Tag Archives: Mickey Mouse

January 13, 1934 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Shanghaied is Released to Theaters

“The captain’s got a girl, the captain’s got a girl…”

On January 13, 1934, the Mickey Mouse short film Shanghaied was released to theaters. It was directed by Burt Gillett.

The sailors are singing a song about their captain, mocking that he’s got a girl, when one sailor gets knocked out by Pete, who has tied up Mickey and Minnie in his cabin. Pete walks over to Mickey and mocks him before turning his attention to Minnie. Minnie pays no mind to his flirtations, and her screaming has Mickey breaking free from his bonds to save his girl. Using a swordfish from the wall, Mickey attempts to battle Pete, who continues to not take him seriously. A humorous sword fight ensues, though Mickey’s swordfish proves to be a poor weapon. Mickey, however, is able to use everything in the cabin at his disposal and free Minnie at the same time. As the two start to make their escape, Pete sends his crew after Mickey, but Mickey is able to use a cannon and miscellaneous kitchen supplies to subdue them. With one final attack using a harpoon, Mickey ends the attack by Pete and his crew, leaving Pete to be chased by sharks in the ocean while Mickey and Minnie steer the ship to safety.

December 30, 1928 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film The Gallopin’ Gaucho is Released to Theaters

“Help!”

On December 30, 1928, the Mickey Mouse short film The Gallopin’ Gaucho was released to theaters. It was the second Mickey Mouse short film released by Disney, as well as the second film created; the film was created before Steamboat Willie, but was originally created as a silent film, much like the Oswald shorts. After the success of Steamboat Willie, The Gallopin’ Gaucho was given a sound track. The short also parodies the Douglas Fairbanks film The Gaucho, which had been a hit the previous year. The short was directed by Walt Disney, with Walt voicing Mickey and Minnie.

Mickey is seen riding an ostrich across the desert before arriving at Cantino Argentino. He hops in the window and watches Minnie dancing while posters issuing a reward for his capture grace the walls. Minnie entices him to dance and, after having a beer, he dances the tango with her. Mickey twirls her into the arms of Pete, and she screams for help. Mickey challenges Pete, but is thrown off as Pete grabs his donkey and rides away with Minnie. Mickey calls for his ostrich, which has gotten rather inebriated. Nevertheless, Mickey rides his ostrich in hopes of saving Minnie, though at one point the ostrich ends up riding Mickey. Mickey follows Pete down a cliff after reviving his ostrich in a bucket of starch, and follows the villain into a building. Mickey manages to fashion a rope from his tail and is able to get to the top floor, only to find Minnie chained up. Pete and Mickey engage in a sword fight, with Mickey emerging triumphant. He saves Minnie, and the two ride off together on the back of Mickey’s ostrich.

November 15, 1929 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Jungle Rhythm is Released to Theaters

On November 15, 1929, the Mickey Mouse short film Jungle Rhythm was released to theaters. It was directed by Walt Disney.

Mickey is playing an accordion on the back of an elephant, and the elephant skips about to the tune. A vulture also starts dancing to the song. Mickey soon slides off the elephant to hunt the vulture, but ends up caught between an angry bear and lion. A monkey starts playing a tune with the accordion, with help from a parrot, which causes Mickey, the lion, and the bear to dance. More animals join in with the song, to much applause from the rest of the jungle, and Mickey manages to use whatever he can find to turn into an instrument, including a tree branch, a jaguar cub, and some ostriches.

November 12, 1932 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film The Wayward Canary is Released

“Oh, Mickey! Isn’t he cute?”

On November 12, 1932, the Mickey Mouse short film The Wayward Canary was released to theaters. The short features cameo caricatures of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. It was directed by Burt Gillett.

Mickey is heading to Minnie’s with a package and Pluto in tow, and he surprises her with a canary. Mickey entices the bird to sing by playing the flute, and Minnie follows along on the piano to their merry tune. As she sings, several other baby canaries fly out of the cage and start dancing and chirping to the music. They then start to wreak havoc across the house, including getting into a bottle of ink and ruining a tablecloth. As Mickey chases after the birds, he ends up destroying most things in Minnie’s house. She manages to capture most of the birds in a tea kettle, though one manages to escape and accidentally set a hot coal on Pluto’s backside. The bird continues to elude Mickey, until it lands on hungry cat that chases after it. Pluto joins the fray by chasing after the cat and saving the poor bird before it gets eaten.

November 5, 1931 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film The Beach Party is Released to Theaters

On November 5, 1931, the Mickey Mouse short film The Beach Party was released to theaters. It was directed by Burt Gillett.

Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow are frolicking across the beach, followed by Pluto carrying a picnic basket and Minnie and Mickey with the beach umbrella. Pluto is used to blow up an inner tube, but lets the air deflate when he bites at a flea. When Mickey heads into the water, Pluto is not too far behind, but stops before he hits the water. The rest of the gang starts to enjoy their time in the surf, though Clarabelle manages to lose her part of her bathing suit. Pluto follows a crab on the beach, which pinches him on the tail. Minnie serves lunch, with Mickey, Horace, and Pluto running for the food. Mickey throws some sausage links for Pluto to catch and when Pluto pulls them out of the ocean, he manages to pull out an angry octopus instead, which chases Pluto across the beach and ruins the picnic. The gang fights back with the remaining food, but they manage to use an anchor to send him back into the ocean.