''Mickey's Gala Premier'' is a

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

cartoon A cartoon is a type of visual art that is typically drawn, frequently Animation, animated, in an realism (arts), unrealistic or semi-realistic style. The specific meaning has evolved, but the modern usage usually refers to either: an image or s ...

produced in 1933, directed by Burt Gillett, and featuring parodies of several famous Hollywood film actors from the 1930s. It was the 58th Mickey Mouse short film, and the eighth of that year. Some sources claim this cartoon is called ''"Mickey's Gala Premiere"'', but ''" Premier"'' can be clearly read from the title card.

Plot

A new

Mickey Mouse Mickey Mouse is an American cartoon character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime icon and mascot of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red shorts, large shoes, and white ...

cartoon is having its premiere in the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Several Hollywood celebrities all arrive in limousines to attend this special event. Outside The Keystone Cops ( Ben Turpin, Ford Sterling, Mack Swain,

Harry Langdon Henry Philmore "Harry" Langdon (June 15, 1884 – December 22, 1944) was an American actor and comedian who appeared in vaudeville, silent films (where he had his greatest fame), and talkies.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', December 27 ...

and Chester Conklin) are guarding the traffic. Wallace Beery, Marie Dressler, Lionel Barrymore, John Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore step out of the first limousine, all costumed as in the film '' Rasputin and the Empress'' (1932). Then

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American double act, comedy duo during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–1957) ...

leave the car and close the door behind them. Inside The Marx Brothers all stick their heads out of the car window. In the next scene Maurice Chevalier, Eddie Cantor costumed as in the film '' The Kid from Spain'', and Jimmy Durante take turns singing in front of a microphone. They are followed by Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford costumed as in the film ''

Rain Rain is a form of precipitation where water drop (liquid), droplets that have condensation, condensed from Water vapor#In Earth's atmosphere, atmospheric water vapor fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is res ...

'' and Janet Gaynor all singing new lyrics to the chant. Finally Harold Lloyd,

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...

, Edward G. Robinson, and Adolphe Menjou join in to conclude the song. Sid Grauman is saluting all the guests. George Arliss and Joe E. Brown simply enter, but

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

sneaks inside. Then Buster Keaton enters the building, followed by The Marx Brothers all hidden under Groucho Marx' coat. Mae West enters, costumed as in the film '' She Done Him Wrong'', and utters her famous line, "Why don't you come up sometime and see me?", which shocks and embarrasses Grauman. Then

, Minnie Mouse,

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, Horace Horsecollar, and Clarabelle Cow arrive in a limousine and are cheered by the audience. Once inside the theatre Mickey's new cartoon, ''Gallopin' Romance'' (a parody itself of 1928's '' The Gallopin' Gaucho''), premieres. The plot revolves around Mickey and Minnie playing music together, when suddenly Pegleg Pete kidnaps Minnie and drives off on a horse (Horace Horsecollar). Mickey chases him and beats Pete in the end, bringing Minnie to safety. All the guests in the theatre move rhythmically to the music. We can see Helen Hayes, William Powell, Chester Morris, Gloria Swanson, and George Arliss in the audience. In the next close-up scenes the viewer can identify Jimmy Durante, Wallace Beery, Marie Dressler, Rudy Vallee, Eddie Cantor, Joan Crawford, Will H. Hays (dressed as a

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in reference to his position as ''"

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Czar"'') and Myrna Loy. Ed Wynn, Wheeler & Woolsey, Laurel & Hardy all laugh with the cartoon. Bela Lugosi (dressed as Count Dracula), Fredric March (dressed as Mr. Hyde) and

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), known professionally as Boris Karloff () and occasionally billed as Karloff the Uncanny, was a British actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstei ...

(dressed as Frankenstein's monster) do the same, but with spooky evil laughter. Joe E. Brown laughs so loud that his enormous mouth opens wide, while Buster Keaton keeps his poker face. Jimmy Durante and Douglas Fairbanks laugh so loud that they literally "roll in the aisles". They are joined in by Groucho Marx, Joe E. Brown, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy. As the cartoon ends, the whole audience applauds and congratulates Mickey with his success, but Mickey is so shy that he has to be pulled on the stage by Will Rogers with a rope. All the Hollywood actors now shake Mickey's hands, and humorously, his feet, to congratulate him with his success. Then Greta Garbo, no longer wanting to be alone, walks onto the stage and starts covering Mickey's face with kisses. Mickey then wakes up in his bed, while Pluto is licking his face. Mickey wonders if he was dreaming, and then the scene irises out. Other Hollywood celebrities that can be spotted in the crowd scenes: Constance Bennett, Warner Baxter, and

(as the fourth person on the right, in the scene where the other actors shy away because Garbo enters the stage).

Production notes

* The cartoon seen in the film, ''Gallopin' Romance'', was made exclusively for ''Mickey's Gala Premier''. No separate Mickey Mouse cartoon features this title. * Ed Wynn would later play The Mad Hatter in the 1951 film '' Alice in Wonderland'' and Uncle Albert in '' Mary Poppins''. Maurice Chevalier would later play Father Sylvain in '' Monkeys, Go Home!'' and sing the theme song of '' The Aristocats''. Both would go on to be named a Disney Legend, an award given to those who have made an outstanding contribution to The Walt Disney Company. * Adolphe Menjou would make his last film performance in the 1960 film '' Pollyanna''. * Helen Hayes would later play Grandma Steinmetz in '' Herbie Rides Again''. * This was the first time Mickey was depicted interacting with humans. * At this point in time, the Mickey shorts were released through United Artists, but the only currently existing prints of this short are reissue prints that omit any mention of UA. However, the "titles" for the short-within-a-short ''Gallopin' Romance'' shows the UA credits, giving a modern-day viewer an idea on how a Mickey Mouse cartoon opening might have looked like in the UA era.

Temporary shutdown of BBC Television Service (now BBC One)

On 1 September 1939, ''Mickey's Gala Premier'' was the final programme broadcast by the BBC Television Service (today known as BBC One) before it ceased broadcasting during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. An urban legend about this final broadcast claims that due to the sudden outbreak of the war the BBC cut the transmission mid-programme and when BBC-TV resumed after the conflict, it was picked up at the very point it had been interrupted. Despite this widespread belief, the cartoon was shown in its entirety and then followed by tuning signals. On 7 June 1946, the day BBC television broadcasts resumed after the war, ''Mickey's Gala Premier'' was shown again.

Voice cast

* Mickey Mouse:

* Minnie Mouse: Marcellite Garner * Pluto: Pinto Colvig * Pete: Billy Bletcher * Celebrities: Jerry Lester

Home media

The short was released on December 2, 2002, on '' Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Black and White''.

References

External links