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Math Matters
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[Mickey Mouse's
80th Birthday!] [Copyright Issues: No “Mickey
Mouse” Here!] Mickey Mouse's 80th Birthday!Walt Disney was born in Chicago on December 5, 1901. One of his earliest cartoons, in 1927, featured Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. This cartoon character was created by the Disney studio for Charles Mintz of Universal Studios. Mickey Mouse was created to replace Oswald the Lucky Rabbit . He made his screen debut on November 18, 1928 in Steamboat Willie, a short black-and-white animated musical. It was the first cartoon to use sound. Since being created 80 years ago, the cartoon character Mickey Mouse has become one of the most recognized brands images in the world. Before settling on Mickey Mouse, Mr. Disney asked artist Ub Iwerks to draw ideas for new characters. Iwerks tried sketches of frogs, dogs and cats. Mr. Disney did not like any of them. A female cow and male horse were also rejected. Walt Disney got the idea for Mickey Mouse from an old pet mouse he used to have on his farm. In 1925, Hugh Harman drew sketches of mice around a photo of Walt Disney. These drawings inspired Ub Iwerks to create a new mouse character for Disney called Mickey Mouse. Mr. Disney said of his mouse Mickey: "We felt that the public, and especially the children, like animals that are cute and little. I think we are rather indebted to Charlie Chaplin for the idea. We wanted something appealing, and we thought of a tiny bit of a mouse that would have something of the wistfulness of Chaplin — a little fellow trying to do the best he could. When people laugh at Mickey Mouse, it's because he's so human; and that is the secret of his popularity." [Mickey Mouse's
80th Birthday!] [Copyright Issues: No “Mickey
Mouse” Here!]
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Disney’s Mickey Mouse is protected by more than just copyrights. Like all major Disney characters, it is also protected as a trademark, which lasts in perpetuity as long as it continues to be used commercially by its owner. Whether or not a particular Disney cartoon goes into the public domain, the characters themselves remain protected as trademarks from unauthorized use.
However, within the United States, European Union and some other jurisdictions, the Copyright Term Extension Act (sometimes called the 'Mickey Mouse Protection Act' due to extensive lobbying by the Disney corporation) and similar legislation has ensured that works such as the early Mickey Mouse cartoons will remain copyrighted until at least 2020.
The Los Angeles Times notes that ambiguity and "imprecision" in early film credits copyright claims could invalidate Disney's copyright on the earliest version of the character. Lauren Vanpelt wrote a paper agreeing with that claim in 1999.
The Walt Disney Company is known for aggressively protecting its trademark on Mickey Mouse. In 1989, Disney sued three daycare centers in Florida for having Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters painted on their walls. The characters were removed, and rival Universal Studios replaced them with Universal cartoon characters.
[Mickey Mouse's
80th Birthday!] [Copyright Issues: No “Mickey
Mouse” Here!]
[Fun Mickey Mouse Books] [Fun
Mouse Links for Mouseketeers]
[Mickey Mouse Video Clips] [Fair-Use
Statement]
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Fun Mickey Mouse Books
- The Art of Mickey Mouse, edited by Craig Yoe and Janet Morra-Yoe, introduction by John Updike. This illustrated book features artwork from the 20th century featuring Disney's famous mouse.
- The art of Walt Disney: from Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdoms, by Christopher Finch. Here's another illustrated book featuring the artwork of Walt Disney.
- Disney's Art of animation: from Mickey Mouse to Beauty and the Beast, by Bob Thomas.
- Disney's Mickey's Christmas carol, adapted from the film by Jim Razzi. This children's book is based A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.
- Disney's The Prince and the Pauper, by Teddy Slater. Mickey and his delightful double, along with Donald, Goofy, Horace, and Pluto, bring all the warmth and adventure of Disney's version of Mark Twain's 'Prince and the pauper' to life in this illustrated storybook.
- Learn to draw Mickey and Minnie, by Foster Walter. Like to draw? Like Mickey Mouse? Then this book is for you!
- Mickey Mouse, by Bob Italia. Describes Walt Disney's creation of Mickey Mouse, with the help of fellow artist Ub Iwerks, and follows the famous mouse's influence on the constantly expanding Disney empire.
- Mickey Mouse: fifty happy years, published by Harmony Books. This book, published in the 1970's, celebrated Mickey's 50th birthday.
- Mickey's birthday surprise, by Mary Packard. Part of A Walt Disney book for young readers series, Mickey receives a wind-up toy kitten for his birthday, his real kitten, Molly, gets her feelings hurt by all the attention everyone pays to the toy.
- Mickey's day on the farm: Fun with farm words, by Vincent Jefferds. Here's an easy reader that young children will enjoy.
- Mickey's gourmet cookbook, published by Hyperion. Here are the most popular recipes from Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
- Walt Disney: Creator of magical worlds, by Charnan Simon. This is a biography of the man behind all the magic at Disney.
- Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse book, by Walt Disney Productions. Part of the series Golden book for early childhood, here is the official guide to everything a child would want to know about Mickey.
- Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse cookbook, published by Golden Books. A collection of recipes for children from Disney's famous mouse.
- Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: My life in pictures, by Russel K. Schroeder. An illustrated history of this famous mouse.
[Mickey Mouse's
80th Birthday!] [Copyright Issues: No “Mickey
Mouse” Here!]
[Fun Mickey Mouse Books] [Fun
Mouse Links for Mouseketeers]
[Mickey Mouse Video Clips] [Fair-Use
Statement]
[ Top ]
Fun Mouse Links for Mouseketeers
- Disney's Blast. Play Mickey Mouse games online with your friends.
- Disney Games. This collection of games is all Disney and all free.
- Dress Up Mickey Mouse
- Dress Up Minnie Mouse
- Free Mickey Mouse Games For Kids. Play Mickey Mouse Cartoon Games Online .
- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Here are a collection of games related to favorite Disney characters.
- Mousekespotter. Here are some fun games from the Disney. There are games, activities, music, stories, and MORE!
- Play the Nitendo Mickey Mouse Game Online. Here's a classic - an online version of a favorite game from 1987. Click inside the game window below and press enter to start!
[Mickey Mouse's
80th Birthday!] [Copyright Issues: No “Mickey
Mouse” Here!]
[Fun Mickey Mouse Books] [Fun
Mouse Links for Mouseketeers]
[Mickey Mouse Video Clips] [Fair-Use
Statement]
[ Top ]
Mickey Mouse Video Clips
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To watch either of these videos, click on media player graphic above, on the left and right. The video you select will then open on a new page with an embedded media player. Then, click on the media player that pops up to watch these videos. These videos are presented without commercial gain and for educational purposes to individuals that have expressed prior interest in receiving this information. |
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