Monthly Archives: September 2016

September 23, 1949 – The Goofy Short Film Goofy Gymnastics is Released to Theaters

“Don’t be a spineless weak-kneed no good nincompoop!”

On September 23, 1949, the Goofy short film Goofy Gymnastics premiered in theaters. A segment of this short was featured in the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It was directed by Jack Kinney, with story by Dick Kinney.

The short begins with Goofy home from a day of work, exhausted. As he leafs through a magazine, he finds an advertisement for a workout program that promises fame, money, and fortune. He sends away for a home gym kit, and he quickly sets it up when it arrives. He starts with the barbell exercises first, but is unable to lift the weight and ends up hurting himself. When he finally is able to lift the barbell, a fly lands on him and sends him crashing through the floors of his building. He sets out to start the second exercise: chin-ups. He is able to do them, until it is revealed that he is moving the bar to meet his chin rather than the other way around. Goofy then moves on to the cable expanders, while ominous music plays in the background. He gets caught in the cables, which sends him flying around the room and destroying the equipment in the process. In the end, Goofy is tired to the point where he just falls asleep.

September 22, 1965 – The Goofy Short Film Goofy’s Freeway Troubles is Released to Theaters

“With increasing frequency, new sections of freeway are being opened around the world.”

On September 22, 1965, the Goofy short film, Goofy’s Freeway Troubles, premiered in theaters. It was the last Goofy film produced in the golden age of Disney short films, until How to Hook Up Your Home Theater in 2007. The short is directed by Les Clark, with story by William R. Bosché.

The short begins with an explanation of freeways, along with the rules associated with them – and the drivers that ignore the rules. Goofy plays the roles of Driverius Timidicus (the timid driver), Neglectorus Maximus (the careless, distracted driver), and Motoramus Figitus (the impatient driver with road rage). Other freeway driving problems are discussed, using the example of Stupidicus Ultimas, the driver that never takes care of anything. His car is ragged, and he hasn’t taken it in to get anything checked. On the freeway, his tire blows, and he ends up causing a traffic accident as he loses control. Other problems present themselves, with much the same result: traffic accidents. Stupidicus also overloads his car with items that fly out of his car when he suddenly stops. Stupidicus is also not smart when it comes to getting gas, and he ends up running out of fuel on the busy highway. The narrator then explains rules for drivers if they run into any problems on the road; he also explains that the physical and mental health of the driver is just as important as the mechanical health of the car.