Steamboat Willie has been at the helm of Disney animation from the early days, steering it forward through the seas of imagination. Released at the Colony Theatre in New York on November 18, 1928, Steamboat Willie was directed by Walt Disney and is considered the debut of Mickey Mouse.

Through the decades since its release, Steamboat Willie has received widespread critical acclaim, not only for introducing one of the world’s most popular cartoon characters, but for its innovation. The film is notable for being the first cartoon with synchronized sound. It was also the first cartoon to feature a post-produced soundtrack using a fifteen piece band and the voice of Walt Disney himself as Mickey.