Mickey Mouse is over eighty years old. He looks much younger, but he was sketched by Walt Disney while he was travelling on a train to LA back in 1927. Walt was depressed over losing the rights to Oswald the Rabbit, and maybe just as well, or Mickey Mouse would not exist today.

He started out as Mortimer Mouse, but the name was soon changed. There are a number of stories doing the rounds as to why the name changed, but the most popular belief is that Walt's wife didn't like the name. Mickey Mouse has gotten a little rounder over the years, but he is still wearing the same clothes as he did back in 1928.

Mickey Mouse could have easily just become another cartoon character alongside Betty Boop and Popeye, but instead he became one of the most beloved characters in the world.

What lead to Mickey Mouse's meteoric rise to stardom could only have been his cheerful, optimistic and resilient character, as well as the fact that he is very cute and lovable. It is also believed that Mickey Mouse achieved stardom because Walt Disney gave him a voice. At that stage most films where silent, and Mickey's first three films were also silent. Walt Disney spent all he had on creating three Mickey Mouse cartoons with soundtracks, included in this first set was Steamboat Willie. It was difficult, as the musicians had to keep time with the cartoon, and the money ran short, but with Walt's perseverance, the job was finally done.

Out of the three cartoons, Steamboat Willie was the only successful one, and it premiered at New York's Colony Theater on the 18th of November 1928. Within months some new Mickey Mouse shorts were produced including Plane Crazy. Mickey's rise to stardom had begun and the mouse was a national fad in no time at all.

Walt quickly started up a line of Mickey Mouse merchandise, and in the following two years, a Mickey Mouse fan club was opened for children. By the year 1937, Mickey had had a face lift, and Disney Studio's was producing approximately twelve Mickey Mouse shorts a year. Mickey's voice is in fact the voice of Walt Disney.

Mickey Mouse's cheerful face is one of the most recognizable images in the world today, and he even tops Santa Clause in this department. Mickey Mouse hasn't released any new movies in a while, but he is still much loved and adored by all ages.

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