25 Most Iconic Disney Characters

variety.com:

“Steamboat Willie” (1928) Technically, Mickey Mouse is not the first animated creation from the fledgling Disney studio — that would be Oswald the Lucky Rabbit — but the character with the distinctive ears took off in ways his toon predecessor never did, fueling the company to great economic heights, frequently with girlfriend Minnie by his side.

There’s good reason that entertainment publications such as Variety have long referred to the company as the Mouse House. Bret Iwan, the voice of Mickey since 2009, believes the character’s humble beginnings — so similar to Walt’s own — make him relatable to all ages. “It’s this story of a little guy going on to do great big things,” Iwan says. “I always joke that Mickey is a mutual friend that we all know and love.” And then there’s Minnie, the yin to Mickey’s yang. “Lest anybody forget, Minnie has been around as long as Mickey,” says longtime Disney animator Eric Goldberg, noting she also first appeared in “Steamboat Willie” in 1928. “Absolutely, she is his equal.” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937) Snow White, a fairy tale character dating back to the 1800s, became Disney’s first movie princess in the ambitious 1937 film named for her.

Dubbed Disney’s folly during production, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” became the first traditionally animated feature film, and ended up a box office hit, vindicating Walt Disney’s decision to take out a mortgage to finance it.