友人より、藤原新也の「アメリカ」のなかの
「ミッキー・マウスの謎」についてお話し。
それに触発されて調べると、ウオルト・デズニー
が自作の人気アニメ、ラビットをユニバーサルに取り上げられて、
独自のアニメを探しているときに偶然、自分の
農場で飼っているマウスが思い浮かんだとか。
１９２８年の話し。
何故、ミッキー・マウスがその人気を保っているかですが、
多分、その無害さでしょうね。チャップリンが山高帽とチョビ
髭で人気があったような無害さですね。
サザエさんもそう言えば無害なキャラクターですね。
You may have missed it, but one of the great inspirational figures of the last century celebrated his 80th birthday a few days ago. Born in Los Angeles in 1928, he has surely brought more pleasure to more people than anyone of his generation. His features are recognizable in almost every city on earth, and he has probably raised a smile from almost everyone whose life he has touched.
And while his name has become a metaphor for anything gimcrack, cheap or childish, he remains the supreme symbol of American optimism, fun and sheer zest for life. He is, of course, Mickey Mouse.
Like all great creations, Mickey was the
result of serendipity. Had Walt Disney not
fallen out with his paymasters at Universal
Studios, we might now be marking the birthday
of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit - who is still
going himself, although he is unlikely to
be sending Mickey a present. Instead, Disney
started a new studio.