MICKEY MONDAYS: Manifestations of the Mouse

One of the items in my Disney collection is a piece of sheet music for a ‘Novelty Fox-trot’ with words by Edward Pola and Music by Franz Vienna, published in London by Keith Prowse in 1933 and entitled...

This is a classic example of early British Disney merchandising which was not subject to the same rigours as were applied to the American products from the studio (and which are now universal); hence the surprising revelation that Mickey and Minnie Mouse had tied the knot – a story seriously at variance with official Disney lore which has always maintained that they are 'just good friends'!

The cover artwork is by Wilfred Haughton, a prolific British artist working for Disney in London who was responsible for much of the artwork in early Disney comics and annuals published in the UK.

The words of the song go like this...

It’s gala day, the day of the year,

The sun will shine, the sky’ll be clear,

The bells will ring, the people will cheer,

For the wedding of Mister Mickey Mouse.

There’ll be ducks and drakes, a waddl’ing goose,

A chimpanzee, the Zoo turn’d loose,

And ‘Peg-Leg’ Pete’s declaring a truce,

For the wedding of Mister Mickey Mouse.

The big brown bear will dance for all the company,

The whole affair will be broadcast by the BBC;

There’ll be fancy hats and fancier clothes,

A kangaroo with pretty pink bows,

And elephants with manicured toes,

At the wedding of Mister Mickey Mouse.

The band will play a one-step and a gavotte,

And then the fox will dance a real fox-trot;

Clarabelle the cow will jump right over the moon,

Then you’ll hear Pluto croon the latest tune.

Preacher man will see the knot is properly tied,

He’ll shake hands with the groom, and kiss the bride;

Then off they’ll go to find their gingerbread house,

Where they’ll be happy as Mister and Missus Mickey
Mouse.

And here's what it sounded like as performed in 1933 by  Harry Leader's band (not, as it says on the record label, Jay Wilbur)...

MICKEY MONDAYS: Manifestations of the Mouse

London Transport poster 1934, 'artist unknown' – although Disney might have had something to say about the bottom image!

The poster is an indication of the six-year old Mickey Mouse's international appeal in the '30s and (tailing a list headed by the legendary 18th century English pantomime clown, Joseph Grimaldi) the place he had already effortlessly secured within British pop culture...

Thanks to Didier Ghez at Disney History for the heads-up and if you'd like to order a print, visit The London Transport Museum.

MICKEY MONDAYS: Manifestations of the Mouse

Sorcerer's Apprentice fridge magnet...

...but what happened to the sparkly Disneydust??

MICKEY MONDAYS: Manifestations of the Mouse

Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck, abandoned by Mickey and Donald on Emborios beach on the Greek island of Kalymnos...