On September 19, 1928, the cartoon Steamboat Willie premiered at the Colony Theater in New York and forever altered the history of animation. The cartoon is noted for both introducing Mickey Mouse to the American public and for being the first animated film to include synchronized sound. The short, which was based on the earlier Buster Keaton (1895–1966) silent film Steamboat Bill, Jr., portrays Mickey as a boat captain who prances about with a cargo of livestock, employing the various animals as musical instruments. He also manages to rescue Minnie Mouse from the villainous Pegleg Pete. The cartoon was an instant success. It is credited with establishing Disney's (see entry under 1920s—Film and Theater in volume 2) dominance in the field of animation.

Walt Disney (1901–1966) was a young animator during the 1920s who had achieved some success with a series of cartoons featuring a character named Oswald the...