Walt agrees. [23] [96.80] [113.100] [228.321] [327.88] [911.22] (month unknown) Walt asks Ub Iwerks to prepare some samples for a Mickey Mouse comic strip. [267.69] October 1 The Mickey Mouse film Mickey's Choo-Choo is completed. [16] [23] [228.324] October 15 Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Jazz Fool. [16] [23] [228.262] November 15 Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film Jungle Rhythm. [16] [23] November 18 Walt Disney sends the first six specimens for a Mickey Mouse comic strip to King Features. [96.77] [113.17] [244.20] November 21 King Features writes to Walt Disney, acknowledging the receipt of six Mickey Mouse comic strip samples, and asking for six more to show the publisher, William Randolph Hearst. [244.20] (month unknown) The Mickey Mouse film Jungle Rhythm is released to theaters. [228.269] On a business trip to New York, Walt Disney accepts US$300 from a stationery company for the right to imprint Mickey Mouse on school writing tablets. This is the start of cross-promotion of Disney's cartoon characters. [1] [37.19] [48.106] [56.205] [96.72] [228.318] [267.67] (1930 [88.37]) December 2 Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Haunted House. [16] [23] (month unknown) The Mickey Mouse film The Haunted House is released to theaters. [228.229] December 18 Walt Disney sends a second batch of six Mickey Mouse comic strips to King Features. [96.77] [113.17] December 21 Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film Wild Waves. Minnie Mouse also appears. [7] [16] [23] December 30 King Features sends a telegram to Walt Disney, asking permission for the New York Mirror newspaper to begin publishing the Mickey Mouse comic strip in January. Walt replies granting permission. [244.20]

End of 1928-1929. Next: 1930. The complete timeline can be purchased in a PDF file for US$10 from the author. You can pay now directly via PayPal. When I receive notification from PayPal, I will email you the PDF file. or send me an email to request my mailing address to mail payment. 1928-1929 1930-1931 1932-1934 1935-1939 1940-1959 1960-1984 1985-1994 1995-end A list of references to all source material is available. Other web pages of interest: Chronology of the Walt Disney Company Chronology of Disneyland Chronology of Walt Disney World Disney References in Pop Culture Polsson's Garage Sale - Walt Disney This Day in History

Last updated: 2009 October 29. Copyright © 2006-2009 Ken Polsson (email: kpolsson@islandnet.com). URL: http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/mmouse/ Link to Ken P's home page.