"A Mickey Mouse Cartoon"

Synopsis

An ensemble performance emceed by Mickey includes piano playing, an adagio dance, an operatic number, and numerous attempts by Donald Duck to recite "Little Boy Blue."

Characters

Mickey Mouse

Donald Duck

Goofy

Clarabelle Cow

Clara Cluck

Horace Horsecollar

The Orphans

Credits

Director : Bert Gillett

Animation

Les Clark

Dick Lundy

Johnny Cannon

Norm Ferguson

Ward Kimball (Inbetweener)

Cut Scenes

When cartoon was remade in 1941, Donald's final comment of "aw... nuts!" was redubbed to "aw... phooey!" New prints of the 1934 version - even on laserdisc and video tape - make the substitution, too.

Laserdiscs

United States

Mickey Mouse : The Black and White Years

Japan

Mickey Mouse : A Star is Born

Mickey Mouse : the Black and White Years : Volume 1

DVD

Disney Treasures : Mickey Mouse in Black and White

Television

Walt Disney Presents : The Donald Duck Story

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Black and white

Animation type : Standard

Sound mix : Mono

Aspect ratio : 1.37 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by United Artists Pictures

Gallery

An early sketch of Donald from "Orphans Benefit"
Courtesy of Van Eaton Galleries

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In this short, Goofy begins to mature, being built a little more realistically for the first time.

Remade as "Orphan's Benefit" in 1941.

Mickey and the gang, which now includes both Donald and Goofy, put on a benefit show for the orphans. The mischievous orphans delight in taunting the performers - especially Donald - with the orphans easily winning the conflict. I especially enjoy Donald impersonating Jimmy Durante with Donald's beak changing to a large nose and Donald exclaiming, "Am I mortified!" This scene is not in the 1941 remake. I love what both my wife and I consider to be an audio goof. Mickey tells Donald to behave, but we both hear "PLUTO, behave!" Hear this also in the 1941 remake. First appearance of Clara Cluck. Second appearance of Donald and his first appearance with Mickey and the gang. Although it is now usually titled Orphans' Benefit, the original title was incorrectly titled Orphan's Benefit.

Mickey and the gang are giving a theatrical performance for the orphan mice we know from "Mickey's Nightmare" (1932) and other cartoons. We see Donald Duck reciting "Little Boy Blue", Horace Horsecollar, Clarabella Cow and Goofy as acrobats and Mickey and Clarabella Cluck giving a recital. Donald's looks are still a bit awkward: he has black feet (because of his transition from colour to black and white), an elongated bill and he is very small compared to the rest of the gang. Nevertheless, "Orphan's Benefit" marks the real birth of Donald Duck: he's cast outside the Silly Symphonies along Mickey and his co-stars, and he's really stealing the show. Moreover, for the first time he's showing his temper and his typical 'dance of anger' (created and animated by Dick Lundy). Besides Donald Duck this cartoon introduces Clara Cluck, the opera-singing hen. Mickey's role is reduced to a scarsely visible and embarassingly unfunny straight man. Therefore "Orphan's Benefit" marks as much the start of Donald's career as the beginning of Mickey's demise.

This is one of my favorite Mickey cartoons. I'm a big fan of the Mickey's orphans cartoons. The scene with Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar, and Goofy is classic. A very delightful cartoon, ten out of ten.

This is the very first cartoon with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck in it. Before "The Mickey Mouse Club" (1955-1994), Mickey and Donald become good friends. But by the time "The Mickey Mouse Club" came out on ABC-TV in 1955, Donald Duck became jealous of Mickey Mouse, just like Daffy Duck being jealous of Bugs Bunny, that happened at least four years before Mickey and Donald's rivalry began. This cartoon will also be the same in 1941, but with the remodeled version of the Disney characters who appeared in this cartoon.

Referenced Comments

Mickey's Orphans (1931)

Mickey's Nightmare (1932)

The Wise Little Hen (1934)

The Dognapper (1934)

Orphan's Picnic (1936)

Mickey's Grand Opera (1936)

Orphan' Benefit (1941)