Is Steamboat Willie “For the people?”
That’s a question that one of the largest personal injury law firm
s in the United States is asking a federal court in central Florida to decide.
The law firm Morgan & Morgan, known for its tagline, “For the
people,” in its ubiquitous television commercials, sued Disney on Wed
nesday in an effort to get a ruling that would allow it to use “Steam
boat Willie” in advertisements. “Steamboat Willie” was a groundbrea
king 1928 animated short film directed by Walt Disney in which Mic
key Mouse and Minnie Mouse made their first public appearances.
The law firm said that the U.S. copyright expired last year for “St
eamboat Willie,” which was a lodestar for U.S. film animation at the time, and that it had reached out to Disney to make
sure the entertainment company wouldn’t sue them if they used im
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ages from the animated film for their TV and online ads. Disney’
s lawyers responded by saying they didn’t offer legal advice to thir
d parties, according to the lawsuit.
Morgan & Morgan said it was filing the lawsuit to get a decision because it otherwise feared being sued by Disney f
or trademark infringement if it used “Steamboat Willie.”
Disney didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday evening.
In the black-and-white animated ad that Morgan & Morgan wants to air, a
voiceover announcer starts and ends the comm
ercial by saying that Disney didn’t approve or authorize the adve
rtisement. The ad shows Mickey captaining a boat
on land that crashes into a car driven by Minnie, who then pulls out h
er phone and contacts the law firm.
Photo: Walt Disney, creator of Mickey Mouse, poses at the Pan
coast Hotel in Miami, Fla., on Aug. 13, 1941. (AP Photo, File)