Horace Horsecollar
Encyclopedia
Horace Horsecollar is a funny animal
cartoon character created by Ub Iwerks
and Walt Disney
. He is an anthropomorphic horse
, one of Mickey Mouse
's best friends. Horace first appeared as Mickey's plough horse in the cartoon "The Plow Boy
" in 1929. He next appeared later that same year, in "The Jazz Fool", and after that he became a regular member of the Disney supporting cast, along with Clarabelle Cow
, Clara Cluck and others even more minor. Characterized as a cheerful know-it-all, Horace helped Mickey on his sleuthing expeditions in the comics before Goofy
assumed that role. In recent years, Horace has more commonly appeared in Mickey Mouse Works
and Disney's House of Mouse
.
Horace's biggest role was in "Camping Out" in 1934, where he was pretty much the star of that cartoon.
In his earliest incarnation, Horace was presented as Mickey Mouse's four-legged plow horse. He could walk upright on his hind legs, at which time his forelegs became gloved hands; at other times, he got back down on all fours and reverted to form. Horace mostly played bit-parts in the approximately 30 cartoon shorts in which he appeared and his character was never as fully developed as the "Fab Five". Like Goofy
in his early Dippy Dawg appearances, Horace's body seemed to be formed of rubber tubing. He and Clarabelle Cow had an uncanny ability to change from somewhat normal farmyard animals into anthropomorphized beings as necessary.
As with most Disney characters, he was given small cameos in Mickey's Christmas Carol
(1983) and Who Framed Roger Rabbit
(1988). He had a bigger role as the Prince's (Mickey's royal double) stone-faced tutor in the The Prince and the Pauper
(1990).
In his latter-day animated appearances, his voice is provided by Bill Farmer
(who also voices Goofy
and Pluto
). In the series House of Mouse, Horace plays a small role in some episodes as the club's technician, playing episodes of cartoons for the audiences and generally running the machinery.
After departing the Disney studio, Ub Iwerks created a Horace-like character, the mule Orace
, for his own studio. As can be noted, even the name is almost the same.
In the 1990s, Horace was intended to star in a new TV series to be created for The Disney Afternoon
, titled Maximum Horsepower, intended to explain his disappearance from the shorts after the 1930s ended. The concept would be that, in 1939, Horace had gotten tired of playing bit parts and, after learning Mickey was starring in Fantasia
, was going to demand Walt to give him a starring role in that movie as well. On his way to Walt's office, though, he gets abducted by aliens who bring him halfway across the galaxy because they are in desperate need of the hero that they believe Horace is, despite his dreams of returning to Earth and resuming his acting career. Maximum Horsepower, however, never came to be.
, though he has starred in numerous European comic book stories of his own. In these, he plays a much bigger role than elsewhere, accompanying Mickey on his adventures or acting as Clarabelle Cow's paramour and fiance. Clarabelle and Horace were engaged in the comics according to some 1931 and 1932 continuities, but neither ever followed through.
Some modern European-made stories with Horace as star character were published in the United States by Gemstone
from 2003–2008, including
• "King of the Bungaloos" (Walt Disney's Comics and Stories
635, 2003)
• "World's Greatest Horace" (WDC&S 641, 2004)
• "Spinning Gold" (Mickey Mouse 266, 2004)
• "Horace's Travails" (MM 268, 2004)
• "Driving Clarabelle Buggy" (WDC&S 651, 2004)
• "All Aboard the Blunder Bus" (WDC&S 652, 2005)
• "Blockheads" (WDC&S 656, 2005)
• "High Horace" (WDC&S 692, 2008)
• "'Tis Better to Give Than to Deceive" (Christmas Parade 5, 2008)
Though produced in Denmark, these Horace stories were written by Americans: Stefan Petrucha
, Sarah Kinney, and Don Markstein. Horace is also a very common co-star in modern Mickey comics by these writers.
, perhaps in an attempt to give Goofy a girlfriend. The reasons for Clarabelle and Horace apparently breaking up were not given. In 1969, the character Glory-Bee was introduced as a new love interest for Goofy. In later comics, Clarabelle and Horace were a couple again.
with many other classic Disney characters like Clarabelle Cow
and Clara Cluck as one of the world's citizens and also makes an appearance as a resident of Disney Town in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
. He also appeared in Mickey's Ultimate Challenge
and Land of Illusion.
Horace is also a playable character in Disney TH!NK Fast.
Horace Horsecollar also appears in Epic Mickey
, having become a Private Investigator in Wasteland after having arrived down there.
Horace and Clarabelle come out for meet-and-greets and appear in parades and shows on a regular basis at Tokyo Disneyland
as well.
Horace Horsecollar made his meet-and-greet debut at Disneyland In Anaheim with Clarabelle Cow as part of Character Fan Days Weekend.
Funny animal
Funny animal is a cartooning term for the genre of comics and animated cartoons in which the main characters are humanoid or talking animals, with anthropomorphic personality traits. The characters themselves may also be called funny animals...
cartoon character created by Ub Iwerks
Ub Iwerks
Ub Iwerks, A.S.C. was a two-time Academy Award winning American animator, cartoonist, character designer, inventor, creator of Mickey Mouse, and special effects technician, who was famous for his work for Walt Disney....
and Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
. He is an anthropomorphic horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
, one of 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...
's best friends. Horace first appeared as Mickey's plough horse in the cartoon "The Plow Boy
The Plow Boy
-Synopsis:As the title implies Mickey was depicted as a farmer alongside Minnie Mouse. He is first seen with his horse while ploughing a field. Then Minnie comes along with her cow. She has Mickey milk the cow for her. As he does, the cow starts licking him in an apparent sign of affection...
" in 1929. He next appeared later that same year, in "The Jazz Fool", and after that he became a regular member of the Disney supporting cast, along with Clarabelle Cow
Clarabelle Cow
Clarabelle Cow is a Disney fictional character within the Mickey Mouse universe of characters. Clarabelle Cow was created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks in 1928. Clarabelle is one of Minnie Mouse's best friends and is usually depicted as the girlfriend of Horace Horsecollar, although she has also...
, Clara Cluck and others even more minor. Characterized as a cheerful know-it-all, Horace helped Mickey on his sleuthing expeditions in the comics before Goofy
Goofy
Goofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
assumed that role. In recent years, Horace has more commonly appeared in Mickey Mouse Works
Mickey Mouse Works
Mickey Mouse Works is a television show that features the cartoon character Mickey Mouse and his friends in a series of animated segments. It is somewhat of an update of Mickey's Mouse Tracks....
and Disney's House of Mouse
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:...
.
In animation
He appeared frequently from 1930 to 1932 and less frequently afterward, making his final classic-era bow in 1942. The name of Horace's voice actor in the classic era is unknown.Horace's biggest role was in "Camping Out" in 1934, where he was pretty much the star of that cartoon.
In his earliest incarnation, Horace was presented as Mickey Mouse's four-legged plow horse. He could walk upright on his hind legs, at which time his forelegs became gloved hands; at other times, he got back down on all fours and reverted to form. Horace mostly played bit-parts in the approximately 30 cartoon shorts in which he appeared and his character was never as fully developed as the "Fab Five". Like Goofy
Goofy
Goofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
in his early Dippy Dawg appearances, Horace's body seemed to be formed of rubber tubing. He and Clarabelle Cow had an uncanny ability to change from somewhat normal farmyard animals into anthropomorphized beings as necessary.
As with most Disney characters, he was given small cameos in Mickey's Christmas Carol
Mickey's Christmas Carol
Mickey's Christmas Carol is a 1983 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution Company. It was directed and produced by Burny Mattinson...
(1983) and 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...
(1988). He had a bigger role as the Prince's (Mickey's royal double) stone-faced tutor in the The Prince and the Pauper
The Prince and the Pauper
The Prince and the Pauper is an English-language novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada before its 1882 publication in the United States. The book represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction...
(1990).
In his latter-day animated appearances, his voice is provided by Bill Farmer
Bill Farmer
William "Bill" Farmer is an American voice actor and comedian, best known for being the current voice of the Disney characters Goofy, Pluto and Horace Horsecollar.-Early life:...
(who also voices Goofy
Goofy
Goofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
and Pluto
Pluto (Disney)
Pluto, also called Pluto the Pup, is a cartoon character created in 1930 by Walt Disney Productions. He is a light brown , medium-sized, short-haired dog. Unlike Goofy, Pluto is not anthropomorphic beyond some characteristics such as facial expression...
). In the series House of Mouse, Horace plays a small role in some episodes as the club's technician, playing episodes of cartoons for the audiences and generally running the machinery.
After departing the Disney studio, Ub Iwerks created a Horace-like character, the mule Orace
Orace
Orace is the mule companion of Flip the Frog in such early 1930s cartoons as The Village Specialist, Spooks, and The Milkman. Orace is a lazy, foul-mouthed character who is meant to serve Flip as a draft animal, but doesn't always do a very good job of it.Orace was the creation of Ub Iwerks, who...
, for his own studio. As can be noted, even the name is almost the same.
In the 1990s, Horace was intended to star in a new TV series to be created for The Disney Afternoon
The Disney Afternoon
The Disney Afternoon was a created-for-syndication two-hour television programming block which aired from September 10, 1990, until Fall 1999. At that time, it was taken out of syndication, and a new Disney weekday afternoon block was started on UPN. The Disney Afternoon was produced by The Walt...
, titled Maximum Horsepower, intended to explain his disappearance from the shorts after the 1930s ended. The concept would be that, in 1939, Horace had gotten tired of playing bit parts and, after learning Mickey was starring in 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...
, was going to demand Walt to give him a starring role in that movie as well. On his way to Walt's office, though, he gets abducted by aliens who bring him halfway across the galaxy because they are in desperate need of the hero that they believe Horace is, despite his dreams of returning to Earth and resuming his acting career. Maximum Horsepower, however, never came to be.
Classic cartoon appearances
- "The Plow BoyThe Plow Boy-Synopsis:As the title implies Mickey was depicted as a farmer alongside Minnie Mouse. He is first seen with his horse while ploughing a field. Then Minnie comes along with her cow. She has Mickey milk the cow for her. As he does, the cow starts licking him in an apparent sign of affection...
" (1929) - "The Jazz Fool" (1929)
- "The Barnyard Concert" (1930)
- "The Cactus Kid" (1930)
- "The Fire Fighters" (1930)
- "The Shindig" (1930)
- "Pioneer Days" (1930)
- "The Birthday Party" (1931)
- "Blue Rhythm" (1931)
- "The Barnyard Broadcast" (1931)
- "The Beach Party" (1931)
- "Mickey's RevueMickey's RevueMickey's Revue is a 1932 Walt Disney cartoon, directed by Wilfred Jackson, which features Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow performing a song and dance show.-Synopsis:...
" (1932) - "Barnyard Olympics" (1932)
- "Touchdown Mickey" (1932)
- "The Whoopee PartyThe Whoopee PartyThe Whoopee Party is a Mickey Mouse short animated film first released on September 17, 1932.-Plot:In this short Mickey Mouse and friends have a party which in Minnie Mouse is playing the piano while Mickey, Goofy , and Horace Horsecollar are preparing some snacks...
" (1932) - "Mickey's Mellerdrammer" (1933)
- "Mickey's Gala Premiere" (1933)
- "Camping Out" (1934)
- "Orphan's Benefit" (1934)
- "The Band ConcertThe Band ConcertThe Band Concert is an animated short film produced in Technicolor by Walt Disney Productions and released to theaters on February 23, 1935 by United Artists. The film was the first Mickey Mouse film produced in color and remains one of the most highly acclaimed of the Disney shorts...
" (1935) - "On Ice" (1935)
- "Mickey's Grand Opera" (1936)
- "Boat Builders" (1938)
- "The Fox Hunt" (1938)
- "Orphan's Benefit" (remake, 1941)
- "All Together" (1942)
- "Mickey's Birthday PartyMickey's Birthday PartyMickey's Birthday Party is a cartoon made by Walt Disney starring Mickey Mouse in 1942, in which Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar and Clara Cluck throw a big party for Mickey where the mouse's wild rhumba dancing rules the day...
" (1942) - "Symphony HourSymphony HourSymphony Hour is a 1942 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released to theaters by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon depicts Mickey Mouse conducting a symphony orchestra sponsored by Pete. The film was directed by Riley Thomson and features music adapted from the...
" (1942) - "Mickey's Christmas CarolMickey's Christmas CarolMickey's Christmas Carol is a 1983 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution Company. It was directed and produced by Burny Mattinson...
" (1983) - "Who Framed Roger RabbitWho Framed Roger RabbitWho 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...
" (1988) - "The Prince and the PauperThe Prince and the Pauper (1990 film)The Prince and the Pauper is an animated short film directed by George Scribner and starring Wayne Allwine as Mickey Mouse, inspired by the Mark Twain story of the same name. It was Disney's final use of the Xerox process, which the studio had used for three decades.The film was released on...
" (1990)
In comics
Horace has never really been more than a supporting characterSupporting character
A supporting character is a character of a book, play, video game, movie, television or radio show or other form of storytelling usually used to give added dimension to a main character, by adding a relationship with this character...
, though he has starred in numerous European comic book stories of his own. In these, he plays a much bigger role than elsewhere, accompanying Mickey on his adventures or acting as Clarabelle Cow's paramour and fiance. Clarabelle and Horace were engaged in the comics according to some 1931 and 1932 continuities, but neither ever followed through.
Some modern European-made stories with Horace as star character were published in the United States by Gemstone
Gemstone Publishing
Gemstone Publishing is a U.S. company that publishes comic books and collectors' guides. The company was formed by Diamond Comic Distributors President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen A. Geppi. Gemstone published licensed Disney comic books from June 2003 until November 2008. The company has...
from 2003–2008, including
• "King of the Bungaloos" (Walt Disney's Comics and Stories
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories
Walt Disney's Comics and Stories, sometimes abbreviated WDC or WDC&S, is an anthology comic book series that has an assortment of Disney characters, including Donald Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Mickey Mouse, Chip 'n Dale, Lil Bad Wolf, Scamp, Bucky Bug, Grandma Duck, Brer Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, and...
635, 2003)
• "World's Greatest Horace" (WDC&S 641, 2004)
• "Spinning Gold" (Mickey Mouse 266, 2004)
• "Horace's Travails" (MM 268, 2004)
• "Driving Clarabelle Buggy" (WDC&S 651, 2004)
• "All Aboard the Blunder Bus" (WDC&S 652, 2005)
• "Blockheads" (WDC&S 656, 2005)
• "High Horace" (WDC&S 692, 2008)
• "'Tis Better to Give Than to Deceive" (Christmas Parade 5, 2008)
Though produced in Denmark, these Horace stories were written by Americans: Stefan Petrucha
Stefan Petrucha
Stefan Petrucha is an American writer for adults and young adults. He has written graphic novels in the The X-Files and Nancy Drew series, as well as science fiction and horror.- Background :...
, Sarah Kinney, and Don Markstein. Horace is also a very common co-star in modern Mickey comics by these writers.
Breakup
For a brief time, during the late 1960s, Clarabelle Cow began dating GoofyGoofy
Goofy is a cartoon character created in 1932 at Walt Disney Productions. Goofy is a tall, anthropomorphic dog, and typically wears a turtle neck and vest, with pants, shoes, white gloves, and a tall hat originally designed as a rumpled fedora. Goofy is a close friend of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck...
, perhaps in an attempt to give Goofy a girlfriend. The reasons for Clarabelle and Horace apparently breaking up were not given. In 1969, the character Glory-Bee was introduced as a new love interest for Goofy. In later comics, Clarabelle and Horace were a couple again.
In video games
Horace made a cameo appearance in the Timeless River world of Kingdom Hearts IIKingdom Hearts II
is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console...
with many other classic Disney characters like Clarabelle Cow
Clarabelle Cow
Clarabelle Cow is a Disney fictional character within the Mickey Mouse universe of characters. Clarabelle Cow was created by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks in 1928. Clarabelle is one of Minnie Mouse's best friends and is usually depicted as the girlfriend of Horace Horsecollar, although she has also...
and Clara Cluck as one of the world's citizens and also makes an appearance as a resident of Disney Town in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix and Disney for the PlayStation Portable, serving as the sixth installment in the Kingdom Hearts series. The game was released on UMD in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010 and in Europe on September...
. He also appeared in Mickey's Ultimate Challenge
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge
Mickey's Ultimate Challenge is a puzzle game for the Super NES, Game Boy, Sega Mega Drive/Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, and Game Gear. The Master System version, released in 1998 was the last game ever released for that console. All other versions were released in 1994. It was rated for all...
and Land of Illusion.
Horace is also a playable character in Disney TH!NK Fast.
Horace Horsecollar also appears in Epic Mickey
Epic Mickey
Epic Mickey is a 2010 Mickey Mouse action-adventure platforming video game designed by Warren Spector and developed by Junction Point Studios for the Wii console...
, having become a Private Investigator in Wasteland after having arrived down there.
Horace in the Disney Theme Parks
From September 2006 to September 2008, Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow appeared together for meet-and-greets in Town Square at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. Also, they were in the Main Street Family Fun Day Parade. Since Family Fun Day's ending, the two haven't been easy to see outside "Mickey's Boo-to-You Halloween Parade", "Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade" and the occasional special event.Horace and Clarabelle come out for meet-and-greets and appear in parades and shows on a regular basis at Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland
is a 115 acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States and opened on April 15, 1983...
as well.
Horace Horsecollar made his meet-and-greet debut at Disneyland In Anaheim with Clarabelle Cow as part of Character Fan Days Weekend.