Cast Honors Mickey Mouse on Saturday on ABC!

[Pavan]

On November 18, 2003, The Walt Disney Company launched an 18 months-long celebration to honor the 75th Anniversary of Mickey Mouse's premiere in the first synchronized sound cartoon; and on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), the ABC Television Network presents an hour-long holiday special entitled "A Merry Mickey Celebration," featuring a stellar array of Mickey's Hollywood friends.

Among the celebrities saluting him through music and song, recounting his funniest moments and looking back over his illustrious career as well as looking to his future are: "Live with Regis and Kelly" hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa; "All My Children" star Susan Lucci; "NYPD Blue's" Dennis Franz; "Spy Kids" movie stars Alexa Vega and Daryl Sabara; "Threat Matrix" star Will Lyman; "Even Stevens" star Christy Carlson Romano; "According to Jim" star James Belushi; "The Wayne Brady Show" host Wayne Brady; "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter" cast members Katey Sagal, Kaley Cuoco, Amy Davidson and Martin Spanjers; "George Lopez" star George Lopez; "Life With Bonnie" star Bonnie Hunt and many, many more.

The beloved holiday classic, "Mickey's Christmas Carol," nominated for an Academy Award as Best Short Film, Animated Films, will be the centerpiece of the hour-long celebration. "Mickey's Christmas Carol" is a true retelling of Charles Dickens Christmas tale of overworked and underpaid accountant Bob Cratchit and stars Mickey as Cratchit and Scrooge McDuck as Scrooge. A lineup of other favorite Disney characters joins the legendary mouse in the classic - including Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, Goofy, Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck.

Mickey's 18 months-long celebration was kicked off at the Walt Disney World Resort on November 18 with the unveiling of 75 uniquely designed, 700-pound, six-foot-tall Mickey statues.