10TH ANNIVERSARIES

 Continuing our anniversary celebration with the shows turning

VAHE HAYTAIAN DEAD AT 40

 

You can read the announcement and contribute towards the family here.

He was a Technical Director for Walt Disney Television Animation, working on Jake and the Never Land Pirates, Mickey Mouse (2013), Pickle and Peanut, Star vs. the Forces of Evil, Elena of Avalor, DuckTales (2017), Milo Murphy’s Law, Tangled: The Series, The Lion Guard, Big Hero 6: The Series, Amphibia, The Owl House and The Ghost and Molly McGee.

BETTY WHITE DEAD AT 99

 

You can read the full story here.

She has been on television for almost as long as there was a television, appearing in sitcoms, variety shows, game shows and film. On Saturdays, she had the recurring role of Agatha McLeish in Pound Puppies (2010). She also voiced Hestia in an episode of Hercules: The Animated Series, Grandma Rose in an episode of Teacher’s Pet, Aardvark Lady in an episode of Mickey Mouse and Beatrice in an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants.

RUSSI TAYLOR DEAD AT 75

You can read the full story here.

Best known as the permanent voice of Minnie Mouse since 1986 as well as Donald Duck’s nephews Huey, Dewey and Louie since 1987. Along with their portrayal in various media, she played Minnie in Mickey Mouse Works, House of Mouse and Mickey Mouse (2103) and Huey, Dewey and Louie in DuckTales (1987), Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue and Mickey Mouse (2013).

She also had a long career on Saturday mornings. Her various roles included Pebbles Flintstone and Cavemouse in The Flintstone Comedy Show; Barbie Winslow in Heathcliff (1981); Pac-Baby in Pac-Man; Hasty and Leota in episodes of ABC Weekend Specials; Gonzo, Robin and Captain Blackwig the Blue Pirette in Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies; Rex’s owner in the “Chocolate Fever” episode of CBS Storybreak; Hilda Brewski in an episode of The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo; Amber the Fairie Dragon in an episode of Dungeons & Dragons; Grover’s Mommy in Five Sesame Street Stories; Beehonie and Donna in an episode of Kissyfur; Ralphie in Little Clowns of Happytown; Melissa, Candy and Chinook Puppy in episodes of Pound Puppies (1986); a girl in an episode of Yogi’s Treasure Hunt; Lana Lang in an episode of Superman (1988); Laura in an episode of The Smurfs; Webby Vanderquack in DuckTales and in an episode of Raw Toonage; a Louisiana Boy in an episode of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987); Ethalyn, Emmadryl and Madame Placebo in episodes of Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears; a woman in an episode of Disney’s Aladdin; a fairy and a puppet in an episode of The Lion King’s Timon & Pumbaa; kids and voices in The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat; a tour guide in an episode of The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries; Beck and an old lady in episodes of Buzz Lightyear of Star Command; Clara Cluck in Mickey Mouse Works and House of Mouse, where she also played Fairy Godmother and Fauna; Fauna and Winifred in episodes of Sofia the First; Lorbs, Florina and Lorb Guard in episodes of Tangled: The Series; and Young Donald in an episode of DuckTales (2017).

She also provided additional voices in The Little Rascals, Laverne & Shirley with Special Guest Star the Fonz, The Littles, Saturday Supercade, Jim Henson’s Little Muppet Monsters, The Smurfs, Dink the Little Dinosaur, Rick Moranis in Gravedale High, TaleSpin, Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa, What a Mess and Star vs. the Forces of Evil.

Taylor made a rare live cameo appearance in the 1984 CBS Saturday morning preview special Saturday’s The Place in a recording booth with some of her Muppet Babies co-stars.

MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE

MICKEY MOUSE CLUBHOUSE

(Playhouse Disney/Disney Junior, May 5, 2006-November 6, 2016)

Walt Disney Television Animation/Disney Television Animation, DQ Entertainment

For the history of Mickey Mouse, check out the post here.

            Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was the first computer animated series from Disney Television Animation. Developed by Bobs Gannaway, the series was aimed at pre-schoolers. It was designed so that the audience could solve basic problems along with Mickey (Wayne Allwine & Bret Iwan) and Minnie Mouse (Russi Taylor), Donald (Tony Anselmo) and Daisy (Tress MacNeille) Duck, Goofy, Pluto (both Bill Farmer) and a mechanical assistant called Toodles (Rob Paulsen). They summoned their clubhouse with the chant “Meeska Mooska Mickey Mouse!” via the theme song by They Might Be Giants, which housed the Mousekadoer, a giant Mickey-head shaped computer that distributed the objects needed to solve the day’s problem, called Mouseketools.

Daisy, Donald, Pluto, Goofy, Minni and Mickey in computer animation.

            Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ran for four seasons over a period of ten years; during which time the Playhouse Disney network transitioned into Disney Junior and Walt Disney Television Animation saw “Walt” removed from their name. The show spawned two spin-offs. The first was Minnie’s Bow-Toons, which followed Minnie’s adventures running a business making and selling bows from 2011-2016. The second was Mickey and the Roadster Racers, following the Sensational Six as they participated in races around the town of Hot Dog Hills.

THE VOICES OF MICKEY AND MINNIE

For Mickey's 90th anniversary, we present our infographic highlighting everyone who had ever voiced Mickey and his girl, Minnie, in shorts, films, television and more.

THE HISTORY OF MICKEY MOUSE

            In 1927, Walt Disney had a hit with the creation of the character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Oswald was one of the first cartoon characters to have a personality not only displayed by his dialogue, but through his every motion in what would be called “personality animation”. But, instead of getting a budget infusion, producer Charles Mintz wanted Disney to take a pay cut. And, at the same time, he was scalping most of the members of Disney’s studio to form his own. Since Oswald was owned by Mintz’s distributor, Universal Studios, Disney was forced to leave him behind when he and those still loyal to him quit.

Mickey takes Minnie flying in Plane Crazy/

            Disney realized he needed a new character, as well as to retain the rights of any character created by his studio. After some trial and error with various animal characters, Disney and animator Ub Iwerks finally found their character: a mouse. They named him Mortimer, but Disney’s wife Lillian convinced them to change it to Mickey (Mortimer would be reused later for one of Mickey’s rivals beginning in 1936). Mickey resembled Oswald, except for the nose, ears and tail. Iwerks designed Mickey’s body entirely out of circles to make him easier to animate. His ears were initially animated with a realistic perspective, but it was decided to have them always appear circular no matter which way he faced to keep him instantly recognizable (which proved problematic for merchandisers when they had to create a 3D model of the character). Mickey was also given four fingers on each hand to both make them seem less cluttered and to save money on having to animate an extra finger in the 45,000 drawings it took to make a 6 ½ minute short. Eventually, Mickey was also given white gloves to contrast his hands against his body.

The rivalry between Mickey and Pete begins in Steamboat Willie.

            Mickey’s first short was Plane Crazy in 1928. It was a silent film that also introduced Mickey’s long-time girlfriend, Minnie, and the prototype for what would become Clarabelle Cow. It was produced in just two weeks with Iwerks being the sole animator drawing at a rate of 700 drawings a day. Although it was shown to a test audience that May, it failed to pick up a distributor. Mickey and Minnie’s official debuts came in the next short, Steamboat Willie, which also introduced Mickey’s chief rival, Pete. It was distributed by Celebrity Productions on November 18 and became the first Disney cartoon with synchronized sound, which included character sounds and a musical score arranged by Wilfred Jackson and Bert Lewis. Disney realized synchronized sound would be the future of film, and it was proven as it became the most popular cartoon of the day. Plane Crazy had sound added to it and would become the fourth Mickey short released.

Mickey's 5th comic strip, part of an adaptation of Plane Crazy.

            Mickey’s popularity began to grow as he appeared in more shorts, voiced by Disney himself until 1947, newspaper comic strips and in comic books (such as the long-running Italian Topolino). Characters were gradually added to his universe, including Horace Horsecollar (The Plow Boy, 1929), his dog, Pluto (a prototype in 1930’s The Chain Gang, as Minnie’s dog in in The Picnic, and finally as Mickey’s in 1931’s The Moose Hunt), Goofy (as Dippy Dawg in 1932’s Mickey’s Revue), Mickey’s nephews in 1934’s Mickey’s Steam Roller, and Clara Cluck and the introduction of Donald Duck to the Mickey universe in Orphan’s Benefit. By 1935, the Mickey series went to color beginning with The Band Concert (however, he was first colorized in 1932’s Parade of the Award Nominees which was made by Disney Studios for the 5^th Academy Awards). In 1938, animator Fred Moore gave Mickey a redesign, changing his body to have more of a pear-shape, his face a Caucasian tone instead of pure white, and shrank his eyes so that the black at the top of his face became akin to a hairline rather than an eyeline. Mickey’s popularity experienced a slump after 1940, but kept appearing in shorts until 1953’s The Simple Things.

The core Disney gang: Daisy, Pluto, Goofy, Mickey, Minnie and Donald.

            In 1954, Mickey made the transition to television as part of Walt Disney’s Disneyland anthology series, and then the following year with The Mickey Mouse Club where Disney resumed voicing the character. This saw a resurgence in his popularity, especially as his classic shorts were released to air on television. In the years that followed, Mickey appeared in feature films and television programs, as well as made cameos in various Disney productions. He became the mascot of the Walt Disney Company, which led to the alteration of his personality from a cheeky, lovable rogue into more of an all-around nice guy. This squeaky-clean version of Mickey would remain until 2009, when Disney decided to try and rebrand the character by bringing back some of his original mischievous side beginning with 2010’s Epic Mickey.

Mickey and his friends enter the third dimension.

            Despite Mickey’s role with the company and his endless cameos, it wouldn’t be until 1999 when he would finally come to Saturday mornings…