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“Neither fat nor skinny; She’s the horse’s AnD whinny; She’s MicKeY Minnie my little INSIDE THEIR 90-YEAR LOVE STORY .” IN MINNIE’S YOO HOO

ROMEO AND JULIET. MICKEY WINS PRINCESS MINNIE’S HAND BOGIE AND BACALL. KEN IN MARRIAGE AFTER AND BARBIE. A LIST OF SUBDUING THE GIANT IN 1938’S THE THE MOST FAMOUS LOVE . STORIES OF ALL TIME ISN’T COMPLETE WITHOUT MICKEY AND MINNIE.

t was a match made in heaven. He was I charismatic, mischievous and a bit of a troublemaker. She was sophisticated, intelligent and often the more responsible. Mickey is voice of reason. He wooed her with constantly working on himself MICKEY STEALS flowers, songs and heroic overtures, in an effort to gain Minnie’s A KISS IN 1928’S and she soon found she couldn’t resist affections.” Minnie is now a . his charms. Ninety years ago, Mickey cultural icon, known all around Mouse and Minnie Mouse fell in the globe for her sweet nature— love—and they’ve been by each other’s not to mention her sides ever since. oversize bow and high heels. But Not only did Mickey and Minnie Of course, like any good love story, she was originally brought to life as a go on to become one of the world’s Mickey and Minnie’s romance got foil for Mickey. most beloved couples, but Minnie off to a bit of a rocky start. When ’s first successful also provided endless inspiration for both characters were introduced to , , Mickey’s character development in the world in 1928’s animated short was an incorrigible flirt who was movies, comics, books and TV. DESPITE SOME UPS AND DOWNS, 90 YEARS LATER, Plane Crazy, he was abrasive; she, always in pursuit of love, which MICKEY AND MINNIE meanwhile, played hard to get. In provided endless material for jokes HOW MICKEY ARE STILL CRAZY IN LOVE. fact, in their very first scene together, and story lines. So Walt felt he needed WON HER OVER Minnie rejects Mickey’s advances and someone for Mickey to pine after, as On-screen and in the Mickey Mouse promptly parachutes out of his plane well. “To put it simply, these cartoon comics, Mickey spends a good chunk when he plants an unwanted kiss on characters needed co-stars,” says of his time trying to make Minnie her! But as their characters evolved, Goldberg. “They needed adventures happy—he serenades her, takes her so did their relationship. to go on and things to do. Plots with ice-skating and brings her chocolates. “Minnie changed Mickey in many love interests worked well in other He also gets close to her family, once ways,” says Aaron H. Goldberg, author successful , so Walt also went saving her parents’ farm from egg of The Disney Story: Chronicling down that road [with Mickey].” robbers. This is all when he’s not the Man, the Mouse and the Parks. It was another stroke of genius busy saving his prized “damsel in “She grounded him and made him for the groundbreaking animator: distress” from the clutches of , or

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from a hotel fire or a rogue Gorilla. Minnie’s style has also evolved Madonna or Cyndi Lauper, but a Minnie—a die-hard romantic over the decades. Her debut look tamer version,” says Goldberg. “She IN MICKEY’S CHRISTMAS CAROL, A who once said of her dream man, was inspired by the ’ flapper- became less like a Stepford wife, and 1983 ADAPTATION OF “Just imagine…. He’ll stride into girl trend, with a short skirt, black more independent, more than just ’ the room; a light will glow from tights, a pillbox hat with a daisy a to Mickey,” he notes. In CLASSIC TALE, MINNIE him. I’ll hear music, he’ll bring me sticking out of it and high heels 1988, she starred in her very own AND MICKEY STAND IN FOR THE CRATCHITS. flowers and he’ll sweep me off my that were a size (or two) too big. TV musical called . feet! And, I’ll know he’s the one In 1940, she and Mickey were Minnie has remained a Disney focal when he makes me laugh”—becomes redesigned; her hat was replaced point ever since—and she’s more Mickey’s biggest fan. “Minnie’s very with a bow, bows were added to popular today than ever. The hashtag supportive of Mickey,” says Goldberg her shoes and she began to don her #MinnieMouse boasts nearly 5 of the couple, whose marital status signature polka dot pattern. million posts on Instagram. She’s is often questioned (see sidebar, below). “And he loves that she’s always there to cheer him on.” “I try to build a full COMING INTO HER OWN personality for each of Minnie soon evolved from being ’s one-dimensional love our cartoon characters.” interest. “She transformed over the WALT DISNEY years, becoming more independent,” says Goldberg of the stylish fan- favorite, who loves dancing, singing, SECOND ACT celebrated as a style influencer: cooking and accompanying Mickey As adored as she was, Minnie became In 2017, she caused a media frenzy on his wild adventures. Minnie is also more of a background player from when she attended New York Fashion seen as someone who’s just as smart— the 1950s through the ’70s as other Week. She’s been dressed by big-wig if not smarter—than her besotted Disney characters like , designers like Diane von Furstenberg beau. In the filmPioneer Days, she and were being featured and sneaker brand Vans recently put MICKEY actually rescues Mickey from a band more and more. But Minnie had a out a Minnie line of kicks. In January SHOWS OFF HIS of attackers, not the other way around. huge comeback beginning in the 2018, Minnie got a star on the CHIVALROUS And while she’s widely known for her 1980s, starting with her appearance —40 years SIDE IN 1933’S cheerful demeanor, she can also be in 1983’s Mickey’s Christmas Carol. after Mickey got his. At the ceremony, . feisty and outspoken, putting bullies Then, in 1986, “Disney declared it she gave a special shout-out to her (and even Mickey!) in their the year of Minnie, and gave her main mouse: “I am so happy that place when necessary. another makeover in the mold of you’re here to share this with me.”

are mickey and Minnie married? MINNIE AND MICKEY FLIRT ON A RIVER BOAT Fans of the loved-up couple often wonder IN . if they’re wed, which Walt Disney himself addressed in a 1930 issue of Film Pictorial magazine: “In private life, Mickey is married to Minnie,” he said at the time. “A lot of people ask this question because sometimes he appears to MINNIE’S STYLE HAS EVOLVED be married to her in his films and other times, still OVER THE YEARS. IN A courting her. What it really amounts to is that 2014 EPISODE OF BOW-TOONS, Minnie is, for screen purposes, his leading lady. SHE SPORTED A VERY If the story calls for a romantic courtship, then RIPPED-FROM-THE-RUNWAY Minnie is the girl; but when the story requires a FIT-AND-FLARE DRESS. married couple, then they appear as man and wife. In the studio, we have decided that they are married already.” So there you have it!

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