| The Mouse Factory | |
|---|---|
 Screenshot of the title card forThe Mouse Factory | |
| Created by | Ward Kimball |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 43 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production company | Walt Disney Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | Syndicated |
| Release | January 26, 1972 (1972-01-26) – March 5, 1973 (1973-03-05) |
| Related | |
| Good Morning, Mickey! | |
The Mouse Factory is an Americansyndicated television series produced byWalt Disney Productions and created byWard Kimball, that ran from 1972 to 1973.[1] It showed clips from various Disney cartoons and movies, hosted by celebrity guests (credited as being "Mickey's Friend"), includingCharles Nelson Reilly,[2]JoAnne Worley,Wally Cox,Johnny Brown,Phyllis Diller,[3]Joe Flynn,Annette Funicello,[4]Shari Lewis and Hush Puppy,[5]Lamb Chop,Dom DeLuise,Don Knotts and many more visiting the Mouse Factory and interacting with the walk-around Disney characters from theDisney theme parks. The series was later rerun on theDisney Channel in the 1980s and 1990s.
The theme played over the previews of each episode was a fast instrumental version of "Whistle While You Work" fromSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
To start the ending credits, the series depictsMickey Mouse in abiplane. He flies across the screen carrying a banner that reads "the end". A largeape, resemblingKing Kong, promptly swipes said plane as well as Mickey out of thin air, dropping them in his mouth and devouring them. In season 2, this was changed toDonald Duck uttering the phrase "it won't work".
The song played over the end credits is "Minnie's Yoo Hoo", the theme song from the original Mickey Mouse Clubs that met in theaters starting in 1929.[6] The version used in the series originated in a 1968 episode ofThe Wonderful World of Disney celebrating Mickey's birthday.
The Mouse Factory mixes live-action with animation and features a different theme in each episode. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who plays a new character and interacts with Disney characters such as Mickey, Donald,Goofy andPluto (appearing in costume form as they do in theme parks), among others. In addition, each episode features several classic short films and clips of feature films (about three short films and clips in each episode).[7]
Disneyland Records released two vinyl 12-inch LP records and three seven-inch 33 1/3 rpm to tie in with series, all containing previously released recordings and no new soundtrack material from the TV show.The Mouse Factory Presents Mickey and His Friends was an LP compilation of songs and sketches.Stories and Songs from The Mouse Factory contained four edited "read-along" recordings of tales seen on the show. The three seven-inch records each presented four songs featuring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy.[8]
Due to low ratings and limited distribution, the series was cancelled after its second season.
43 episodes were produced, including:
| # | Title | Host | Cartoons Featured | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vacations | Charles Nelson Reilly |
| January 26, 1972 |
| 2 | Women’s Lib | JoAnne Worley |
| February 2, 1972 |
| 3 | Folk Tale Favorites | Johnny Brown |
| February 9, 1972 |
| 4 | Spooks and Magic | Phyllis Diller |
| February 16, 1972 |
| 5 | Physical Fitness | Don Knotts |
| February 23, 1972[9][10] |
| 6 | The Great Outdoors | Dom DeLuise |
| March 1, 1972 |
| 7 | Water Sports | Joe Flynn |
| March 8, 1972 |
| 8 | Man at Work | John Byner |
| March 15, 1972 |
| 9 | Music | Skiles and Henderson |
| March 22, 1972 |
| 10 | Interplanetary Travel | Jonathan Winters |
| March 29, 1972 |
| 11 | Homeowners | Jim Backus |
| April 5, 1972 |
| 12 | Spectator Sports | Charles Nelson Reilly |
| April 12, 1972[11] |
| 13 | Horses | JoAnne Worley |
| April 19, 1972 |
| 14 | Aviation | Johnny Brown |
| April 26, 1972 |
| 15 | Back to Nature | Wally Cox |
| May 3, 1972 |
| 16 | Bullfighting to Bullfrogs | Pat Buttram |
| May 10, 1972 |
| 17 | Sports | Pat Paulsen |
| May 17, 1972 |
| # | Title | Host | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alligators | Johnny Brown | September 11, 1972 |
| 2 | Paul Bunyan | Jim Backus | September 18, 1972 |
| 3 | Bullfighting | Bill Dana | September 25, 1972 |
| 4 | Knighthood | Henry Gibson | October 2, 1972 |
| 5 | Pluto | John Astin | October 9, 1972 |
| 6 | Goliath II | Kurt Russell | October 16, 1972 |
| 7 | The Mouse Show | Dave Madden | October 23, 1972 |
| 8 | Cats | Shari Lewis and Hush Puppy | October 30, 1972[12] |
| 9 | Ben Franklin | Wally Cox | November 6, 1972 |
| 10 | Mickey Mouse | Annette Funicello | November 13, 1972[13] |
| 11 | Lions | Henry Gibson | November 20, 1972 |
| 12 | Consciences | Harry Morgan | November 27, 1972 |
| 13 | Noah’s Ark | Bill Dana | December 4, 1972 |
| 14 | Hunting | John Astin | December 11, 1972 |
| 15 | Sports | Nipsey Russell | December 18, 1972 |
| 16 | Tugboats | Dave Madden | December 25, 1972 |
| 17 | Automobiles | Ken Berry | January 1, 1973 |
| 18 | Trains | Harry Morgan | January 8, 1973 |
| 19 | Homes | Jim Backus | January 15, 1973 |
| 20 | The Reluctant Dragon | Wally Cox | January 22, 1973 |
| 21 | Wheels | Johnny Brown | January 29, 1973 |
| 22 | Winter Fun | Kurt Russell | February 5, 1973[14] |
| 23 | Penguins | Annette Funicello | February 12, 1973[15] |
| 24 | Elephants | Nipsey Russell | February 19, 1973 |
| 25 | Mickey and the Beanstalk | Shari Lewis andLamb Chop | February 26, 1973 |
| 26 | Dancing | Ken Berry | March 5, 1973 |
