MetaFilter posts tagged with waltdisney

Oswald, Mickey, and Mortimer

filthy light thief — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:51:29 -0800

Mickey Mouse's early road to fame (yt playlist with ~160 videos) has some odd twists and turns. One of Walt Disney's early cartoon creations was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, the star of Trolley Troubles (5:45, 1927) and other early shorts. Disney had big plans for the popular little rabbit, and wanted to increase his budget from Universal Pictures. Unfortunately, Charles B. Mintz wanted to scale back the budget, and in the end Universal kept control of Oswald Rabbit. Without Oswald, Disney needed something new. Jack Dunham, one of Disney's Nine Old Men recalled animating Oswald and "the one without the ears." Initially, this one was called Mortimer, but Lillian Disney, Walt Disney's wife, believed the name "Mortimer" sounded too pompous and suggested the name Mickey, though Mickey Rooney claims he was the inspiration. Either way, the mouse was renamed Mickey in short order, and he starred in Plane Crazy (video, 6:00, 1928, previously). By 1929, he was wearing his iconic gloves (and talking), in The Karnival Kid (video, 7:41). But Mortimer returned, as Mickey's Rival (8:16, 1936), eventually getting his own themesong (1:56, modern recording off of TV; better quality song with a still image, 1:35) and again in a modern short (1:30, 2000), amongst other appearances. Then there's Uncle Mortimer, who first traveled with Mickey Mouse in Death Valley, though it's not always clear whose uncle he is. And in the alternate universe that is Bloom County, Mickey's fraternal twin is Mortimer (technically, he resides in Outland).

Ollie Johnston, R.I.P.

May Kasahara — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:07:42 -0800

The last of Disney's Nine Old Men, Ollie Johnston, has passed away at the age of 95. His work at Disney on several classic features and his books with Frank Thomas (The Illusion of Life in particular), have long been inspiring to animators like myself. He was one of the great ones, and will be missed.

First Two Mickey Mouse Cartoons

kirkaracha — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:09:01 -0800

Plane Crazy [Wikipedia] was the first Mickey Mouse cartoon produced; it debuted on May 15, 1928. It was followed by The Gallopin' Gaucho [Wikipedia], which had a sneak preview on August 28, 1928. Plane Crazy and The Gallopin' Gaucho originally were silent; sound was added after the success of Steamboat Willie [Wikipedia], the first Mickey Mouse cartoon with sound, which debuted on November 18, 1928. The Gallopin' Gaucho was a parody of Douglas Fairbanks' The Gaucho. Mickey rides a rhea. Surreal bonus: Sims watching Plane Crazy.

Space Oddity

madamjujujive — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 22:22:40 -0800

Mars and Beyond - 50 years ago, this animated episode of Tomorrowland aired on Disneyland a few months after the launch of Sputnik - an entertaining melange of astronomy, sci-fi, pop culture, science, speculation, and surreality. Walt himself and Wernher von Braun make guest appearances and clip 5 is particularly trippy. (Parts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

There are no windows and no doors. Of course, there's always MY way out.

miss lynnster — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 03:49:26 -0800

Virtual Space Mountain! Wheeeee! (Click on the second video where you sit in front. What are you, a wuss?) Real video just can't do Space Mountain justice, but it does a pretty good job of capturing some other rides. Feel like revisiting some original Magic Kingdom rides without leaving home? Well here you go... Pirates, Mr. Toad, Small World, Haunted Mansion, Tiki Room, Thunder Mountain, Star Tours, Indiana Jones, Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Cruise, Matter horn, Roger Rabbit, the late Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse and a bunch of people covered in lightbulbs dancing to the world's most excruciatingly annoying synthesized music. During your virtual day at the park, please just remember to watch out for Goofy. That dude is nothing but a messed up troublemaker. And don't forget... the parking trams do not go to aisles B as in Bambi & C as in Cinderella.

Disney Vs. Plato: Is There Really A Contest?

MiguelCardoso — Fri, 16 Jan 2004 20:57:40 -0800

Just How Influential Is America? Mark Rice-Oxley, writing in the Christian Science Monitor, argues that, 2000 years from now, Disney will probably be more remembered than Plato. Really? [More inside. Via Arts & Letters Daily.]

Rapacious, soul-less, and always looking for the

Fofer — Tue, 02 Dec 2003 08:37:24 -0800

Walt would turn over in his cryonic chamber... (I know, I know, it's not true.) Speaking of family trees, Roy Disney (the last board member with ties to the founding family) resigned from the company Sunday, calling for the ouster of Chairman Michael Eisner. Stanley Gold soon soon followed. In a harsh letter, Disney said the entertainment conglomerate had "lost its focus, its creative energy, and its heritage" and that the public now held the perception that company is "rapacious, soul-less, and always looking for the 'quick buck'." No word yet from the Disneyland obsessives, but the folks at MousePlanet 's Mousepad seem optimistic about this development...

Ah, good times.

Tacodog — Thu, 06 Mar 2003 01:24:06 -0800

Yesterland. Discontinued Disneyland attractions. And make your restaurant reservations early for Casa de Fritos.

Blake — Sat, 22 Jun 2002 08:46:26 -0800

Free The Mouse [Literally this time]
This Story from FL says Walt Disney Co. officials have until July 30 to decide whether to challenge the Genesee District Library's mascot for an alleged similarity to Mickey Mouse. Last summer, the library submitted a trademark registry request with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office for "Book Mouse," a blue, large-eared rodent wearing red-rimmed glasses and a backpack. Book Mouse appears on bumper stickers and in coloring books, and even marches in local parades. Library attorney Patric Parker said "I don't think we cut into their movie profits this last year."

owillis — Fri, 11 Aug 2000 12:09:01 -0800

Disney found guilty of theft? The house that Walt built loses in court to a complaint that they stole an idea. Here's the backstory to the $1.5 billion dollar lawsuit.