Mickey's Amateurs is a rare directorial effort by Pinto Colvig, who my fellow Disney fans will know best as the voice of Goofy (who appears in this film). He co-directed this cartoon with Erdman Penner and Walt Pfeiffer. Penner spent most of his time at Disney working in the story department. He even worked on such Disney feature films as Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940), The Reluctant Dragon (1941), Victory Through Air Power (1943), Make Mine Music (1946), Melody Time (1948), The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949), Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953), Lady and the Tramp (1955) and Sleeping Beauty (1959). Walt Pfeiffer was a childhood friend of Walt Disney and would become manager of Disney's Penthouse Club. None of these men were typically directors of cartoons and to see them in the director's chair is a rare treat. The three also wrote the short, which was a more typical job for them.
In their book Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History, J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein describe this film as "...an extremely offbeat cartoon, with wild, freewheeling gags and animation that suggest other studios as much as Disney." Animator Al Eugster remembered working on this cartoon with a real fondness stating, "I felt I had more freedom during my assignment on this film." This short would be the last Mickey Mouse cartoon released for United Artists.
Despite being credited as a Mickey Mouse cartoon and having Mickey's name in the title, Mickey has little to do in this film. This was actually quite usual by this time in his career. Though Mickey's cartoons from the late 1920's and early 1930's clearly had him as the star by this time he was becoming a supporting player in his own films. The reason for this is quite simple. As Mickey was becoming a bigger and bigger movie star, he was also being looked at as a bit of role model for kids. The problem was that Mickey's personality had not always been that of a perfect role model. Instead he was a mischievous character who constantly got himself into trouble with his childlike playfulness. With this complaints started to come up concerning Mickey's questionable behavior. This presented a problem. How do you make a funny Mickey Mouse cartoon without what made him funny in the first place? The answer was quite simple actually. Mickey was given a new role not as the comedian of the pictures but as the straight man. Characters like Donald Duck, Pluto and Goofy were not held up to the same scrutiny if they did not prove to be perfect role models. Therefore they could be the ones to get the laughs, while Mickey would be the master of ceremonies. This is a role Mickey filled out quite well and proved excellent as and a role that in many ways he still fills today (not including those great new Mickey Mouse cartoons on Disney+).
The following is a review from The Motion Picture Herald.
"Making sport of the current amateur hour craze, the Disney penmen have devised some of the craziest and comic cartoon moments yet to hit the screen. With Mickey Mouse as the master of ceremonies, the talent parade their specific specialties. Donald Duck recites "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," which is a very coy act for Donald and a good laugh for his audience. The female aspirants are represented by Clara Cluck and Carabelle Cow who offer a song and a piano treat. The highlight of the progamme and the one that would receive this reviewer's vote is 'Bandmaster Goofy and his Fifty Piece Band.' Goofy and his 'Rube Goldberg' invention play 'In The Good Old Summertime' and then going modern, the pace proves too much for the maestro and his machine. The subject must be seen to be appreciated and enjoyed and enjoyed. The fun it offers defies description. Running time, one reel."
I have always had strong fondness for when Disney fully embraces a spirit of cartoon zaniness. Many favorite Disney shorts are often the ones with the wildest and most cartoony sense of humor. So it should come as no surprise that I love this film. Sentimentality and cuteness have no place in this short, instead this film is full of zany cartoon gags that come at a fast pace without ever letting up. Most importantly though is that the gags are truly funny. Some of the comedic highlights include Donald's recitation (I love that he legitimately has a machine gun) and Goofy's brilliant musical performance. The later benefits from some truly hilarious cartoony animation from the great Art Babbitt.
According to the Disney Wiki this cartoon made its TV debut on an episode of the Mickey Mouse Club that aired on October 18, 1956. The film would air as part of the Walt Disney Presents episode This is Your Life Donald Duck. This episode aired on March 11, 1960.
The New York State Exhibitor, 1932
Animation
Terminology: CU= Close Up; MCU= Medium Close Up; LS = Long Shot; MLS = Medium Long Shot; O.S. = Off Screen
Stan Quackenbush (CU Radio playing - smoke curls - set expands and contracts - gong interrupts)
Ralph J. Somerville (CU Gong swinging - hammer hitting it; CU Gong ringing - hand silences it; Audience's heads follow Cluck's actions)
Ed Love (CU to MCU Pete desperate - mechanical hands pull him O.S.; MCU Cluck followed by Belle - enter from left - stops at "mike" - Belle walks O.S. to right - Cluck bows (co-animated with Les Clark); MCU Belle twirls skirt - trips -falls; MCU Belle in awkward position - twitters - snorts; MCU Belle plays opening cords with flourishes; MCU - Belle at piano - blinks eyes in syn. to piano trill; CU Front view - Belle at piano - hands and eyes bump; MLS Bell laughs - points to Cluck - titters snorts; MCU Cluck smooths feathers - Belle bows - both exit - O.S. crash (co-animated with Les Clark))
Marvin Woodward (Back of Mickey at desk; says OKAY OKAY; CU Mickey at the desk - continues OKAY - OUR NEXT AMATUER IS ---- Loud quacking O.S. Mickey looks to the right; MLS Donald enters from right - Polishes apple - hands it to Mickey - Mickey leads him to "mike" - O.S. laughter (co-animated with Al Eugster); MCU Mickey starts to introduce next act - Don grabs apple - Mickey continues - "THE TWO CLARAS - CLUCK AND BELLE" (co-animated with Al Eugster); MCU Mickey is interrupted by "Professor" (Donald in disguise) - recites - shoots machine gun (co-animated with Al Eugster); MCU Duck bouncing - gun shooting - Duck in case - pulls him O.S. - Mickey announces Bandmaster Goofy (co-animated with Al Eugster))
Al Eugster (MLS Donald enters from right - Polishes apple - hands it to Mickey - Mickey leads him to "mike" - O.S. laughter (co-animated with Marvin Woodward); CU Donald sore - frowns into camera - mumbles; MLS continues reciting laughs interrupt gets gong - hand comes in - grabs him - Donald races out; MCU Mickey starts to introduce next act - Don grabs apple - Mickey continues - "THE TWO CLARAS - CLUCK AND BELLE" (co-animated with Marvin Woodward); ); MCU Mickey is interrupted by "Professor" (Donald in disguise) - recites - shoots machine gun (co-animated with Marvin Woodward); MCU Duck bouncing - gun shooting - Duck in case - pulls him O.S. - Mickey announces Bandmaster Goofy (co-animated with Marvin Woodward); C.U. of wreckage - Goof's head pops through drum - Donald out of Goof's busby - iris closes down - gets Donald in neck - pulls it out with hands - he ducks back (co-animated with Art Babbitt))
Les Clark (MCU Cluck followed by Belle - enter from left - stops at "mike" - Belle walks O.S. to right - Cluck bows (co-animated with Ed Love); MCU Cluck glares at Belle - annoyed; MCU Cluck tries to start; MCU Cluck tries to start - Belle improvises O.S. - Cluck standing on toes glares at Belle; MCU Cluck sings "Il Baccio" - "Mike" swings gently away - opens eyes - sees "mike" swinging; MLS Cluck chases "mike" - runs up and down stage - feet leave floor; MLS Cluck chases "mike" grabs at it - tries to sing into it - springs up and catches it - wire breaks - crashes; MCU Cluck smooths feathers - Belle bows - both exit - O.S. crash (co-animated with Ed Love))
Art Palmer (LS Audience ducks machine gun bullets)
Art Babbitt (LS Goof out from right wing - twirls baton - walks to machine; MCU Goof picks up accordion - snaps on knees - pulls on belt - sings cymbals - sits - nods head - machine starts; CU Goof plays third phrase on flute - flute goes out; MCU Tuba in - plays - clarinet up - tries to get it - plays; CU Hands come down - sticks tongue out - licks thumb - hand turns page - mouth harp in - plays - out - hands down - stretch mouth - all horns in mouths; MCU Goof gets ready to play next number - lever breaks off - starts playing clarinet smacks him; MLS Clarinet - out - harp up - plays - trombone up - plays it. Mouth harp rolls over face; MCU Fanny bouncing and being thrown around on cymbal; MLS Tuba comes up - plays it - harp in - cornet in - misses it; CU mouth harp plays - saws across mouth - hold explosion - cogs wizz in his head: MCU Clarinet whizzes by - misses it - shakes in mouth - in and out of mouth; CU mouth harp saws mouth - hold - explosion, etc.; MCU Inst. whizzes by - Goof dodges - trombone up - socks him in face - pulls face - boinks off - doges inst. - trombone under fanny; L.S. machine jumps around - builds up to big explosion - everything falling into scene wreckage smoking; C.U. of wreckage - Goof's head pops through drum - Donald out of Goof's busby - iris closes down - gets Donald in neck - pulls it out with hands - he ducks back (co-animated with Al Eugster))
Story: The film starts with Pete singing Asleep in the Deep very poorly. Mickey rings a gong and some hands drag Pete off stage. Our master of ceremonies Mickey Mouse introduces the next amateur performer. Before he finishes the introduction Donald Duck walks out gives Mickey an apple then starts his performance. He starts a recitation of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star but bungles it when he forgets the words. The audience laughs at him and this makes Donald lose his temper. Mickey rings the gong and a hand pulls an angry Donald off stage. Donald rushes back on stage and takes his apple back from Mickey. Mickey introduces Clara Cluck and Clarabelle Cow. The two give a musical performance with Cluck singing and Clarabelle playing the piano. However trouble arises when the mike won't stay still for Clara Cluck. Before Mickey can introduce the next amateur Donald comes back on stage in a "professor" disguise. He is carrying a case with him and out of the case he takes a gun and points it at the audience who laughed at him earlier. He then proceeds to give another recitation of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. He again forgets the words and the audience again laughs at him. At this time the machine gun goes off and goes out of control sending Donald flying all around and the audience ducking. A hand once again appears and puts Donald inside his case and pulls him off screen. Mickey now introduces "Bandmaster Goofy." Goofy has his "fifty-piece band" with him. This band is a big contraption with many musical instruments on it. Not surprisingly this machine malfunctions and explodes. Donald then pops out of Goofy's hat and gives a really quick recitation of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star as the iris closes and Donald's neck gets stuck in it.
Resources Used
http://afilmla.blogspot.com/search/label/Shorts_UA
https://mediahistoryproject.org/
https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/The_Disney_Wiki
Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
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