Andie Coston posted the viral video of the $10,000 mistake. Photo credit: Andie Coston/aofthecoast
A Walt Disney film featuring the first appearance of Mickey Mouse entered the public domain on New Year's Day.
The 1928 short film “Steamboat Willie” introduces audiences to Mickey and Minnie Mouse, who do not speak. The images are significant because the animated rodents made a lasting impression on pop culture with their debut and transformed Disney's fortunes. The characters became one of the most iconic cartoons in history.
“It's exciting because it's kind of symbolic,” Jennifer Jenkins, a law professor and director of Duke's Center for the Study of Public Domain, told The Associated Press. She writes an annual column for “Public Domain Day” on January 1st.
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Mickey Mouse is seen here in 1928's Steamboat Willie. (LMPC/Getty Images)
But the Mickey featured in this animated short is not the cute character we know today. Mickey, who steers a steamboat, is more menacing and partly based on Charlie Chaplin. He makes musical instruments from other animals.
Mickey, seen here, also whistles the 1910 tune “Steamboat Bill,” which inspired the title of the Buster Keaton film “Steamboat Bill Jr.”, which was released a few months before “Steamboat Willie.”
The copyright on Keaton's film was not renewed and it has been in the public domain since 1956. Keaton died in 1966 at the age of 70.
Mickey Mouse posing with Minnie Mouse is still the iconic symbol and corporate mascot of the Disney brand. (Volker Dornberger/Getty Images)
Steamboat Willie, directed by Disney and his partner Ub Iwerks, was the third animated film featuring the men Mickey and Minnie, but the first to be released.
The popularity of animated shorts featuring Mickey convinced Disney that his studio could produce a feature film, which he began doing in 1934, History.com reported. According to the outlet, the project went 400% over budget and required over 300 animators, artists, and assistants. But the film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was a huge hit when it premiered just before Christmas 1937.
The outlet noted that the Walt Disney Company has produced dozens of acclaimed films since then. Theme parks around the world began opening in 1955. And dozens of companies were acquired throughout the '90s and 2000s.
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Mickey Mouse was partly modeled on the actor Charlie Chaplin. (Witzel/Hulton Archive / Getty Images)
“Since Mickey Mouse's first appearance in the 1928 short film 'Steamboat Willie,' people have associated the character with Disney's stories, experiences and authentic products,” a Disney spokesman said in a statement to The Associated Press. “That won't change if the copyright on the 'Steamboat Willie' film expires.”
Under U.S. law, a copyright can last for 95 years after Congress extended it several times during Mickey's lifetime, The Associated Press reported.
“Sometimes it’s derisively referred to as the ‘Mickey Mouse Protection Act,’” Jenkins told the outlet. “That’s an oversimplification, because Disney wasn’t the only one pushing for an extension of the protection period. It was a whole group of copyright holders whose works would soon enter the public domain and who benefited greatly from the 20 years of additional protection.”
A Disney animator works on cels from 1936's “Snow White” in Los Angeles. (Earl Theisen/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Although artists and creatives can use Mickey, there are major limitations. Disney emphasized that only the rat-like, wordless boat captain was made public.
“More modern versions of Mickey will remain unaffected by the expiration of the Steamboat Willie copyright, and Mickey will continue to play a leading role as a global ambassador for The Walt Disney Company in our storytelling, theme park attractions and merchandise,” Disney's statement said.
“Of course, we will continue to protect our rights to the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright.”
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American animator, film producer and entrepreneur Walt Disney poses next to an Oscar in his office, circa 1960. Disney died in 1966 at the age of 65. (Screen Archives/Getty Images)
Disney still owns a trademark for Mickey. The law prohibits using the mark in any way to deceive consumers that a product comes from the original creator. Mickey is the brand's distinctive symbol and corporate mascot.
In their statement, Disney warned that they “will work to protect consumers from confusion caused by the unauthorized use of Mickey and our other iconic characters.”
The BBC reported that Disney's copyright to its original cartoons was first due to be made publicly available in 1984. However, Congress extended the term by 20 years. The outlet noted that another 20-year extension was agreed upon before the next expiration in 2004.