Hi everybody. Cheryl Knowlton, Dynamite Productions, coming at you with one of my very, very favorite things in the entire world, the story of the birth of Mickey Mouse.
The birth of Mickey Mouse is obscured in legends, much of it created by Walt Disney himself. It was February 1928. The Oswald the Lucky Rabbit contract was scheduled to conclude. Walt treated Lilly and himself on a train trip to New York for the renewal negotiations with Charles Mintz and Universal Studios.
Walt received a hint of impending trouble
Before leaving Los Angeles, Walt received a hint of impending trouble from his loyal friend and colleague, Ub Iwerks. Walt arrived in New York. Negotiations for the Oswald contract were held in Mintz’s office on 42nd street. Walt began by suggesting that, in view of the unquestioned success of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, the price per cartoon should be raised from $2,250 to $2,500.
“I’ll give you $1,800,” Mintz replied. Eighteen hundred for each cartoon would mean a loss for the Disney Studio. Walt asked for an explanation. “Either you come with me at my price or I’ll take your organization away from you,” Mintz announced. “I have your key men signed up.”
Walt couldn’t believe it. Had Mintz plotted to steal away the Disney animators? And would his boys, whom he had taught the cartooning trade in Kansas City, desert him to work for Mintz? Walt told Mintz he needed time to consider this ultimatum. Mintz pressed for a decision, and Walt tried to stall. Walt wrote to his brother, “I believe whatever does happen is for the best. Keep your chin up. We will be able to laugh last. That is the best laugh of all.”
Finally, despite all of Walt’s efforts and stalling and trying to renegotiate the contract and reaching out directly to Universal Studios with no success, there was nothing to do but concede defeat. Walt and Lilly packed their bags for the melancholy trip home. Walt sent a final telegram to Roy, “Leaving tonight. Stopping over KC. Arrive home Sunday morning, 7:30. Don’t worry. Everything okay. I will give details when arrived. Walt.
Roy wanted to know about the deal
When Walt and Lilly arrived in the Santa Fe station on a March Sunday morning in 1928, he gave no hint of the catastrophe that had befallen their enterprise in New York. Not until they arrived at their twin homes did Roy finally inquire, “Tell me about it, kid. What kind of deal did you make?”.
Walt admitted tearfully, “We haven’t got a deal,” and he related the events leading up to the final break with Mintz. But, before Roy could become depressed, Walt quickly added, “We’re going to start a new series.” When Walt’s lucky rabbit was stolen from him, Walt simply focused his creative energies on the situation and came up with a mouse.
The story of Walt’s alter ego, Mickey Mouse is a story of creative problem-solving. On the train ride from New York to California, Walt faced a very uncertain future. He’d lost everything and was starting over once more. In Walt’s mind, however, the loss of Oswald was just one more problem to be solved with imagination and creativity.
He enjoyed telling the tale of how he dreamed up the mouse character on the train trip on the way back from the Oswald disaster, and how Lilly objected to the name of Mortimer Mouse, so he named it Mickey Mouse, instead. He also hinted that the character originated with a pet mouse he had played around with his drawing board in Kansas City. Both stories have a basis in fact, but the real genesis in Mickey Mouse appears to have been an inspired collaboration between Walt Disney, who supplied the zestful personality and the voice for Mickey, and Ub Iwerks, who gave Mickey form and movement.
Walt had no idea what the future held
When Walt boarded the train with no idea what the future holds and no ideas for a new character, “But was I downhearted? Not a bit. I was happy at heart, for out of the trouble and confusion stood a mocking, merry little figure, vague and indefinite at first. But, it grew and grew and grew and finally arrived: a mouse, a romping, rollicking little mouse. By the time my train had reached the middle West, I had dressed my dream mouse in a pair of red velvet pants with two huge pearl buttons, had composed his first scenario, and was all set. Why did I choose a mouse? Principally because I needed a small animal. I couldn’t choose a rabbit, because there was already a rabbit on the screen,” a reference to Oswald. “So, I decided upon a mouse, as I’ve always thought they were very interesting little creatures. At first, I decided to call him Mortimer Mouse, but changed his name to Mickey, as the name had a more friendly sound. While returning from a visit to New York, I plotted out the first story.”.
After losing Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Walt had a decision to make. Would he respond destructively or creatively? Most people would have said, “I’ll sue. I’ll get even. I’ll show Charlie Mintz he can’t do this to me.” But, Walt chose to respond creatively. He responded with imagination instead of retaliation. He said, in effect, “I’ll solve this problem by creating something new, something the world has never seen before.” So, Walt created Mickey Mouse.
The power of Walt’s creativity
Poor Charlie Mintz. He thought he could take Walt’s rabbit and his artists and Walt would have no choice but to surrender. Mintz didn’t understand the power of Walt’s creativity. He didn’t understand Walt’s, limitless imagination, which made him invincible.
Creativity is the ability to unleash the imagination so that we can envision what has never existed before. It is the ability to solve problems by dreaming and building upon the boundless resources of the imagination. Some people believe that creativity is a talent you’re either born with or you’re not. I’m convinced that creativity is a skill that can be learned and nurtured because we are all made in the image of a creative God. Creativity is our birthright. Imagination is the essence of our being. Only when we’re dreaming big dreams can we fulfill our God-given life’s purpose. Sometimes, like Walt Disney, when our backs are up against the wall, our very best comes out of us.
When your back is up against the wall, what is the best that can come out of you?