Plane Crazy holds the distinction of being the first Mickey Mouse cartoon ever produced. Created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, it was completed in early 1928 and featured Mickey attempting to fly a homemade airplane in a slapstick homage to Charles Lindbergh.
Originally a silent film, Plane Crazy struggled to find a distributor and was not released to the public at the time. Without sound, it failed to attract much interest in the increasingly competitive animation market, which was moving quickly toward synchronised audio.
Following the massive success of Steamboat Willie - which premiered in November 1928 with synchronised sound - Disney decided to add a soundtrack to Plane Crazy. It was finally released to theaters in March 1929, several months after Steamboat Willie had made Mickey Mouse a household name.
Why It's Still Important?
Though Steamboat Willie is officially considered Mickey Mouse’s debut, Plane Crazy remains historically significant as:
- The first cartoon ever animated with Mickey Mouse
- An example of Ub Iwerks’ incredible solo animation work, as he reportedly animated it in about two weeks
- A key piece of animation history, showing Disney’s early attempts before the sound revolution
As of January 1, 2024, Plane Crazy (1928) is officially in the public domain in the United States. This applies to the original silent version, which anyone can now view, share, or reuse freely. Later versions and modern appearances of Mickey Mouse remain protected by copyright and trademark.