Famous character of Walt Disney 's animated cartoons.
He was introduced in Steamboat Willie (1928), the first animated cartoon with sound. Mickey was created by Disney, who also provided his high-pitched voice, and was usually drawn by the studio's head animator, Ub Iwerks. Noted for his overlarge head and round black ears, he became the star of more than 100 cartoon shorts. The Mickey Mouse Club was one of the most popular television shows for children in the U.S. in the 1950s, and the signature black cap with mouse ears worn by the show's stars became one of the most widely distributed items in merchandising history.