Mickey Mouse Works
Mickey Mouse Works (also known as Disney's Mickey Mouse Works) is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation featuring Mickey Mouse and his friends in a series of animated shorts.[1] It is the first Disney television animated series to be broadcast in widescreen High Definition.
Mickey Mouse Works | |
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Also known as | Disney's Mickey Mouse Works |
Genre | Comedy |
Created by | Bobs Gannaway |
Based on | Mickey Mouse by Walt Disney Ub Iwerks |
Written by | Roberts Gannaway Rick Schneider-Calabash |
Directed by | Roberts Gannaway Tony Craig Rick Schneider-Calabash |
Voices of | Wayne Allwine Tony Anselmo Russi Taylor Bill Farmer Diane Michelle Tress MacNeille Corey Burton John Cleese Jim Cummings Jeff Bennett Maurice LaMarche April Winchell Estelle Harris John O'Hurley Alan Young Jason Marsden Rob Paulsen Quinton Flynn (Minnie Takes Care of Pluto) |
Narrated by | John Cleese (MouseTales and Mickey's Mechanical House) Corey Burton (Goofy and Goofy's Extreme Sports) |
Music by | Stephen James Taylor |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 25 |
Production | |
Production company(s) | Walt Disney Television Animation Toon City Animation |
Distributor | Buena Vista Television |
Release | |
Original network | ABC (Disney’s One Saturday Morning) |
Original release | May 1, 1999 – January 6, 2001 |
Chronology | |
Related shows | Mickey's Mouse Tracks House of Mouse Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures |
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto and Ludwig Von Drake all star in their own segments while Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, Huey, Dewey and Louie, Chip 'n Dale, Scrooge McDuck, Max Goof, Pete, PJ, Humphrey the Bear, J. Audubon Woodlore, Dinah the Dachshund, Butch the Bulldog, Mortimer Mouse, Jose Carioca, Panchito Pistoles, and Clara Cluck appear as supporting characters. Musical themes for each character were composed by Stephen James Taylor with a live 12-piece band and extensive use of the fretless guitar to which the music of the series was nominated for an Annie Award in both 1999 and 2001. The shorts from the series were later used in House of Mouse.
Overview
Mickey Mouse Works was produced to recreate the golden age of Disney's animated shorts featuring Disney's most popular characters. By using basic colors and the original sound effects, effort was put forth to capture the look and feel of "classic" Disney.
Each half-hour episode consisted of a variety of cartoons, varying in length from ninety seconds to twelve minutes. These shorts fell into three general types: 90-second gag cartoons, the 7 and a half-minute character cartoons, and 12-minute "Mouse Tales" based on famous stories.[2] The character-based segments also included "Silly Symphonies", carrying on the tradition of that series of theatrical shorts.
The gag shorts, which lasted 90 seconds each, were shown with the following umbrella titles:
- Mickey to the Rescue: Mickey tries to rescue Minnie from Pete's trap-laden hideout.
- Maestro Minnie: Minnie conducts an orchestra of anthropomorphic rebellious musical instruments.
- Goofy's Extreme Sports: Goofy shows off extreme sports in the words of his off-screen narrator.
- Donald's Dynamite: Donald's activity is interrupted by the appearance of a well-placed bomb.
- Von Drake's House of Genius: Ludwig Von Drake shows off an invention of his which goes haywire.
- Pluto Gets the Paper: Pluto goes through a bit of problems trying to fetch the newspaper for Mickey.
With no established schedule or routine, Mickey Mouse Works was designed to look like one spontaneous flow. Adding to that feeling were the show's opening credits which ended differently each week, the only constant being an elaborate interruption from a spotlight-stealing Donald Duck.
While most skits involved individual characters, some have Mickey, Donald and Goofy running a special service group. Most Goofy skits have him doing a "how-to" segment always accompanied by a narrator. Most Donald segments were about him trying to accomplish a certain task which never works out right, frustrating him.
Characters
Main
- Mickey Mouse (voiced by Wayne Allwine, Quinton Flynn in "Minnie Takes Care of Pluto")[3] The main protagonist of the series, he goes on various misadventures due to his mischief, but has a good heart.
- Minnie Mouse (voiced by Russi Taylor) is Mickey's love interest, like Mickey, Minnie is often angered by Mickey's mischief, Donald's temper, and Goofy's stupidity, though she is mature for her age.
- Donald Duck (voiced by Tony Anselmo) is one of Mickey's friends, he is well known for his temper, which often lashes out by immaturity and arrogance.
- Daisy Duck (voiced by Tress MacNeille) is Donald's girlfriend, though they both have fiery tempers, Daisy is more intelligent than her boyfriend.
- Goofy (voiced by Bill Farmer) is one of Mickey's friends, he isn't the smartest character on the show, plus stupidity usually makes his friends very angered, despite his naivety, he is brave, however, commonly cowardly.
- Pluto (voiced by Bill Farmer) Mickey's loyal dog who is often aggressive towards some animals.
- Ludwig Von Drake (voiced by Corey Burton) a genius duck who is shown to be very inventive, but has an absent-minded nature.
Villains
- The Phantom Blot (voiced by John O'Hurley) The mysterious shadow in the distance, who wants to steal all the colors for himself and leave the real world stuck in black and white.
- Pete (voiced by Jim Cummings) Mickey's rival, He is very rude and obnoxious, but becomes more simple and dumb from season to season to season.
- Mortimer Mouse (voiced by Maurice LaMarche) Mickey's obnoxious rival who is seemingly charismatic, but in an obnoxious and crude manner, he often flirts with Minnie Mouse and/or Daisy, his most famous catchphrase is "I CHACHA!" (pronounced "ha cha cha").
Others
- Chip 'n' Dale (voiced by Tress MacNeille and Corey Burton)
- Louie the Mountain Lion (voiced by Frank Welker)
- Dinah the Dachshund (voiced by Frank Welker)
- Salty the Seal (voiced by Frank Welker)
- Figaro (voiced by Frank Welker)
- Butch the Bulldog (voiced by Frank Welker)
- Aracuan Bird (voiced by Frank Welker)
- Humphrey the Bear (voiced by Jim Cummings)
Supporting characters
- Huey, Dewey, and Louie (voiced by Russi Taylor)
- Horace Horsecollar (voiced by Bill Farmer)
- Clarabelle Cow (voiced by April Winchell)
- Chief O'Hara (introduced) (voiced by Corey Burton)
- Scrooge McDuck (voiced by Alan Young)
- Max Goof (voiced by Jason Marsden)
- P.J. (voiced by Rob Paulsen)
- J. Audubon Woodlore (voiced by Corey Burton)
- Clara Cluck (voiced by Russi Taylor)
- José Carioca (voiced by Rob Paulsen)
- Panchito Pistoles (voiced by Carlos Alazraqui)
- Mr. Jollyland (voiced by Jeff Bennett)
- Baby Shelby (introduced) (voiced by Jeff Bennett)
- Mrs. Turtle (introduced) (voiced by Estelle Harris)
Production
When the show was replaced by Disney's House of Mouse in January 2001, most of the MouseWork segments were repeated there but the original Mickey Mouse Works format has never been seen again. However, when the shorts were shown right before and after Toon Disney's Big Movie Show on weekdays, they were shown with the Mickey Mouse Works closing credits. Minnie Takes Care of Pluto was not re-run in House of Mouse due to its dark content. For unknown reasons Pluto Gets the Paper: Vending Machine was not on House of Mouse either.
Four of the gag cartoons were released theatrically with various Disney films during 1998 and 1999 and released to theaters as commercials for the show. The cartoons included:
- Goofy's Extreme Sports: Skating the Half Pipe with I'll Be Home for Christmas
- Goofy's Extreme Sports: Paracycling with Mighty Joe Young
- Pluto Gets the Paper: Spaceship with My Favorite Martian
- Donald's Dynamite: Opera Box with Doug's 1st Movie
Some shorts are available in Europe on DVD under the title Mickey's Laugh Factory. While some shorts have the Mickey Mouse Works title card background, others have the House of Mouse version (the Mouse Works version has various mechanics in the background including a Mickey shaped one and one with the Mouse Works text inside it, but the House of Mouse version has various moving swirls)[4] Cartoons include Hickory Dickory Mickey, Mickey Tries to Cook, Organ Donors, Mickey's Airplane Kit, Street Cleaner, Mickey's New Car, Bubble Gum, Mickey's Big Break and Mickey's Mix-Up.[5]
In Disney's Learning Adventures: Mickey's Seeing the World, there were two cartoons featured: Around the World in Eighty Days and Mickey's Mechanical House (both as two stories).
On November 11, 2008, the eighth wave of Walt Disney Treasures was released. One of the sets released in this wave, The Chronological Donald, Volume Four, features a handful of Donald-centric shorts from both Mickey Mouse Works and House of Mouse as bonuses, including Bird Brained Donald, Donald and the Big Nut, Donald's Charmed Date, Donald's Dinner Date, Donald's Failed Fourth, Donald's Rocket Ruckus, Donald's Shell Shots, Donald's Valentine Dollar, Music Store Donald and Survival of the Woodchucks.
Episode list
Series overview
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
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First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 13 | May 1, 1999 | October 30, 1999 | |
2 | 13 | November 6, 1999 | December 16, 2000 |
Season 1 (1999)
No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
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1 | "Mickey To The Rescue: Train Tracks How To Be A Waiter Maestro Minnie: William Tell Overture Donald's Failed Fourth Roller Coaster Painters" | Tony Craig, Roberts Gannaway | Kevin D. Campbell, Roberts Gannaway, Thomas Hart, Elizabeth Stonecipher | May 1, 1999 | |
Mickey arrives at Pete's hideout to find Minnie tied to railroad tracks with a train approaching! Goofy's career as a waiter is frustrating – he's always getting ordered around by customers. When things become too much, he decides to shoot for a better career and become a film star. However, what goes around comes around when his first acting role ends up being that of a waiter. Minnie, as the leader of an orchestra, goes on a wild west chase to rein in a rampaging trumpet. (Note: This short was first shown during the premiere broadcast of Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You on ABC on February 13, 1999.) It's the Fourth of July and Donald Duck has found the perfect picnic spot to watch fireworks under the stars with Daisy. He battles the blanket, wrestles the lawn chairs, and combats the picnic basket until, finally, the site is set. But when Daisy arrives, she discovers that Donald has miscalculated and they cannot even see the fireworks. Donald is disappointed to discover he has messed things up, again, but Daisy thinks the view is very romantic – a beautiful full moon. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy are hired to paint a roller-coaster, and there's an added incentive: whoever paints the most wins a lifetime pass to Jolly-Land Amusement Park. The competition between Mickey and Donald escalates to a wild paint war, but Goofy ends up winning the pass with his sure-and-steady pace. Donald's cold opening accident: Donald attempts to ride through on an elephant with a sign reading "Starring Donald Duck." The elephant sits on him. | |||||
2 | "Goofy's Extreme Sports: Skating The Half Pipe Mickey's New Car Pluto's Penthouse Sweet Donald's Shell Shots" | Tony Craig, Roberts Gannaway | Kevin D. Campbell, Roberts Gannaway, Don Gillies, Thomas Hart, Elizabeth Stonecipher | May 8, 1999 | |
Goofy demonstrates the beautiful, yet dangerous, sport of stunt rollerblading, but once he gets rolling, he has trouble putting on the brakes. (Note: This short was first shown in theaters before I'll Be Home for Christmas on November 13, 1998.) Mickey's old car is a clunker, so in order to get to a date with Minnie on time, he trades it in on a fancy new one with all the accessories. The new car then sends him on a wild ride when the accessories start to take over. (Note: This short was first aired during the premiere broadcast of Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You on ABC on February 13, 1999.) When Mickey and Donald head out on a double-date with Minnie and Daisy, Pluto is left behind feeling lonely. Then he spies Tiki, a beautiful Maltese Terrier, and pursues her to her sky-high skyscraper. However, once inside her penthouse suite, Pluto finds the tables turned, with Tiki in hot pursuit of him! Portrait photographer Donald has to take a picture of Shelby, an adorable baby turtle who refuses to cooperate.
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3 | "Donald's Dynamite: Bowling Alley Mickey's Airplane Kit Von Drake's House of Genius: Time Reverser Turkey Catchers Dance of the Goofys" | Tony Craig, Roberts Gannaway | Kevin D. Campbell, Roberts Gannaway, Thomas Hart, Elizabeth Stonecipher | May 15, 1999 | |
Donald is enjoying a relaxing day at the bowling alley until his ball turns out to be a bomb! When he tries to defuse it, the pins really begin to fly. Mickey orders a do-it-yourself airplane kit as a special surprise for a date with Minnie. Rushed for time, he ignores the instructions and pays a bitter price when the plane falls apart during their date. Ludwig Von Drake introduces his new invention – a time machine! But when he depends on his greatest creation to get him out of trouble, Von Drake's time quickly runs out. Mickey, Donald and Goofy open a turkey catching business and their first customer is a pompous pilgrim. The three friends come up with the perfect plan, but when they finally catch their game, will they let their new-found friend become the main course? As they do every night, the Goofy Fairies come out to close all the flowers. When the goofiest Goofy Fairy causes his boss to be captured by a young boy with mad scientist ambitions, he must overcome his goofy shortcomings and come to the rescue before his boss becomes a science project.
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4 | "Pluto Gets The Paper: Spaceship Donald's Rocket Ruckus Goofy's Extreme Sports: Paracycling Organ Donors Mickey's Mistake" | TBA | TBA | May 22, 1999 | |
Mickey sends Pluto out to fetch the newspaper, this time only to be taken aboard an alien spacecraft, where he is examined with tools and uses the transformation ray to make him to have 2 legs and turns him an alien, a Mammoth, a Pen with a piece of writing paper and a Dinosaur which he grows gigantic and the transformation ray turns him back and brings the newspaper back to Mickey and he pats him but his ears turn into alien antenna. (Note – Shown in theaters with My Favorite Martian on February 12, 1999.) Huey, Dewey, and Louie want to go on the best ride in the whole amusement park, The Rocket Ruckus – but Uncle Donald is the ride operator, and he alters the height-requirement sign so his nephews are too short to ride. When the angry boys finally succeed in getting past him, Donald spins the ride out of control and his nephews decide to take mischievous revenge. Goofy defies the laws of physics and common sense when he bicycles off a cliff and ungracefully parachutes to the ground. (Note – Shown in theaters with Mighty Joe Young on December 25, 1998.) Mickey, Donald, and Goofy deliver a used pipe organ to a deranged Toy Maker. They soon learn that he does not want a pipe organ – he wants their internal organs! Mickey finds a wad of money and buys Minnie an expensive hair bow. Then he finds out the money belonged to the orphans and goes through many disguises in his efforts to get the hair bow back from Minnie so he can get the money back to the orphans.
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5 | TBA | TBA | TBA | May 29, 1999 | |
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6 | TBA | TBA | TBA | June 5, 1999 | |
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7 | TBA | TBA | TBA | June 12, 1999 | |
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8 | TBA | TBA | TBA | June 19, 1999 | |
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9 | TBA | TBA | TBA | September 11, 1999 | |
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10 | TBA | TBA | TBA | September 18, 1999 | |
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11 | TBA | TBA | TBA | September 25, 1999 | |
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12 | TBA | TBA | TBA | October 2, 1999 | |
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13 | TBA | TBA | TBA | October 30, 1999 | |
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Season 2 (1999–2000)
No. in series | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
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14 | 1 | TBA | TBA | TBA | November 6, 1999 | |
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15 | 2 | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 4, 1999 | |
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16 | 3 | TBA | TBA | TBA | January 22, 2000 | |
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17 | 4 | TBA | TBA | TBA | February 19, 2000 | |
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18 | 5 | TBA | TBA | TBA | March 11, 2000 | |
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19 | 6 | TBA | TBA | TBA | April 15, 2000 | |
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20 | 7 | TBA | TBA | TBA | May 20, 2000 | |
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21 | 8 | TBA | TBA | TBA | June 10, 2000 | |
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22 | 9 | TBA | TBA | TBA | September 16, 2000 | |
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23 | 10 | TBA | TBA | TBA | October 21, 2000 | |
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24 | 11 | TBA | TBA | TBA | November 18, 2000 | |
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25 | 12 | TBA | TBA | TBA | December 16, 2000 | |
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References
- Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 387–389. ISBN 978-1538103739.
- Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 263–264. ISBN 978-1476665993.
- Korkis, Jim. "A New Mouse Voice In Town by Wade Sampson". Mouseplanet. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
- Mickey's Laugh Factory. Amazon. Retrieved on July 10, 2008.
- Mickey's Laugh Factory. Blackstar. Retrieved on July 25, 2008.
External links
- Mickey Mouse Works on IMDb
- Mickey Mouse Works at TV.com
- Mickey Mouse Works at the Big Cartoon DataBase