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October 4

Posted on October 4, 2015 by disneydetail

October 4, 1926 – The Alice Comedy Alice in the Wooly West is Released

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On October 4, 1926, the Alice Comedy Alice in the Wooly West was released. It was the 34th Alice Comedy, and starred Margie Gay as Alice.

Julius is riding a horse in the old West, doing tricks with his lasso, when a stagecoach robbery passes by. Alice is thrown out of the stagecoach, and is cornered by one of the bandits. Julius watches from a nearby ledge when he and his horse decide to slide in and save the day. One of the bandits rides away with Alice, and Julius follows in hot pursuit. A fight ensues, even as the two fall off a tall rock formation, but Julius manages to confound the bandit by hiding amongst the rocks. Julius finally manages to subdue the robber and rescue a grateful Alice, who proclaims him her hero.

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September 30

Posted on September 30, 2015 by disneydetail

September 30, 1933 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film The Steeplechase is Released to Theaters

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“He’s in fine shape, Colonel!”

On September 30, 1933, the Mickey Mouse short film The Steeplechase was released to theaters. It was directed by Burt Gillett.

It’s the day of the big steeple-chase, with a $50,000 prize at stake. Mickey is the jockey for the horse Thunderbolt, and he and Minnie help Thunderbolt’s owner to his seat while the stable boys prepare the horse. As they brush him down, Thunderbolt finds a bottle of liquor in his hay and drinks it down, quickly becoming too drunk to do anything. The stable boys realize that the horse is in no condition to run, and Mickey returns to find the fiasco. Soon, the horn blows, and all the racers must head to the starting line – except for a heartbroken Mickey, knowing that he will break the Colonel’s heart if he doesn’t win. Mickey then gets an idea to dress the stable boys in a horse costume, and off they run, though they are more than a little uncoordinated. Mickey and the boys are dead last, when they come across an angry hornets nest. The hornets attack the trio, and the boys run as fast as they can to avoid further stinging. Thanks to the hornets, however, the trio manages to outrace everyone, and finish in first place. Mickey is celebrated as the winner, though he stutters on his final, heartfelt speech.

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September 28

Posted on September 28, 2015 by disneydetail

September 28, 1931 – The Silly Symphony The Clock Store Premieres in Theaters

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On September 28, 1931, the Silly Symphony The Clock Store premiered in theaters. It is also known by its copyright title In a Clock Store. One of the pocket-watches has familiar initials on its cover: W.E.D. The short was directed by Wilfred Jackson.

It’s late at night when an old man walks around the town, lighting the lamplights. He whistles a tune as he passes by a nearby clock store. Inside, the clocks are all ticking away, showing various times on their faces. A row of cuckoo clocks go off one after another, as do some alarm clocks, creating a simple melody. Different kinds of clocks and watches dance their own way to their peculiar rhythm, including a beautiful castle clock that features two figures around it hitting chimes, and two dancers on an elegant antique piece. Two alarm clocks end up in a fist fight thanks to the antics of a wall clock, with all the other clocks cheering the fight on. One clock knocks itself out, which the other clock is badly beaten.

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September 25

Posted on September 25, 2015 by disneydetail

September 25, 1925 – The Alice Comedy Alice Chops the Suey is Released to Theaters

Alice Chops the Suey

“Whee! Chinatown!”

On September 25, 1925, the Alice Comedy Alice Chops the Suey was released to theaters. It was the 22nd Alice Comedy released, and starred Margie Gay as Alice.

The cartoon begins with a live-action animator drawing Julius. Julius is startled when the ink bottle starts shaking, and out jumps Alice. Both watch as the animator continues to draw, and Alice is excited to find that he has drawn Chinatown. Unfortunately, a mysterious figure pops out of the ink bottle, scaring Julius. Alice is snatched while Julius escapes, and is brought to a Chinese restaurant. Julius is quick to pursue her, but is unable to get through the door, which turns into a brick wall. Julius manages to capture one of the captors and steals its clothes so he can sneak in, and is able to run away with Alice still in the bag. He is pursued by several of the captors, but after a few mishaps, including a throwing sword fight, the two manage to make their getaway back into the ink bottle, which is carried away by the animator.

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September 15

Posted on September 15, 2015 by disneydetail

September 15, 1925 – The Alice Comedy Alice the Jail Bird is Released to Theaters

Alice the Jail Bird

On September 15, 1925, the Alice Comedy Alice the Jail Bird was released to theaters. It was the 23rd Alice Comedy, and starred Margie Gay as Alice.

Alice and Julius are riding on the back of a rather fast turtle when Alice spots a pie in the window of a nearby apartment complex. The trio decide to steal it, and the owner calls out for the police to capture them. The chase begins, first on land, then across the lake, with Julius using the turtle as a boat. The chase continues up a waterfall, but the police officer is still in hot pursuit, even after Julius hits him over the head. The trio manages to hide inside a cavern, but when they emerge, they find a trap waiting for them: the police officer offering a free lunch. The trio leap inside the truck, only to find themselves in the police paddy wagon. The three are carted off to jail, where Alice and Julius are assigned to break rocks. Julius finds an opportunity to quickly complete his task, while the turtle attempts to play pool with his rocks. With their work completed, Julius attempts to escape, using a fellow inmate to carry him across the wall. He is spotted and immediately shot at by an officer, though he manages to dodge the shots and escape. He flies back over the wall to rescue Alice, turning his tail into a ladder that carries her to freedom.

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September 7

Posted on September 7, 2015 by disneydetail

September 7, 1929 – The Silly Symphony El Terrible Toreador is Released to Theaters

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On September 7, 1929, the Silly Symphony El Terrible Toreador was released to theaters. It was directed by Walt Disney, and features music from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet.

The short opens with people eating in a cantina, with a waitress balancing a beer on her head as she wanders the floor. One soldier falls in love at first sight upon seeing her, and she dances about after he gives her a generous tip. El Terrible Toreador enters the cantina, and the soldier grabs for the waitress, though she works on fighting off his advances. The Toreador, angered at this lack of respect for the waitress, picks a fight with the soldier. The scene then moves to the bullfighting arena, where everyone cheers for the Toreador and the bull as they start to duke it out. The fight has many silly moments between the pair, including a game of patty-cake and a skipping dance. The waitress has a bouquet of flowers for the Toreador, but the soldier pours pepper over the flowers before she throws them. The bull smells the bouquet and sneezes his teeth out, which the Toreador uses to attack the bull. The bull is angered and, after his teeth return, charges at the Toreador. The Toreador wins the fight by pulling the bull inside out.

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August 30

Posted on August 30, 2015 by disneydetail

August 30, 1908 – Actor and Disney Legend Fred MacMurray is Born

Fred MacMurray

“I will say the seven pictures I made at the Disney Studio were the pleasantest times I’ve had in the picture business, and I’ve been around quite a while.”

On August 30, 1908, Frederick Martin MacMurray was born in Kankakee, Illinois. His family moved to Wisconsin when he was a boy and after graduating from high school, he earned a scholarship to Carroll University. He supported himself through college by playing the saxophone and performing as a vocalist for local bands; he ultimately did not graduate from college. In 1920, MacMurray headed west to Los Angeles, where he found work with the California Collegians vocal ensemble, which appeared in several Broadway productions. MacMurray ended up as Bob Hope’s understudy for the production Roberta, and scored a screen test and studio contract after being scouted by a Paramount talent scout. 1935 found MacMurray in the film The Gilded Lily alongside Claudette Colbert, and became a star overnight. Walt Disney hired MacMurray for the first live-action comedy for the studio called The Shaggy Dog, which went on to be a surprise hit in 1959. All in all, MacMurray was hired for seven live-action feature films, including Follow Me, Boys!, The Absent Minded Professor, and The Happiest Millionaire. His last feature for the studio was 1973’s Charley and the Angel. In 1987, MacMurray had the honor of becoming the first Disney Legend, honored for his work in entertaining millions. He passed away in 1991 at the age of 83.

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August 28

Posted on August 28, 2015 by disneydetail

August 28, 1929 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Mickey’s Follies is Released to Theaters

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“With the cows and the chickens they all sound like the Dickens when I hear my little Minnie, ‘Yoo hoo!’”

On August 28, 1929, the Mickey Mouse short film Mickey’s Follies was released to theaters. It was the first short directed by Wilfred Jackson, and also features the Mickey Mouse theme song, “Minnie’s Yoo Hoo.”

The party starts with a lively rendition of “Minnie’s Yoo Hoo,” and then leads into a group of ducks dancing merrily to “Swanee River.” The barnyard cheers wildly before the next dance, which is a rooster and a hen performing an Apache dance, with the chicken rushing off to lay an egg mid-performance. The rooster crows with pride, and everyone once again cheers. The next performance is a pig performing opera, whose bloomers keep falling down as they sing, but this performance is met with booing from the crowd. The pig is then carried away with a hook, and it is announced that Mickey will perform his theme song. His singing and dancing is then met with much adulation.

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July 1

Posted on July 1, 2015 by disneydetail

July 1, 1924 – The Alice Comedy Alice and the Dog Catcher is Released to Theaters

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“So we must set those poor dogs free.”

On July 1, 1924, the Alice Comedy Alice and the Dog Catcher was released to theaters. It was directed by Walt Disney, and starred Virginia Davis as Alice.

The short begins with a meeting of a secret society, where Alice is the leader. The meeting is interrupted by a latecomer, who warns them of the city dogcatcher rounding up all the strays in the neighborhood. Alice then thinks about her own dog being turned into sausages and starts to cry. Resolved to protect the dogs, she orders the society to sit down as she tells them of her dream. The scene then moves to the cartoon land, where all the dogs are following the dogcatcher as he tricks them with music. The dogcatcher catches all but one, but the dogcatcher finally triumphs and heads off with the dogs. Alice is distraught as she tells her tale, and the boys in the society also cry at the news. She continues with her story, where she comes across parents of the pups, who are beside themselves with worry. Alice heads straight for the pound, where she is sent away immediately. Alice hears the dogs cry for help, and grabs a nearby bomb to blow up the pound, setting all the dogs free. The society then decides to go and rescue all the dogs, much to the annoyance of the dogcatchers. They then drive off with the dogcatcher’s wagon, nearly crashing several times. In the end, the dogcatchers chase after their own car after Alice and her friends jump out, and the society is proud of what they have done to save the dogs of the neighborhood.

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June 21

Posted on June 21, 2015 by disneydetail

June 21, 1930 – The Silly Symphony Frolicking Fish is Released to Theaters

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On June 21, 1930, the Silly Symphony Frolicking Fish was released to theaters. It was directed by Burt Gillett.

The short begins at the bottom of the sea, with several different kinds of fish roaming the sea floor. One fish uses an anchor as its personal playground, while another group of fish dance around a treasure chest, unaware that it is occupied by an octopus. It jumps out and attempts to capture the fish, but is unable to capture a single one. The octopus spies on a group of sea creatures dancing and playing makeshift instruments, when a group of fish decide to bounce around on bubbles. They pass by the octopus, who takes great joy in popping the bubbles one by one. He manages to capture one poor fish caught in a bubble, but the fish is able to escape, just barely. The fish saves itself by dropping an anchor on the octopus’ head, knocking the ink out of him.

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