There is no animated character that is more recognizable than Mickey Mouse. Created by Walt Disney i Ub Iwerks in 1928 after the loss of his first creation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, he quickly became the mascot of Walt's new company when he appeared in “Steamboat Willy,” one of the first shorts to use synchronized sound. During the rest of the 1920s, Iwerks animated several fun and innovative shorts, before leaving Disney in 1930.
Despite Iwerk's departure, Mickey's popularity skyrocketed in the 1930s, with dozens of shorts featuring him released during the decade. Many of them continued to push the boundaries of what animation could do at the time and entertain with their slapstick fun. Mickey also went through development as a character, moving away from his original trickster, anti-hero archetype to become the lovable man he is known as today.
10 'Giant Earth'
November 25, 1933
While taking care of his many nieces and nephews, Mickey entertains them with the story of Jack and the Beanstalk but he is inserted as a protagonist. After climbing the titular Beanstalk, Mickey finds himself in Giantland and sneaks into an oversized castle. Unfortunately, the giant that lives there comes home and while making a snack, almost eats Mickey.
Giantland it's the first of Mickey's many encounters with giants, and while the story is a bit light, it makes up for it with its creativity. There are plenty of funny gags to be found, from Mickey using oversized food to hide from the giant to a newspaper headline that says “The Giant's Victory.” Things heat up during the climax, where Mickey finds himself in the giant's mouth before using his own food against him in a race for freedom. Images and jokes from this short would be reused in shorts such as “Gulliver Mickey” and the film Fun and no fantasy.
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9 'Mickey's Rival'
June 20, 1936
While trying to enjoy a picnic with Minie, another mouse named Mortimer approaches and enters the night. While Minnie is charmed by Mortimer's playful attitude, Mickey finds himself the butt of jokes. However, Mortimer takes things too far when he provokes a bull to impress Minnie, leaving Mickey to save the day.
Mickey's rival sees the debut of Mortimer Mouse, who would resurface as a recurring Mickey role in the 1990s and 2000s. He is an effective nemesis for Mickey, as his prankster nature mirrors Mickey's early personality, which is funnier when t 'you realize Walt originally wanted to name him Mickey Mortimer before his wife convinced him otherwise. Besides Mortimer, the short has a lot of fun gags, including Mickey and Mortimer's cars having a rivalry of their own, and the slapstick as Mickey tries to defeat the bull.
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8 'Orphans' Benefit'
August 11, 1934
Mickey operates a theater and organizes a charity performance for some orphaned mice. Acts include Donald Duck reciting nursery rhymes, Goofy, Horace Horscollar and Clarabelle Cow dancing, and newcomer Clara Cluck singing. Unfortunately, the orphans prove to be more mischievous than expected, especially towards Donald.
Benefit for orphans contains many firsts for Disney, including the first appearance of Clara Cluck, and the first time Donald and Mickey starred in a short together, although Donald's first appearance was actually in the short The Silly Symphonies. The red hen. However, this short developed many of his defining character traits, and most of the humor comes from how he gets frustrated with the audience. In 1941, Benefit for orphans received a colorful remake with updated character designs and even became an internet meme thanks to a Kurdish fan dub.
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7 'Wizard Mickey'
February 6, 1937
With Goofy helping him backstage, Mickey performs magic tricks for an adoring crowd. Unfortunately, one of his viewers is Donald Duck, who begins to annoy him. As his antics become more and more disturbing, Mickey decides to make him part of the act.
Wizard Mickey is a humorous short that reminds audiences that while Donald and Goofy may have risen in popularity by this time, Mickey was still the star of Disney. Mickey is mostly silent throughout the short, allowing the animators (including one of Disney's nine old, Les Clark) have fun with his facial expressions as he gets frustrated with Donald before finding a comical way to humiliate him. The magic gags are also very creative, ranging from bubbles forming into grasshoppers, a hoop that turns Donald into various animals, and Donald throwing up cards from his beak.
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6 'Through the Looking Glass'
May 30, 1936
After falling asleep reading Through the looking glass and what Alice found there, Mickey dreams of walking through his mirror and into a parallel world. He eats a magic nut that shrinks him and allows him to dance with various gadgets and play cards. Unfortunately, Mickey finds himself in trouble when he dances with the Queen of Hearts, which infuriates the King.
through the mirror is one of Disney's most surreal short films, which is very fitting for something based on the works of Lewis Carroll. It's more like a series of little gags, with Mickey interacting with one crazy thing after another, before reaching a frantic climax as Mickey outsmarts the guards. Although a little weak on the story, this makes for an unforgettable viewing experience, especially in terms of the short's creativity with the depiction of the anthropomorphic objects.
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5 'Mickey's Good Deed'
December 17, 1932
On Christmas Eve during the Great Depression, homeless Mickey and Pluto try to earn food money by street performing. When they pass by the house of a rich pig, he sends his butler to buy Pluto from Mickey, hoping that the dog will calm his spoiled son. Mickey initially refuses the deal, but eventually relents when he sees a poor mother who can't provide food or toys for her children.
“Mickey's Good Deed” is one of Disney's most moving stories. It's a simple story about selflessness and helping those less fortunate than yourself during the holiday season, and its ending reinforces that one good deed always leads to another. It's also a great short to show Mickey's transition during this period, as his previous self probably wouldn't have acted so selflessly.
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4 'The Mad Doctor'
January 20, 1933
On a dark and stormy night, Mickey wakes up to find Pluto kidnapped by a dark figure. The figure is a mad doctor who plans to splice Pluto with a hen to see if a dog will hatch from the eggs she lays. To rescue him, Mickey must navigate the doctor's gothic castle, passing numerous traps and animated skeletons that seem to pop out of every corner.
The Mad Doctor it was banned upon release for being too scary, but since entering the public domain, it has found new life among Disney fans for being so out of the norm for a Mickey Mouse story. It does a wonderful job of building tension through its creepy visuals and the palpable fear of Mickey and Pluto. The Mad Doctor himself is also a fantastic antagonist, with a constant maniacal grin and a design that has become the default image of a mad scientist.
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3 'Lonely Ghosts'
December 24, 1937
In this cartoon, released shortly after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Mickey, Donald and Goofy operate the Ajax Ghost Exterminators. They get a call to go investigate an abandoned house, but the call comes from four ghosts looking for someone to scare. Upon arrival, the trio split up to search for the ghosts, and each is subjected to numerous supernatural pranks.
lonely ghosts is a fantastic short thanks to its stunning production design and hilarious slapstick. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy get a chance to shine as characters and get plenty of laughs as they get trashed by the ghosts, whose antics range from creepy laughs to a mirror scene straight out of the Marx Brothers. Its art style is also gorgeous, with the ghosts rendered with a see-through effect that makes them feel otherworldly, and the wintry backdrop makes the haunted house feel suitably creepy.
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2 'Band Concert'
February 23, 1935
On a warm spring day, Mickey acts as the conductor of a concert band preparing to play Guillem Tell opening for Gioacchino Rossini. It starts off well enough, but when Donald Duck arrives with snacks for the customers, he walks in with a flute and starts playing. Turkey on the straw. Mickey does what he can to get the band back, only for a storm to cause a tornado in the performance.
Band concert is considered one of the best classic Disney cartoons for good reason. He keeps the dialogue minimal, forcing the animators to go all out with vibrant colors and facial expressions, especially for Mickey, who seems ready to kill Donald for interrupting his performance. The short is also well-paced, building up its jokes and rhythm until it reaches its climax when Mickey and his gang are swept away by the tornado but continue to play.
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1 'The Brave Little Tailor'
September 23, 1938
When Mickey kills seven birds with one stone, he brags about it to some of the locals in his shop. Since they were talking about a giant ravaging the countryside, they misunderstand Mickey's grace in saying that he killed seven giants. Word of Mickey's exploits eventually reaches the king, who offers Mickey riches and Princess Minnie's hand in marriage if he succeeds in defeating the giant, which he reluctantly accepts.
The brave tailor it's a phenomenal short from both a storytelling and animation point of view. For the former, it is the best example of Mickey's transition to an underdog hero, establishing him as a humble man who, though reluctant at first, rises to face adversity and defeat the giant using his wits and his tailoring skills rather than brute force. In terms of animation, there are so many highlights, like Mickey's expressive body language when he talks to the King, and everything about the giant, animated by the legendary animator. Bill Tytlawhich also encouraged Chernabog a fantasy
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