April 7, 1954 – The Chip ‘n’ Dale Short Film The Lone Chipmunks is Released to Theaters
“Drop that gun! You comin’ along peaceful-like?”
On April 7, 1954, the Chip ‘n’ Dale short film The Lone Chipmunks premiered in theaters. It was the third and final short in the pair’s separate series, as most of their shorts had been included under Donald Duck’s banner. It was directed by Jack Kinney, with story by Dick Kinney and Milt Schaffer.
It’s the Old West, and Black Pete is terrorizing towns and stealing money from the banks. As Chip is gathering nuts for winter, a soldier posts up a reward poster, offering $10,000 for Black Pete’s capture, dead or alive. Black Pete is riding by their tree, with the chipmunks unaware that he uses their tree to stash his stolen goods. Dale wants to claim the reward for his capture, but Chip stops him, telling he needs a plan. Their first plan to drop a large rock on him goes awry, and Black Pete becomes paranoid that someone is after him. Chip comes up with a second plan, replacing Black Pete’s tobacco with gunpowder, but that plan also goes wrong. The pair then steals Black Pete’s money, but he gets the better of them and starts firing. Chip realizes they have to get his gun, and once they do, it goes off wildly. Chip manages to hold Black Pete up, but his inexperience in this field causes problems. Dale comes up with some quick thinking, and the two manage to subdue the robber as the Calvary arrives. The captain realizes that it’s the work of the Lone Chipmunks, and the pair ride off into the sunset.
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