Disney Shorts - The Chain Gang

The Chain Gang

"A Mickey Mouse Cartoon"

Release Date September 5, 1930

Running time 7:57

Synopsis

Mickey's a prisoner on jailer Pegleg Pete's rock pile. In a riot, he escapes, but when he's pursued by the jail guards' hounds, he jumps on a pair of motley horses who finally return him to jail the hard way.

Characters

Mickey Mouse

Pluto

Pete

Credits

Director : Bert Gillett

Animation

Johnny Cannon

Les Clark

Norm Ferguson

Milestones

The first appearance of Pluto, surprisingly enough as one of the hounds who chases Mickey after his escape.

Cut Scenes

Some scenes of jailers shooting at escaping prisoners. This scene may have since been reinstated.

Laserdiscs

United States

Mickey Mouse : The Black and White Years

Japan

Mickey Mouse : The Black and White Years

DVD

Disney Treasures : Mickey Mouse in Black and White

Disney Treasures : The Complete Pluto Volume 1

Television

The Ink and Paint Club : Disney Firsts

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Black and White

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Cinephone; mono

Aspect ration : 1.33 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by Columbia Pictures, Inc.

Gallery

Sketch of Pluto from "The Chain Gang"
Courtesy of Animation Art Gallery

Click on the thumbnail for the full-sized picture

Comments

From Jesus Daprice : This short kind of has a twist to it. In it Mickey Mouse is a prisoner and Pegleg Pete is actually a prison guard working on the side of the law. I just can't help but wondering what Mickey could have done to end up in prison. He's much too nice to kill anyone and I don't think he would steal anything, or would he be reduced to it. It could be that he was framed for a crime he didn't commit. This cartoon was made during the Depression when thousands of families across America were out of work. Maybe Mickey had a hungry family to support and would do anything to put food on the table.

From Jerry Edwards : Mickey is a convict who escapes and is tracked by guards using bloodhounds. After a wild horse ride, Mickey hits a post, is thrown off a cliff, crashes through the prison roof, and falls back into a cell. Interesting short, with lots of action. But it is so strange seeing Mickey as a convict. I have always disagreed with the Disney Company's claim that this is the first appearance of Pluto. The dogs are just bloodhounds with only a superficial similarity to the later Pluto. Plus there's two identical bloodhounds - so which one is Pluto? My compromise information was included in the Updated Official Encyclopedia Disney A-Z in which my description of the cartoon is changed to "the first appearance of the character who would become Pluto." Under the Pluto listing in the book, my suggestion was also used - "the dog who would eventually evolve into Pluto made his debut as a bloodhound..." I have always gotten tickled by the prison being "co-ed" since Clarabelle Cow is among the prisoners.

From Ryan : I do not have any idea why Mickey Mouse is in prison, but that's where he appears to be in this short. After the guards go to sleep (all being Pete look-alikes), Mickey takes out his harmonica and all the prisoners start dancing and playing music. Soon, a guard wakes up and they start shooting at the prisoners. Mickey escapes by catapulting himself over the prison wall. The guards send out the hounds (who happen to be Pluto in his first appearance) to hunt down Mickey. There was one scene that looked pretty painful (especially if you're a guy) where Mickey was being pulled by two horses trying to get away. Mickey slides on a fence in the you know where. OUCH! Fun cartoon, especially considering that it's the first appearance of Pluto.

From Bill : I find this kind of strange. Just to see Mickey in jail makes me wonder what he could have done. It does not fit into Mickey's character even in the early shorts like this one. But with that said, I think the gags in this short were not up to par as in most of the shorts, but still, since I am a raging Mickey fan, enjoyable. I was kind of hoping Mickey would escape but the ending was not that bad.