in a letter stating that no such action had ever existed between the companies. Hence the legend is dismissed as local gossip made urban myth. Part of the program showed that Performo's Micky, while very close to Walt Disney's, actually grew more that way after the cartoon's success. Performo's Micky Mouse, without the "e", suddenly developed red shorts with white buttons, as was shown by a Mickey collector who had both products in his multi-room collection. The program's investigating historian concluded that it was a series of generic mice that featured in Felix the Cat (1922), Milton Mouse from Aesop's Film Fables (1920) or Ignatz Mouse from Krazy Kat (1914), which provided the inspiration for Mickey Mouse. When viewed side by side and in sequence of appearance, an evolution of the many mice in cartoons of the era is striking, if not conclusive. Further, in 1932 the sales of Mickey Mouse toy paraphernalia out-grossed the revenues for the films themselves, the first time that happened in the experience of Hollywood. At nearly the same time, Performo came onto hard times despite its rapid growth and filed for bankruptcy in 1933. The PBS historian concludes it became a victim of the depression like many other toy companies and other luxury goods producers while the movie tie-in enabled Disney's nascent toys and novelties business to weather the hard times of the Great Depression. The Simpsons episode "The Day the Violence Died" bears a remarkable similar story line to the Grove–Disney debate. Bankruptcy In the July 15, 1933 edition of the Press and Journal, the Performo Toy Company announced they were filing for bankruptcy. It is believed that the Great Depression forced them to padlock their doors. See also Mickey Mouse The Walt Disney Company References Further reading Broken Toy: A Man's Dream, A Company's Mystery by Craig L. Andrews. - resource book tracing origin of Micky Mouse and Mickey Mouse.Book Press Release External links United States Patent and Trademark Office, United States Patent - D70,840, Issue Date - August 17, 1926, Current U.S. Class - D21/585, Animal Toy, Filed by Rene D. Grove Performo Toy Company History of Micky Mouse PBS - History Detectives - Case 302 - Mouse Toy Toy resource guide Central PA Magazine - Country Mouse, City Mouse Performo/Rene Grove website Toy companies of the United States Companies based in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania American companies established in 1925 1925