Mickey Mouse and Ub Iwerks. Iwerks again served as the head animator, assisted by Johnny Cannon, Les Clark, Wilfred Jackson and Dick Lundy. This short was intended as a parody of Buster Keaton's "Steamboat Bill, Jr.", first released on May 12 of the same year. Although it was the third Mickey cartoon produced, it was the first to find a distributor, and thus is considered by The Disney Company as Mickey's debut. "Willie" featured changes to Mickey's appearance (in particular, simplifying his eyes to large dots) that established his look for later cartoons and in numerous Walt Disney films. The cartoon was
The Gallopin' Gaucho The Gallopin' Gaucho The Gallopin' Gaucho is the second short film featuring Mickey Mouse to be produced, following "Plane Crazy" and preceding "Steamboat Willie". The Disney studios completed the silent version in August 1928, but did not release it in order to work on "Steamboat Willie". It was released, with sound, after "Steamboat Willie". Both Mickey and Minnie Mouse had already made their debuts with the release of "Plane Crazy" on May 15, 1928. However that film had also failed to catch the attention of distributors when first produced as a silent film. "The Gallopin' Gaucho" was a second attempt