The Mouse Factory
The Mouse Factory is a sydicated program produced by Walt Disney Productions and created by Disney veteran Ward Kimball. Each show had a special guest host interacting with costumed characters from the Disney Theme Parks and introducing cartoons (or excerpts from feature films) themed around a different subject.
The show aired from 1972 to 1974 in syndication and lasted two seasons. The show was rerun on Disney Channel in the 80s and 90s.
Tropes used in The Mouse Factory include:
- Actor Allusion: Guest host Annette Funicello was a Mouseketeer on the Mickey Mouse Club. Guess which character was the subject of her guest spot.
- Also in "Consciences", guest star Harry Morgan dresses up as an angel. He played an angel in Disney's Charley And The Angel.
- And Knowing Is Half the Battle: Episodes often have a short "Did You Know?" segment pertaining to the episode's subject.
- Broken Record: In "Music", guests Skiles and Henderson stumble into a "Mickey Mouse Museum" and find statues of Disney characters who move and talk when the keys on their backs are turned.
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"Ha-ha, hi everybody! Ha-ha, hi everybody!" |
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- Credits Gag: The guest stars are credited as "Mickey's Friend".
- Furry Confusion: During the opening clock-punching sequence of "Noah's Ark", guest Bill Dana checks off the Disney animals two-by-two. He checks two mice, two ducks, two chipmunks and two...goofies? Said goofies were Goofy and a what can be described as Goofy in drag (it's just a one-off gag).
- Once an Episode: After the credits of each episode, the guest star appears to say "The End" in a rather humorous fashion.
- Each episode also begins with several Disney characters and guest star punching the clocks, followed by a rapid-fire montage of clips from the episode to the tune of "Whistle While You Work".
- Self-Deprecation: The animated closing sequence for the first season features Mickey Mouse driving a biplane, which gets eaten by a King Kong expy.
- The Stinger: See Once an Episode above.
- Stock Footage