While Mickey gets a lot of credit for spurring the success of The Walt Disney Company – Oswald the Lucky Rabbit deserves his own credit. On September 5th, 1927, the first Oswald the Lucky Rabbit short was released through Universal. After all, Walt Disney worked for them in 1927! Disney would continue to create Oswald shorts for Universal Pictures and a distributor called, “Winkler Pictures”. This would be a year before Mickey Mouse’s Steamboat Willie would be released in 1928! Oswald was one of Walt Disney’s first creations and the money Walt earned would help his struggling studio gain the momentum it carries to this day.
Walt would return home to Hollywood with the crushing realization that Universal would own his beloved Oswald. Needing a naughty, adorable character of his own, Walt would go on to create a brand new character – maybe you’ve heard of him: Mickey Mouse. For years, Universal had an iron-clad agreement and would hold on to the rights for Oswald, so it seemed as though Walt Disney’s brainchild would remain with them.
It wasn’t until a chance opened that Bob Iger was unwilling to pass up! According to The Walt Disney Company, “Disney CEO Bob Iger crafted an agreement with NBCUniversal in 2006 that would bring Oswald back to The Walt Disney Company. Iger—knowing how important Oswald was to the Disney family and the company’s legacy—traded the contract of sportscaster Al Michaels to NBC for the rights to the character.” You read that right! After 79 years with Universal, Bob Iger managed to gain the rights for Oswald to be with the Walt Disney Company.
Since Oswald’s triumphant return, Disney has made sure to make this beloved character feel right at home. For the first time in 95 years, a new Oswald short was released for Disney100’s celebration.
We hope that with Oswald back with Disney, and with the release of this adorable 1-minute short, we may see a bit more of Oswald – because he, in fact, is a very Lucky Rabbit.
Are you happy to see Oswald back? Let us know in the comments below!
Images: Walt Disney Company, D23, Walt Disney Studios
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