The Walt Disney Company Archives has revealed images of their founder's first creation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, for its 85th anniversary. Oswald preceded Mickey Mouse, one of the most iconic animated figures of all time.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was featured in 26 different cartoon strips in the 1920’s and 30’s for Universal, their first cartoon series, Yahoo reported.
There are some differences between Oswald and Mickey, but the similarities are striking. Both share wide white eyes, red shorts and big black ears.
Oswald The Lucky Rabbit has followed an interesting path over the past 85 years. In a contract dispute with his partner at Universal on the east coast, Walt Disney lost the rights to Oswald, which contributed to the creation of Mickey Mouse.
“On the way back on the train back to Hollywood, Walt was sending telegrams to his brother and came up with the idea Mickey Mouse” Disney Archives Director Becky Cline told Yahoo. "It was a hard break for Walt. He was truly devastated"
Oswald came home to Disney in 2006 when the company's CEO, Bob Iger, “traded” sportscaster Al Michaels to NBC Sports – part of Universal - for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit during amicable contract negotiations.
“We want Oswald back” Yahoo reported Iger said at the time. Oswald had reportedly been sitting in Universal's vault "gathering dust."
Disney unearthed the original images of Oswald and other relics of the older days as a part of an event for “D23,” the Disney fan club.
Selected Reading:Yahoo, D23
FAQs
Before Mickey Mouse, there was his predecessor: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. For the first time, we're seeing footage of the first Disney character. The silent film in black and white dates back to 1928, when a young Walt Disney created Oswald.
What was before Oswald the Lucky Rabbit? ›
However, before Mickey, and before Oswald, there was another gateway character that would open the door to them both. Julius the Cat, Disney's first anthropomorphic lead character, would go down in history as the very first to do it all.
Was Mickey Mouse inspired by Oswald the Lucky Rabbit? ›
After Universal took control of Oswald's character in 1928, Disney created a new character similar in appearance to Oswald as a replacement: Mickey Mouse, who went on to become one of the most famous cartoon characters in the world.
Who was the original face of Disney? ›
Mickey Mouse has been the face of Disney for decades, with it even known as the Mouse House. However, before him, there was another animated mascot. The original mascot for the Walt Disney Company was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, not Mickey Mouse.
Who came first, Oswald or Mickey? ›
Before Mickey Mouse, there was his predecessor: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Before Mickey Mouse, there was his predecessor: Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. For the first time, we're seeing footage of the first Disney character. The silent film in black and white dates back to 1928, when a young Walt Disney created Oswald.
What is the oldest cartoon in the world? ›
1908 – Fantasmagorie, considered by animation historians as the world's first cartoon, is released.
Why did Mickey replace Oswald? ›
He returned to Hollywood devastated and in need of a new character that he would completely own. This led Walt to a new character that would go on to become one of the most beloved icons in pop culture: Mickey Mouse. But Oswald's story doesn't end there.
Why did Disney replace Oswald? ›
Disney lost creative control over the character to Universal Pictures in 1928, leading the film producer to develop Mickey Mouse to replace Oswald, according to a 2010 Los Angeles Times report.
Who is Mickey Mouse's brother? ›
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is Mickey Mouse's older brother (which is in reference to being Walt Disney's first creation prior to Mickey), uncle to Morty and Ferdie and half-older brother to Amelia Fieldmouse and cousin to Madeline Mouse.
Who is the 16 year old Disney character? ›
For a rundown, the 11 characters of the official Disney Princess franchise are Snow White (age 14), Jasmine (15), Ariel (16), Aurora (16), Mulan (16), Merida (16), Belle (17), Pocahontas (18), Rapunzel (18), Cinderella (19) and Tiana (19).
The thirteen characters in the franchise consist of Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida, Moana, and Raya.
Who was the first Disney villain? ›
If you mean, who was the villain in the first Disney animated movie, then it's the Evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Who was the first fat Disney Princess? ›
Say hello to Bianca, Disney's first-ever plus-size heroine.
What was Disney originally called? ›
Walt Disney signs a contract with M. J. Winkler to produce a series of Alice Comedies. The year marks the start of The Walt Disney Company, first known as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio.
What was Mickey Mouse originally called? ›
Walt Disney named his first iteration of the character Mortimer Mouse. However, at the urging of Lillian Disney, his wife, the character was renamed Mickey Mouse; reportedly, Lillian disliked the name Mortimer for the mouse and suggested Mickey.
Who was Disney's first princess? ›
They were given an official number in the franchise line-up based on the chronological order in which their films were released, starting with Snow White as the first and original Disney Princess and Cinderella as the second followed by Aurora and so on. No.
Why did Mickey Mouse replace Oswald the Lucky Rabbit? ›
Oswald starred in a series of popular shorts, but when Universal asserted that it owned the character and continued producing Oswald shorts without Disney, he retired the rabbit from his own animation character stable, and created Mickey Mouse as a replacement that his company would own.
