Started By a Mouse
Disney fans certainly recall Walt's famous quote:
Well, technically, it was started by a rabbit--Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. But that venture ended when Walt's business dealings with Universal producer Charles Mintz soured, after Mintz asking Walt to take a pay cut due to degrading economic conditions. Disney ultimately abandoned the character, leaving Oswald to Universal, who owned the rights.
It was on that fateful train ride home that Walt decided to develop a new character and keep all rights to it, rather than leave it in the hands of a distributor as he had done with Oswald. After some months of development, Mickey Mouse (originally Mortimer, a name to which Walt's wife, Lillian, objected) was born, and the rest, as they say, is history.
"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing - that it was all started by a mouse."
Well, technically, it was started by a rabbit--Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. But that venture ended when Walt's business dealings with Universal producer Charles Mintz soured, after Mintz asking Walt to take a pay cut due to degrading economic conditions. Disney ultimately abandoned the character, leaving Oswald to Universal, who owned the rights.
It was on that fateful train ride home that Walt decided to develop a new character and keep all rights to it, rather than leave it in the hands of a distributor as he had done with Oswald. After some months of development, Mickey Mouse (originally Mortimer, a name to which Walt's wife, Lillian, objected) was born, and the rest, as they say, is history.
 |
| Mickey looks on toward the throngs that pass up through Main Street, U.S.A. daily. |
Comments
Post a Comment