Disney's House of Mouse
Disney's House of Mouse is an American animated television series, produced by Walt Disney Television, that originally aired from 2001 to 2003
Premise
The basic premise is that Mickey Mouse and his friends run a dinner theater club called the "House of Mouse" in downtown Toontown, which shows Disney cartoons as part of its floor shows. Located at a corner of an intersection on Toontown's Main Street, the club is considered a very popular destination by the local populace. Some episodes have specific themes, with cartoons to fit that episode's theme. The theme is usually not beneficial to at least one character, usually Donald.[1]
Many characters from Disney animated films (such as Aladdin, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, Hercules, and many more) have appeared on House of Mouse, mostly as patrons and guest star performers. The show is notable for including many relatively obscure and otherwise rarely-used Disney characters, often with speaking parts. Notably, Li'l Bad Wolf and April, May and June Duck, who had appeared very often in Disney comic books but never before in an animated cartoon, finally made their animated debuts on House of Mouse. The show also featured some cameos by characters created for other television cartoons and theme park attractions, but these appearances were few and far between.
Each episode explores the comical mishaps of Mickey and his associates running the club, which are used as wraparounds for Disney cartoons (some of which are classic theatrical cartoons from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, but most of which are reruns from Mickey Mouse Works).
Characters
Notable staff at the House of Mouse include:
- Entertainment superstar and general manager/co-owner of the House of Mouse. Mickey is most visible as the club's flamboyant theater host and, in practice, leaves most of the club's management to the other staff.
- Mickey's girlfriend, show planner and bookkeeper. Minnie is responsible for much of the club's day-to-day administration. Her cool, rational personality has kept the club running in times of crisis.
- Mickey's best friend and assistant manager/co-owner of the House of Mouse. Donald is responsible for the overall customer service at the club and attends to the needs of the club's VIP guests. He secretly covets Mickey's fame and position at the club.
- Donald's girlfriend and reservation clerk. Somewhat frivolous, Daisy harbors ambitions to perform on-stage at the club with various acts.
- Mickey and Donald's friend, Max's father and head waiter of the club. Clumsy yet lovable, Goofy manages the club's restaurant operations.
- Mickey's pet dog and club mascot.
- Mickey's long-time friend and technician. Horace runs and maintains the club's technical equipment including lights, loudspeakers and video players.
- Minnie's long-time friend and gossip columnist. Clarabelle collects gossip and rumors from all over Toontown for her talk show at the club. Her gossip has occasionally lead to problems for the club's staff.
- Goofy's son and valet parking attendant.
- Donald's three nephews and a house band with alternating names such as "The Quackstreet Boys", "Quackwork", "Kid Duck" and "The Splashing Pumpkins".
- Donald's cousin and executive chef of the club. A notorious glutton, Gus sometimes eats the food he prepares for the guests just before it is served.
- Magical artifact and on-site consultant. Mickey and his friends sometimes ask for advice from the Magic Mirror on a variety of issues. He is also available for queries from the club's guests. Unsurprisingly, the Evil Queen can sometimes be found staring at the Mirror.
- A talking microphone and announcer. He usually assists Mickey in presenting and ending events on-stage nightly.
- Waiting staff of the club. According to an advertisement at the club, they are also available for hire on a temporary basis.
- Janitorial staff of the club.
- The club's greedy landlord, who often attempts to shut the theater down for his own personal gain by sabotaging the show, since Mickey's contract states that the club stays open only for as long as the show goes on.
House of Mouse locations
Below are descriptions of the areas within the club itself.
Foyer
- The front hall of the club is accessible via glass double doors from the street. Here, guests may converse among themselves or with the Magic Mirror that is located just within the entrance. There is also a small lounge for guests waiting to be seated. Donald can usually be found here greeting visitors personally; often with a handshake. Daisy works at a reception desk situated just outside the restaurant/theater area, helping guests to book reservations or assist with any requests they may have. Outside, Max Goof assists visitors in parking their cars at a nearby lot owned by the club.
Restaurant / Theater
- One of the busiest areas of the club, this wide, spacious area has at least thirty tables that can seat over 120 people. Given the wide variety of clientele at the club, which includes Willie the Giant and Elliott the Dragon, the amount of seating at the club could vary wildly at times. Goofy and the penguin waiters take orders and deliver various dishes, ranging from conventional to outlandish, to the guests. At the far end of the area is a stage where performances of all sorts are conducted, including that of Huey, Dewey and Louie. There is also a huge TV screen in the stage background to show cartoons. Mickey often hosts the night's events on-stage.
Backstage
- This area behind the stage is restricted only to club staff and performers hired by the club. Located here are staff offices, dressing rooms, storage rooms and an employee rest area. This area has direct access to the club's kitchen. The back entrance to the club and the door to the prop room are also located here. Minnie is often seen here using a PDA to assist in keeping the night's schedule on track or directing guest star performers to the stage.
Kitchen
- All types of ingredients and cooking equipment can be found here to cater to the wide and, often, exotic palates of the club's clientele. There is also a cold storage room to store fresh meat and other perishable foods. Gus Goose works here nightly to prepare various dishes for the guests, but he sometimes eats said dishes before they reach the tables.
Control Room
- From this room, located behind and above the restaurant/theater area, much of the technical equipment at the club is operated. The club's collection of cartoons is stored here as well. Through a window that overlooks the restaurant/theater area, Horace operates the lights, the loudspeakers and various record players (for example, DVD or VHS players) to show cartoons at Minnie's direction.
Prop Room
- Perhaps the most interesting area of the club, the prop room consists of a cavernous basement much larger than the club itself. Props from all of Disney animation can be found here, including magical items such as Genie's lamp and the Black Cauldron. The prop room is so large that one could get lost for days unless one took Pluto along as a guide. However, Mickey and his friends usually have little trouble navigating in the prop room.
Characters by movie/TV show
- Classic Disney Cartoons and Comic Books: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Pluto, Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, Gus Goose, Pete, Ludwig Von Drake, Clara Cluck, Chip 'n Dale, Scrooge McDuck, The Phantom Blot, April, May and June Duck, Humphrey the Bear, Ranger J. Audubon Woodlore, the Brownstone Park Bears, Pluto's Good and Bad Consciences, Red Riding Hood, Toby Tortoise, Max Hare, Flowers and Trees, Santa Claus, Reindeer, Hobo Cookie, Judge Cookie, the Skeleton Dancers, a Merry Dwarf, a Lamp from "The Whoopee Party", the Lonesome Ghosts, Ferdinand the Bull, Susie the Little Blue Coupe, Professor Owl, Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom, Babe the Big Blue Ox, Dinah the Dachshund, Louie the Mountain Lion, Salty the Seal, a Rooster, a Hen, Girl Violin, Boy Saxophone, a Robot from "Mars and Beyond", and various Black-and-White Characters.
- Mickey Mouse Works: Baby Shelby, Mrs. Turtle, Magical Mouse, Hairy Manilow, the Turkey, the 3 Kittens from "Pluto's Kittens", the Abominable Snowman, the Goatman and the 2 Aliens from "How to Camp", Chief O'Hara.
- Pinocchio: Pinocchio, Geppetto, Jiminy Cricket, the Blue Fairy, Figaro, Cleo, Monstro, Foulfellow, Gideon, Lampwick, Stromboli, and The Coachman.
- Fantasia: Chernabog, Yen Sid, Hop Lo, the Mushrooms, the Ostriches, the Cupids, one of the Centaurettes, Bacchus, Jacchus, and the Bald Mountain Ghosts.
- Dumbo: Dumbo, Timothy Mouse, the Ringmaster, Mrs. Jumbo, The Circus Guards, the Crows, Casey Junior, the Elephants, and the Pink Elephants.
- Bambi: Bambi (young), Thumper (young), Flower (young), Faline (young), Miss Bunny, Ronno, Friend Owl, Bambi's mother, Bambi's father, and a Chipmunk.
- Make Mine Music: Peter, Sonia the Duck, Sadsha the Bird, Ivan the Cat, The Wolf, Grandpa, The 3 Huntsmens, Willie the Whale, Seagulls, and Casey.
- Melody Time: Pecos Bill, Widowmaker, Slue Foot Sue, Johnny Appleseed, Johnny's angel, Little Toot, and Big Toot.
- Cinderella: Cinderella, Prince Charming, Gus and Jaq, the Birds, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia and Drizella, Lucifer, the Fairy Godmother, Bruno, the King, and the Grand Duke.
- Alice in Wonderland: Alice, the White Rabbit, the Doorknob, the Cheshire Cat, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Queen of Hearts, the King of Hearts, the Playing Cards, Dim and Dum, the Walrus, the Carpenter, the Oysters, the Dodo, Bill the Lizard, the Hammer Birds, the Pencil Birds, the Momeraths, a Flamingo, a Hedgehog, and the Bread-and-Butterflies.
- Peter Pan: Peter Pan, Wendy Darling, John Darling, Michael Darling, Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, Tinker Bell, Tick-Tock the Crocodile, Tiger-Lilly, The Indian Chief, the Pirates, and the Lost Boys.
- Sleeping Beauty: Princess Aurora, Prince Phillip, Maleficent (human and dragon), Diablo the Raven, Maleficent's Goons, Flora, Fauna, Merryweather, King Hubert and Stefan, the Squirrels, the Owl and the Birds.
- 101 Dalmatians: Pongo, Perdita, the Dalmatian Puppies, Cruella De Vil, Roger, Anita, Horace, Jasper, Tibs, Nanny, and the Colonel.
- The Sword in the Stone: Merlin, Mad Madam Mim (Human and Dragon), Wart (King Aurthur), Sir Ector, The Sculley Maid, Sir Pelinore, Little Girl Squrriel, Granny Squrriel, Archimedes, The Hungry Wolf, and Sir Kay.
- The Jungle Book: Baloo, King Louie, Kaa, Shere Khan, the 4 Vultures, Mowgli, Bagheera, The Monkeys, Shanti, Colonel Hathi, Akela, Winifred, and Colonel Hathi's Son.
- The Aristocats: Thomas O'Malley, Duchess, Edgar Balathazar the Bulter, Amelia Gabble, Uncle Waldo, Napoleon, Lafayette, Scat Cat, Billy Bass the Russian Cat, Shun Gon the Chinese Cat, Hit Cat the English Cat, and Peppo the Italian Cat.
- Robin Hood: Robin Hood, Little John, Maid Marian, Lady Kluck, Friar Tuck, Prince John, Sir Hiss, the Sheriff of Notingham, Nutsy, Trigger, Allan-A-Dale, the Rhino Guards, the Captain of the Guard, Toby Turtle, Skippy Bunny, Sis Bunny, Tagalong Bunny, and Mother Rabbit.
- The Rescuers: Bernard, Miss Bianca, Orville, Rufus, Penny, Madame Medusa, Mr. Snoops, and Evinrude.
- The Fox and the Hound: Tod (young), Copper (young), Big Mama, Dinky, Boomer, Chief, Vixie, and Amos Slade.
- Oliver & Company: Oliver, Dodger, Tito, Francis, Fagin, Georgette, Jenny, Sykes, Rita, Einstein, and Rescoe and De Soto.
- Beauty and the Beast: Belle, the Beast/Prince, Gaston, Le Fou, Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip, Fifi, the Bimbettes, Moniseur Duke, the Villagers, the Wardrobe, the Dishes, and the Palanquin.
- Aladdin: Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, the Genie, Abu, Rajah, the Magic Carpet, Razoul, Jafar, Iago, the Sultan, the Cave of Wonders Tiger Head, and the two Hungry Children.
- The Lion King: Simba (young), Mufasa, Sarabi, Rafiki, Nala (young), Timon and Pumbaa, Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, Zazu, Scar, and the Wildebeest.
- Pocahontas: Pocahontas, Meeko, Flit, John Smith, Governor Ratcliffe, Grandmother Willow, Chief Powhatan, Kekata, Wiggins, Thomas, and Nakoma.
- Hercules: Hercules (Adult), Megara, Hades, Pain and Panic, Philoctetes, Pegasus (Adult), the Muses, Zeus, Hera, Hermes, The Fates, Nessus, the Hydra, and Bacchus.
- Mulan: Mulan, Mushu, Cri-Kee, Shang, Yao, Ling, Chien-Po, Fa Zhou, Fa Li, Grandma Fa, Shan Yu, and Chi-Fu.
- Fantasia 2000: Yo-yo Flamingo, The Snooty Flamingoes, The Steadfast Tin Soldier, and the Ballerina.
- Haunted Mansion: The Hitchhiking Ghosts, the Hatbox Ghost, the Executioner, and Emily the Bleeding Bride.
Production
The show was produced by Walt Disney Television, and originally aired from 2001 to 2003, running for 52 episodes. The show is one of many Disney cartoon series made in the widescreen HD format.
House of Mouse aired on One Saturday Morning on ABC. As of February 2006, this show is no longer airing on The Disney Channel in the US, although Mickey Mouse Works airs regularly on the Disney Cinemagic channel, which is part of the Disney Channel in the UK. The show ceased broadcast on US television in February 6, 2009 after being aired for the last time on Toon Disney before becoming Disney XD.
The theme song is performed by Brian Setzer.
Episodes
References
External links