He is the most recognized character around the world. He is the most frequently used write-in candidate in American local elections and he has a voice that is recognized anywhere. He’s Mickey Mouse and today we’re celebrating his 86th birthday with a special look back at how the famous mouse came to be so famous.

We can’t begin celebrating Mickey Mouse without first discussing how he came into creation. It all started with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a character created by Walt Disney for film producer Charles Mintz. Unfortunately even though Oswald was Disney’s creation Universal legally owned him and when the Disney Brothers Studio asked Mintz for more money he refused and took ownership of the character while also retaining almost all of Disney’s employees.

Walt and his remaining animator, Ub Iwerks, decided to create a new character and transformed their rabbit into a mouse. The duo then took their mouse and produced a few shorts with him as lead character. Mickey didn’t get much attention until 1928 when Steamboat Willie premiered. Inspired by the very first “talkie” The Jazz Singer, Steamboat Willie was the first cartoon with synchronized sound. By the end of that year Mickey was a hit, with his own line of merchandise. His cartoons took off too, running before the main features in movie theaters.

Just two years later the legendary Mickey Mouse Club was created by theater owner Harry Woodin in Los Angeles. Woodin devoted Saturday afternoons in his theater to showing only Mickey Mouse shorts and led children in a Mickey Mouse pledge. Walt later partnered with Woodin and spread Mickey Mouse Clubs in theaters across the nation. Within a few months of its creation there were 60 theaters hosting clubs across the country. Within two years that number went to over a million members. The Mickey Mouse TV series didn’t begin until 1950, but when it did was an instant hit, returning multiple times over the decades and creating famous stars including Keri Russell, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and more.

Five years after the start of Mickey Mouse Club, Mickey got his first makeover, which included a reshaping of his nose and body, the addition of pupils to his eyes and white gloves, all of which were prominent in1940’s “Fantasia.”

After World War II, Mickey Mouse began focusing on his cartoon adventures with his pals Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto. In 1978 in honor of his 50th birthday, the mouse became the first animated character to get his own star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Mickey was on a roll at this point and in 1989 the third edition of “The Mickey Mouse Club” made its debut on the Disney Channel, which was shot on location at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Today, Mickey remains the face of Disney and his television series and clubs continue to entertain children across the globe. Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios even hosts its own Disney Junior – Live on Stage! with favorites from the television show and Mickey himself of course, who kicks off the festivities. And you can still catch Mickey in one of his shorts as Disney Television continues to produce them.

To celebrate Mickey Mouse’s 86th birthday look for discounted Walt Disney World tickets right here on Best of Orlando.

Orlando, FL – 11/18/14

By: Jena Pugh