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{{short description|Disney cartoon character}}
'''Minnie Mouse''' is a ] of the ] featured in ]s, ] and ] by ]. The comic strip story ''The Gleam'' (published ]-], ]) by ] and ] first gave her full name as '''Minerva Mouse'''. ] has since been a recurring ] for her.
{{use mdy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox character
| full_name = Minerva Mouse{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
| name = Minnie Mouse
| image = File:Minnie Mouse from Steamboat Willie.png
| image_size = 220px
| first = '']''<!--Please do not change to "Plane Crazy" as the citations and the Walt Disney Company say that "Steamboat Willie" was Minnie's first appearance. "Plane Crazy" was only previewed once and not released as it failed to gain a distributor. Previews do not count as appearances.--> {{nowrap|(1928)}}
| creator = {{Plainlist|
* ]
* ]
}}
| designer = {{Plainlist|
* Walt Disney
* Ub Iwerks
}}
| voice = {{Plainlist|
* Walt Disney (1928–1929)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Keith |title=Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age |date=2022 |publisher=Bear Manor Media |isbn=979-8-88771-010-5 |pages=254–255}}</ref>
* Marjorie Ralston (1929)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Keith |title=Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age |date=2022 |publisher=Bear Manor Media |isbn=979-8-88771-010-5 |pages= 255}}</ref>
* ] (1930–1936, 1941)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Keith |title=Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age |date=2022 |publisher=Bear Manor Media |isbn=979-8-88771-010-5 |pages= 257–259; 261–268; 269; 272; 281}}</ref>
* Leone LeDoux (1936–1939; 1946–1950)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Keith |title=Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age |date=2022 |publisher=Bear Manor Media |isbn=979-8-88771-010-5 |pages=272;274–275; 278; 294–296; 298}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Keith |title=Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age |date=2022 |publisher=Bear Manor Media |isbn=979-8-88771-010-5 |pages=294–296;300}}</ref>
* ] (1941–1942)<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dunning |first1=John |title=On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio |date=1998 |publisher=Oxford University Press, USA |isbn=978-0-19-507678-3 |page=458 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EwtRbXNca0oC&q=%22Mickey+Mouse+Theater+of+the+Air%22&pg=PA458 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Keith |title=Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age |date=2022 |publisher=Bear Manor Media |isbn=979-8-88771-010-5 |pages=285}}</ref>
* ] (1944–1952)
* ] (1974)<ref name="cartoonresearch.com">{{cite web|url=http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/mickeys-christmas-carol/|title="Mickey's Christmas Carol" -|website=cartoonresearch.com|access-date=September 2, 2016|archive-date=April 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409030009/https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/mickeys-christmas-carol/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* ] (1986–2019)<ref>{{cite web|title=Russi Taylor, Longtime Voice of Minnie Mouse, dead at 75|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-russi-taylor-minnie-mouse-the-simpsons-martin-prince-dead-75-20190728-kbfhzkmqffa4pj7anpr76scose-story.html|work=New York Daily News|date=July 28, 2019 |access-date=28 July 2019|archive-date=July 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728130300/https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-russi-taylor-minnie-mouse-the-simpsons-martin-prince-dead-75-20190728-kbfhzkmqffa4pj7anpr76scose-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
*] (2019–present)<ref name="disney+">{{cite web|url=https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/disney_wwomm_fact_sheet_as_of_10_8ec94ed8.pdf|title=The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse Fact Sheet|work=Disney+ Press|access-date=October 17, 2020|archive-date=January 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118210018/https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/disney_wwomm_fact_sheet_as_of_10_8ec94ed8.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
| gender = Female
| family = ]<br>] (dog)<br>] (cat)<br>] (cat)
| significant_other = ]
| species = Mouse
| series =
| franchise = '']''
| alt =
| caption = Minnie Mouse as she appears in '']'' (1928)
| first_major =
| first_minor =
| first_issue =
| first_date =
| last_major =
| last_minor =
| last_issue =
| last_date =
| firstgame =
| last =
| based_on =
| adapted_by =
| portrayer =
}}'''Minnie Mouse''' is an American cartoon character created by ]. As the longtime sweetheart of ], she is an ] ] with white gloves, a red or pink bow, blue (or pink or red) polka-dotted dress, white ] and yellow low-heeled shoes occasionally with ribbons on them.


The earlier comic strip story ''Mr Slicker and the Egg Robbers'' (published ] - ], ]) introduced her ] ] and her unnamed ]. Both ]s. The same story featured ]s of her grandparents ] and ]. Her best known relative however remains her uncle ]. The comic strip story "Mr. Slicker and the Egg Robbers" (published September 22 December 26, 1930) introduced her father Marcus Mouse and her unnamed mother, both farmers. The same story featured photographs of Minnie's uncle Milton Mouse with his family and her grandparents Marvel Mouse and Matilda Mouse. Her best-known relatives, however, remain her uncle Mortimer Mouse (Mortimer was almost the name of Mickey) and her twin nieces, Millie and Melody Mouse, though most often a single niece, Melody, appears. In many appearances, Minnie is presented as the girlfriend of Mickey Mouse, best friend of ]<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080224023232/http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/2000/minnievisitsdaisy.html |date=2008-02-24 }}. '''' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323093225/http://www.disneyshorts.org/index.html |date=2008-03-23 }}. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.</ref> and a friend to ].


In honor of her 90th anniversary, on January 22, 2018, she joined the ranks of other animated celebrities by receiving her own star on the ].<ref>{{cite web|title=Minnie Mouse honored with Hollywood Walk of Fame star|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/minnie-mouse-honored-hollywood-walk-fame-star/story?id=52530237|website=ABC News|access-date=22 January 2018|archive-date=October 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006094920/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/minnie-mouse-honored-hollywood-walk-fame-star/story?id=52530237|url-status=live}}</ref> She was the sixth Disney character to receive this honor. Mickey Mouse, ], ], ] and ] have already received this distinction.
== Origins of the Character==


As of January 1, 2024, Minnie Mouse as depicted in her first shorts entered the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/mickey/ |title=Mickey, Disney, and the Public Domain: a 95-year Love Triangle |last1=Jenkins |first1=Jennifer |last2=Boyle |first2=James |publisher=Duke's Center for the Study of the Public Domain}}</ref>
In ], ] and ] created ] to act as a replacement to their previous star ]. But Mickey could not fill the void alone. Among the few consistent character traits Oswald had developed before moving on to ] was his near-constant pursuit of potential sweethearts. So for Mickey to have a chance to emulate his predecessor at ], someone had to replace Oswald's many love interests. This replacement to ''Miss Rabbit'', ''Miss Cottontail'', ''Fanny'' and an uncertain number of unnamed ]s and ]rs was to become Minnie Mouse.


==History==
Minnie was designed in the ] of a "]" ]. She was so probably intended to follow the trends of then-] ] in an effort to add to her audience appeal.
===Origins of the character===
{{more citations needed section|date=May 2017}}
] from early 1928, the drawings, which are the earliest of Mickey Mouse, also show a female version of the character (lower right), from the collection of ].]]
Minnie was initially created to be the love interest of ], concept art for Mickey showed a female mouse alongside him.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Mickey Mouse : emblem of the American Spirit |last=Apgar |first=Gary |year=2015 |pages=77–78 |publisher=Weldon Owen |isbn=978-1-61628-672-9 |url=https://archive.org/details/mickeymouseemble0000apga/}}</ref>


Minnie was designed in the fashion of a ] girl. Her main outfit consisted of a short flapper girl dress that often revealed her distinctive patched ]. In the 1929 cartoon '']'', it was also revealed that she wears black ] which were also fashionable among flapper girls. Her ] are probably her most distinctive article of clothing. For comedic effect, she wears oversized high heeled ] that are too big for her feet. Her heels often slip out of her shoes and she even loses her shoes completely in '']''. When she walked or danced, the clip clop of her large pumps was usually heard clearly and often went with the rhythm of the music that was played in the background. Along with Mickey, she was redesigned in 1940. Her hat was replaced with a large bow and bows were added to her shoes as well. Her eyes were also given more detail. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, her look and personality became more ]. Minnie almost always wears red or pink, but in her early appearances, she could be seen wearing a combination of blue, black or green (when not depicted in black and white).
Mickey and Minnie debuted together in '']'', first released on ], ]. Minnie is invited to join Mickey in the first flight of his ]. She accepts the invitation but not his demand for a ] in mid-flight. Mickey eventually forces Minnie into a kiss but this only results in her ] out of the plane. This first film depicted Minnie as somewhat resistant to the demanding ] of her potential ] and capable of escaping his grasp.


Minnie's early personality is cute, playful, musical and flirtatious. She often portrays an entertainer like a dancer or a musician whose affection Mickey is trying to win. Part of the comedy of these early shorts is the varying degree of success Mickey has in wooing Minnie. Unlike later cartoons after the redesign, Minnie often becomes a ] whom Mickey tries to rescue. She is also subject to a lot of ] and ] gags. Over the course of the 1930s, Minnie's and Mickey's relationship solidified and they eventually became a steady couple.
Their debut however featured the couple already familiar to each other. The next film featuring them was '']''.The film was the second of their series to be produced but only the third to be released on ], ]. We find Minnie employed as the barmaid and dancer of ''Cantina Argentina'', a ] and ] established in the ] of ]. She performs the ] for Mickey the ] and ] the ]. Both flirt with her but the latter intends to ] her while the former obliges in saving the ] from the ]. All three characters acted as strangers first being introduced to each other.


Minnie was first seen in a test screening of the cartoon short '']''.<ref name="disneyshorts.org Plane Crazy">{{cite web|url=http://www.disneyshorts.org/shorts.aspx?shortID=94|title=1928: Plane Crazy|publisher=Disney Shorts|access-date=April 8, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301151952/http://www.disneyshorts.org/shorts.aspx?shortID=94|archive-date=March 1, 2012|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Minnie is invited to join Mickey in the first flight of his aircraft. She accepts the invitation but not his request for a kiss in mid-flight. Mickey eventually forces Minnie into a kiss, but this only results in her parachuting out of the plane. This first film depicted Minnie as somewhat resistant to the demanding affection of her potential boyfriend and capable of escaping his grasp.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Mickey Mouse : Fifty happy years |publisher=] |year=1977 |pages=13|isbn=978-0-517-53564-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/mickeymousefifty0000unse/}}</ref>
They appear together again in '']'', the third short of the series to be produced but released second on ], ]. Pete was featured as the ] of the ], Mickey as a ] of one and Minnie as their single passenger. The two ] ] first star in a ] and spend most of its duration playing ] to the tune of "]".


Their debut, however, featured the couple already familiar to each other. The next film featuring them was '']''.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080218232735/http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1928/gallopingaucho.html |date=2008-02-18 }}. '''' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323093225/http://www.disneyshorts.org/index.html |date=2008-03-23 }}. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.</ref> The film was the second of their series to be produced, but the third to be released and was released on December 30, 1928. We find Minnie employed at the ''Cantina Argentina'', a bar and restaurant established in the ] of ]. She performs the ] for Mickey the ] and ] the outlaw. Both flirt with her, but the latter intends to abduct her while the former obliges in saving the ] from the ]. All three characters acted as strangers first being introduced to each other.
== A Recurring Co-Star==


]'', using a goat to play the song "]".]]
The commercial success of '']'' helped introduce Mickey and Minnie into the audience. Twelve more films featuring Mickey were produced in ]. But Minnie only co-starred in seven of them and was mentioned in an eighth.
But it was their third cartoon that established the definitive early look and personality of both Mickey and Minnie, as well as Pete. '']''<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080327040614/http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1928/steamboatwillie.html |date=2008-03-27 }}. '''' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323093225/http://www.disneyshorts.org/index.html |date=2008-03-23 }} Retrieved on March 17, 2008.</ref> was the third short of the series to be produced, but was released first, on November 18, 1928.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Mickey Mouse : Fifty happy years |publisher=] |year=1977 |pages=14 |isbn=978-0-517-53564-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/mickeymousefifty0000unse/}}</ref> Pete was featured as the ] of the ], Mickey as a crew of one and Minnie as their single passenger.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Hollywood cartoons : American animation in its golden age |last=Barrier |first=Michael |publisher=] |year=1999 |pages=55 |isbn=978-0-19-503759-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/hollywoodcartoon00barr}}</ref> The two ] mice first star in a ] and spend most of its duration playing music to the tune of "]".


===Minnie's Yoo-Hoo===
The first of them was ], first released on ], ]. Minnie stands at the center of attention as Mickey and Pete rival each other in order to win her favor. Both offer to pick her up for the dance but she chooses Pete's newly purchased ] over Mickey's ]-]. When the automobile breaks down she resorts to go with Mickey. The later proves a clumsy dancing parter, repeatedly stepping on her feet, and so she turns to Pete again. She is surprised when Mickey asks for another dance and seems to be light on his feet. However she is disgusted when Pete points that his rival had placed a ] in his ]. She resumed dancing with Pete while Mickey is reduced to crying on the dance ]. Minnie proves to be rather demanding as a partner in a ]. Mickey obviously has yet to claim her as his ] by this point.
Her next appearance was arguably more significant. ''Mickey's Follies'' (August 28, 1929),<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110114072127/http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1929/mickeysfollies.html |date=2011-01-14 }}. '''' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323093225/http://www.disneyshorts.org/index.html |date=2008-03-23 }}. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.</ref> featured the first performance of the song "]". "The guy they call little ]" for the first time addresses an audience to explain that he has "got a sweetie" who is "neither fat nor skinny" and proudly proclaims that "she's my little Minnie Mouse". Mickey then proceeds to explain his reaction to Minnie's call. The song firmly establishes Mickey and Minnie as a couple and expresses the importance Minnie holds for her male partner.


===Damsel in distress===
The ], first released on ], ], was the first short to feature Mickey but not Minnie. A ] however mentions Minnie as being member to the ''] Girls''. The later group of ] ]s remained ]s and were apparently short-lived. Minnie appears again in ], first released on ], ]. She is attending a ] with Mickey along with several other ]. The short was unusual in the depiction of Mickey and Minnie with the size and part of the behavior common in regular mice. The set ] both before and after this short was to depict them as having the size of a rather short ] being.
Her final appearance for the year was in '']'',<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704133940/http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1930/wildwaves.html |date=2008-07-04 }}. '''' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323093225/http://www.disneyshorts.org/index.html |date=2008-03-23 }}. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.</ref> carried by a wave into the sea. She panics terribly and seems to start drowning. Mickey uses a rowboat to rescue her and return her to the shore, but Minnie is still visibly shaken from the experience. Mickey starts singing the tune of "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep", a maritime ballad, in an apparent effort to cheer her up. Minnie cheers up and the short ends. This is the second time Minnie is placed in danger and then saved by her new boyfriend. It wouldn't be the last.


In fact, this was the case with her next appearance in '']'' (May 10, 1930).<ref name=ultimate>{{cite book |last1=Kaufman |first1=J.B. |last2=Gerstein |first2=David |title=Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History |date=2018 |publisher=Taschen |location=Cologne |isbn=978-3-8365-5284-4}}</ref> As the title implies, the short was intended as a ] parody, but it is considered to be more or less a remake of ''The Gallopin' Gaucho'' set in ] instead of ]. Minnie was again cast as the local tavern dancer who is abducted by Peg-Leg Pedro (] in his first appearance with a peg-leg). Mickey again comes to the rescue. The short is considered significant for being the last short featuring Mickey and Minnie to be animated by ].
Minnie was seen again in ], first released on ], ], where she is featured as a ] girl. However she gets Mickey to ] her ] ] for her. When Mickey presents her with a bucket full of milk and proceeds to kiss her, Minnie answers by knocking the bucket on his head. This in front of his ] ] who is just making his debut. Minnie obviously was not very appreciative of Mickey's affection at the time.


'']'' (July 11, 1930)<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080317184932/http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1930/shindig.html |date=2008-03-17 }}. '''' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323093225/http://www.disneyshorts.org/index.html |date=2008-03-23 }}. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.</ref> featured Minnie joining Mickey, Horace and Clarabelle in a barn dance. Among them, Clarabelle seems to be the actual star of the short. Director ] turned in another enjoyable entry in the series, proving that production could go on without Iwerks. This was arguably the first time Minnie was upstaged by a female co-star.
Their attempt at farming life would prove short-lived. Their next appearance in ] (], ]) casted Mickey as a hot dog vendor and Minnie as a ] ] Dancer. Minnie then appears as a ] player in ] (], ]).


In '']'' (June 20, 1930), Minnie is trapped in a hotel during a fire.<ref name=ultimate/> She spends the duration of the short in mortal peril but is rescued by firefighters under Chief Mickey Mouse. Horace Horsecollar is among the firefighters. An unnamed cow in the background is possibly Clarabelle making a cameo. The music of the short was, appropriately, the tune of "]".
== Minnie's Yoo Hoo ==


The next entry in the series is considered curious: '']'' (October 1, 1930).<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080426215215/http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1930/gorillamystery.html |date=2008-04-26 }}. '''' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323093225/http://www.disneyshorts.org/index.html |date=2008-03-23 }}. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.</ref> The short starts with ] escaping from a zoo. Mickey learns of it and terribly panics. He phones Minnie to warn her about the dangerous gorilla wandering about. Minnie is unconcerned and plays tunes on her piano for Mickey to hear over the phone and know she isn't afraid. Her tunes are interrupted by her scream and Mickey rushes to her house to save her. Meanwhile, Beppo has wrapped up Minnie in rope and holds her hostage. Mickey confronts the gorilla and once again rescues the damsel in distress.
Her next appearance was arguably more significant. ] (], ]), featured the first performance of . ''"The guy they call little Mickey Mouse''" for the first time addresses an audience to explain that he has ''"Got a sweetie''" who is ''"Neither fat nor skinny''" and proudly proclaims that ''"She's my little Minnie Mouse''". Mickey then proceeds in explaining his reaction to Minnie's call.


===Introduction of a pet===
''Oh, the old ] with his "meow, meow, meow"''
]
''Old ] ] with his "bow, wow, wow"''
In '']'' (1930), Minnie introduces her boyfriend to her new pet dog, Rover. This is actually ] making his first appearance as an individual character. Two unnamed bloodhound guard dogs strikingly similar to him had previously appeared in '']'' (August 18, 1930)<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410221545/http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1930/chaingang.html |date=2008-04-10 }}. '''' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323093225/http://www.disneyshorts.org/index.html |date=2008-03-23 }}. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.</ref> which featured Mickey incarcerated in prison without Minnie at his side. Otherwise, the short features a typical picnic excursion harassed by forest animals and brought to a premature end by a sudden rain.
''The ]s "caw, caw", and the ]'s "hee-haw"''
''Gosh what a racket like an old buzz ]''


The final appearance of Minnie during the year was '']'' (November 20, 1930).<ref name=ultimate />{{rp|63}} The short featured Minnie and her mate as pioneer settlers heading to the ] driving a ] in a ]. They are unsurprisingly attacked by ] on their way, this was a stock plot of ]s at the time. While their fellows are either subjected to ] or running for their lives, Minnie is captured by the attackers. Mickey attempts to rescue her, only to be captured himself. In a reversal of their usual roles, Minnie escapes her captors and rescues her mate. They then dress as soldiers of the ]. Their mere appearance proves sufficient to have the entire tribe running for the hills. The Mouse couple stands triumphant at the end. The short has been criticized for its unflattering depiction of Native Americans as rather bestial predators. The finale has been edited out in recent viewings for depicting the "braves" submitting to cowardice.
''I have listened to the ] koo his "koo-koo"''
''And I've heard the ] cock his doodle doo doo''
''With the ]s and the ]s, they all sound like the dickens''
''When I hear my little Minnie's yoo-hoo''


In several shorts, comics and TV shows, Minnie owns a black and white kitten named ], who had originated in the Disney animated feature '']''.
''Oh, the ] down in the ] ]''
''And the busy buzz of the ]''
''Evening ]s a ringin', ]'s a ]''
''Well they don't mean much to me''


===Waning years===
''For my ] is down in the chicken house''
During the second half of the 1930s, Minnie didn't appear as often in Mickey cartoons. This was mainly due to the growth in popularity of Mickey's new sidekicks, ], ] and ], whose appearances in Mickey cartoons had more or less replaced Minnie's role. Minnie's appearances in Mickey cartoons thus became less numerous, but she did have a few major roles in some Pluto and ] cartoons during the 1940s. Minnie made a sort of comeback in the 1980s when she was re-introduced in '']'' and then got her own starring role in '']''.<ref>{{cite news|first=Charles|last=Solomon|title=Television Reviews 'Disney's Totally Minnie': Live Action, Animation|work=]|date=March 25, 1988|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-03-25-ca-249-story.html|access-date=2011-02-10|archive-date=November 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105112006/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-03-25/entertainment/ca-249_1_minnie-mouse|url-status=live}}</ref>
''Where I long to be with my Minnie Mouse''


===Contemporary appearances===
The song firmly establishes Mickey and Minnie as a couple and expresses the importance Minnie holds for her male partner. Soon it would become the theme song to their series.
*She starred in a 1988 musical television special on NBC called ''],'' it was the first film to feature Minnie in a lead role. She also appeared in a line of merchandise called ] in the 1990s. On September 18, 1990, the CD ''Minnie 'n Me: Songs Just For Girls'' was released.
*Minnie's return to animation came in '']'' (December 16, 1983).<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430023605/http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1983/mickeyschristmascarol.html |date=2008-04-30 }}. '''' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323093225/http://www.disneyshorts.org/index.html |date=2008-03-23 }}. Retrieved on May 8, 2008.</ref> She was cast as Mrs. Cratchit. As with most Disney characters, she was given a small cameo in '']'' (1988) but doesn't have any lines in the latter movie, despite her voice actress being listed in the end credits.
*Minnie Mouse makes an appearance in every episode of '']''.
*Minnie ran a neighborhood in '']'' called Minnie's Melodyland. It was an intermediate area with access to Toontown Central, The Brrrgh and Donald's Dreamland.
*Minnie is available to sign autographs and take pictures throughout the day in various locations at the different Disney Resort Theme Parks around the world. She also appears in all of the daily parades that take place at the Disney resorts.
*In the 2013 '']'' television series, Minnie was restored to her classic 1930s look with the flowered bowler hat and ] outfit. Minnie also gained more character quirks, and like the older cartoons, was subject to more slapstick and ] cartoon gags.
*On June 22, 2017, it was announced that Minnie, alongside ], ] and ], would be receiving her own star on the ] in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/862829/hollywood-walk-of-fame-s-class-of-2018-revealed-steve-irwin-and-more-set-to-receive-stars|title=Hollywood Walk of Fame's Class of 2018 Revealed: Steve Irwin and More Set to Receive Stars|first=Mike|last=Vulpo|work=E! Online|date=June 22, 2017|access-date=June 22, 2017|archive-date=June 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612164137/https://www.eonline.com/news/862829/hollywood-walk-of-fame-s-class-of-2018-revealed-steve-irwin-and-more-set-to-receive-stars|url-status=live}}</ref>
*In December 2019, both Minnie and Mickey served as special co-hosts of '']'' for two weeks during Disney's Secret Santa Giveaway while ] served as the main host during ]'s absence.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/tv/2019/12/10/vanna-white-hosts-wheel-of-fortune-first-time-pat-sajak-recovers-emergency-surgery/|title=Vanna White hosts Wheel of Fortune for first time while Pat Sajak recovers from emergency surgery|first=Sydney|last=Bucksbaum|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=December 10, 2019|access-date=December 28, 2019|archive-date=December 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228033252/https://ew.com/tv/2019/12/10/vanna-white-hosts-wheel-of-fortune-first-time-pat-sajak-recovers-emergency-surgery/|url-status=live}}</ref>


On January 1, 2024, the copyrights of the first three animated Mickey Mouse cartoons and their portrayal of Mickey and Minnie Mouse expired, and they entered the ]. They are the silent versions of the cartoons '']'' and '']'', and the sound cartoon '']''.{{Efn|While Plane Crazy's silent version became public domain, that version is unknown to be extant. The widely released sound version enters the public domain in 2025.}} Newer versions of Minnie Mouse remained copyright protected.<ref>{{cite news | last =Seriac | first =Hanna | title =Why Mickey Mouse entering the public domain in 2024 is more complicated than you think: Mickey Mouse was originally named Mortimer when he debuted | newspaper =] | location =] | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =August 28, 2023 | url =https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2022/12/28/23529497/the-original-mickey-mouse-is-entering-the-public-domain-in-2024-well-kind-of | accessdate =October 21, 2023 | archive-date =October 16, 2023 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20231016052126/https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2022/12/28/23529497/the-original-mickey-mouse-is-entering-the-public-domain-in-2024-well-kind-of | url-status =live }}</ref> On January 1, 2025, the sound versions mentioned above, and another twelve cartoons and their depictions of Minnie become public domain.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2025/ |title=Public Domain Day 2025 |last1=Jenkins |first1=Jennifer |last2=Boyle |first2=James |publisher=Duke's Center for the Study of the Public Domain}}</ref>
== Damsel in Distress ==


==Television==
Her final appearance for the year was in ] (first released on ], ]. She spends a day at the ] with Mickey. Their activities of singing and dancing are soon interrupted when Minnie is swept by a wave into the sea. She ]s and seems to start ]. Mickey uses a ] ] to rescue her and return her to the shore but Minnie is still visibly shaken from the experience. Mickey starts singing the tune of , a ] ] written in ] by ] (], ] - ], ]), in an apparent effort to cheer her up. Minnie cheers up and the short ends. This is arguably the first time Minnie is placed in danger and then saved by her new boyfriend. It would not be the last.
In '']'', she appeared in her own segments. Occasionally, she starred in ''Maestro Minnie''<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110207074338/http://www.disneyshorts.org/years/1999/williamtelloverture.html |date=2011-02-07 }}. '''' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323093225/http://www.disneyshorts.org/index.html |date=2008-03-23 }}. Retrieved on March 17, 2008.</ref> shorts, in which she conducts an orchestra of living instruments that she usually has to tame.


In '']'', Minnie is in charge of running the nightclub, while Mickey primarily serves as the host. In one episode of House of Mouse, "Clarabelle's Big Secret", Minnie reveals that she has gone to the movies with Mortimer Mouse, although it isn't a date.
In fact this was the case with her next appearance in the ] (], ]. As the title implies the short was intended as a ] ]. But it is considered to be more or less a remake of ] set in ] instead of ]. Minnie was again cast as the local ] ] who is abducted by ''Peg-Leg Pedro'' (] in his first appearance with a peg-leg). Mickey again comes to the rescue. The short is considered significant for being the last short featuring Mickey and Minnie to be animated by ].


She appears in two children's shows on ]: the full-length educational '']'' and the spin-off series of shorts '']'', where she runs a "]" selling bows like the ones she and Daisy wear. In season 2 of ''Bow-Toons'', she displays high physical strength and balance at least twice, able to balance her entire bodyweight in a 1-finger ].<ref>{{cite episode |series=] |title=Piano Movers and Shakers |season=2 |number=1 (11 overall) |date=12 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |series=] |title=A Good Sign |season=2 |number=2 (12 overall) |date=19 November 2012}}</ref>
==Contemporary appearances==
Since then she has been co-starring with Mickey Mouse, Pluto, and ], Minnie's own cat who debuted in ]. In '']'' she finally appeared in her own segments. In '']'' she kept track of the bills. She starred in a ] special called '']'' and she also appeared in a line of merchandise called "]". She appeared in the ] game series as the queen of Disney Castle who sent ] & ] on their mission to find Mickey & the Keyblade.


In the 2013 '']'' television series and its 2020 spinoff '']'', she exhibits the ability to survive her head coming off, doing a 360 degree flip and re-attaching itself, which can happen when she feels surprised.<ref>{{cite episode |series=] |title=Movie Time |date=11 September 2015 |season=3 |number=4 (41 overall)}}</ref>
Minnie will co-star in the ] '']''.


In 2017, as part of the launch of '']'', Minnie's Happy Helpers adventures appear in the second half of every new episode.
== Trivia ==


==Minnie as a queen and princess==
* Minnie is the 3rd most requested character at Disney ], the second being Mickey and the most popular being Winnie the Pooh.
Minnie has had several appearances as a princess throughout the ages, including the '']'' short films '']'' (1933) and '']'' (1938).


===''Kingdom Hearts'' series===
* You can visit Minnie's 'home' at three Disney theme parks; ] in ], the ] in ] and ] in ].
Minnie appears in the '']'' game series as the queen of Disney Castle, with Mickey serving as the king and her husband. She, at the suggestion of a letter left by the missing King, sends ] and ] on their mission to find Mickey and the Keyblade Master, ]. During '']'', when Pete's tampering of the past causes the Heartless to appear in Disney Castle, Minnie is forced to fall back to the library up until Sora and company arrive. While Donald and Goofy head out to get the other residents to safety, Sora serves as the Queen's bodyguard to get her to the Cornerstone of Light. During this time, Minnie shows powers as a sorceress of white magic, casting a holy light on the ] that attack. In the prequel '']'', she oversees the annually held Dream Festival in Disney Town, where Pete causes mischief up until she banishes him to another dimension as a punishment. She appears in '']'' in a role mirroring that in the film '']'', where she is referred to as Princess Minnie and rules a world called the Country of the Musketeers. By this, it is inferred that she, not Mickey, is the rightful ruler of Disney Castle, which is why he leaves her in charge. She makes a brief appearance in '']'', welcoming Mickey, Donald and Goofy back to Disney Castle.


===''Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers''===
]
In the 2004 ] film '']'', Minnie plays the role of the princess of ], who continually daydreams about her true love, Mickey. She is also the only monarch getting in the way of the plans of Pete, who can't take over the kingdom if he can't get rid of her. For this particular film, Minnie is drawn with hair bangs, which do not appear in any later cartoons.
]

]
===''Wizards of Mickey''===
]
In the fantasy comic series '']'', Minnie is the ] princess of the kingdom of Dolmen whose people have been turned to stone, leading her to seek a magical Crystal to restore them. In her quest, she partners with her friends Daisy and Clarabelle as team Diamond Moon and eventually meets up with Mickey, the Supreme Sorcerer of Dolmen, and his group.

==Voice actors==
]
Minnie Mouse was first voiced by ], who was also the original voice of ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/entertainment/mickey-mouse-turns-years-old/Rr9uDzttoMIyzcpjleyiZP/|title=Mickey Mouse turns 87 years old|first=Cox Media Group National Content|last=Desk|website=Dayton Daily News|access-date=June 23, 2020|archive-date=June 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623081542/https://www.daytondailynews.com/entertainment/mickey-mouse-turns-years-old/Rr9uDzttoMIyzcpjleyiZP/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Marjorie Ralston, a Disney inker who joined the animation team as Disney's thirteenth employee, voiced her in the 1929 short ''Wild Waves'', but didn't further pursue the role out of shyness. Then, from 1930 up until 1941, Minnie was voiced by ]. Then, from 1941 to 1942 and on the radio program, '']'', she was voiced by ]. Boardman also voiced her in the short ''Mickey's Birthday Party'' in 1942. Shirley Reed voiced Minnie in ''Two-Gun Mickey'' expect the end.<ref name="CartoonVoices">{{cite book |last1=Scott |first1=Keith |title=Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age, Vol. 2 |date=3 October 2022 |publisher=BearManor Media |page=268 |language=en}}</ref> Following this, from 1944 to 1952, ] provided the character's voice.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Smith|first1=Dave|title=Disney Trivia from the Vault: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered|date=2012|publisher=Disney Electronic Content|isbn=9781423178576|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nEGaj75GhXcC&q=%22Ruth+Clifford%22+actress&pg=PT62|access-date=25 September 2017|language=en|archive-date=August 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220826145853/https://books.google.com/books?id=nEGaj75GhXcC&q=%22Ruth+Clifford%22+actress&pg=PT62|url-status=live}}</ref> ] voiced Minnie in the 1974 Disneyland record album, ''An Adaptation of Dickens' Christmas Carol, Performed by The Walt Disney Players''.<ref name="cartoonresearch.com"/>

Minnie would go without any spoken dialogue up until 1986, when ] inherited the role, which she performed up until her death in 2019 (her husband, ], voiced Mickey from 1977 up until his death in 2009), Taylor's voice is used in various TV series and theme parks via archival and posthumous dialogue. ] officially took over as the new voice of Minnie, beginning with two ] ] Mickey Mouse shorts, ''Mickey Mouse and the Magical Snowy Holiday'' and ''Mickey Mouse and the Magical Holiday Bag'', both released in November 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://d23.com/catching-up-with-mickey-and-minnie-a-d23-interview-with-bret-iwan-and-kaitlyn-robrock/|first=Justin|last=Arthur|title=Catching up with Mickey and Minnie: A D23 Interview with Bret Iwan and Kaitlyn Robrock|website=D23.com|date=August 26, 2021|access-date=September 10, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://dapsmagic.com/2020/07/kaitlyn-robrock-voicing-minnie-mouse-in-mickey-mouse-mixed-up-adventures/|first=Caitie|last=Bear|title=Kaitlyn Robrock Voicing Minnie Mouse in 'Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures'|website=DapsMagic.com|date=July 19, 2020|access-date=July 25, 2020|archive-date=May 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506014744/https://dapsmagic.com/2020/07/kaitlyn-robrock-voicing-minnie-mouse-in-mickey-mouse-mixed-up-adventures/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Robrock continues voicing Minnie in '']'' on ] and onward.<ref name="disney+"/>

==Appearances in cartoon shorts==
{{divcol|colwidth=20em}}
*'']'' (1928)
*'']'' (1928)
*'']'' (1928)
*'']'' (1929)
*'']'' (1929)
*'']'' (1929)
*'']'' (1929)
*'']'' (1929)
*'']'' (1929)
*'']'' (1929)
*'']'' (1930)
*'']'' (1930)
*'']'' (1930)
*'']'' (1930)
*'']'' (1930)
*'']'' (1930)
*'']'' (1931)
*'']'' (1931)
*'']'' (1931)
*'']'' (1931)
*'']'' (1931)
*'']'' (1931)
*'']'' (1931)
*'']'' (1931)
*'']'' (1931)
*'']'' (1932)
*'']'' (1932)
*'']'' (1932)
*'']'' (1932)
*'']'' (1932)
*'']'' (1932)
*'']'' (1932)
*'']'' (1932)
*'']'' (1932)
*'']'' (1932)
*'']'' (1933)
*'']'' (1933)
*'']'' (1933)
*'']'' (1933)
*'']'' (1933)
*'']'' (1933)
*'']'' (1933)
*'']'' (1933)
*'']'' (1933)
*'']'' (1933)
*'']'' (1934)
*'']'' (1934)
*'']'' (1934)
*'']'' (1934)
*'']'' (1935)
*'']'' (1936)
*'']'' (1937)
*'']'' (1938)
*'']'' (1938)
*'']'' (1938, cameo)
*'']'' (1939, in a commercial short)
*'']'' (1941)
*'']'' (1941)
*'']'' (1942)
*'']'' (1942, in a Pluto short)
*'']'' (1944, in a Pluto short)
*''Bath Day'' (1946, in a Figaro short)
*''Figaro and Frankie'' (1947, in a Figaro short)
*'']'' (1947)
*'']'' (1949, in a Pluto short)
*'']'' (1950, in a Pluto short)
*'']'' (1950, cameo in a Donald Duck short)
*'']'' (1952)
*'']'' (1983, non-speaking appearance)
*'']'' (1995)
*'']'' (2013)
*'']'' (2023)
{{colend}}

==Television appearances==
*'']'' (1954–2008)
**'']'' (1988)
**'']'' (1988)
*'']'' (1955–1959; 1977–1979; 1989–1994)
*'']'' (1999–2000)
*'']'' (2001–2003)
*'']'' (2006–2016)
**'']'' (2011–present)
*'']'' (2013–2019)
*'']'' (2017–2021)
*'']'' (2018)
*'']'' (2020–2023)
*'']'' (2021–present)
*'']'' (2021)
*'']'' (2021)
*'']'' (2022)
*'']'' (2023)
*'']'' (2025–present)

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{portal|Animation|Comics|Film|Disney}}
* {{Inducks character|MI}}
* on ]

{{Disney Characters}}
{{Minnie Mouse in animation}}
{{House of Mouse}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mouse, Minnie}}
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Revision as of 15:26, 8 January 2025

Disney cartoon character

Fictional character
Minnie Mouse
Mickey Mouse & Friends character
Minnie Mouse as she appears in Steamboat Willie (1928)
First appearanceSteamboat Willie (1928)
Created by
Designed by
  • Walt Disney
  • Ub Iwerks
Voiced by
In-universe information
Full nameMinerva Mouse
SpeciesMouse
GenderFemale
FamilyMinnie Mouse family
Fifi (dog)
Figaro (cat)
Rufus (cat)
Significant otherMickey Mouse

Minnie Mouse is an American cartoon character created by the Walt Disney Company. As the longtime sweetheart of Mickey Mouse, she is an anthropomorphic mouse with white gloves, a red or pink bow, blue (or pink or red) polka-dotted dress, white bloomers and yellow low-heeled shoes occasionally with ribbons on them.

The comic strip story "Mr. Slicker and the Egg Robbers" (published September 22 – December 26, 1930) introduced her father Marcus Mouse and her unnamed mother, both farmers. The same story featured photographs of Minnie's uncle Milton Mouse with his family and her grandparents Marvel Mouse and Matilda Mouse. Her best-known relatives, however, remain her uncle Mortimer Mouse (Mortimer was almost the name of Mickey) and her twin nieces, Millie and Melody Mouse, though most often a single niece, Melody, appears. In many appearances, Minnie is presented as the girlfriend of Mickey Mouse, best friend of Daisy Duck and a friend to Clarabelle Cow.

In honor of her 90th anniversary, on January 22, 2018, she joined the ranks of other animated celebrities by receiving her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was the sixth Disney character to receive this honor. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Winnie the Pooh, Tinker Bell and Snow White have already received this distinction.

As of January 1, 2024, Minnie Mouse as depicted in her first shorts entered the public domain.

History

Origins of the character

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Concept art from early 1928, the drawings, which are the earliest of Mickey Mouse, also show a female version of the character (lower right), from the collection of The Walt Disney Family Museum.

Minnie was initially created to be the love interest of Mickey Mouse, concept art for Mickey showed a female mouse alongside him.

Minnie was designed in the fashion of a flapper girl. Her main outfit consisted of a short flapper girl dress that often revealed her distinctive patched knickers. In the 1929 cartoon The Karnival Kid, it was also revealed that she wears black stockings which were also fashionable among flapper girls. Her shoes are probably her most distinctive article of clothing. For comedic effect, she wears oversized high heeled pumps that are too big for her feet. Her heels often slip out of her shoes and she even loses her shoes completely in The Gallopin' Gaucho. When she walked or danced, the clip clop of her large pumps was usually heard clearly and often went with the rhythm of the music that was played in the background. Along with Mickey, she was redesigned in 1940. Her hat was replaced with a large bow and bows were added to her shoes as well. Her eyes were also given more detail. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, her look and personality became more conservative. Minnie almost always wears red or pink, but in her early appearances, she could be seen wearing a combination of blue, black or green (when not depicted in black and white).

Minnie's early personality is cute, playful, musical and flirtatious. She often portrays an entertainer like a dancer or a musician whose affection Mickey is trying to win. Part of the comedy of these early shorts is the varying degree of success Mickey has in wooing Minnie. Unlike later cartoons after the redesign, Minnie often becomes a damsel in distress whom Mickey tries to rescue. She is also subject to a lot of slapstick and rubber hose animation gags. Over the course of the 1930s, Minnie's and Mickey's relationship solidified and they eventually became a steady couple.

Minnie was first seen in a test screening of the cartoon short Plane Crazy. Minnie is invited to join Mickey in the first flight of his aircraft. She accepts the invitation but not his request for a kiss in mid-flight. Mickey eventually forces Minnie into a kiss, but this only results in her parachuting out of the plane. This first film depicted Minnie as somewhat resistant to the demanding affection of her potential boyfriend and capable of escaping his grasp.

Their debut, however, featured the couple already familiar to each other. The next film featuring them was The Gallopin' Gaucho. The film was the second of their series to be produced, but the third to be released and was released on December 30, 1928. We find Minnie employed at the Cantina Argentina, a bar and restaurant established in the Pampas of Argentina. She performs the Tango for Mickey the gaucho and Black Pete the outlaw. Both flirt with her, but the latter intends to abduct her while the former obliges in saving the Damsel in Distress from the villain. All three characters acted as strangers first being introduced to each other.

Minnie Mouse in Steamboat Willie, using a goat to play the song "Turkey in the Straw".

But it was their third cartoon that established the definitive early look and personality of both Mickey and Minnie, as well as Pete. Steamboat Willie was the third short of the series to be produced, but was released first, on November 18, 1928. Pete was featured as the Captain of the steamboat, Mickey as a crew of one and Minnie as their single passenger. The two anthropomorphic mice first star in a sound film and spend most of its duration playing music to the tune of "Turkey in the Straw".

Minnie's Yoo-Hoo

Her next appearance was arguably more significant. Mickey's Follies (August 28, 1929), featured the first performance of the song "Minnie's Yoo-Hoo". "The guy they call little Mickey Mouse" for the first time addresses an audience to explain that he has "got a sweetie" who is "neither fat nor skinny" and proudly proclaims that "she's my little Minnie Mouse". Mickey then proceeds to explain his reaction to Minnie's call. The song firmly establishes Mickey and Minnie as a couple and expresses the importance Minnie holds for her male partner.

Damsel in distress

Her final appearance for the year was in Wild Waves, carried by a wave into the sea. She panics terribly and seems to start drowning. Mickey uses a rowboat to rescue her and return her to the shore, but Minnie is still visibly shaken from the experience. Mickey starts singing the tune of "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep", a maritime ballad, in an apparent effort to cheer her up. Minnie cheers up and the short ends. This is the second time Minnie is placed in danger and then saved by her new boyfriend. It wouldn't be the last.

In fact, this was the case with her next appearance in The Cactus Kid (May 10, 1930). As the title implies, the short was intended as a Western movie parody, but it is considered to be more or less a remake of The Gallopin' Gaucho set in Mexico instead of Argentina. Minnie was again cast as the local tavern dancer who is abducted by Peg-Leg Pedro (Black Pete in his first appearance with a peg-leg). Mickey again comes to the rescue. The short is considered significant for being the last short featuring Mickey and Minnie to be animated by Ub Iwerks.

The Shindig (July 11, 1930) featured Minnie joining Mickey, Horace and Clarabelle in a barn dance. Among them, Clarabelle seems to be the actual star of the short. Director Burt Gillett turned in another enjoyable entry in the series, proving that production could go on without Iwerks. This was arguably the first time Minnie was upstaged by a female co-star.

In The Fire Fighters (June 20, 1930), Minnie is trapped in a hotel during a fire. She spends the duration of the short in mortal peril but is rescued by firefighters under Chief Mickey Mouse. Horace Horsecollar is among the firefighters. An unnamed cow in the background is possibly Clarabelle making a cameo. The music of the short was, appropriately, the tune of "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight".

The next entry in the series is considered curious: The Gorilla Mystery (October 1, 1930). The short starts with Beppo the Gorilla escaping from a zoo. Mickey learns of it and terribly panics. He phones Minnie to warn her about the dangerous gorilla wandering about. Minnie is unconcerned and plays tunes on her piano for Mickey to hear over the phone and know she isn't afraid. Her tunes are interrupted by her scream and Mickey rushes to her house to save her. Meanwhile, Beppo has wrapped up Minnie in rope and holds her hostage. Mickey confronts the gorilla and once again rescues the damsel in distress.

Introduction of a pet

Vintage Minnie Mouse Clock c. 1958.

In The Picnic (1930), Minnie introduces her boyfriend to her new pet dog, Rover. This is actually Pluto making his first appearance as an individual character. Two unnamed bloodhound guard dogs strikingly similar to him had previously appeared in The Chain Gang (August 18, 1930) which featured Mickey incarcerated in prison without Minnie at his side. Otherwise, the short features a typical picnic excursion harassed by forest animals and brought to a premature end by a sudden rain.

The final appearance of Minnie during the year was Pioneer Days (November 20, 1930). The short featured Minnie and her mate as pioneer settlers heading to the American Old West driving a covered wagon in a wagon train. They are unsurprisingly attacked by Native Americans on their way, this was a stock plot of Western movies at the time. While their fellows are either subjected to scalping or running for their lives, Minnie is captured by the attackers. Mickey attempts to rescue her, only to be captured himself. In a reversal of their usual roles, Minnie escapes her captors and rescues her mate. They then dress as soldiers of the United States Army. Their mere appearance proves sufficient to have the entire tribe running for the hills. The Mouse couple stands triumphant at the end. The short has been criticized for its unflattering depiction of Native Americans as rather bestial predators. The finale has been edited out in recent viewings for depicting the "braves" submitting to cowardice.

In several shorts, comics and TV shows, Minnie owns a black and white kitten named Figaro, who had originated in the Disney animated feature Pinocchio.

Waning years

During the second half of the 1930s, Minnie didn't appear as often in Mickey cartoons. This was mainly due to the growth in popularity of Mickey's new sidekicks, Goofy, Donald Duck and Pluto, whose appearances in Mickey cartoons had more or less replaced Minnie's role. Minnie's appearances in Mickey cartoons thus became less numerous, but she did have a few major roles in some Pluto and Figaro cartoons during the 1940s. Minnie made a sort of comeback in the 1980s when she was re-introduced in Mickey's Christmas Carol and then got her own starring role in Totally Minnie.

Contemporary appearances

  • She starred in a 1988 musical television special on NBC called Totally Minnie, it was the first film to feature Minnie in a lead role. She also appeared in a line of merchandise called Minnie 'n Me in the 1990s. On September 18, 1990, the CD Minnie 'n Me: Songs Just For Girls was released.
  • Minnie's return to animation came in Mickey's Christmas Carol (December 16, 1983). She was cast as Mrs. Cratchit. As with most Disney characters, she was given a small cameo in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) but doesn't have any lines in the latter movie, despite her voice actress being listed in the end credits.
  • Minnie Mouse makes an appearance in every episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
  • Minnie ran a neighborhood in Disney's Toontown Online called Minnie's Melodyland. It was an intermediate area with access to Toontown Central, The Brrrgh and Donald's Dreamland.
  • Minnie is available to sign autographs and take pictures throughout the day in various locations at the different Disney Resort Theme Parks around the world. She also appears in all of the daily parades that take place at the Disney resorts.
  • In the 2013 Mickey Mouse television series, Minnie was restored to her classic 1930s look with the flowered bowler hat and flapper girl outfit. Minnie also gained more character quirks, and like the older cartoons, was subject to more slapstick and rubber hose cartoon gags.
  • On June 22, 2017, it was announced that Minnie, alongside "Weird Al" Yankovic, Zoe Saldana and Lin-Manuel Miranda, would be receiving her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018.
  • In December 2019, both Minnie and Mickey served as special co-hosts of Wheel of Fortune for two weeks during Disney's Secret Santa Giveaway while Vanna White served as the main host during Pat Sajak's absence.

On January 1, 2024, the copyrights of the first three animated Mickey Mouse cartoons and their portrayal of Mickey and Minnie Mouse expired, and they entered the public domain. They are the silent versions of the cartoons Plane Crazy and The Gallopin' Gaucho, and the sound cartoon Steamboat Willie. Newer versions of Minnie Mouse remained copyright protected. On January 1, 2025, the sound versions mentioned above, and another twelve cartoons and their depictions of Minnie become public domain.

Television

In Mickey Mouse Works, she appeared in her own segments. Occasionally, she starred in Maestro Minnie shorts, in which she conducts an orchestra of living instruments that she usually has to tame.

In House of Mouse, Minnie is in charge of running the nightclub, while Mickey primarily serves as the host. In one episode of House of Mouse, "Clarabelle's Big Secret", Minnie reveals that she has gone to the movies with Mortimer Mouse, although it isn't a date.

She appears in two children's shows on Disney Jr.: the full-length educational Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the spin-off series of shorts Minnie's Bow-Toons, where she runs a "bow-tique" selling bows like the ones she and Daisy wear. In season 2 of Bow-Toons, she displays high physical strength and balance at least twice, able to balance her entire bodyweight in a 1-finger handstand.

In the 2013 Mickey Mouse television series and its 2020 spinoff The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse, she exhibits the ability to survive her head coming off, doing a 360 degree flip and re-attaching itself, which can happen when she feels surprised.

In 2017, as part of the launch of Mickey and the Roadster Racers, Minnie's Happy Helpers adventures appear in the second half of every new episode.

Minnie as a queen and princess

Minnie has had several appearances as a princess throughout the ages, including the Mickey Mouse short films Ye Olden Days (1933) and Brave Little Tailor (1938).

Kingdom Hearts series

Minnie appears in the Kingdom Hearts game series as the queen of Disney Castle, with Mickey serving as the king and her husband. She, at the suggestion of a letter left by the missing King, sends Donald Duck and Goofy on their mission to find Mickey and the Keyblade Master, Sora. During Kingdom Hearts II, when Pete's tampering of the past causes the Heartless to appear in Disney Castle, Minnie is forced to fall back to the library up until Sora and company arrive. While Donald and Goofy head out to get the other residents to safety, Sora serves as the Queen's bodyguard to get her to the Cornerstone of Light. During this time, Minnie shows powers as a sorceress of white magic, casting a holy light on the Heartless that attack. In the prequel Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, she oversees the annually held Dream Festival in Disney Town, where Pete causes mischief up until she banishes him to another dimension as a punishment. She appears in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance in a role mirroring that in the film Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers, where she is referred to as Princess Minnie and rules a world called the Country of the Musketeers. By this, it is inferred that she, not Mickey, is the rightful ruler of Disney Castle, which is why he leaves her in charge. She makes a brief appearance in Kingdom Hearts III, welcoming Mickey, Donald and Goofy back to Disney Castle.

Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers

In the 2004 direct-to-video film Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers, Minnie plays the role of the princess of France, who continually daydreams about her true love, Mickey. She is also the only monarch getting in the way of the plans of Pete, who can't take over the kingdom if he can't get rid of her. For this particular film, Minnie is drawn with hair bangs, which do not appear in any later cartoons.

Wizards of Mickey

In the fantasy comic series Wizards of Mickey, Minnie is the sorceress princess of the kingdom of Dolmen whose people have been turned to stone, leading her to seek a magical Crystal to restore them. In her quest, she partners with her friends Daisy and Clarabelle as team Diamond Moon and eventually meets up with Mickey, the Supreme Sorcerer of Dolmen, and his group.

Voice actors

Walt Disney was one of the main creators of Minnie Mouse and her voice actor during the mid-to-late 1920s.

Minnie Mouse was first voiced by Walt Disney, who was also the original voice of Mickey Mouse.

Marjorie Ralston, a Disney inker who joined the animation team as Disney's thirteenth employee, voiced her in the 1929 short Wild Waves, but didn't further pursue the role out of shyness. Then, from 1930 up until 1941, Minnie was voiced by Marcellite Garner. Then, from 1941 to 1942 and on the radio program, The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air, she was voiced by Thelma Boardman. Boardman also voiced her in the short Mickey's Birthday Party in 1942. Shirley Reed voiced Minnie in Two-Gun Mickey expect the end. Following this, from 1944 to 1952, Ruth Clifford provided the character's voice. Janet Waldo voiced Minnie in the 1974 Disneyland record album, An Adaptation of Dickens' Christmas Carol, Performed by The Walt Disney Players.

Minnie would go without any spoken dialogue up until 1986, when Russi Taylor inherited the role, which she performed up until her death in 2019 (her husband, Wayne Allwine, voiced Mickey from 1977 up until his death in 2009), Taylor's voice is used in various TV series and theme parks via archival and posthumous dialogue. Kaitlyn Robrock officially took over as the new voice of Minnie, beginning with two Disney Jr. stop-motion Mickey Mouse shorts, Mickey Mouse and the Magical Snowy Holiday and Mickey Mouse and the Magical Holiday Bag, both released in November 2019.

Robrock continues voicing Minnie in The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse on Disney+ and onward.

Appearances in cartoon shorts

Television appearances

Notes

  1. While Plane Crazy's silent version became public domain, that version is unknown to be extant. The widely released sound version enters the public domain in 2025.

References

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  3. Scott, Keith (2022). Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age. Bear Manor Media. pp. 257–259, 261–268, 269, 272, 281. ISBN 979-8-88771-010-5.
  4. Scott, Keith (2022). Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age. Bear Manor Media. pp. 272, 274–275, 278, 294–296, 298. ISBN 979-8-88771-010-5.
  5. Scott, Keith (2022). Cartoon Voices of the Golden Age. Bear Manor Media. pp. 294–296, 300. ISBN 979-8-88771-010-5.
  6. Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 458. ISBN 978-0-19-507678-3.
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  35. "A Good Sign". Minnie's Bow-Toons. Season 2. Episode 2 (12 overall). November 19, 2012.
  36. "Movie Time". Mickey Mouse. Season 3. Episode 4 (41 overall). September 11, 2015.
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  39. Smith, Dave (2012). Disney Trivia from the Vault: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered: Secrets Revealed and Questions Answered. Disney Electronic Content. ISBN 9781423178576. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
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