 Mickey Mouse Ears - Black felt cap
with large round black "Mouse Ears" worn by The Mouseketeers on THE
MICKEY MOUSE CLUB in the 1950s.
The idea for the Mickey mouse ears
came from Roy "Moose" Williams, a storyman at Disney Studios for
more than thirty years who played the "Big Mooskeeter" on THE MICKEY
MOUSE CLUB. He invented the "Mouse Ear Hat" after seeing a gag in
the 1929 short The Karnival Kid where Mickey tips his ears to
Minnie.
For years, the only way to get a Mickey Mouse Ear was to
visit the Disney Theme Parks and buy a hat for the gift shop at the
Magic Kingdom, but with the internet, anyone can purchase similar
items on the web at sites like <www.mouseshoppe.com>.
Mickey Mouse and
his famous ears made their film debut in the b&w theatrical cartoon
release "Steamboat Willie" (the first sound cartoon) at the Colony
Theatre in New York City on November 18, 1928.
Since then Mickey's
ears have inspired such items as a porcelain jewelry box sold by Artoria Peint Main, Limoges, France as well as cookie jars, matching
salt and pepper shakers, pens and pencils adorned with mouse ears, a
Mickey Mouse Ears Plastic Bank with Stopper, a Mickey Mouse Wrist
Watch which sold over one million at $3.00 a pop and even a Mickey
Mouse bridal veil sporting a white cap and ears with a lacey
trailing veil for that special wedding.
TRIVIA NOTE: Mickey Mouse's ears
are always shown as two perfectly round circles, no matter the angle
at which he holds his head.
Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse character with the
help of his head animator Ub Iwerks in the 1920s. Mickey mouse was
initially to be called "Mortimer the Mouse" until Walt Disney's wife
Lillian suggested the name Mickey. Walt Disney once
remarked, "I hope we never lose sight of one fact, that this was all
started by a mouse."
Today, Walt's (Mickey's) empire is now one of
the largest entertainment companies in the world and Mickey Mouse
has become a cultural ambassador who traverses continents.
His black
ears can be seen in Tokyo, France, as well as on both the East Coast
in Florida and in the West Coast at the original Disneyland Park in
Anaheim, California.
When Disney began construction of their theme
park in France, critic Yves Eudes, printed a photograph of the Mona
Lisa wearing a pair of Mickey Mouse ears (“La société Disney”) to
illustrate his fears that Disney's American influences would distort
or unduly influence French culture. See also -
The Mousketeers"
External Links
Back to Top |
