Credit: Walt Disney PicturesWalt Disney will forever be associated with Mickey Mouse as his greatest creation, but the character and the company might not even exist if not for Ub Iwerks.
Ub Iwerks was practically Walt’s right-hand man, serving as lead animator during the dawn of the Walt Disney Company. Despite honoring him as a Disney Legend and including some of his work on Disney+, the studio hasn’t done nearly enough to make his name better known to the general audience.
Related: Beloved Comedy Legend Tragically Passes Away After Filming Disney Documentary
As much as Iwerks did for Walt Disney and the evolution of the studio’s most famous character, the studio has essentially only done the basics to keep his name in the public consciousness. Even Disney+ only reveals Steamboat Willie (1928) when his name is searched. However, his granddaughter isn’t letting him be forgotten.
The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story
Leslie Iwerks, known for her documentary work on projects like The Imagineering Story, released The Hand Behind the Mouse (1999) to commemorate her grandfather’s role in the creation of Mickey and the foundation of the Walt Disney Company. Based on his granddaughter’s book of the same name, the film shows just how instrumental the animator was in the Disney legacy.
Now that Ub Iwerks’ Mickey has officially entered the public domain with cartoons like Plane Crazy (1928) and Steamboat Willie (1929), it’s time that his artistic contributions were given the honor and respect they deserve. While Disney has included some of what Leslie Iwerks described to this writer as “the definitive Mickey” on its streaming service, this documentary has yet to appear.
The Hand Behind the Mouse does a full dive into the life and career of Ub Iwerks, as well as his relationship with Walt Disney and his studio. Although it’s unknown why the documentary hasn’t joined the likes of The Imagineering Story, Frank and Ollie (1995), or Howard (2020), it might be just another case of Iwerk being cast as the ultimate unsung hero. It’s definitely not the first time something like this has happened.
In this writer’s opinion, talking about Mickey without Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks only completes a fraction of the picture. Since Mickey wouldn’t exist without Disney’s concepts or Iwerks’ artistic talent, it’s only fitting that both are given direct credit.
Inside the Magic would like to thank Leslie Iwerks for her time and contributions to this article.
Have You Seen The Hand Behind the Mouse? Tell Inside the Magic what you thought in the comments below!