The year 1928 was arguably the most pivotal in Walt Disney's career, marked by both a devastating loss and a revolutionary debut. In early 1928, Walt discovered that his distributor, Charles Mintz, had effectively stolen the rights to his popular character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, and hired away most of Disney's animators. Refusing to work for Mintz, Walt and his partner Ub Iwerks created a new character in secret: Mickey Mouse. On May 15, 1928, the first Mickey short, Plane Crazy, had a silent test screening but failed to find a distributor. However, on November 18, 1928, Disney released Steamboat Willie at the Colony Theatre in New York. It was one of the first cartoons with fully synchronized sound, and it was an instant global sensation. This date is now celebrated as Mickey Mouse's official birthday. By the end of 1928, Walt Disney had transformed from a struggling animator into a pioneer of a new era of entertainment, securing his independence and setting the stage for the Disney empire.