Original production drawing of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Beppo the Gorilla from "The Pet Store," 1933; Graphite pencil on peg hole paper; Numbered 179 lower right; Size - Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Beppo the Gorilla: 5 3/4 x 8 1/2", Sheet 9 1/2 x 12"; Unframed.
"The Pet Store" (released on October 28, 1933) is a Walt Disney animation short film and was conceived as a spoof on the film from the same year, "King Kong". The short was directed by Wilfred Jackson and animated primarily by Art Babbitt and Norm Ferguson. Walt Disney is the voice of Mickey Mouse and Marcellite Garner is the voice of Minnie Mouse.
Close up of the production drawing of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Beppo the Gorilla.
The story of "The Pet Store" is that the Italian Pet Store owner, Tony Dinero, hires Mickey Mouse to work in his pet store that is stocked with all sorts of animals. Tony goes out to lunch and Mickey begins to watch the store and tidy up. There are numerous comic gags that occur, but one of the best is Mickey picking up a goldfish from his fish bowl, dusting him off with a feather duster, and then putting him back into the fish bowl. Minnie Mouse arrives at the store and there is singing and dancing, including some wonderful animation visuals. (This was the last of the Disney shorts to employ half song and dance numbers, by this time in 1933 the model had become old-fashioned.)
Unfortunately, the star attraction of the Pet Store, Beppo (The Movie Monk), breaks out of its cage and grabs both Mickey and Minnie. Mickey escapes Beppo's clutches, but he take Minnie and climbs a pile of boxes stacked in the shape of the Empire State Building. Mickey and the other other animals begin to fight with Beppo, and the "King Kong" imitation scenes are wonderfully animated. Eventually both Mickey and Minnie escape from the Pet Store, just as Tony returns from lunch.
Close up of the production number.
This is a rare drawing from "The Pet Store," and shows all three main characters together on one animation sheet; Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Beppo "The Movie Monk" gorilla. In this drawing Beppo the gorilla has just grabbed both Micky and Minnie, and all three characters are eyes and mouth open and are full figure. There is wonderful motion to the drawing and the image is centered on the sheet.
To view the scene which this drawing was used to create, click on the short video below:
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