Mickey Mouse (film series)

Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
	Promotional poster for the series
Production; company	Walt Disney Animation Studios
Distributed by	Celebrity Productions (1–15); Columbia Pictures (16–43); United Artists (44–95); RKO Radio Pictures (96–126); Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (127–130)
Country	United States
Language	English

Mickey Mouse (originally known as Mickey Mouse Cartoons)^[1] is a series of American animated comedy short films produced by Walt Disney Productions. The series started in 1928 with Steamboat Willie^[a] with 2013's Get a Horse! being the most recent short in the series to date, otherwise taking a hiatus from 1953 to 1983. The series is notable for its innovation with sound synchronization and character animation, and also introduced well-known characters such as the titular protagonist Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto and Goofy.

The name "Mickey Mouse" was first used in the films' title sequences to refer specifically to the character, but was used from 1935 to 1953 to refer to the series itself, as in "Walt Disney presents a Mickey Mouse". In this sense "Mickey Mouse" was a shortened form of "a Mickey Mouse cartoon" which was used in the earliest films. Films from 1929 to 1935 which were re-released during this time also used this naming convention, but it was not used for the three shorts released between 1983 and 1995 (Mickey's Christmas Carol, The Prince and the Pauper, and Runaway Brain). Mickey's name was also used occasionally to market other films which were formally part of other series. Examples of this include several Silly Symphonies and Goofy and Wilbur (1939).

The shorts released before 1931 are currently in the public domain.

Production

Disney began secretly producing the first Mickey Mouse films while still contractually required to finish some Oswald the Lucky Rabbit cartoons for producer Charles Mintz. The first two films, Plane Crazy and The Gallopin' Gaucho, were previewed in theaters but failed to pick up a distributor for a broad release. For the third film, Disney added synchronized sound, a technology that was still in its early stages at the time. Steamboat Willie debuted in New York in November 1928 and was an instant success. The revenues from the film provided the studio with much needed resources, and the studio quickly began to produce new cartoons as well as releasing sound versions of the first two.^[2]

Production slowed towards the end of the 1930s as the studio began to focus on other characters and feature-length films. The series was informally retired in 1953 with the release of The Simple Things, but was revived in 1983 and 1990 with two featurettes, or three reel short films. 1995's Runaway Brain returned the series to its single reel format, while the latest installment, 2013's Get a Horse!, combines the black-and-white style of the early films with color CGI animation scenes.

The cartoons were directed by 20 different people. Those with the most credits include Burt Gillett (34), Wilfred Jackson (18), Walt Disney (16), David Hand (15), and Ben Sharpsteen (14); the director of the most recent installment, Lauren MacMullan, was the first female director. Notable animators who worked on the series include Ub Iwerks, Norm Ferguson, Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas, and Fred Moore. Mickey's voice is mostly provided by Walt Disney, with some additional work by Carl Stalling and Clarence Nash. By 1948, Jimmy MacDonald had taken over Mickey's voice. Wayne Allwine voiced the mouse in the three films released from 1983 to 1995. In the most recent film, Get a Horse!, Mickey's dialogue was compiled from archival recordings primarily of Walt Disney's voice work.

List of films

The following is a list of Mickey Mouse films. The early films released by Celebrity Productions (1928–1929) and Columbia Pictures (1930–1932) were distributed by region and state, so there is no definitive release date. The dates used in the list from 1928 to mid-1932 are shipping dates, reflecting when the Disney studio shipped the completed films to the distributors, per the 2018 Disney Enterprises book Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History. The shorts released by United Artists (1932–1937) and RKO Radio (1937–1940) have official release dates announced by the distributors.^[3]

The list does not include shorts where Mickey Mouse appears outside of the Mickey Mouse series, such as appearances in short films starring other characters in their own film series, segments from feature films (such as The Sorcerer's Apprentice), nor shorts of Mickey Mouse made as part of the episodes of the television series Mickey Mouse Works.

Gray headers indicate black-and-white films, while yellow headers indicate color films.

Years:	1928 · 1929 · 1930 · 1931 · 1932 · 1933 · 1934 · 1935 · 1936 · 1937 · 1938 · 1939 · 1940 · 1941 · 1942 · 1943 · 1946 · 1947 · 1948 · 1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1983 · 1990 · 1995 · 2013

1928

Installment	Film	Director^[4]	Release date^[5]
1	Steamboat Willie	Walt Disney	November 18, 1928
Mickey works aboard a river steamboat captained by Pete with the mission of transporting livestock. Along the way, Mickey picks up animals and Minnie, and comes up with creative ways to play "Turkey in the Straw" with a goat after it eats Minnie's music sheet. Pete is unamused and puts Mickey to work skinning potatoes. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Pete, Clarabelle Cow Notes: Disney's first sound cartoon, selected to the National Film Registry in 1998.^[6] The title is a parody of the Buster Keaton film, Steamboat Bill, Jr., which was released May 12, 1928.
2	The Gallopin' Gaucho	Ub Iwerks	December 30, 1928
Mickey is an Argentine gaucho who rides a rhea instead of a horse. He stops at a cantina where he finds Minnie and dances with her. Pete arrives, abducts Minnie, and takes her away on a donkey. Mickey follows after him, but the rhea has become drunk and slows Mickey down. Finally, Mickey confronts Pete in a fencing duel and saves Minnie. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Pete Notes: Released on August 2, 1928. The cartoon is a parody of the Douglas Fairbanks film, The Gaucho, which was released November 21, 1927. Mickey wears shoes for the first time. At first he and Minnie have the same eyes as in Plane Crazy, but halfway into the cartoon they turn into the dot eyes seen in Steamboat Willie.

1929

Installment	Film	Director(s)	Release date
3	The Barn Dance	Walt Disney	March 14, 1929
Mickey wants to take Minnie to a dance, but Pete's flashy car beats Mickey's horse-drawn wagon as her transportation of choice. At the dance, Mickey uses a balloon to make himself light on his feet — the perfect dancing partner — but this does not keep Minnie at his side for long either. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Pete Notes: A colorized version was made in the late 1980s.
4	Plane Crazy	Walt Disney	March 17, 1929
Mickey tries to emulate his hero, Charles Lindbergh, and woo Minnie by building and flying his own airplane. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Clarabelle Cow Notes: This is the first to be animated in the series, marking the debut of Mickey and Minnie. The cartoon was screen tested on May 15, 1928; the sound version followed on March 17, 1929.
5	The Opry House	Walt Disney	March 28, 1929
Mickey owns and performs at his own theatre, going in drag as a harem girl, in a derby as a Hasidic Jew, and finally in a wig as a fancy pianist. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Kat Nipp Notes: First time Mickey wears gloves outside of title cards and posters.
6	When the Cat's Away	Walt Disney	May 3, 1929
After Tom Cat (not to be confused with the character from Tom and Jerry) has a drink and goes out for the day with his rifle, Mickey, Minnie, and an army of mice break into the feline's home to play music with whatever they can get their little paws on. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, "Tom Cat" (different sources referring to him as Pete or Kat Nipp) Notes: Remake of Alice Comedies film Alice Rattled by Rats, depicts Mickey and Minnie as regular mice.
7	The Barnyard Battle	Walt Disney	ca. June 1, 1929
Mickey joins an army of mice to battle an army of cats. Commander Pete leads the cats in a raid on Mickey's farm. Mickey mounts a spirited defense of the farmhouse. Other appearances: Pete
8	The Plowboy	Walt Disney	ca. June 28, 1929
Mickey flirts with Minnie on the farm, but she spurns him, making him look bad in the eyes of his helper, Horace Horsecollar. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow Notes: First time Minnie wears gloves.
9	The Karnival Kid	Walt Disney & Ub Iwerks	July 31, 1929
Mickey sells animated hot dogs at a carnival and heckles rival barker Kat Nipp. Also at the fair is Minnie who performs as a shimmy dancer. Mickey gives her a free hot dog, and later under the pale moonlight with the help of two alley cats, serenades Minnie outside her trailer with the 1904 hit song Sweet Adeline. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Clarabelle Cow, Kat Nipp Notes: First time Mickey speaks actual words, and the first time Mickey has pie eyes and eyebrows.
10	Mickey's Follies	Ub Iwerks & Wilfred Jackson	August 28, 1929
Mickey and his barnyard pals put on a show that includes dancing ducks, opera singing by Patricia Pig, and Mickey's own rendition of his theme song, "Minnie's Yoo Hoo". Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Clarabelle Cow, Patricia Pig Notes: Introduction of "Minnie's Yoo Hoo", Mickey's theme song.
11	Mickey's Choo-Choo	Walt Disney	September 26, 1929
Mickey is running a small-town railroad. He takes Minnie for a wild ride on a humanized train which eventually rumbles out of control. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Clarabelle Cow Notes: A colorized version was made in 1991.^[7]^[8]
12	The Jazz Fool	Walt Disney	October 15, 1929
As part of "Mickey's Big Road Show", Mickey plays a calliope pulled by Horace. They later play the xylophone and piano, Mickey mercilessly beating up on the latter. Other appearances: Horace Horsecollar
13	Jungle Rhythm	Walt Disney	November 9, 1929
Mickey goes on a hunting expedition to the jungle, but when his rifle malfunctions, Mickey is left facing several angry and vicious animals. To appease them, Mickey starts playing music, and soon has all of the animals joining him.
14	The Haunted House	Jack King^[b]	December 2, 1929
Mickey weathers a ferocious storm inside an old haunted house where he is compelled to play the organ for a ghost and a group of skeletons. Other appearances: Skeletons, Ghost Notes: Title shortened to Haunted House in rerelease title sequence. The short also has a lost title sequence where the letters that make up the title get blown away by the wind. The last few frames were kept in the reissue.
15	Wild Waves	Burt Gillett	December 18, 1929
Mickey works as a beach lifeguard who saves Minnie from being drowned by a wave. After Minnie is rescued, she fusses, Mickey tries to cheer her up by dancing, playing music and scat sings to "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep". Also present are a wide variety of sea birds and marine mammals who accompany Mickey. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse Notes: Last film released by Celebrity Productions. Also the last film in the series that was animated by Ub Iwerks.^[10]

1930

Installment	Film	Director	Release date
16	Fiddling Around	Walt Disney	March 6, 1930
At a concert hall, Mickey performs solo on a violin. His repertoire includes "Traumerei" and the finale of the William Tell overture. Notes: First film released by Columbia Pictures. Copyrighted as Fiddlin' Around,^[11] billed as Fiddling Around.^[12] First short made without Ub Iwerks. This short is also known as "Just Mickey".
17	The Barnyard Concert	Walt Disney	April 5, 1930
At the farm, Mickey directs an orchestra rehearsal of Poet and Peasant by Franz von Suppè. The session is filled with distractions and Mickey ends up with a bucket of water thrown on his head. Other appearances: Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow
18	The Cactus Kid	Walt Disney	May 10, 1930
Set in the desert of Mexico or the southwestern United States; Mickey enters "El Adobe Cafe" where Minnie works as a bar tender. Pete arrives and abducts Minnie after a brief gun fight with Mickey. Mickey rides after Pete on Horace and eventually saves Minnie. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Horace Horsecollar (without his yoke), Pete Notes: First time Marcellite Garner voices Minnie, and the first time the animators worked to a prerecorded soundtrack.
19	The Fire Fighters	Burt Gillett	June 20, 1930
Mickey is the fire chief of a fire department which receives an alarm in the middle of the night. The group of fire fighters race to the blaze which engulfs a seven-storey building, but on the way the engine loses its water tank. Mickey saves Minnie, trapped on the top floor, by way of a clothes line connected with another building. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Horace Horsecollar Note: Original prints of this film had the fire scenes tinted red.^[13]
20	The Shindig	Burt Gillett	July 11, 1930
The friends from the barnyard attend a dance in the barn. Clarabelle Cow attends as Horace Horsecollar's date and the pair take center stage for one of the dances. Mickey and Minnie provide music on fiddle and piano, and Mickey later joins the dancing. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow Notes: Clarabelle's name was mentioned for the first time and Clarabelle stands up for the first time.
21	The Chain Gang	Burt Gillett	August 18, 1930
Mickey is a prisoner forced to work on a chain gang with other prisoners. When the guard Peg Leg Pete falls asleep, Mickey leads the prisoners in some care-free, innovative music making, and eventually escape. Mickey vaults himself over the wall, escapes into a swamp and eventually rides away on a pair of horses. When the horses throw Mickey off a cliff, he happens the fall through the roof of the jail and finds himself back in his cell. Other appearances: Clarabelle Cow, Pluto (prototypes), Pete
22	The Gorilla Mystery	Burt Gillett	September 22, 1930
Mickey reads about a gorilla named Beppo has escaped the local city zoo in the newspaper and calls Minnie to warn her. Minnie insists she is not afraid and plays the piano for Mickey over the phone. While Minnie is playing, Beppo enters the house and kidnaps her, ties her up and takes her into the attic. Mickey hears Minnie's screams in the telephone and runs over to her house to save her before Beppo strikes back. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Beppo the Gorilla
23	The Picnic	Burt Gillett	October 9, 1930
Mickey and Minnie go on a picnic together along with Minnie's dog Rover. Mickey brings a phonograph, and while he and Minnie dance to "In the Good Old Summer Time", a variety of animals make off with the food. Finally the weather turns bad and the trio head home in a hurry. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Pluto as "Rover", Mickey's car
24	Pioneer Days	Burt Gillett	November 20, 1930
Period piece set in the old west. Mickey and Minnie are part of a wagon train of American settlers. Indian scout spots the wagon train and assembles a war party. That night after circling the wagons, the pioneers dance to "The Irish Washerwoman" and later hear on old goat sing an emotional rendition of "Nelly Gray". Just then the Indians attack and a fight breaks out. Mickey and Minnie scare the Indians away by tricking them into thinking U.S. cavalry soldiers are approaching. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse; cameos by Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow

1931

Installment	Film	Director	Release date
25	The Birthday Party	Burt Gillett	January 2, 1931
Mickey's friends throw a surprise birthday party at Minnie's house. Minnie gives Mickey a piano, and the mice play a piano duet of "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby". During the rest of the party the characters dance and play more songs. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow
26	Traffic Troubles	Burt Gillett	March 7, 1931
Mickey works as a taxi driver in a large city. After losing his first customer in the street, Mickey picks up Minnie on her way to a music lesson, but the taxi gets a flat tire which Mickey is unable to repair. Pete appears as a traveling snake oil salesman who feeds a formula to the taxi. This makes the vehicle go out of control. Mickey, Minnie, and the taxi crash through a barn and end up covered in feathers. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Pete as "Dr. Pep", Percy Pigg
27	The Castaway	Wilfred Jackson	March 27, 1931
Mickey is a castaway in the ocean and makes it ashore to a jungle island. After eating bananas, a piano washes ashore and Mickey plays it while dealing at first with bothersome wild animals, and later dangerous ones.
28	The Moose Hunt	Burt Gillett	April 30, 1931
Mickey and Pluto go hunting for moose. Mickey accidentally shoots at Pluto with his shotgun and the dog plays dead. After this Mickey and Pluto encounter a real moose and are chased away. Other appearances: Pluto Notes: First appearance of Pluto as Mickey's dog.
29	The Delivery Boy	Burt Gillett	June 6, 1931
While working as a delivery boy driving a cart filled with musical instruments, Mickey passes by Minnie's house. He sneaks up on her while she is outside doing her laundry. The two mice start dancing in the yard, but Mickey punches a bee hive onto the mule pulling the cart. The mule kicks the cart and the instruments land on the animals. Together they all play "Stars and Stripes Forever". Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Pete Notes: This is the last Disney cartoon where the copyright holder is set to "Walter E. Disney".
30	Mickey Steps Out	Burt Gillett	July 10, 1931
Mickey prepares for a date and leaves his house, but Pluto wants to come with him. Mickey tells Pluto to stay home and ties him to the dog house, but Pluto follows anyway, dragging the house behind him. At Minnie's house Mickey and Minnie play music, while outside Pluto chases a cat. The chaos eventually interrupts the date. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Pluto
31	Blue Rhythm	Burt Gillett	August 7, 1931
Mickey plays piano at a concert hall and is joined by Minnie singing "St. Louis Blues". Mickey later conducts a blues orchestra that proves to heavy for the stage. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, Pluto
32	Fishin' Around	Burt Gillett	September 1, 1931
Mickey and Pluto go fishing from a boat on a lake after sinking a sign that says "no fishing". The fish turn out to be very intelligent and play several pranks on the fishermen, including tying their fishing lines together. Eventually a police officer appears and, trying to stop Mickey from fishing, accidentally falls in the water. Mickey and Pluto make a speedy getaway. Other appearances: Pluto
33	The Barnyard Broadcast	Burt Gillett	September 30, 1931
Mickey sets up a radio station in the barn and hosts a music program. While Minnie, Horace, and Clarabelle perform, Mickey struggles to keep a cat family out of the barn who are intent on interrupting the broadcast. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, Pluto
34	The Beach Party	Burt Gillett	October 28, 1931
Mickey and his friends spend a relaxing day at the beach going swimming and enjoying a picnic. When Pluto accidentally retrieves an aggressive octopus from the ocean, the party fights him off using techniques learned earlier in the day, such as Horace's spitting of watermelon seeds and ejecting jars of pickled olives from Clarabelle's throat. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, Pluto
35	Mickey Cuts Up	Burt Gillett^[14]	November 25, 1931
Mickey mows his yard with a reel mower pulled by Pluto, while next door Minnie waters her garden. Mickey tricks Minnie by pretending to be a bird in a bird house, but instead he gets attacked by a cat. While Mickey and Minnie are playing a harmonica duet, Pluto chases after the cat, but the mower is still tied on to him and it cuts up everything in its path. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Pluto
36	Mickey's Orphans	Burt Gillett	December 5, 1931
Mickey and Minnie take in an orphaned litter of kittens during Christmas time. The kittens harass Pluto, ransack the house, and skeletonize the Christmas tree. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Pluto, kittens Notes: Nominated for Academy Award for Best Animated Short.^[15]

1932

Installment	Film	Director	Release date
37	The Duck Hunt	Burt Gillett	January 21, 1932
Mickey and Pluto go to a pond to hunt for ducks. While Mickey hides behind some bullrushes in a boat with a shotgun, Pluto wears a duck decoy on his head and swims to the center of the pond. The ducks discover the truth after Mickey accidentally shoots a hole in the bottom of his boat. Other appearances: Pluto
38	The Grocery Boy	Wilfred Jackson	February 8, 1932
Mickey and Pluto go grocery shopping for Minnie and later help her cook. Pluto misbehaves and tries to steal the turkey which leads to a disaster. Other appearances: Minnie Mouse, Pluto
39	The Mad Dog	Burt Gillett	February 27, 1932
Mickey gives Pluto a bath, but the dog doesn't like it and jumps out of the tub. Pluto then accidentally swallows the bar of soap and starts hiccuping bubbles. In a panic, Pluto starts running through the city, all the while hiccuping bubbles. People in town panic when they see Pluto foaming at the mouth, and assume he has rabies. Pete, the town dogcatcher corners Pluto in an alley at gunpoint. Mickey pleads with Pete for Pluto's life, but to no avail. Finally Mickey throws a cat down Pete's pants to distract him, while he and Pluto run home. Other appearances: Pluto, Pete; cameo of Clarabelle Cow
40	Barnyard Olympics	Wilfred Jackson	April 13, 1932
Several characters participate in the

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