Mickey Mouses predecessor, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, hops back to The Walt Disney Co. from NBC/Universal, the company that had previously owned the rights to Oswald since his theatrical debut in 1927.
As the forerunner to Mickey Mouse and an important part of Walt Disneys creative legacy, the fun and mischievous Oswald is back where he belongs, at the home of his creator and among the stable of beloved characters created by Walt himself, said Disney president/ceo Robert A. Iger.
When Bob was named ceo, he told me he wanted to bring Oswald back to Disney, and I appreciate that he is a man of his word, said Walt Disneys daughter Diane Disney Miller. Having Oswald around again is going to be a lot of fun.
When Walt Disney opened his animation studio in 1923, he produced THE ALICE COMEDIES, a popular series of shorts featuring a live girl in a cartoon world. After four years, Disney created a new character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. He produced 26 OSWALD cartoons, which were distributed by Universal. However, on a train trip to New York City to renew his contract for Oswald, Walt discovered a clause in his contract that gave Universal ownership of his popular new character. On the ride back to Hollywood, Disney realized he needed to create a new character, and soon Mickey Mouse was born.
In return for this transfer of ownership, part of an agreement permits sportscaster Al Michaels to contract with NBC. In the transaction ESPN also acquired significant programming and promotional rights, including telecast rights to the live Friday coverage of four Ryder Cup golf championships through 2014, expanded video highlights for the Olympics through 2012, video promotion for ESPNs MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL during NBCs Sunday night football through 2011, and expanded highlight rights for other NBC Sports properties through 2011.
The Walt Disney Co. (www.disney.com), together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment and consumer products. Disney is a Dow 30 company, had annual revenues of nearly $32 billion in its most recent fiscal year, and a market capitalization of approximately $51 billion as of Feb. 8, 2006.
