Mickey's 60th Birthday
Encyclopedia
Mickey's 60th Birthday is the 1988 television special
broadcast on the Walt Disney anthology television series on November 13, 1988 on NBC
. As the title suggests, it was produced for the 60th anniversary of the Mickey Mouse
character. Like Who Framed Roger Rabbit
(which had been recently released at the time), much of the footage featured in the film is live-action with newly-made animation (although some of the animation used for some scenes are made from existing footage). It was rebroadcast on Disney Channel
Europe on November 13, 2008 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the special, as well as Mickey's 80th birthday.
segment of Fantasia
and considers using it, but he is warned by the sorcerer who owns the hat (who was not Yen Sid) that he shouldn't be using other people's magic when he has his own, which Mickey initially doesn't understand. With that in mind, Mickey goes out on stage along with his birthday cake, provided by Roger Rabbit, who realizes that he placed a stick of dynamite on the cake instead of a candle. In his attempt to put the dynamite out, Roger ends up destroying the set, which prompts Mickey to use the magic from the hat to repair the damage. The audience screams for more and Mickey agrees to do so, but when he does, he suddenly vanishes.
The sorcerer, annoyed that Mickey disobeyed his warning, decides to teach the Mouse how to find his own kind of magic, by casting a spell on him in which anyone he runs into fails to recognize him as Mickey Mouse. The Mouse is then returned to the real world, where he's found by Andy Keaton of Family Ties
, who mistakenly believes him to be a good impression of the real thing. Andy shows Mickey off to Mallory and Jennifer, but when they're not convinced, even Andy turns him down. Dejected, Mickey goes to the bar from Cheers
, only to realize he has no money to buy himself a drink. He then sings the "Happy Birthday" song to Rebecca Howe
, cheering her up so much that she takes him out to dinner and a movie.
Meanwhile, The Walt Disney Company
has organized a search party to find the missing Mickey, which was reported on a local news show. In the process, the reporters begin to suspect Donald Duck
after being told of how upset he was that he wasn't going to appear in Mickey's special. Their suspicions go even further when they find old footage of Donald doing his own version of The Mickey Mouse Club theme song and Donald is soon arrested after he tries (unsuccessfully) to testify his innocence (he claimed that the kidnapper was either Minnie Mouse
, "the guy who framed Roger Rabbit", the Wicked Witch or Porky Pig
). Donald is to be represented by the legal firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak
. As they continue with their reports on the search, the reporters show various clip montages of Mickey and various tributes people were putting out to him.
As the special nears its end, Mickey returns to Disneyland, where a custodian mopes over the fact that he can't see any point in his profession if the guest of honor isn't going to show up for his own birthday party. Phylicia Rashad
then sings a song called "It's Magic", with Mickey accompanying the ensuing song-and-dance number. At this point, the sorcerer reappears and congratulates Mickey now that he's finally found his own magic inside him and thus breaks the spell. Just as the sorcerer exits, Roger rushes up to Mickey and instantly recognizes him. The news of Roger having "found" Mickey is brought to the news and the innocent Donald is released from jail just in time to join Mickey's birthday celebration. Soon, a parade appeared, taking Mickey to the Disneyland Castle, where Minnie is. The parade members threw him to the balcony of the castle to where she was at. Finally, Mickey & Minnie reunited after being separated.
Also making cameo appearances are several reporters for NBC stations, including Sue Simmons
of WNBC-TV
.
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
broadcast on the Walt Disney anthology television series on November 13, 1988 on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. As the title suggests, it was produced for the 60th anniversary of the Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
character. Like Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a 1988 American fantasy-comedy-noir film directed by Robert Zemeckis and released by Touchstone Pictures. The film combines live action and animation, and is based on Gary K. Wolf's novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, which depicts a world in which cartoon characters...
(which had been recently released at the time), much of the footage featured in the film is live-action with newly-made animation (although some of the animation used for some scenes are made from existing footage). It was rebroadcast on Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
Europe on November 13, 2008 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the special, as well as Mickey's 80th birthday.
Plot
Mickey Mouse's 60th Birthday special is being taped and as his appearance in the show draws to a close, Mickey finds himself trying to decide how he should present himself to his audience. Rummaging through an old trunk, he finds the magic hat from The Sorcerer's ApprenticeThe Sorcerer's Apprentice
The Sorcerer's Apprentice is the English name of a poem by Goethe, Der Zauberlehrling, written in 1797. The poem is a ballad in fourteen stanzas.-Story:...
segment of Fantasia
Fantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
and considers using it, but he is warned by the sorcerer who owns the hat (who was not Yen Sid) that he shouldn't be using other people's magic when he has his own, which Mickey initially doesn't understand. With that in mind, Mickey goes out on stage along with his birthday cake, provided by Roger Rabbit, who realizes that he placed a stick of dynamite on the cake instead of a candle. In his attempt to put the dynamite out, Roger ends up destroying the set, which prompts Mickey to use the magic from the hat to repair the damage. The audience screams for more and Mickey agrees to do so, but when he does, he suddenly vanishes.
The sorcerer, annoyed that Mickey disobeyed his warning, decides to teach the Mouse how to find his own kind of magic, by casting a spell on him in which anyone he runs into fails to recognize him as Mickey Mouse. The Mouse is then returned to the real world, where he's found by Andy Keaton of Family Ties
Family Ties
Family Ties is an American sitcom that aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. The sitcom reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This was particularly expressed through the relationship between young...
, who mistakenly believes him to be a good impression of the real thing. Andy shows Mickey off to Mallory and Jennifer, but when they're not convinced, even Andy turns him down. Dejected, Mickey goes to the bar from Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
, only to realize he has no money to buy himself a drink. He then sings the "Happy Birthday" song to Rebecca Howe
Rebecca Howe
Rebecca Howe-Santry is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Kirstie Alley. She is introduced after Shelley Long, who played overeducated barmaid Diane Chambers, left to pursue a movie career...
, cheering her up so much that she takes him out to dinner and a movie.
Meanwhile, The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
has organized a search party to find the missing Mickey, which was reported on a local news show. In the process, the reporters begin to suspect Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
after being told of how upset he was that he wasn't going to appear in Mickey's special. Their suspicions go even further when they find old footage of Donald doing his own version of The Mickey Mouse Club theme song and Donald is soon arrested after he tries (unsuccessfully) to testify his innocence (he claimed that the kidnapper was either Minnie Mouse
Minnie Mouse
Minerva "Minnie" Mouse is an animated character created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney. The comic strip story "The Gleam" by Merrill De Maris and Floyd Gottfredson first gave her full name as Minerva Mouse. Minnie has since been a recurring alias for her. Minnie is currently voiced by actress Russi...
, "the guy who framed Roger Rabbit", the Wicked Witch or Porky Pig
Porky Pig
Porky Pig is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many critically acclaimed shorts using the fat little pig...
). Donald is to be represented by the legal firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak
L.A. Law
L.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,...
. As they continue with their reports on the search, the reporters show various clip montages of Mickey and various tributes people were putting out to him.
As the special nears its end, Mickey returns to Disneyland, where a custodian mopes over the fact that he can't see any point in his profession if the guest of honor isn't going to show up for his own birthday party. Phylicia Rashad
Phylicia Rashad
Phylicia Rashād is an American Tony Award winning actress and singer, best known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show....
then sings a song called "It's Magic", with Mickey accompanying the ensuing song-and-dance number. At this point, the sorcerer reappears and congratulates Mickey now that he's finally found his own magic inside him and thus breaks the spell. Just as the sorcerer exits, Roger rushes up to Mickey and instantly recognizes him. The news of Roger having "found" Mickey is brought to the news and the innocent Donald is released from jail just in time to join Mickey's birthday celebration. Soon, a parade appeared, taking Mickey to the Disneyland Castle, where Minnie is. The parade members threw him to the balcony of the castle to where she was at. Finally, Mickey & Minnie reunited after being separated.
Also making cameo appearances are several reporters for NBC stations, including Sue Simmons
Sue Simmons
Susan "Sue" Simmons has been the lead female news anchor at WNBC television in New York City since 1980.-Background:Simmons grew up in the New York City neighborhood of Harlem; her father was John Simmons, a renowned jazz bassist whose compatriots included Louis Armstrong, Art Tatum, John...
of WNBC-TV
WNBC
WNBC, virtual channel 4 , is the flagship station of the NBC television network, located in New York City. WNBC's studios are co-located with NBC corporate headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan...
.
Cast
- Carl ReinerCarl ReinerCarl Reiner is an American actor, film director, producer, writer and comedian. He has won nine Emmy Awards and one Grammy Award during this career...
as Mel Pollini - Wayne AllwineWayne AllwineWayne Anthony Allwine was an American voice actor, a sound effects editor and foley artist for The Walt Disney Company. He was born in Glendale, California. He was the voice of Mickey Mouse for 32 years, narrowly the longest to date, and was married to voice actress Russi Taylor.Allwine was the...
as Mickey Mouse (voice) - Tony AnselmoTony AnselmoTony Anselmo is an Animator, cartoon voice actor and, since 1985, the voice of Donald Duck. Anselmo was trained by the original voice of Donald, Clarence Nash. Anselmo has also shared voice-over duties for Donald's nephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie since 1999. He voiced the nephews on Mickey...
as Donald Duck (voice) - Charles FleischerCharles FleischerCharles Fleischer is an American actor, stand-up comedian and voice artist.-Life and career:Fleischer was born in Washington, D.C. As a child, he is reported to have spent several summers at Kamp Kewanee in La Plume, Pennsylvania, where he started practicing his stand-up routine at age nine...
as himself and Roger Rabbit (voice) - John RitterJohn RitterJonathan Southworth "John" Ritter was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian perhaps best known for having played Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules, respectively...
as Dudley Goode - Jill EikenberryJill EikenberryJill Eikenberry is an American film, stage, and television actress. She is best known for her role as lawyer Ann Kelsey in L.A. Law...
as Mia Loud - Russi TaylorRussi TaylorRussi Taylor is an American voice actress. She is the current voice actress of Disney's Minnie Mouse character. She has held this role since 1986, longer than any other voice actress...
as Minnie Mouse (voice) - Brian BonsallBrian BonsallBrian Eric Bonsall is an American former child actor. He is best known for playing the youngest Keaton child, Andy, on the NBC sitcom Family Ties from 1986 through 1989. He is also known for his portrayal of Alexander Rozhenko, the son of Worf, on Star Trek: The Next Generation.- Early life and...
as Andy Keaton - Justine BatemanJustine BatemanJustine Tanya Bateman is an American actress, writer, and producer. She is best known for her regular role as Mallory Keaton on the sitcom Family Ties...
as Mallory Keaton - Michael J. FoxMichael J. FoxMichael J. Fox, OC is a Canadian American actor, author, producer, activist and voice-over artist. With a film and television career spanning from the late 1970s, Fox's roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
as Alex KeatonAlex P. KeatonAlex P. Keaton is a fictional character on the American television sitcom, Family Ties, which aired on NBC for seven seasons, from 1982 to 1989. Family Ties reflected the move in the United States away from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s...
(in flashback clip) - Tina YothersTina YothersKristina Louise "Tina" Yothers is an American actress and singer. Beginning a career as a child actor at the age of 8, she is perhaps best known for her role as Jennifer Keaton on the hit NBC series Family Ties, as well as for her roles in numerous television films throughout the 1980s and early...
as Jennifer Keaton - John RatzenbergerJohn RatzenbergerJohn Deszo Ratzenberger is an American actor, voice actor, and entrepreneur. He is best known for his role as Cliff Clavin in Cheers.-Early life:...
as Cliff ClavinCliff ClavinClifford C. Clavin, Jr. is a character on the American television show Cheers, co-created and portrayed by John Ratzenberger.- Character history :... - Kelsey GrammerKelsey GrammerAllen Kelsey Grammer is an American actor and comedian. He is most widely known for his two-decade portrayal of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the sitcoms Cheers and Frasier...
as Frasier CraneFrasier CraneFrasier W. Crane, M.D., Ph.D., A.P.A. is a fictional character on the American television sitcoms Frasier and Cheers. He was played by Kelsey Grammer for 20 years, tying the record for the longest-running character on prime-time American television, which was set by James Arness, who played Marshal... - Kirstie AlleyKirstie AlleyKirstie Louise Alley is an American actress known for her role in the TV show Cheers, in which she played Rebecca Howe from 1987–1993, winning an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 1991...
as Rebecca HoweRebecca HoweRebecca Howe-Santry is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Kirstie Alley. She is introduced after Shelley Long, who played overeducated barmaid Diane Chambers, left to pursue a movie career... - Cheech MarinCheech MarinRichard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
as the cleanerman in Disneyland - Peter CullenPeter CullenPeter Claver Cullen is a Canadian voice actor, known as the voice of Eeyore in the Winnie-the-Pooh franchise, Optimus Prime and Ironhide in the original Transformers series, and the narrator in both of the original American Voltron series...
as the Sorcerer