Tag Archives: Mickey Mouse

October 15, 1932 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Touchdown Mickey is Released to Theaters

“Mickey made a touchdown! Oh, what a game, what a game!”

On October 15, 1932, the Mickey Mouse short film Touchdown Mickey was released to theaters. It was directed by Wilfred Jackson.

It’s a tough football game between Mickey’s Manglers and the Alley Cats, but Mickey manages to scramble across the field to score a touchdown with three minutes left in play. Mickey’s team is down by one touchdown, and the crowd is going wild for the action. Goofy is the radio announcer, though a bit unintelligible. The game stars up again, and the Alley Cats take the ball close to the goal posts, though it is so revealed that they are not above cheating. Luckily, one of Mickey’s players gets the ball and passes it off to Mickey, who manages to score again, thanks to the help of an unwitting Pluto. When the Manglers kick-off, Mickey stays attached to the ball, and makes a break for the goal. He ends up with his head stuck in a cleat, and runs the wrong way, but is quickly directed back the correct way. Though he manages to get far downt he field with help from his teammate, he soon loses the ball again, and nearly gets knocked out. The last few seconds are intense, but the Manglers are able to pull off a strong finish, with Mickey taking the ball from the hands of the Alley Cats after a series of mishaps, and take it in for the final touchdown. Mickey is hailed as a hero, and gives Minnie a kiss as he is carried on the crowd’s shoulders.

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

“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.

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

“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.

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.