Happy Birthday Mickey!

Seventy Seven years ago, animation history was made. Mickey Mouse made his debut in Steamboat Willie, which was the first cartoon with synchronus sound and talking. (the sound fit the scene and wasn't just background music but talking and sound effects)

What isn't mentioned (because a proper lady doesn't reveal her age) is that Minnie shares that birthday.

Okay, enough about the mice and on to what I really want to talk about!

Walt Disney once said about all his achievements that it all started with a mouse. This was a man that when technology didn't exist for what he wanted to do, he made it happen. He created the predecessor of the DOLBY THX and all that when he created Fantasound. He developed a multi-plane camera to aid in the animation of Fantasia. He created a major theme park when he saw that most of them were dirty and grimy. Disney has mastered the art of crowd control. They also know how to throw a party.

Not everything to do with the mouse is wonderful. I've been critical of a few things here and there, such as when they started cranking out animated features way too fast and weren't as concerned about quality. Nobody's perfect, and that doesn't discount the great things that were done by Disney.

What's important is to remember how you felt when you were a child and saw Mickey in person for the first time, or saw your first Disney animated feature, or even the first time you were able to introduce someone else to the magic.

Happy Birthday, Mickey. And many, MANY more.