Amusing the Zillion

1928-29 Mickey Mouse movie poster. Photo via TheHistoryBlog.com

Happy 85th birthday, Mickey Mouse! On November 18, 1928, the world’s most famous mouse made his debut in Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie at New York City’s Colony Theatre. Tonight, Film Forum is celebrating the occasion with a special “Disney Mouse Party” at 7pm. The program of rare 35mm prints from the Disney archive includes early b&w comedy classics (1928-1933) such as Puppy Love, Blue Rhythm, The Gorilla Mystery, and Building a Building, plus a bonus sing-a-long; Technicolor breakthroughs from 1936-1941 like Thru the Mirror, Mickey’s Trailer, Mickey’s Rival, and Nifty Nineties; plus what’s being billed (in all caps) as “AN ASTOUNDING SNEAK PREVIEW.” Could it be Potatoland, which is set to premiere today?

The Disney Channel will debut the new seven-minute cartoon titled Potatoland as part of a day of programming honoring Mickey Mouse’s birthday. The comedic film takes Mickey, Donald and Goofy on a road trip to Idaho to fulfill Goofy’s dream of visiting Potatoland theme park.

Being a carny kid, our favorite Mickey Mouse cartoon is The Karnival Kid from 1929 in which Mickey is a hot dog vendor at a carnival and Minnie is a shimmy dancer. It’s famous for being the first film in which Mickey talks but his voice is actually that of Walt Disney. Mickey yells “Hot Dogs! Hot Dogs!” Watch what happens when Minnie bites into a very animated frank…

Related posts on ATZ…

March 3, 2012: Saturday Matinee: Bluto & Popeye, Kings of Coney’s Mardi Gras

April 6, 2011: Made in Coney: TV Commercial for Bonomo Turkish Taffy

January 15, 2011: ATZ Saturday Matinee: Shorty at Coney Island

November 25, 2010: Happy Belated Birthday to Harpo Marx