- January 21
- Ub Iwerks tells Roy Disney he wants to leave the Disney studio. Roy offers him $5000 for his 20 percent share of the company. [1102.143]
- January 22
- Disney's resident music director, Carl Stalling, resigns to join Ub Iwerks in his new studio. He is lured away by Pat Powers doubling his salary to US$300 per week. [34.57] [1102.145]
- January 24
- Ub Iwerks again talks to Roy Disney, explaining his departure, for an offer by Pat Powers' company to start his own film studio. Roy reduces his buyout offer to $2920, payable in one year. Iwerks accepts. [23] [229.39] [34.55] [40.126] [63.24] [96.10] [1102.143]
- Disney signs a contract with King Features for the Mickey Mouse comic strip. [96.77] [113.17] [244.20]
- (month unknown)
- Walt Disney contacts Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio head Louis Mayer about signing with Disney for distribution of its films. (Initially Mayer agrees, but he soon changes his mind when Pat Powers threatens to sue anyone who interferes with his exclusive contract of the rights to Disney's films.) [34.56]
- Walt Disney contacts Columbia Pictures studio head Harry Cohn, who agrees to distribute Disney's films. Starting February 7, 1930, Columbia begins advancing Disney US$7000 per cartoon. (Pat Powers sues, Cohn countersues, and Powers backs off.) [34.56] [47.140] [49.297] [267.66] (1928 [23])
- February 3
- Roy Disney signs a contract for Disney merchandising, with George Borgfeldt & Company of New York, to produce toys with Mickey and Minnie Mouse characters. [48.106] [56.73] [113.39] [96.73] [228.64] [267.68] (January 29 [1102.141])
- February 15
- Disney completes the Silly Symphony film Autumn. [16] [23] (released [1378.49])
- March 6
- Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film Just Mickey. It is also called Fiddlin' Around. [16] [23]
- March
- King Features asks Disney to turn the Mickey Mouse comic strip into a continuous serial. [82.13]
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- March 15
- Disney completes the Silly Symphony film Cannibal Capers. [16] [7] [23]
- March 20
- The Silly Symphony film Cannibal Capers is released. [1378.115]
- Roy Disney sends a letter to the Buzza Company, proposing a series of books featuring Mickey Mouse. [267.68]
- March 27
- George Borgfeldt & Company of New York issues its first Disney merchandising license to Walkburger, Tanner and Company of St. Gall, Switzerland, for manufacturing handkerchiefs featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse. [96.73] (Waldburger, Tanner & Company [113.39])
- March 31
- The first episode of the first Mickey Mouse adventure story comic strip, "Mickey Mouse in Death Valley" is published in newspapers. [82.13] [96.77]
- At this date, about 60 theaters are operating Mickey Mouse Clubs. [267.69]
- April 2
- Clarabelle Cow is first used in the Mickey Mouse comic strip. [113.18]
- April 3
- Horace Horsecollar is first used in the Mickey Mouse comic strip. [113.18]
- April 5
- The Mickey Mouse film The Barnyard Concert is completed. [16] [23]
- April 10
- The Mickey Mouse film The Barnyard Concert is released. [1378.60]
- April
- Floyd Gottfredson takes over drawing the Mickey Mouse comic strip. (He will continue until retiring on 1975.) [82.13] [228.214]
- April 14
- Peg Leg Pete is added to the Mickey Mouse comic strip series. [96.77] [113.18]
- April 15
- The first issue of the Official Bulletin of the Mickey Mouse Club is published. [113.100,328]
- April 18
- Disney completes the Silly Symphony film Night. [16] [23]
- April 21
- The Mickey Mouse film Just Mickey is released to theaters. [228.270]
- April 23
- Walt abandons Pat Powers as distributor, agreeing to a US$100,000 settlement to buy back the rights to their cartoon films, and get out of the deal to use the Cinephone system. [23] [48.103] [267.66] [1102.154] (US$50,000 settlement [34.57] [40.129])
- April 25
- The Mickey Mouse film Wild Waves is released to theaters. [501.612]
- April 28
- The Silly Symphony film Night is released to theaters. [228.357]
- May 5
- The first Mickey Mouse comic strip drawn and inked by Floyd Gottfredson is published. [96.77] [113.17,325]
- May 10
- Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Cactus Kid. Minnie Mouse also appears. [16] [23]
- May 15
- The Mickey Mouse film The Cactus Kid is released. It stars Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Peg Leg Pete. [1378.109]
- May 19
- Floyd Gottfredson takes over writing the Mickey Mouse comic strip. [113.325]
- May 23
- Disney completes the Silly Symphony film Frolicking Fish. [16] [23]
- June 17
- William Banks Levy becomes Disney's representative in England, receiving authority to license Mickey and Minnie Mouse character merchandise. [113.81]
- June 20
- Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Fire Fighters. Minnie Mouse also appears. [16] [23] [15]
- June 21
- The Silly Symphony film Frolicking Fish is released to theaters. [228.197]
- June 25
- The Mickey Mouse film The Fire Fighters is released to theaters. [228.185]
- June 26
- Disney completes the Silly Symphony film Arctic Antics. [16] [23]
- June 27
- The Silly Symphony film Arctic Antics is released to theaters. [1378.39]
- (month unknown)
- The Bank of Italy agrees to lend money to Disney. [267.67]
- Roy Disney grants permission to French journalist Paul Winkler to publish Mickey Mouse comics in European newspapers. [267.209]
- The Mickey Mouse Club concept is expanded to hundreds of theaters. [23]
- Madame Tussauds wax museum in London, England, adds a waxwork figure of Mickey Mouse playing the piano. [96.23]
- A song by Harry Carlton includes the lines "There's a certain animile, making everybody smile. What's this fellow's name? Mickey! Mickey! Tricky Mickey Mouse!". [96.23]
- Floyd Gottfredson becomes head of the Comic Strip Department. [228.214]
- July 11
- Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Shindig. [16] [23]
- July
- Germany's film censors ban the Mickey Mouse film The Barnyard Battle because "the wearing of German military helmets by an army of cats which opposes a militia of mice is offensive to the national dignity". [96.24] [97.30]
- July 28
- The Silly Symphony film Midnight in a Toy Shop is completed. [23] (Midnite [16])
- July 29
- The Mickey Mouse film The Shindig is released to theaters. [501.496]
- August 9
- Walt Disney copyrights the sound version of the film Plane Crazy. [63.159]
- Walt Disney copyrights the sound version of the film Gallopin' Gaucho. [63.159]
- August 16
- The Silly Symphony film Midnight in a Toy Shop is released to theaters. [228.329]
- August 18
- Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Chain Gang. This film debuts Pluto the dog, though he is not named. [16] [1] [7] [23] [15] [40.146] [48.129] [97.42] [185.34]
- September 2
- Disney completes the Silly Symphony film Monkey Melodies. [16] [23]
- September 5
- The Mickey Mouse film The Chain Gang is released to theaters. This film debuts Pluto the dog, though he is not named. [1378.127] (October [22])
- September 22
- Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Gorilla Mystery. Minnie Mouse also appears. [16] [23] [15]
- September 26
- The Silly Symphony film Monkey Melodies is released to theaters. [228.338]
- October 9
- Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film The Picnic. Minnie Mouse also appears. Pluto also appears as "Rover", Minnie's dog. [16] [23] [97.42]
- October 10
- Disney releases the Mickey Mouse film The Gorilla Mystery. [228.214]
- October
- Bibo-Lang publishes the first Disney book, The Mickey Mouse Book. It is a thin, green-colored pamphlet. [22] [96.79] [228.321] [1378.11,75]
- October 22
- Disney completes the Silly Symphony film Winter. [16] [23]
- October 23
- The Mickey Mouse film The Picnic is released to theaters. [228.387]
- October 30
- The Silly Symphony Winter is released to theaters. [501.617]
- November 20
- Disney completes the Mickey Mouse film Pioneer Days. Minnie Mouse also appears. [16] [23] [15]
- December 5
- The Mickey Mouse film Pioneer Days is released to theaters. [228.389]
- December
- The Disneys conclude a new contract with United Artists for two years, to come into effect on completion of the contract with Columbia Pictures. 40 percent of film gross receipts go to United Artists up to US$60,000; an additional US$1000 at US$60,000; an additional US$2500 at US$75,000. [1102.159]
- December 16
- Disney completes the Silly Symphony film Playful Pan. [16] [23]
- December 27
- The Silly Symphony film Playful Pan is released to theaters. [228.390]
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