Tag Archives: Mickey Mouse

October 23, 1930 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film The Picnic Premieres in Theaters

“Sure, you can bring your Little Rover.”

On October 23, 1930, the Mickey Mouse short film The Picnic premiered in theaters. It features a dog that looks like Pluto, playing the part of Little Rover; Pluto would not become Pluto until the 1931 short film The Moose Hunt. The Picnic was directed by Burt Gillett.

Mickey is driving to Minnie’s whistling “Minnie’s Yoo Hoo” as he goes. Minnie calls out to him when he arrives, and calls out for her dog “Little Rover,” who is a rather large dog and jumps on Mickey upon seeing him. Mickey ties him to the back of the car, and they all head off to their picnic. Little Rover decides he’d rather chase after some rabbits and pulls the car with him as he pursues them. As he runs off, Mickey and Minnie decide to set up their picnic near a creek, and Mickey starts up the Victrola before asking Minnie to dance to “In the Good Ol’ Summertime.” Many animals also decide to dance to the music while stealing the picnic food, with Mickey and Minnie unaware as they continue to dance. Little Rover continues to search for the rabbits, and before they all know it, a large storm arrives. Mickey packs up what little remains of the picnic and heads to the car, driving as best he can in the rain. He has Little Rover act as a windshield wiper while he continues to drive,

September 29, 1934 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Mickey Plays Papa is Released to Theaters

“The clock struck twelve. A mysterious figure prowled about. It was a perfect night for a murder.”

On September 29, 1934, the Mickey Mouse short film Mickey Plays Papa was released to theaters. An edited version of this short was shown on the Mickey Mouse Club in the 1950s, only with Mickey edited out, and retitled Pluto and the Baby. The short was directed by Burt Gillett.

On a windy night, just as the bell tolls midnight, a mysterious figure approaches Mickey’s house. They spy on him reading The Cry in the Night, with him unknowingly describing the scene outside his window. The figure leaves a basket on Mickey’s doorstep, with a baby fast asleep inside, and pins a note: Please give little Elmer a good home He ain’t much trouble Thanks. The figure cries as they give baby Elmer up, and as Mickey reads the part about the murder in his book, they hear a loud scream from the porch. They carefully make their way to the door, but are startled silly from the book at the shaking caused by the wind. The baby and the basket are blown inside, and Mickey carefully takes the baby into his arms. He and Pluto are happy to see baby Elmer, but soon are clueless when it comes to stopping his cries. Mickey decides to cheer Elmer up with his Charlie Chaplin impression, which doesn’t impress Elmer. Mickey finally realizes that Elmer is hungry, and Pluto offers Elmer his bone, which the baby throws back at Pluto’s nose. Pluto then performs a few tricks of his own, but can’t stop the baby from crying. Pluto then gets distracted by a wind-up duck toy, and destroys it after it runs into him.

Mickey ends up getting the top of the bottle stuck on his nose as he prepares Elmer’s bottle

Mickey finishes making Elmer a bottle, only to get the top stuck on his nose. When he tries to remove it using a drawer, the drawer and all the sharp contents fly out and trap Mickey against the wall. Pluto, meanwhile, accidentally swallows a jumping rabbit toy, and when he hits the pump, the rabbit jumps inside, causing Pluto to fly into the air. As he jumps about, trying to free himself from the toy, he knocks over a table, which knocks the toy out of him, but a fishbowl lands on his behind, and the fish begins to bite him. He is able to free himself after trapping himself in a trunk. Mickey is finally successful in pulling off the top of the bottle, but his nose is elongated in the process. Elmer finally laughs at Mickey’s appearance, and Mickey does an impression of screen actor Jimmy Durante.

September 2, 1933 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Puppy Love Premieres in Theaters

“Just want to show you what I thought of you!”

On September 2, 1933, the Mickey Mouse short film Puppy Love premiered in theaters. It was directed by Wilfred Jackson.

Minnie and Fifi are preparing for their dates with Mickey and Pluto, and the boys arrive with gifts in hand, surrounded by examples of love. Mickey enters Minnie’s house while Fifi goes outside to meet Pluto. Mickey hands Minnie a gift of a box of chocolates, along with a bouquet of flowers. Pluto and Fifi mirror Mickey and Minnie’s shy exchange before Fifi invites Pluto inside. Minnie gives Mickey the “cutest song” to play called “Puppy Love”, which she sings while he plays the piano. They then play the piano together while Pluto tries to get closer to Fifi. Feeling rejected, Pluto takes Minnie’s box of candies and presents it to Fifi, who gives him a kiss. Pluto, elated, jumps around the room in bliss. To hide what he’s done, he places Fifi’s bone in the empty candy box and replaces it, with Mickey and Minnie none the wiser. When Minnie opens the candy box, she is furious at finding a bone, and thinks he made a fool out of her. Fifi, seeing her bone in the box, gets mad at Pluto, and the two storm out, with Mickey shutting the door hard enough to break the windows. Minnie cries at the piano, declaring that she hates all men, while Mickey proclaims that women never listen. Fifi, in an attempt to cheer Minnie up, offers her some of the candies, and Minnie realizes that Mickey did bring her candy after all. She calls out for Mickey, and he runs right back in her arms after she apologizes. They declare that they will always be in puppy love, and the short ends with Fifi and Pluto also making up.