Oswald

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

Who???

To the average Disney fan, this character doesn’t mean much, if anything. But in the history of animation and Disney, he is as important as Mickey Mouse.

I won’t recap why. Wikipedia does it just fine. Safe to say that is was an experience as well. One that Walt Disney learned from. And moved on, never to remember.

In 2005, at Disneyland’s 50th, Bob Iger shared with Diane Disney Miller that he had secured all rights to Oswald from Universal MCA. It was reestablishing ties with the past.

Diane later admitted it was nice to hear but had no idea who or what Oswald was. Because Walt never spoke of him. He had just moved on and put everything related to the character behind him.

I have to wonder what Walt would have thought about the revival that this Lucky Rabbit is enjoying today. If nothing else, a good laugh, or a friendly chuckle.

It is undeniable that Oswald shares much of Mickey from those first days in animation. As so much of Walt was Mickey, would we have seen the same if Oswald had stayed in the spotlight? Can anyone imagine what the character might have changed into over the years? Pie eyed Oswald. Oswald with Donald and Goofy in “Lonesome Ghosts”. It could go on and on…

Indeed, one Lucky Rabbit.