Before Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney created a character called Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. However, due to a contract dispute, Disney lost the rights to Oswald, leading him to create Mickey Mouse as a replacement.
Tom Kenny, who voices SpongeBob SquarePants, originally studied marine biology in college before pursuing a career in voice acting.
Premiering in 1960, The Flintstones was the first animated series to air during primetime on American television. It paved the way for other animated shows for adult audiences.
Bugs Bunny, one of the most iconic cartoon characters, was originally named "Happy Rabbit" in his debut cartoon. The name was later changed to Bugs Bunny, inspired by animator Ben "Bugs" Hardaway.
The creators of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! named the character after the refrain "Scooby-Doo" from Frank Sinatra's song "Strangers in the Night." The character's full name, Scoobert "Scooby" Doo, is a playful nod to this inspiration.