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The
law firm Morgan & Morgan, known for its tagline, “For the
people,” in its ubiquitous television commercials, sued Disney
on Wednesday in an effort to get a ruling that would allow it to
use “Steamboat Willie” in advertisements. “Steamboat Willie” was
a groundbreaking 1928 animated short film directed by Walt
Disney in which Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse made their first
public appearances.
The law firm said that the U.S. copyright expired last year for
“Steamboat 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 images
from the animated film for their TV and online ads. Disney's
lawyers responded by saying they didn't offer legal advice to
third 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 for 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 commercial by
saying that Disney didn't approve or authorize the
advertisement. The ad shows Mickey captaining a boat on land
that crashes into a car driven by Minnie, who then pulls out her
phone and contacts the law firm.
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