Mickey Mouse in Black and White

Mickey takes to the streets of what looks to be Spain for a dose of culture and a few glasses of beer. He again charms Minnie Mouse, leading to a dance scene that makes for some really fun animation.

In a cleverly-titled short that pays homage to Charles Lindbergh, Mickey tries his hand at the skies. His attempts to impress Minnie continue as he mans an airplane but meets with disastrous results. Though "Steamboat Willie" is Mickey's true debut and his introduction to the world at large, "Plane Crazy" was the first Mickey short produced, followed by "The Gallopin' Gaucho" before "Steamboat." At the time, however, these two were produced only as silent films and "Plane Crazy" was shown locally to small groups. Sound was later added and they received their theatrical exhibition after the on-the-whole better "Steamboat Willie." This short also marks the debut of Clarabelle Cow.

The cartoon that started it all. "Steamboat Willie" won theater audiences over with its use of sound synchronized with animation, a concept that would meet Walt Disney with innovation time and time again in the future. There's no dialogue, but plenty of sound effects and illustrative gags to show them off, as well as catchy music, including "Turkey in the Straw." In this, his debut, Mickey Mouse is the very much the same character the audiences of today know, even if his character has undergone some change over time. The plot is simple: Mickey is piloting a steamboat, angering the cruel captain Pete, Disney's first villain (as large as the Pete of today, but with only a slight resemblance in appearance). Minnie Mouse tries to board the boat, but it pulls off moments too soon. Always the hero, even from day one, Mickey whisks her onboard with a crane, where he takes a liking to her while they have fun with music. The noted release date reflects the initial, albeit limited, release of this short. This cartoon was reworked, sound was added, and the sound version premiered on November 18, 1928 at the Colony Theater in New York.

At the carnival, Mickey tries to sell hotdogs that simply do not want to be sold. This is Mickey's ninth short and his first to feature spoken words, even if most of them come in the form of song and aren't clearly annunciated.

A simple short that showcases barnyard antics. It notably features the original performance of one of Disney's earliest original musical numbers, "Minnie's Yoo Hoo," which became a theme song of sorts for the Mickey cartoons. Strangely, even though this is the second offering from 1929, it is the one to feature the title card that precedes the first short in each year.

Fires that can't be put out seem to be a staple of classic cartoons and it's as well-done here as ever. Mickey plays the part of a good-intentioned but unsuccessful fireman trying to save Minnie from a burning tower.

Mickey's part of a happy-go-lucky prison gang that apparently loves to dance. Despite the fun they seem to be having, he escapes from Prison Guard Pete (now looking much more like today's Pete, peg leg and all) and flees the pursuit of the police dog, Pluto, who makes his debut here.

Mickey learns that a vicious gorilla is on the loose and calls Minnie to warn her, only to find that he's too late! Suspense builds as he rushes to her home and tries to save her.

Mickey endures the trials and tribulations of life on the frontier. The introduction from Leonard Maltin that is attached to this short is the same one that accompanies "The Gallopin' Gaucho."

Mickey pays Minnie a visit. It's a merry time of song and dance until Pluto chases a cat inside and disaster ensues.

Mickey conducts and performs while Minnie dances and sings to the accompaniment of all their friends as they take the opera house stage with jazzy blues. Of course it's anything but smooth sailing.

It's Christmas and an unexpected present arrives at Mickey's door: a basket of little orphans. He and Minnie accept them right away, doing their best to entertain them and make it a merry Christmas.

It's Mickey's birthday and Minnie and the rest of his friends are throwing him a surprise party. His present: a new piano, on which he joins Minnie for a rousing musical number.

This short is all about cutting the grass and flirting while doing it, but when Pluto starts cat-chasing again, the grass isn't all that gets mowed.

Long before Nintendo, there was this short, in which Mickey and Pluto go hunting for ducks. Pluto's being hunted himself, though- by a pack of fleas! Chasing the ducks doesn't go so well for him either.

Some of Mickey's most memorable performances have seen him as a musical director, and this is one of them. The whole gang's here, including the debut of Goofy (only he's a little older here and originally went by the name of Dippy Dawg) as an annoying audience member. Of course it's Pluto who foils the show yet again.

After saying their nighttime prayers, Mickey and Pluto head to sleep. Over the night, Mickey dreams of matrimony with Minnie but his dream soon becomes a nightmare when their children are several mice more than he bargained for!

Food and frolic make for a fun party and that's what Mickey and the gang have here. The introduction by Leonard Maltin that is attached to this short is the same one that precedes "Mickey Steps Out."

Mickey's Manglers take on Pete's team of Alley Cats in a football match that stays too close to call down to the very last second.

This very exciting short, obviously inspired by the work of Charlie Chaplin (like many of Walt's early cartoons), has Mickey playing the part of an entertainer in a saloon where a homeless Minnie Mouse winds up one cold winter night. In one of his more villainous roles, Peg-Leg Pete arrives unexpectedly and kidnaps Minnie, leaving Mickey and Pluto to save her. Attached to the short is the same Leonard Maltin introduction that accompanied "The Gallopin' Gaucho."

A construction site sets the scene for this short, in which Minnie sells box lunches to the crew. Pete tries to kidnap her, but it's not long before Mickey foils his plans. The story wraps up with a little romance and a catchy musical number.

This wonderfully elaborate short sets Mickey in the typical horror film of the day. He battles the obstacles of an evil scientist's bewitched lair in order to save Pluto from the mad doctor's clutches. Like several of Mickey's classic cartoons, this makes for a great Halloween-time treat.

Disney, meet the musical fairy tale! Mickey and friends take up parts in a play that betroths Minnie's character, a princess, to a prince played by Goofy-er- Dippy Dawg. A young minstrel (Mickey) has his eyes set upon the fair princess, though, and seeks battle with the prince over her hand in marriage.

Through rain or snow, Mickey is determined to battle the elements and successfully deliver his load of mail. He braves the weather but comes out only to find himself being chased by the dastardly Pete.

In recognition of Mickey's star status in 1933, a cavalcade of caricatured stars attend the premiere of his newest cartoon short. All eyes are on the red carpet when Mickey and the gang finally arrive. This cartoon is interesting because it features a short within a short, not to mention a glance at pop culture of the time, as well as a surprise ending.

It's a double date when Mickey and Pluto pay a visit to Minnie and her pet dog, respectively, but when their gifts get mixed up, it leads to a quarrel.

In reference to King Kong, which was also released in 1933, the gorilla from "The Gorilla Mystery" returns, this time as a menace in Mickey's pet shop.

One of Mickey's best-known performances is Fun and Fancy Free's Jack (as in "The Beanstalk"). The 1947 feature wasn't the first time that Mickey portrayed the giant-scamming young lad, though. It was this 1933 short that first had Mickey visiting Giantland. It offers a somewhat different and much shorter take on the classic story but is every bit as entertaining as the longer segment in Fun and Fancy Free.

Mickey, Minnie, Horace, and Clarabelle are enjoying a picnic at their campsite until a rowdy bunch of mosquitoes decide to declare ware on the innocent campers.

In the tradition of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, Mickey recalls the time he landed on an island of tiny people. Seen as a giant, he was feared by the people of the island until a giant spider (played by Pete) showed up to terrorize the town and it was up to Mickey to save the day. Maltin's introduction is again a repeat.

In his first appearance with Mickey and the gang, Donald Duck takes the stage at a performance benefit for young orphans. Instead of the grateful audience he expected, he finds nothing but heckles, invoking his signature ire. In what must have been a slip of Walt's tongue, Mickey refers to Donald as "Pluto." This short also marks the first appearance of Clara Cluck.

Peg-Leg Pete has stolen a puppy and it's up to officers Mickey and Donald to capture the thief and bring the dog safely home. Despite the abundance of gunfire and weaponry, this short surprisingly isn't prefaced by any sort of introduction.

Mickey goes west in this exciting story of a frontier brawl involving cowboy Mickey and the object of his affection, Minnie, a spunky cowgirl who has been kidnapped by the sinister Peg-Leg Pete. As the short's title might suggest, it is also filled with gunfire and weaponry and is yet again unaccompanied by anything from Leonard Maltin, which is certainly curious, given Disney's usual treatment of the issue.

In one of Disney's latter cartoons in black & white, Pete brings his car to Mickey, Donald, and Goofy's shop in hopes of having a squeak fixed. The trio sets to work on it but soon finds that fixing this car is more than they bargained for.