Category Archives: Uncategorized

March 18, 1933 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Mickey’s Mellerdrammer is Released to Theaters

“Let’s hide in Uncle Tom’s cabin!”

On March 18, 1933, the Mickey Mouse short film Mickey’s Mellerdrammer premiered in theaters. The subject matter is somewhat controversial, as it has Mickey and friends putting on a production of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It’s important to remember that this short is a reflection of the attitudes of the 1930s, and the play was the most well-known play in this time. The short was directed by Wilfred Jackson.

Mickey and his friends are putting on a production of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, with Mickey as Uncle Tom and Topsy, Minnie as Eva, Clarabelle Cow as Eliza, and Horace Horsecollar as Simon; the cast is also joined by fifty bloodthirsty bloodhounds. The theater is packed, and the cast quickly prepares themselves, with comic ways of applying their costumes. The play begins with a rousing musical number, with Horace and Goofy helping with sound effects and props. The audience boos the villain, Simon, as he enters on stage, while Mickey does a quick costume change to become Uncle Tom. His performance is well-received, but the play is interrupted when Horace uses his whip to accidentally pull Goofy on stage. When the play resumes, the audience starts throwing rotten fruits and veggies at poor Horace. The next scene is quite an affair, with Clarabelle playing Eliza and crossing the ice. Mickey and Minnie help dress several dogs as bloodhounds, though they attempt to dress one cat up as well. The cat rushes the stage, and the dogs chase after it, destroying the set and musical instruments of the orchestra. The audience cracks up, and Mickey quickly pulls the curtain. Minnie and Mickey head out for their bows, while Horace is pelted with rotten fruits and vegetables again.