Mortimer, Now Mickey
It all began nearly a century ago, when two brothers struck out together. In 1923, Walt and Roy started an animation studio in Silverlake, a quaint neighborhood in sunny Los Angeles. They would call this home for the next 14 years, during which time their simple idea — to make entertaining cartoons — would change the face of popular culture forever.
The change, however, was extremely slow. This paradigm shift started with a humble experiment that blended live-action and animated characters into a rollicking comedy. Known as the Alice Comedies, these early shorts soon garnered the attention of local and nationwide distributors. It was a bold move that put the fledgling studio on the collective map. But it was not enough to catapult Disney to the A-list.
The ticket to the next level came in the form of a little mouse with white gloves. Though Walt is credited with the initial doodle that became Mickey Mouse — the name was Lillian Disney’s idea. Walt lobbied for Mortimer — but Lillian thought Mickey was more approachable and cute.
Name or not, Mickey was a tremendous success. He was lovingly rendered and lovable to adults and children alike. People could relate to his good intentions and his uncanny ability to deal with multiple stressors. His showcase feature, Steamboat Willie, was a consummate blend of adult themes that appealed to children as well. This would come to mark the Disney motif, which was so appealing it garnered an honorary Oscar in 1932.
To say that Mickey was was a cultural phenomenon is an understatement. And, of course, he was just a taste of things to come. The list movies that followed came to define the Great American Animated Canon. Movies like Snow White, Cinderella, and Bambi would become required for households across North America — and the world. Of course, this kind of exposure and appeal come with a level of scrutiny and criticism.
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