Mickey Mouse

''When people laugh at Mickey Mouse, it's because he's so human; and that is the secret of his popularity. I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing — that it was all started by a mouse.''

Michel Mouse (better known simply as Mickey Mouse) is the main protagonist of The Walt Disney Company.

Fancifully estimated as standing 2 ft. 3 in. (69 cm) and weighing 23 pounds (10 kg), Mickey rapidly rose to the pinnacle of American culture, being more widely recognized overseas than any other American icon but the U.S. flag. For over 80 years, he has signified The Walt Disney Company, animation, goodwill, fun, laughter and most of all Walt Disney himself. It was said by Lillian Disney, his wife, that over the years, Mickey and Walt grew together and were mirrors of each other's personality. They both started off mischievous and cheeky, but as they grew older preferred to step out of the spotlight and observe others work their magic. President Jimmy Carter once said; "Mickey Mouse is the symbol of goodwill, surpassing all languages and cultures. When one sees Mickey Mouse, they see happiness". Mickey also shares the same birthday with Minnie Mouse, his girlfriend.

Mickey served as the titular main protagonist in the classic shorts and movies from 1928 to 1953 before having his role passed on to Donald Duck and into the commercials, but he served as the host for The Mickey Mouse Club, and one of the main characters in Walt Disney anthology series before returning as the main protagonist in 1983. He later served as a background character in most of the series and commercials then returned to television when first staring in the Mickey Mouse Works series and Disney's House of Mouse as the central character. He then appeared as the main protagonist in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, the new Mickey Mouse TV series shorts, and Mickey and the Roadster Racers/Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures.

Mickey's three-circle silhouette serves as the logo for most of Disney's subsidiaries, save for the ones that don't carry the 'Disney' or 'Walt Disney' label. Andy Warhol's portrait The Art of Mickey Mouse used Warhol's famous pop art techniques on the classic mouse. Mickey is often cited as the world's most beloved cartoon character.

Most would not consider Mickey a cartoon icon to be a hero but he has played a major role as a hero in the Kingdom Hearts video game series. He is seen as a hero in the Disney Theme Park nighttime show Fantasmic!. In the show, he takes on many of Disney's most infamous villains with a few fellow good guys helping him.

He was voiced by the late founder and his creator Walt Disney, the late Clarence Nash for only one short, who was also originally the first voice of Donald Duck, and the late James MacDonald in 1947 in the old Classic shorts. In the new series, he is voiced Les Perkins in the specials, the late Wayne Allwine from 1977 to 2009, and by Bret Iwan through the rest of the series and Chris Diamantopoulos in the new shorts.