Steamboad Willy trivia

[JustinD]

We have always been under the impression that Steamboat Willy was "born" or "released" or something on Sep 19, 1928. Indeed there seems to be some information on the internet that looks this way. But now I hear it is Nov 18, 1928 and Mickey celebrates his birthday on Nov 18.

Can someone enlighten me and straighten this out? What is the significance of these two days in the life of Mickey?

 

[Micca]

the November date sounds right to me. I've been going with that date since before the internet was common, so I must have read it in a book on Disney history.

 

[maltdizzy]

Disney uses the official opening premiere/release date of November 18, 1928.

The first exhibition screening was Sept, 19, 1928, it was probably screened a few more times between then and November. Mickey's first exhibition screening was "Plane Crazy" on May 15, 1928; it tested poorly. Steamboat Willie was the third Mickey short made, but the first to secure a distributor, the first with synchronized sound, and the first released (after the success of "Steamboat Willie", "Plane Crazy" and "The Galloping Gaucho" were remade for sound and released).

On many of these things there is the real history and the corporate narrative. The latter, which is a key part of brand identity, sometimes ... changes.