Mickey Mouse in Black and White

Épisode 1 - Steamboat Willie

29 juillet 1928 - 3/5

The cartoon that started it all. "Steamboat Willie" won theater audiences over with its use of sound synchronized with animation, a concept that would meet Walt Disney with innovation time and time again in the future. There's no dialogue, but plenty of sound effects and illustrative gags to show them off, as well as catchy music, including "Turkey in the Straw." In this, his debut, Mickey Mouse is the very much the same character the audiences of today know, even if his character has undergone some change over time. The plot is simple: Mickey is piloting a steamboat, angering the cruel captain Pete, Disney's first villain (as large as the Pete of today, but with only a slight resemblance in appearance). Minnie Mouse tries to board the boat, but it pulls off moments too soon. Always the hero, even from day one, Mickey whisks her onboard with a crane, where he takes a liking to her while they have fun with music. The noted release date reflects the initial, albeit limited, release of this short. This cartoon was reworked, sound was added, and the sound version premiered on November 18, 1928 at the Colony Theater in New York.

Épisode 2 - The Gallopin' Gaucho

1 janvier 1928 - 3/5

Mickey takes to the streets of what looks to be Spain for a dose of culture and a few glasses of beer. He again charms Minnie Mouse, leading to a dance scene that makes for some really fun animation.

Épisode 3 - Plane Crazy

1 janvier 1928 - 3/5

In a cleverly-titled short that pays homage to Charles Lindbergh, Mickey tries his hand at the skies. His attempts to impress Minnie continue as he mans an airplane but meets with disastrous results. Though "Steamboat Willie" is Mickey's true debut and his introduction to the world at large, "Plane Crazy" was the first Mickey short produced, followed by "The Gallopin' Gaucho" before "Steamboat." At the time, however, these two were produced only as silent films and "Plane Crazy" was shown locally to small groups. Sound was later added and they received their theatrical exhibition after the on-the-whole better "Steamboat Willie." This short also marks the debut of Clarabelle Cow.

Épisode 4 - The Karnival Kid

1 janvier 1929 - 3/5

At the carnival, Mickey tries to sell hotdogs that simply do not want to be sold. This is Mickey's ninth short and his first to feature spoken words, even if most of them come in the form of song and aren't clearly annunciated.

Épisode 5 - Mickey's Follies

1 janvier 1929 - 3/5

A simple short that showcases barnyard antics. It notably features the original performance of one of Disney's earliest original musical numbers, "Minnie's Yoo Hoo," which became a theme song of sorts for the Mickey cartoons. Strangely, even though this is the second offering from 1929, it is the one to feature the title card that precedes the first short in each year.

Épisode 6 - The Fire Fighters

1 janvier 1930 - 3/5

Fires that can't be put out seem to be a staple of classic cartoons and it's as well-done here as ever. Mickey plays the part of a good-intentioned but unsuccessful fireman trying to save Minnie from a burning tower.

Épisode 7 - The Chain Gang

1 janvier 1930 - 3/5

Mickey's part of a happy-go-lucky prison gang that apparently loves to dance. Despite the fun they seem to be having, he escapes from Prison Guard Pete (now looking much more like today's Pete, peg leg and all) and flees the pursuit of the police dog, Pluto, who makes his debut here.

Épisode 8 - The Gorilla Mystery

1 janvier 1930 - 4/5

Mickey learns that a vicious gorilla is on the loose and calls Minnie to warn her, only to find that he's too late! Suspense builds as he rushes to her home and tries to save her.

Épisode 9 - Pioneer Days

1 janvier 1930

Mickey endures the trials and tribulations of life on the frontier. The introduction from Leonard Maltin that is attached to this short is the same one that accompanies "The Gallopin' Gaucho."

Épisode 10 - The Birthday Party

7 janvier 1931

It's Mickey's birthday and Minnie and the rest of his friends are throwing him a surprise party. His present: a new piano, on which he joins Minnie for a rousing musical number.

Épisode 11 - Mickey Steps Out

1 janvier 1931

Mickey pays Minnie a visit. It's a merry time of song and dance until Pluto chases a cat inside and disaster ensues.

Épisode 12 - Blue Rhythm

1 janvier 1931

Mickey conducts and performs while Minnie dances and sings to the accompaniment of all their friends as they take the opera house stage with jazzy blues. Of course it's anything but smooth sailing.

Épisode 13 - Mickey Cuts Up

30 novembre 1931 - 3/5

This short is all about cutting the grass and flirting while doing it, but when Pluto starts cat-chasing again, the grass isn't all that gets mowed.

Épisode 14 - Mickey's Orphans

1 janvier 1931 - 3/5

It's Christmas and an unexpected present arrives at Mickey's door: a basket of little orphans. He and Minnie accept them right away, doing their best to entertain them and make it a merry Christmas.

Épisode 15 - The Duck Hunt

1 janvier 1932 - 3/5

Long before Nintendo, there was this short, in which Mickey and Pluto go hunting for ducks. Pluto's being hunted himself, though- by a pack of fleas! Chasing the ducks doesn't go so well for him either.

Épisode 16 - Mickey's Revue

1 janvier 1932

Some of Mickey's most memorable performances have seen him as a musical director, and this is one of them. The whole gang's here, including the debut of Goofy (only he's a little older here and originally went by the name of Dippy Dawg) as an annoying audience member. Of course it's Pluto who foils the show yet again.

Épisode 17 - Mickey's Nightmare

1 janvier 1932

After saying their nighttime prayers, Mickey and Pluto head to sleep. Over the night, Mickey dreams of matrimony with Minnie but his dream soon becomes a nightmare when their children are several mice more than he bargained for!

Épisode 18 - The Whoopee Party

1 janvier 1932

Food and frolic make for a fun party and that's what Mickey and the gang have here. The introduction by Leonard Maltin that is attached to this short is the same one that precedes "Mickey Steps Out."

Épisode 19 - Touchdown Mickey

1 janvier 1932

Mickey's Manglers take on Pete's team of Alley Cats in a football match that stays too close to call down to the very last second.

Épisode 20 - The Klondike Kid

1 janvier 1932

This very exciting short, obviously inspired by the work of Charlie Chaplin (like many of Walt's early cartoons), has Mickey playing the part of an entertainer in a saloon where a homeless Minnie Mouse winds up one cold winter night. In one of his more villainous roles, Peg-Leg Pete arrives unexpectedly and kidnaps Minnie, leaving Mickey and Pluto to save her. Attached to the short is the same Leonard Maltin introduction that accompanied "The Gallopin' Gaucho."

Épisode 21 - Building A Building

1 janvier 1933

A construction site sets the scene for this short, in which Minnie sells box lunches to the crew. Pete tries to kidnap her, but it's not long before Mickey foils his plans. The story wraps up with a little romance and a catchy musical number.

Épisode 22 - The Mad Doctor

1 janvier 1933

This wonderfully elaborate short sets Mickey in the typical horror film of the day. He battles the obstacles of an evil scientist's bewitched lair in order to save Pluto from the mad doctor's clutches. Like several of Mickey's classic cartoons, this makes for a great Halloween-time treat.

Épisode 23 - Ye Olden Days

1 janvier 1933

Disney, meet the musical fairy tale! Mickey and friends take up parts in a play that betroths Minnie's character, a princess, to a prince played by Goofy-er- Dippy Dawg. A young minstrel (Mickey) has his eyes set upon the fair princess, though, and seeks battle with the prince over her hand in marriage.

Épisode 24 - The Mail Pilot

1 janvier 1933

Through rain or snow, Mickey is determined to battle the elements and successfully deliver his load of mail. He braves the weather but comes out only to find himself being chased by the dastardly Pete.

Épisode 25 - Mickey's Gala Premiere

1 janvier 1933

In recognition of Mickey's star status in 1933, a cavalcade of caricatured stars attend the premiere of his newest cartoon short. All eyes are on the red carpet when Mickey and the gang finally arrive. This cartoon is interesting because it features a short within a short, not to mention a glance at pop culture of the time, as well as a surprise ending.

Épisode 26 - Puppy Love

1 janvier 1933

It's a double date when Mickey and Pluto pay a visit to Minnie and her pet dog, respectively, but when their gifts get mixed up, it leads to a quarrel.

Épisode 27 - The Pet Store

1 janvier 1933

In reference to King Kong, which was also released in 1933, the gorilla from "The Gorilla Mystery" returns, this time as a menace in Mickey's pet shop.

Épisode 28 - Giantland

1 janvier 1933

One of Mickey's best-known performances is Fun and Fancy Free's Jack (as in "The Beanstalk"). The 1947 feature wasn't the first time that Mickey portrayed the giant-scamming young lad, though. It was this 1933 short that first had Mickey visiting Giantland. It offers a somewhat different and much shorter take on the classic story but is every bit as entertaining as the longer segment in Fun and Fancy Free.

Épisode 29 - Camping Out

1 janvier 1934

Mickey, Minnie, Horace, and Clarabelle are enjoying a picnic at their campsite until a rowdy bunch of mosquitoes decide to declare ware on the innocent campers.

Épisode 30 - Gulliver Mickey

1 janvier 1934

In the tradition of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, Mickey recalls the time he landed on an island of tiny people. Seen as a giant, he was feared by the people of the island until a giant spider (played by Pete) showed up to terrorize the town and it was up to Mickey to save the day. Maltin's introduction is again a repeat.

Épisode 31 - Orphan's Benefit

1 janvier 1934

In his first appearance with Mickey and the gang, Donald Duck takes the stage at a performance benefit for young orphans. Instead of the grateful audience he expected, he finds nothing but heckles, invoking his signature ire. In what must have been a slip of Walt's tongue, Mickey refers to Donald as "Pluto." This short also marks the first appearance of Clara Cluck.

Épisode 32 - The Dognapper

1 janvier 1934

Peg-Leg Pete has stolen a puppy and it's up to officers Mickey and Donald to capture the thief and bring the dog safely home. Despite the abundance of gunfire and weaponry, this short surprisingly isn't prefaced by any sort of introduction.

Épisode 33 - Two-Gun Mickey

1 janvier 1934

Mickey goes west in this exciting story of a frontier brawl involving cowboy Mickey and the object of his affection, Minnie, a spunky cowgirl who has been kidnapped by the sinister Peg-Leg Pete. As the short's title might suggest, it is also filled with gunfire and weaponry and is yet again unaccompanied by anything from Leonard Maltin, which is certainly curious, given Disney's usual treatment of the issue.

Épisode 34 - Mickey's Service Station

1 janvier 1935

In one of Disney's latter cartoons in black & white, Pete brings his car to Mickey, Donald, and Goofy's shop in hopes of having a squeak fixed. The trio sets to work on it but soon finds that fixing this car is more than they bargained for.

Épisode 35 - Minnie's Yoo Hoo

29 juin 1929

Épisode 1 - The Barn Dance

1 janvier 1928

Mickey takes a ride to Minnie’s house to give her a ride in his horse-drawn carriage, only to discover that some hot-shot (the precursor of Pete, the mouse’s famous nemesis) with a new-fangled automobile has beaten him to it. Mickey manages to overcome the competition at first, but once he takes Minnie to a hoedown, he has to face the bully again and find new ways to win over his sweetheart.

Épisode 2 - The Opry House

1 janvier 1929

All the local animals gather at Mickey’s opera house to watch the show. After showcasing a goofy symphony, Mickey gets a solo number on a piano. The toon also includes some wacky takes on famous opera songs I’m sure most viewers will recognize.

Épisode 3 - When the Cat’s Away

1 janvier 1929

Mickey and Minnie lead a band of look-alike mice into a cat’s home when he leaves for the day. They proceed to fool around with musical instruments, including using a block of cheese to play a piano and creating a make-shift mouse record player.

Épisode 4 - The Barnyard Battle

1 janvier 1929

After Mickey undergoes a rather “stretchy” inspection, he is accepted into the barnyard troops. The enemy is an army of Pete look-alikes, who raid the place with tons of cartoony cannons and guns, prompting the return fire of Mickey & pals (stuff blows up real good in this cartoon). Soon after, Mickey single-handedly goes to battle with the opposition. There’s nothing quite like seeing Mickey fiercely handling a machine gun!

Épisode 5 - The Plowboy

1 janvier 1929

While working on a farm, Mickey tries to plow, milk a cow, and give Minnie a big smooch – all to varying degrees of success.

Épisode 6 - Mickey’s Choo-Choo

1 janvier 1929

Minnie comes to visit Mickey as he works at a railroad station. After she plays him the fiddle, they go for a ride on the train, which turns zany when one of the cars disconnects with Minnie atop it as Mickey goes for the rescue.

Épisode 7 - The Jazz Fool

1 janvier 1929 - 3/5

When Mickey brings his road-show into town, a bunch of animals come to show off their musical talents. Afterwards, like previous cartoons, Mickey has a wacky solo on a piano.

Épisode 8 - Jungle Rhythm

1 janvier 1929

As one would expect from the title, the subject of this toon is Mickey making music in the jungle. As he uses plants and animals to crank out well-known tunes, the local residents dance along.

Épisode 9 - Wild Waves

1 janvier 1929

Mickey and Minnie spend a day at the beach. When the girly mouse gets swept out to sea, Mickey bravely saves her. Once back on dry land, the two high-pitched rodents sing and dance.

Épisode 10 - Just Mickey

1 janvier 1930

When everybody’s favorite mouse comes out to do a violin solo for an unseen audience, he makes a few blunders to the roar of laughter. Anxious to get it right, he shifts into high gear to deliver a frantic performance.

Épisode 11 - The Barnyard Concert

1 janvier 1930

Mickey conducts an animal band, playing both real musical instruments and other animals to make music.

Épisode 12 - The Cactus Kid

1 janvier 1930

Riding to meet in a Spanish-speaking Minnie in a desert saloon, Mickey tries to impress her with his knack for making music out of household objects . . . until Pegleg Pete comes and steals Minnie away. Time for Mickey to save the day again! Noticeably, this short and the recent Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers prominently feature the same music.

Épisode 13 - The Shindig

1 janvier 1930

Mickey and Minnie make music together while a group of animals dance in a barn.

Épisode 14 - The Picnic

1 janvier 1930

Mickey goes over to pick up Minnie, who brings along her dog, Rover (A.K.A. early Pluto). The trio head to the country to eat lunch. While Mickey & Minnie dance and sing, Rover chases after animals, and ants raid the picnic basket. It all comes to an end when it begins to pour rain, and the two lovers find that Rover’s tail makes a good windshield wiper.

Épisode 15 - Traffic Troubles

1 janvier 1931

This short, one of the most entertaining on this disc, has Mickey in the role of a cab driver. After picking up a far-too-overweight pedestrian, he gives Minnie a ride. Along the way, there are some pretty clever gags and two appearances by Pete.

Épisode 16 - The Castaway

1 janvier 1931

Once stranded on a deserted island, Mickey gets a box washed up on shore. No, not Wilson the volleyball! A piano! He goes on to play the instrument for the nearby animals until a big ape takes over.

Épisode 17 - Fishin’ Around

1 janvier 1931

Mickey and Pluto (unnamed in this cartoon, but clearly said character) take their boat out onto a lake. While Mickey deals with the frustrations of catching fish, Pluto explores the underwater life. Their swell time is interrupted when a cranky old sheriff catches them in a “No Fishing” zone.

Épisode 18 - The Beach Party

1 janvier 1931

Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Horace, and Clarabelle all take a day to have some fun in the sun. Everything is going peachy until Pluto provokes an angry octopus, which then attacks the gang’s picnic. The characters use everything they’ve got to throw at the oceanic animal, but he proves to be quite adept at catching things and throwing them back.

Épisode 19 - The Barnyard Broadcast

1 janvier 1931

Mickey hosts a radio show with his musical pals. The broadcast runs into a little trouble when a noisy mother cat and her litter of kittens invade the barn and are unwilling to leave.

Épisode 20 - The Mad Dog

1 janvier 1932

When the mouse gives Pluto a bath, the dog accidentally swallows a bar of soap and goes running away. Seeing the foam and bubbles coming from the canine’s mouth, the townsfolk think he’s mad. To save his pal from being done in, Mickey has to go face-to-face with Pete the dogcatcher.

Épisode 21 - Barnyard Olympics

1 janvier 1932

Mickey competes in a race against Pete, who has several tricks up his sleeve to keep the mouse from winning. Can Mickey be #1, despite the cheating bully?

Épisode 22 - The Musical Farmer

1 janvier 1932

Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto perform their barnyard chores amidst spurts of song and dance. However, everyone’s attention is drawn when one of the resident hens lays a humungous egg.

Épisode 23 - Trader Mickey

1 janvier 1932

When Mickey and Pluto venture deep into the mysterious jungle, they meet some very goofy natives (so goofy, in fact, that they all possess the signature Goofy laugh). At first, they’re only interested in cooking the two adventurers, until Mickey wins them over with his musical abilities.

Épisode 24 - The Wayward Canary

1 janvier 1932

Mickey buys Minnie a canary and a group of baby canaries as a gift. The pets are plenty of fun, except when the babies get into some ink and begin showering the mouse’s pad with black markings.

Épisode 25 - Mickey’s Pal Pluto

1 janvier 1933

There’s a new addition to the Mouse household – a litter of kittens! Pluto doesn’t take too kindly to the bunch of fur balls, though, and faces an internal struggle with his good side and bad side. When the batch of felines gets stuck in a well, will Pluto be able to overcome his dislike to save them? Let’s hope!

Épisode 26 - Mickey’s Mechanical Man

1 janvier 1933

Our old Mick proves to be quite the mechanic, as he constructs a boxing robot to go up against the giant Killer Kong in the ring. The Mech Man isn’t the sturdiest machine, but Mickey and Minnie discover that he goes ballistic when he hears the sound of a horn.

Épisode 27 - Playful Pluto

1 janvier 1934

This cartoon showcases a series of misadventures Pluto gets into, stemming from his curiosity of the goings-on at Mickey’s house.

Épisode 28 - Mickey’s Steam-Roller

1 janvier 1934

While Mickey and Minnie do some serious flirting, their two baby nephews decide to take a ride in their uncle’s giant steamroller. As expected, they aren’t able to control it, and Mickey has to go on a crazy chase to get his prized vehicle back.

Épisode 29 - Mickey Plays Papa

1 janvier 1934

On a dark and spooky night, a baby is left in a basket on Mickey and Pluto’s doorstep. The two take the youngster in, but soon find it quite a chore to entertain the little guy.

Épisode 30 - Mickey’s Kangaroo

1 janvier 1935

Pluto gets jealous when Mickey gets a new bouncing, boxing kangaroo and her little joey. Though they manage to get on the dog’s nerves with their destructive antics, the smaller one soon begins to grow on him.

Épisode 31 - The Haunted House

1 janvier 1929

Mickey finds himself trapped in a creepy mansion with a group of live skeletons, who happen to love music. They put him to work on the piano as they sing and dance, reminiscent of the well-known Silly Symphony short, “The Skeleton Dance.”

Épisode 32 - The Moose Hunt

1 janvier 1931

Mickey and Pluto go hunting together, encountering all sorts of forest creatures. After some goofy gags and Pluto faking his death, the duo runs into a very large and hostile moose.

Épisode 33 - The Delivery Boy

1 janvier 1931

While on his delivery route, Mickey stops by Minnie’s backyard to do some flirting. The two play a duet on the piano while Pluto gets in trouble with some dynamite.

Épisode 34 - The Grocery Boy

1 janvier 1932 - 3/5

Minnie calls Mickey & Pluto up to deliver the groceries she needs to make dinner. When they arrive, Mickey helps his beau prepare turkey and cake, beside Pluto’s antics.

Épisode 35 - Mickey in Arabia

1 janvier 1932 - 3/5

The two mice lovers take a vacation to Arabia to soak up the sun and take in the sights. Their tour is interrupted when Pete kidnaps Minnie, forcing Mickey to come to rescue on a drunken camel.

Épisode 36 - Mickey’s Good Deed

1 janvier 1932 - 3/5

On a snowy Christmas night, Mickey and Pluto play some tunes in the streets to get some much-needed change. When the cylindrical mouse spots a poor mother with several children, he sadly sells his dog for some doe, so he can buy the kids presents for the holiday. His self-sacrificing deed pays off for him in the end.

Épisode 37 - Mickey’s Mellerdrammer

1 janvier 1933 - 3/5

Mickey and the gang put on a version of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, while Goofy provokes some tomato throwing from his antics backstage.

Épisode 38 - The Steeplechase

1 janvier 1933 - 5/5

When Mickey’s horse becomes too drunk to compete in the race, he has two steeple workers dress up in a horse suit for him to ride on the track. As one may expect, things don’t go too smoothly, as they run into some problems with big puddles and bees.

Épisode 39 - Shanghaied

1 janvier 1934 - 3/5

The cartoon begins with Peg-leg Pete having captured Mickey and Minnie on a sailing ship in the middle of the ocean. What’s left for the rodents to do? Escape, of course!

Épisode 40 - Mickey’s Man Friday

1 janvier 1935 - 5/5

Once traveling to a tropical island, Mickey discovers a band of natives and proceeds to scare them all off . . . all but one. He makes this rather stupid character his “Man Friday," who helps Mickey defend against the natives’ attack once they return.