M-I-C-K-(E)Y M-O-U-S-E

The original Micky

Most people only know about Walt Disney and his famous mouse. What they don't know is that Mickey (or Micky as the original toy was called) originated in my hometown of Middletown, PA. According to the Middletown Borough, around 1931: 

The Disney Corporation sued the Performo-Toy Company claiming they took Micky from Disney. The small toy company was no match for the large production company and the courts ordered the Performo-Toy Company to stop all production of the Micky toys and destroy any existing stock. Even catalogs containing Micky had to be destroyed. This tragedy, along with the Great Depression, was enough to put the Performo-Toy Company out of business.

But the Performo toy was patented in 1926; while Disney did not receive a trademark until 1928 and oddly enough, both used the same distribution company once Disney started distributing their toy dolls.

Taken from the Middletown Borough

As the story goes (or rumor depending on who you listen to), the Performo toy Micky was being sold across the Northeast when Walt Disney took a trip to New York City. The Middletown historians believe that Disney borrowed the idea from this toy and the rest, they say, is history. Feel free to read more about Micky and my town here.