Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse

I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing that it was all started by a mouse.” – Walt Disney

The official mascot of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey Mouse, celebrates it’s 87th birthday today. November 18 is the launch date of Steamboat Willie in which he made his official debut in the year 1928 and hence, it was chosen as the date of his birth.

Some facts you should definitely know about the cartoon character, Mickey Mouse:

• Mickey Mouse was actually created as a replacement for ‘Oswald the Lucky Rabbit’ which was a cartoon created by Disney for an American film producer

• Walt Disney got inspiration for Mickey Mouse from a tame mouse at his desk

• Since its official debut in the year 1928, the famous mouse has appeared in over 130 films

• Mickey is sometimes given eyebrows. However, it does not have eyebrows in most of its appearances

• According to the creator of the Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney, Mickey and Minnie are married but only in private

• The man and the woman who voiced the characters were actually married in real life

• Mickey spoke for the first time in The Karnival Kid. Before this, he had only whistled, laughed, and grunted

• His first words were “Hot dogs! Hot dogs!”. In fact, Mickey Mouse was the first ever cartoon character to talk

• Walt Disney had named Mickey ‘Mortimer’ but at his wife’s persuasion, he decided to name it ‘Mickey’ and gave the name ‘Mortimer’ to Mickey’s rival

• Throughout Mickey’s career, he’s worn a total of 175 outfits

• Mickey Mouse only has four fingers. The reason behind keeping four fingers was the belief that five fingers were too many for a mouse. The second reason was to save the company some money

• Mickey Mouse’s ears are always perfect circles

• Mickey Mouse was the first cartoon to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

• The Opry House is the first cartoon where Mickey is shown wearing white gloves.