Starring Mickey Mouse in his first feature performance, 1928's Steamboat Willie made history after it its premier at the Colony Theater in New York. The first cartoon designed and synchronized along with a musical soundtrack, this tale of a then black-and-white Mickey's adventures at sea served as a springboard for the now legendary Disney empire and provided some much needed comfort during the Great Depression years. Steamboat Willie was, of course, directed by
Walt Disney himself. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide