Happy 80th Birthday, Mickey!

Steamboat Willie first appeared on November 18, 1928 at New York’s Colony Theater.

“The cartoon featured a soundtrack synchronized to follow the visual animation of the story, which was new at the time….Within a decade, Mickey had appeared in more than 100 cartoons, and during these 10 years, he underwent some changes. White oval eyes with little black pupils replaced solid black ones, and his face became less angular and more rounded, to make him look friendlier. His personality became less cunning and more winsome. He was a commercial hit right away, and even during the Great Depression, Mickey merchandise sold well…Mickey Mouse has also become a standard write-in name on U.S. election ballots as a protest vote. Mickey has been a contender in nearly all the American presidential elections since his birth.”

~ From The Writer’s Almanac (11.18.08)