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August 3

Posted on August 3, 2014 by disneydetail

August 3, 1935 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Mickey’s Fire Brigade is Released to Theaters

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“I’ll get you, you little devil!”

On August 3, 1935, the Mickey Mouse short film Mickey’s Fire Brigade was released to theaters. It was directed by Ben Sharpsteen. Although a Mickey Mouse short, the cartoon features Goofy and Donald as leading characters. The short also features a small segment of the popular song “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” from the popular 1933 Silly Symphony The Three Little Pigs.

A fire has broken out at a boarding house, and the residents are struggling to get out. The sound of the fire brigade is heard, with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy heading to the rescue. Poor Goofy has difficulty staying with the fire wagon, and when the three arrive, they don’t exactly act like the most coordinated fire brigade. Donald tries to enter the house through the root cellar, and is chased through a window by flames, while Goofy is sucker punched by the smoke. Mickey finally gets the hose going, but the flames shut the window, leaving Mickey to flail in the air while holding on to the hose for dear life. As he tumbles to the ground, he accidentally activates the ladder, which sends him crashing through a window and then through the roof, where he sits precariously in a chest of drawers.

Donald chases a flame around the boarding house, hoping to destroy it with his axe

Donald chases a flame around the boarding house, hoping to destroy it with his axe

Donald chases after a flame with his axe and ends up doing more damage to the house than the flames. Goofy chucks as much furniture as he can out the window, unaware that he is throwing it straight into the fire wagon’s boiler. One table with collapsible sides flies out the window and flies right back in, knocking Goofy against the wall. Meanwhile, Donald gets the idea to trap the flames with flypaper, which works, but then the flames band together to attack Donald with the water bucket. Mickey ends up falling down the chimney, crashing into the fireplace Goofy and Donald are holding. They hear Clarabelle Cow singing upstairs, unware of any fire, and decide to go rescue her. When she sees them, she throws her scrubbing brush at them, thinking that they’re just being fresh. They manage to cart her out, although she accuses them of being kidnappers and keeps screaming for the police. She manages to slide her way down the ground, while the boys land in the bathtub, and are continuously beaten by Clarabelle and her scrub brush.

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August 1

Posted on August 1, 2014 by disneydetail

August 1, 1936 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Mickey’s Circus is Released to Theaters

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“Introducing Captain Donald Duck and his performing sea lions!”

On August 1, 1936, the Mickey Mouse short film Mickey’s Circus was released to theaters. Although a Mickey Mouse short, it mostly features Donald Duck as the star. The short was directed by Ben Sharpsteen.

It’s chaos at Mickey’s Circus, as the orphans are allowed to attend for free, with a large gathering of them running around wildly. The circus finally begins, with Donald as the first act, with three sea lions and one pup performing tricks for fish. One sea lion walks around like Charlie Chaplin, much to the amusement of the orphans. Donald begins his act with juggling, and ends with the sea lions throwing their beach balls at his head. The pup continues to steal the fish from Donald’s basket. At one point, the sea lions grapple over the fish, knocking Donald into the sand of the ring. He then leads one sea lion into playing a song using horns, although the performance doesn’t go well until the pup steps in and starts playing a one man band version of the song. The orphans start mocking Donald, and his temper nearly gets the best of him. The sea lions refuse to continue until they get fish, and end up breaking the instruments in their fight for the fish.

Mickey finds himself in a precarious situation after being shot out of a cannon

Mickey finds himself in a precarious situation after being shot out of a cannon

Donald chases after the seals, and ends up in the cannon. Mickey warns him to get out, and the orphans push Mickey inside. The orphans fire the cannon, sending Mickey and Donald up on the high wire. Mickey struggles to maintain his balance on the wire, while Donald is sent out on a bike. The orphans pour oil over the wire, and send Donald flying back and forth. The wire is then electrocuted, and Mickey and Donald are sent flying to the ground into the seal tank. The pup throws a fish into the tub, and the other sea lions fight over it, fighting Donald in the process.

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July 30

Posted on July 30, 2014 by disneydetail

July 30, 1942 – The World War II Educational Short Out of the Frying Pan into the Firing Line is Delivered

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“Your pound of waste fat will give some boy at the front an extra clip of cartridges.”

On July 30, 1942, the World War II educational short film Out of the Frying Pan into the Firing Line was delivered to the U.S. government. The short was sponsored by the Conversation Division and the War Production Board, and distributed by the War Activities Committee of the Motion Pictures Industry. It was directed by Ben Sharpsteen.

Minnie is cooking bacon and eggs in a pan on the stove, and the smell attracts Pluto, who is eating his dinner nearby. He scoffs at his dinner, but Minnie offers to give him some leftover bacon grease. As she gets ready to pour it in his bowl, they hear a voice telling them not to throw away the grease. They both turn to the radio, where an announcer informs them that the fats are needed to help win the war, much to Pluto’s annoyance. The fats are used to make glycerin, which is then used to make explosives. Every year, the announcer continues, two billion pounds of waste animal fats are thrown away, which is equivalent to enough glycerin to make 10 billion rapid-fire cannon shells. He continues to give examples about how a little grease goes a long way to helping the war effort. Hearing this, Pluto looks to a picture of solider Mickey on the wall and gives him a salute. Minnie asks Pluto again if he still wants the bacon grease, and Pluto declines. The announcer then instructs Minnie how to store her fats before donating them to the war effort. Pluto donates the fats at the butcher shop, and is rewarded with a string of sausages.

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July 29

Posted on July 29, 2014 by disneydetail

July 29, 1933 – The Silly Symphony Old King Cole is Released to Theaters

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“Once upon a time in Storybook Land, Old King Cole sent out a royal command calling his subjects to the castle hall: everyone’s invited to the royal ball!”

On July 29, 1933, the Silly Symphony Old King Cole was released to theaters. It was directed by Dave Hand.

The short begins with Old King Cole announcing that he’s having a ball, and all of his subjects are invited. The trumpets sound, announcing the start, and the Pied Piper comes out of his storybook, bringing the rats with him to the castle. He’s followed by Little Boy Blue, who sounds his horn, followed by the Crooked Man and his crooked cat and crooked mouse. Mother Hubbard attends as well, with her dog, as they pop out of their cupboards from their storybook. The kids of the old woman that lived in a shoe start cheering a skipping to the party, along with other famous storybook characters. Old King Cole welcomes them to the party, but warns them that they must go home when the clock strikes midnight. The first act begins, as a dance done by Mary Mary Quite Contrary and her flowers. More storybook acts follow, popping out of Pandora’s Box in rapid succession, ending with Ten Little Indians, who dance around Old King Cole. The dancing continues around the castle in a merry fashion. Suddenly, Hickory, Dickory, and Dock announce that it’s midnight, and everyone rushes back to their storybooks as fast as they can. Old King Cole wishes them goodnight, and leaves a bottle of milk out for the next morning before his storybook closes.

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July 21

Posted on July 21, 2014 by disneydetail

July 21, 1950 – The Pluto Short Film Pests of the West is Released to Theaters

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On July 21, 1950, the Pluto short film Pests of the West was released to theaters. It is considered a sequel to the 1949 short Sheep Dog, featuring the duo of Bent-Tail the coyote and his son. It was directed by Charles Nichols, with story by Dick Kinney and Milt Schaffer.

Bent-Tail is seen howling on top of some rocks, when he spies a nearby farm. He and his son quickly race to the farm, and imagine the chickens they’re going to steal. As they sneak onto the farm, they pass by Pluto’s doghouse, where he is dozing peacefully. His dozing is disturbed slightly, however, when his nose catches the scent of the coyotes. Meanwhile, Bent-Tail and his son reach the hen house, and quickly make a plan for the son to go in and steal a hen. He attempts to steal the largest hen inside when he gets sleepy, and decides to nap in an empty nest. Bent-Tail looks inside to see what’s keeping his son, and is angered to see his son sleeping on the job. He rushes inside and throws his son out so he can do the job himself. The squawking of the hens wakes Pluto, and he son chases the wily coyotes across the farm. They end up hiding in Pluto’s doghouse, and when Pluto goes back to his nap, he is unaware that the coyotes are in hiding. Unfortunately, Pluto does find them, and chases Bent-Tail across the farm once again. Bent-Tail uses plenty of tricks to sneak away, but Pluto manages to catch him in the end. Bent-Tail’s son manages to sneak away with a hen in its nest, and it becomes a strange game between the coyotes and Pluto to “get the hen.” Pluto manages a sneaky trade of the hen for the son, and Bent-Tail runs off with the nest, thinking that he got the best of Pluto. The little coyote, however, holds up an egg, which Bent-Tail smashes over his son’s head, although his son can’t understand why his father is so upset.

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July 19

Posted on July 19, 2014 by disneydetail

July 19, 1940 – The Donald Duck Short Film Put-Put Troubles is Released to Theaters

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“Am I a surprised duck!”

On July 19, 1940, the Donald Duck short film Put-Put Troubles was released to theaters. It was directed by Riley Thomson.

Donald is sitting in his boat, singing a merry tune while Pluto pulls him along the side of the lake. Pluto gets distracted when a frog jumps in his path, however, and the boat crashes into him, knocking him headfirst into the sand. When he continues to chase the frog down a hill, the boat slides over him and down the hill, dropping Donald into the water with a laugh. As Pluto resumes his chase, he gets his nose caught in a spring of a broken mattress. While he struggles to break free, the spring is pulled from the mattress and wraps itself around his neck. Meanwhile, Donald is struggling with his motorboat, which doesn’t seem to want to go. He fills it with oil, but it just shoot out a lot of black smoke, which covers Donald. Donald retaliates, but the motor goes completely nuts, flying off into the air and landing in the ocean. When Donald pulls it out, it seems to pass out, and can only he revive it with smelling salts. The motor makes a whinnying sound, then wraps around the boat, taking the sides of the boat with it.

Poor Pluto is haunted by the menace that is the spring

Poor Pluto is haunted by the menace that is the spring

Pluto manages to free himself from the spring, but is now haunted by its presence. He barks at it and lands on it, trapping his front legs in it once again. As he bounces free, the spring attaches itself to his back, capturing his back legs. Donald continues his fight with the motor, and falls into the lake. He calls out to Pluto for help, and Pluto, finally free from the spring rushes off the dock, landing into the errant boat. The motor flies up in the air and lands on Donald, taking the duck all the way to the bottom of the lake. Donald is them thrown up and into the rope that was tied to the boat, taking Pluto with him on a water-skiing adventure. The poor pair end up tied around a post after they crash.

 

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July 15

Posted on July 15, 2014 by disneydetail

July 15, 2011 – The Animated Short Film The Ballad of Nessie Premieres in Theaters

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“In the bonny blue highlands where the bagpipes play lives a creature called Nessie, but it wasn’t always this way.”

On July 15, the animated short film The Ballad of Nessie was released to theaters alongside the animated feature film Winnie the Pooh. The short features a tribute to famed animator Glen Keane, which is the name of the glen where Nessie once lived. It was written by Regina Conroy, Stevie Wermers-Skelton, and Kevin Deters, and directed by Wermers-Skelton and Deters. The short was narrated by Billy Connolly. It was nominated for an Annie Award for Best Short Subject, but lost to Minkyu Lee’s Adam and Dog.

The narrator introduces the audience to Nessie, a shy creature who used to live on the moors of Glen Keane. Although considered a monster, she had “no bark and no bite,” and lived with her best friend, a rubber duck named McQuack. One day, a developer named Tycoon MacFroogle arrives. He wishes to turn the moor into a mini golf course, which he quickly does, driving Nessie out of her home. A nearby seagull tells her to keep a stiff upper lip, and she decides to pack her things and find a new pond to live. She searches high and low, but can’t find anything suitable, and is always told not to cry. Finally, tired of fining nothing, she lets all her tears out, crying a literal flood of tears for weeks. After she finished crying, she noticed that she cried a great lake, and leaps out for joy, having found her new home. The narrator points out the important lesson: don’t be afraid to cry, as “sometimes it’s through our tears we find a better way.” Nessie is still in Loch Ness, and still playing hide and seek with McQuack. Meanwhile, MacFroogle is seen weeping in despair, as Nessie’s tears have completely destroyed his mini-golf park.

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July 13

Posted on July 13, 2014 by disneydetail

July 13, 1935 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Mickey’s Garden Premieres in Theaters

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“Hey, Pluto! Cut it out! Hey, it tickles!”

On July 13, 1935, the Mickey Mouse short film Mickey’s Garden was released to theaters. It was directed by Wilfred Jackson.

Pluto and Mickey are stalking through Mickey’s garden, and Mickey quickly uses insecticide on the multitude of bugs that have been eating his crops. He quickly runs out and rushes to get some more; once he does, the bugs run back to his crops and resume eating. Mickey quickly runs back to his task of killing the pests; while he tries to fix his sprayer, Pluto hunts after another bug, and lands head first into a pumpkin while doing so. Pluto runs about blindly, unable to shake the pumpkin off, and lands on the end of the sprayer, spraying Mickey with the insecticide. Mickey falls down is in a daze from the poison. When he comes to, he discovers that his house has been overtaken by the garden, which has grown to an enormous size. The bugs, also enormous, have been drinking the bug poison, which makes them drunk. The bugs discover Mickey and Pluto, and hunt after them, ready to spray them with insecticide. Mickey and Pluto scramble up a lily for safety, only to find an angry bee there to fight them. Pluto is attacked by a caterpillar, who throws him into the mouth of a drunk firefly. Mickey lands in a tomato and has to battle with a worm that lived there. As Mickey strangles to worm, he comes out of his daze to find that this has all been a nightmare caused by the poison. Pluto manages to finally free himself from the pumpkin, which crashes into Mickey. The short ends with Pluto licking Mickey while Mickey is trapped in the pumpkin.

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July 11

Posted on July 11, 2014 by disneydetail

July 11, 1941 – The Donald Duck Short Film Early to Bed is Released to Theaters

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“Doggone it. I’ll get to sleep if it kills me!”

On July 11, 1941, the Donald Duck short film Early to Bed was released to theaters. It was directed by Jack King.

Donald lets out a long yawn as he stretches and gets ready for bed. He mutters that he has to get up early and mentions how tired he is before singing himself a lullaby. As he tries to land on his pillow, he hits the bed frame with his head. Annoyed, he moves his pillow, only to have all the feathers fly out when he tries once again to rest his head. He finally is able to go to sleep, save for the ticking of his alarm clock, which seems to grow louder every second he tries to sleep. His tail begins to move in rhythm with the clock, and he finally just shoves it into a drawer. The clock, however, continues to tick loudly, and Donald loses his temper and throws it against a wall. It lands in a nearby vase and continues to beat loudly, so Donald throws the clock out the window. The clock lands in a sock on the outside laundry line, and the force of Donald’s throw carries it back into Donald’s apartment, where he accidentally swallows it as it flies through the window.

Donald is shocked to find the clock inside his stomach after throwing it out the window

Donald is shocked to find the clock inside his stomach after throwing it out the window

Donald is alarmed to find the clock in his stomach, and tries to kick it out with little success. He is able to break the clock into pieces, but doesn’t silence it. Finally, Donald is able to get the clock and all of its pieces thrown out of him, silencing the ticking forever. He tries to go back to sleep, only to find that his trundle bed has folded itself – and him – in half. The bed refuses to stay down, as the moment he turns out the light, it folds right up again. The bed’s springs also come out from the padding, launching Donald into his chandelier. The chandelier then falls back onto the bed, which folds up. Donald finally takes desperate measures when he ties down his bed with ropes and chains, and locks himself in at the top. Unfortunately, the broken clock magically reassembles itself and sets off the alarm, waking Donald up and causing the bed to self-destruct.

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July 9

Posted on July 9, 2014 by disneydetail

July 9, 1932 – The Mickey Mouse Short Film Musical Farmer is Released to Theaters

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“Look look look look look look look look look look look what I did!”

On July 9, 1932, the Mickey Mouse short film Musical Farmer was released to theaters. It was directed by Wilfred Jackson.

Mickey and Pluto are walking across the farm, planting seeds, which are soon devoured by crows. Mickey and Pluto spot the crows and chase them off, but as Pluto jumps after them, he lands in the nearby scarecrow’s clothes. Mickey helps him out, but is soon distracted by a singing Minnie who is milking a cow. Mickey decides to play a prank on her, so he and Pluto dress in the scarecrow’s outfit and make their way over, scaring her half to death. The “scarecrow” soon begins to dance, but continues to shout “boo!” and scare her. When she notices that it’s Pluto and Mickey, she trips them up can has Mickey fall into the washtub. He steps out wearing tartan socks and a kilt, takes three nearby geese, and pretends to play the bagpipes with them.

Mickey starts playing a tune for the barnyard musical extravaganza

Mickey starts playing a tune for the barnyard musical extravaganza

As Mickey pretends to be Scottish, the music he plays is infectious and carries all over the farm. Soon, Mickey plays an old rake like a mouth harp and sings with all the animals while Minnie dances on top of a washtub. All the hens lay their eggs in time to the music, save for one – Fanny. Fanny sadly looks around at all the other hens laying and gossiping about her, when suddenly she lays a giant egg. The entire farm rushes to the hen house to see what Fanny has done, and when Mickey sees the egg, he gives her a pat on the head and rushes to get his camera. After a series of mishaps, he sets off to take a photo of the giant egg. Unfortunately, he uses too much flash powder, and destroys not only his camera, but takes off all the feathers from every bird in the hen house.

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