"A Mickey Mouse Cartoon"

Release Date June 20, 1941

Running Time

Complete : 7:33

Edited : 5:35

Synopsis

Mickey takes Minnie to a vaudeville show, then out for a wild drive in an antique car.

Characters

Mickey Mouse

Minnie Mouse

Goofy (cameo)

Donald Duck (cameo)

Daisy Duck (cameo)

Huey, Dewey, and Louie (cameo)

Fred and Ward

Credits

Director : Riley Thompson

Animation

Les Clark

Ward Kimball

Background vocals : The Sportsmen

Cut Scenes

A slide show in the vaudeville house to the old tune "Father, Dear Father" - in which a drunken husband is shown refusing to come home from the bar - was cut at one time. It is possible that it has since been reinstated.

Inside Jokes

Some of the names on the theater curtain refer to people at Disney. One says "Walter D's Hats that Please," an obvious reference to Walt Disney himself. Another says "Wilfred Jaxson Feed and Fuel," a reference to Wilfred Jackson, one of Disney's earliest animators. There may be others, but the video I was watching on was blurred. Later, Mickey and Minnie pass by a barn with the sign "Riley's Livery Stable", probably referring to director Riley Thompson.

The second act "Fred and Ward, Two Clever Boys from Illinois" are charicaters of Fred Moore and Ward Kimball, two of Disney's top animators.

From J. D. Weil : "In "The Nifty Nineties" you mentioned the in-joke "Walter D's Hats" as being directed at Walt Disney, which is true, but there is another aspect to that gag. It seems there is a hat manufacturer that uses the Disney name (I spotted their ads in the New Yorker Magazine, and it seems they been making hats longer than Walt has making cartoons) and probably Riley Thompson (or his gagmen) knew of this. So that gives that joke an extra edge. (Of course I'll never know if Walt ever wore Disney hats.)

From Peter Hale : The other names in the ads on the backdrop are "Clark's Confectionery" for animator Les Clark, "T. Hee Shoes" for storyman T. Hee, "Gen. J. Sharpsteen Dentist" for director Ben Sharpsteen, "Rileys Livery Stable" possibly for Art Riley but maybe for Riley Thompson who directed 'Nifty Nineties', and three I can't identify: "'Breezy' Allens Haberdashery", M. Flanigan Imported Coffee" and "R. B. Martch Guns". (The top lefthand space says "For Rent.")

Videos

United States

Cartoon Classics : Limited Gold Editions : Minnie

Sweetheart Stories

Germany

Mickeys Größte Show

Happy Birthday Mickey

Swinging Micky

Micky Liebt Minnie

Italy

Topolino and Co. : Avventure Tutte da Ridere

Minni

Video Parade 12

Laserdiscs

Japan

Mickey Mouse : A Star is Born

Mickey Loves Minnie

Minnie : Limited Gold Edition

Mickey Mouse Anniversary Show

DVD

United States

Pollyanna

Disney Treasures : Mickey Mouse in Living Color : Volume 2

Mickey and Minnie's Sweetheart Stories

Cartoon Classics Favorites : Best Pals: Mickey and Minnie

Television

The Ink and Paint Club : #22 : Classic Mickey

The Ink and Paint Club : #39 : Minnie Mouse

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Techicolor

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Mono

Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematograhic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Production Number : 4109

Released by RKO Radio Pictures.

Comments

From Ryan : This is one of my favorite Mickey Mouse shorts. I absolutely love the scene in the vaudeville theater with Fred and Ward, the "Two Clever Boys From Illinois." The first joke that they told was the oldest one in the book: Why did the chicken cross the road? The animation was nicely done. So what do I have to complain about this wonderful short? Well... if I can recall, I first saw this cartoon on a video that I had rented back when I was about 8 or 9 years old. When Mickey and Minnie entered the vaudeville theater, a slideshow entitled "Father Dear Father" came on. It was about a poor woman (actually I don't remember whether or not she was actually poor) trying to get her alcoholic father to come home and help her and her mother take care of their dying child. I don't remember much about the images that I saw in that sequence, but I remember that I saw someone frozen in a bathtub. This scene is now censored on the Disney Channel, which really ticks me off! I believe that this scene should NOT have been censored for two reasons:

1.) The alcoholic in the show was not a regular Disney character, so he would not be considered a role model that some kids might try to copy.

2.) This may not be true for some of the older kids (like 4th grade age), but the younger kids (like kindergarten-age) would not understand it and it would just go over their heads.

From Roberto González : This is an awesome cartoon. I watched it for first time in the DVD and I couldn't believe how beautiful it looked. No matter what you think of Disney's cuteness this cartoon is so well drawn you just have to enjoy it. I mean, I myself am more of a Looney Tunes fan but I really love the music, art and humor in this one. It's also very nice to see Goofy, Donald and his gang in those brief cameos.

From Austin Long : This short portrays the 1890's masterfully. The part with Freddie Moore and Ward Kimball as part of the show is among my favorite cameos in any short. 11 out of 10.

From Baruch Weiss : Mickey goes on a date with Minnie then takes her for a ride in his automobile which ends up in a wreck when a cow gets in the way. Truly one of my favorite Mickey cartoons and I enjoyed the cameo apperances by the other Disney Characters. This didn't happen often in the classic Disney cartoons where other characters would make cameos.

From Mick Mouse : One of my all time favorite shorts! I absolutly love those cute romantic Mickey and Minnie moments. I also found a hidden gag on the curtain at the vaudville show. One of the advertisments is " Walter D's, Hats to please". I thought that it was a cute little tribute to the one and only Walt Disney himself.

Referenced Comments

The Picnic (1930)

Gallery

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