December 7, 1955 – The Disneyland Episode “The Goofy Success Story” Premieres
“He’s always been a modest, unassuming fellow, one who’s never let fame go to his head. So this program belongs to him.” – Walt Disney
On December 7, 1955, the Disneyland episode titled “The Goofy Success Story” premiered on ABC. The episode featured a fictionalized account of Goofy’s rise to stardom. Although his original name was “Dippy Dawg,” the name spelled out on his contract changes the spelling of “Dawg” to “Dog.” The episode was directed by Jack Kinney and Wolfgang Reitherman, and was written by Jack Kinney.
The episode begins with Walt introducing the special tribute to Goofy, who praises the character and leads into the animated story. The scene then opens on a theater, with curtains that pull back to reveal Goofy’s face, before revealing more and more curtains. Finally, the narrator takes the audience to Hollywood, where crowds are bustling about and talent scouts are everywhere, looking for the next big star. Goofy then is seen walking down the street, and has just enough money to buy a meal, but decides to spend his money on a Mickey Mouse film instead. As he sits in the theater and watches the short (the 1934 short film Shanghaied), his unique and loud laugh alerts the talent scouts.
Goofy is soon whisked away to the studio with his “million dollar laugh”
The talent scouts take him away to his first gig, which would eventually become the 1936 short film Moving Day. After the short ends, he is taken to the studio executive’s office to sign an iron-clad contract for $50 a week for 48 years, which he happily accepts. When he signs as Dippy Dog (his original name), the executives are unhappy with his name and decide to change it. The head executive comes up with the name “Goofy,” and Goofy happily accepts. He is paid his first paycheck, and left with nothing but a debt of $8. The executive then shows Goofy an actor’s progress chart, highlighting the rise and inevitable fall of an actor in a poetic fashion. Soon, Goofy is taken to his next picture, the 1937 short film Moose Hunters.
Goofy is soon seen on several magazine covers, and the audience is then taken to his mansion, the Hacienda Goofy. They view him in his bed, surrounded by several television cameras, which takes away all of his privacy, not that he seems to mind as he goes about his daily routine. After his morning swim, he then heads to the studio to film a new short, the 1950 short How to Ride a Horse, although it is seen that he annoys the horse before the short begins (which explains the horse’s distaste for Goofy during the short). After this, awards time has arrived in Hollywood, and Goofy readies himself to get an award, although he is dismayed to find that he has not won a single trophy, losing even to Pluto. He is soon seen alone in the theater, and leaves, depressed, walking out into the stormy streets, recalling his rise to stardom. He finds himself at the shore, and, thinking his life is over, hears the siren voice of the sea. However, he is interrupted by a telegram that provides him with the chance of a lifetime – the 1950 short film Motor Mania. The episode ends with Goofy finally winning his award.
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