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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Original Production Animation Drawing of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse from "Mickey's Gala Premiere," 1933


Original production animation drawing of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse from "Mickey's Gala Premiere," 1933, Walt Disney Studios; Graphite pencil on peg hole paper; Numbered 5 lower right; Size - Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse: 3 3/4 x 6", Sheet 9 1/2 x 12"; Unframed.

"Mickey's Gala Premiere" (released on July 1, 1933) is a black and white animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and it was directed by Burt Gillett. Walt Disney provided the voice of Mickey Mouse and the music was composed by Frank Churchill.


Close up of the original production animation drawing of Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

The story of "Mickey's Gala Premiere" is that Mickey's newest film is having an opening, and all the stars turn out at Grauman's Chinese Theater. There are an enormous number of celebrities that are depicting in this short, and include in order of appearance: The Keystone Kops (Ben Turpin, Ford Sterling, Mack Swain, Harry Langdon, and Chester Conklin), Wallace Beery, Marie Dressler, Lionel Barrymore, John Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, The Marx Brothers, Maurice Chevalier, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Durante, Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, Janet Gaynor, Harold Lloyd, Edward G. Robinson, Clark Gable, Adolphe Menjou, Sid Grauman, George Arliss, Joe E. Brown, Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Mae West, Jack Oakie, Helen Hayes, William Powell, Cheser Morris, Gloria Swanson, Will Hayes, Greta Garbo, Will Rogers, Ed Wynn, Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey, Bela Lugosi, Fredric March, Boris Karloff, and Douglas Fairbanks. The Gala Premiere is for the film "Galloping Romance," and the story is that Peg-Leg Pete kidnaps Minnie Mouse, and Mickey Mouse rides to her rescue on a variety of animals. The crowd in the theater sway to the music and roll in the aisles with laughter. After everyone comes onto stage to congratulate Mickey, Gretta Garbo kisses him. At this point Mickey wakes up from his dream, as Pluto is licking him on his face.

"Mickey's Gala Premiere" was the last show that was broadcast on BBC television on September 1, 1939, two days before the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. It was thought that the VHF signal from the broadcast could be used as a homing beacon for the enemy planes that were closing in on London. This cartoon was also the first thing that was broadcast when BBC television resumed broadcasting on June 7, 1946. The announcer, Jasmine Bligh, introduced the short by saying "Now then, as we were saying before we were so rudely interrupted."


Close up of the production number.

This is a great drawing of both Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as they emerge from their limousine at the entrance of the Gala. Minnie is dressed in a long coat and wearing high heels, and Mickey is wearing a tuxedo coat with tails and is tipping his top hat to the crowd. Mickey is also holding Pluto's leash (Pluto's body would have been drawn on a separate sheet of animation paper) that is attached to his collar. The drawing is centered on the sheet and it is rendered in graphite pencil on peg hole animation paper. This is a perfect image of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and certainly a great animation drawing from an early Walt Disney black and white cartoon short of the 1930's.

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