Born on November 18, 1928, with the premiere of Steamboat Willie, Mickey Mouse became the cheerful hero of a new animation era. Walt Disney and his friend Ub Iwerks created the mouse at a time when Disney’s fortunes were at their lowest ebb. “He popped out of my mind onto a drawing pad,” Disney recalled — and the world has been smiling ever since.

Disney loved mice so much he kept live ones in his desk drawer to sketch. Ub Iwerks refined the original drawings for easier animation, giving Mickey his timeless look. Whistling at the steamboat’s wheel, he brought synchronized sound to cartoons for the first time, changing film history forever.

Inspired by Charlie Chaplin, Disney gave Mickey resilience and humor — a little guy who kept trying his best, no matter what. During the Great Depression, Mickey’s plucky optimism lifted spirits worldwide, winning fans like President Franklin Roosevelt, Britain’s King George V, and even Italy’s Mussolini.

“When people laugh at Mickey Mouse, it’s because he’s so human; and that is the secret of his popularity,” Disney believed. “You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make the dream a reality.”

Mickey reminds us that optimism, even a little mischief, can change the world. The smallest mouse can carry the biggest dreams.