What year did Mickey Mouse make his debut?

Mickey Mouse made his debut in 1928.

The character was created by Walt Disney and animator Ub Iwerks as a replacement for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, whose rights were controlled by Universal. Disney initially considered the name Mortimer Mouse, but Lillian Disney reportedly suggested the friendlier name Mickey. Iwerks then developed the character’s distinctive early design and animated many of the first shorts.

Mickey appeared in test screenings of Plane Crazy and later in The Gallopin’ Gaucho, both produced in 1928 but initially lacking distributors. His public breakthrough came with Steamboat Willie, released in New York on November 18, 1928. The short was not the first Mickey film made, but it was the first distributed one and became famous for its synchronized soundtrack.

That distinction explains why some accounts describe Mickey’s first appearance as Plane Crazy while others call Steamboat Willie his debut. For a general trivia question asking what year he debuted, both milestones point to the same answer: 1928. Minnie Mouse also made her public debut alongside him in Steamboat Willie.