About Disney Characters

Walt Disney created Mickey and Minnie Mouse in 1928, giving rise to one of the world's most recognizable icons. Since then, the number of characters in the Walt Disney universe has grown into the hundreds, including Ariel, Nemo and Mulan, among others. But, it all goes back to a cartoon produced in 1928.

History

On May 15, 1928, Mickey Mouse debuted in "Place Crazy," a cartoon short where Mickey attempts to fly a plane like his hero, Charles Lindbergh. The cartoon revolves around Mickey trying to impress and kiss a female mouse, marking the debut of Minnie. Mickey talks for the first time in "Steamboat Willie," which debuted later that year.

Significance

The significance of Disney characters has been especially great in the past 15 years. Movies such as Mulan and Pocahontas feature strong, independent women as central characters with the intent of empowering girls. The tradition of strong female characters reaches back to the 1964 film "Mary Poppins." Disney also reached out to the disabled community in "Finding Nemo." The central character is a clown fish who has one fin shorter than the other, proving that kids who are different can be extraordinary.

Identification

Disney characters come from four genres:

* Cartoon shorts: These made characters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy and Donald Duck famous.
* Movie cartoons: Cinderella, Dumbo and the title character of "Alice in Wonderland" were featured characters in animated movies from the 1940s and 1950s.
* Live-action films: These star real people, such as Julie Andrews' portrayal of Mary Poppins and Johnny Depp's character Jack Sparrow in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films.
* Computer-animated films: These are produced in conjunction with Pixar, such as "Finding Nemo" and "Monsters Inc."

Significance

Mickey Mouse is a ubiquitous figure in American history and has transcended generations. While Disney is best known for its animated characters, two of its most recent successes revolve around live-action films. Hannah Montana, played by Miley Cyrus, has become the next great teen idol. Her half-hour sitcom on the Disney Channel is one of the network's most watched show. Her live concert tour has sold out every stop, many in less than an hour. The "High School Musical" franchise has been a phenomenon for the company. This character-driven series is fronted by Troy and Gabriella, played by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, respectively. It began as two highly rated television movies, and the third version has grown into a blockbuster in theaters.

Significance

During the past 20 years, Disney has taken great steps to promote diversity in its characters. Mulan, Pocahontas, Aladdin and the "Emperor's New Groove" all feature characters of noncaucasian races.