12 little-known facts about Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
1. If it weren’t for Walt Disney‘s wife, Mickey Mouse would have been named Mortimer Mouse. It was Lily’s suggestion that he be named Mickey.
2. Minnie has said this about her ultimate dream man: “He’ll stride into the room; a light will glow from him. I’ll hear music. He’ll bring me flowers. He’ll swing me off my feet! And I’ll know he’s the one when he makes me laugh.”
3. The first time Minnie appeared alongside Mickey was in 1929 short called “Plane Crazy.” In it, Mickey invites Minnie along for a ride in his plane. When he kisses her mid-flight, she parachutes out of the plane. Bummer.
4. Though Mickey and Minnie have never been married onscreen, Walt Disney said in a 1933 interview that “in private life, Mickey is married to Minnie.”
5. The first time Mickey referred to Minnie as his girlfriend was through song in 1929’s Mickey’s Follies where he sang that he “got a sweetie…she’s my little Minnie Mouse.”
6. Both of Minnie’s parents are farmers.
7. Minnie’s full name is Minerva.
8. Mickey is the first cartoon character to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
9. Minnie is an unofficial Disney princess. In fact, Mickey once said to her: “Gosh, Minnie, you’ve always been a princess to me.”
10. Walt Disney provided the original voices for both Mickey and Minnie from 1929 to 1946. He didn’t like any of the other voice actors originally cast for the roles.
11. Mickey’s rival, Mortimer Mouse, is actually Minnie’s ex-boyfriend.
12. And finally, the most romantic piece of trivia ever: The woman who voiced Minnie, Russi Taylor, married the man who voiced Mickey, Wayne Allwine, in 1991. They were married until Wayne’s death in 2009.
