Mortimer Mouse

Mortimer Mouse as shown in Mickey's Rival

Mortimer Mouse is a cartoon character created by Walt Disney and used in Walt Disney films and stories. He has been presented as both the uncle of Minnie Mouse, and later presented as an unrelated mouse who was Mickey's rival for Minnie's affections. Mickey Mouse was first going to be named Mortimer. However, Lillian Disney, Walt's wife, believed the name "Mortimer" sounded too pompous and suggested the name Mickey instead, so "Mortimer" later became the name of Mickey's rival.

Minnie's uncle

The first was created by Floyd Gottfredson for Disney studio. He was Minnie Mouse's ranch-owning cattleman uncle. He first appeared in the comic strip Mickey Mouse in Death Valley (1930). After that, he appeared in many Mickey Mouse comic strip adventures in the early 1930s.

Mickey's Rival

In the 1936 cartoon short Mickey's Rival, Mortimer Mouse was introduced as Mickey's competition for Minnie's affections. In the comics, this Mortimer was briefly renamed Montmorency (Monty) Rodent (pronounced "Ro-Dawn"), in an attempt to differentiate him from the pre-existing uncle, but the new name did not stick. Mickey's rival was once again called Mortimer in later comics — and in the animated series Mickey Mouse Works and House of Mouse, where their character utilized the catchphrase, "Ha-cha-cha!"

In House of Mouse and Mickey Mouse Works, Mortimer as Mickey's rival is voiced by Maurice LaMarche. As Minnie's boss in Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas, he was voiced by Jeff Bennett.

Mortimer Mouse occasionally appears in a non-speaking cameo in the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode, Minnie's Birthday on the Playhouse Disney, sitting beneath a tree, playing a guitar.

External links

• Mortimer Mouse at the INDUCKS
• Mortimer Mouse at the Internet Movie Database