Tag Archives: 1930s

April 15, 1932 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Barnyard Olympics is Released to Theaters

“Good luck Mickey, hope you win. Minnie.”

On April 15, 1932, the Mickey Mouse short film Barnyard Olympics was released in theaters, just in time to capitalize on the Olympics being held in Los Angeles, California. The short was directed by Wilfred Jackson.

The Barnyard Olympics are in full swing, with a marching band taking the field and performing. First is a boxing match, but the boxers keep punching the ref until they punch themselves out. The next event is diving, followed by wrestling. Minnie is on the front row of the audience with Clarabelle Cow, while Mickey is prepping for his event with help from Horace Horsecollar. The cross country event begins, with Mickey competing; when he sees Minnie in the audience, he waves at her, but Pete tries to get Minnie’s attention. Fortunately, Minnie only has eyes for Mickey. The race starts, but Pete sabotages Mickey. Mickey races to catch up to the rest, but keeps running into trouble as the race continues, especially with continued sabotage, but he manages to give his best effort anyway. He finally manages to catch up to the Pete, and manages to win the race with a bike on its last legs.

March 17, 1931 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Traffic Troubles is Released to Theaters

“He’s gone!”

On March 17, 1931, the Mickey Mouse short film Traffic Troubles was released to theaters. It was directed by Burt Gillett.

Mickey is a taxi driver on a busy street, and doesn’t seem to do well with all the other cars around. When he stops to pick up a fare, he ends up stopping traffic, alerting a police officer, who berates him and won’t let him finish a sentence. Mickey is finally able to shuffle away in his taxi, but runs into trouble again when a small car refuses to let him pass. Mickey finally uses a trick to get past the tiny car, but the tiny car manages to get ahead again, especially after passing through several muddy patches. Mickey’s taxi has a problem on a road full of potholes, and his fare is less than happy, although each pothole causes the charge rate to jump. Mickey loses his fare without realizing it when he is bumped from the car, and Mickey looks horrified when he arrives to find the fare missing. Minnie is running down the street to her accordion lesson, and Mickey offers to give her a ride when she is running late. The Mickey whistles with Minnie playing her music on the way there, but the ride stops being joyful when Mickey’s car gets a flat tire. Mickey has to improvise with a pig when blowing up the tire, but over-inflates the tire and is sent flying while riding the pig. Meanwhile, a traveling huckster arrives with some snake oil and gives it to Mickey’s car, which causes it to go haywire with Minnie trapped inside. The car lands on top of a cow, which runs away out of shock, taking Mickey, Minnie, and the taxi through a barn and crashing into the side of a tower. Luckily, Mickey and Minnie can have a good laugh in the end.