Symphony Hour
Encyclopedia
Symphony 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 "Light Cavalry Overture
" by Franz von Suppé
. The voice cast includes Walt Disney
as Mickey, Billy Bletcher
as Pete, and John McLeish as a radio announcer.
The film marked the last theatrical appearance of Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, and Clara Cluck for over 40 years. They were not seen again until Mickey's Christmas Carol
in 1983. Mickey himself would not make a theatrical appearance for over four years, returning in 1946's Squatter's Rights
. Symphony Hour is also the last time that Mickey appeared together with either Donald Duck or Goofy in a theatrical film until Mickey's Christmas Carol.
Symphony Hour bears similarities with the 1935 film The Band Concert
. Leonard Maltin called this short a "Spike Jones
version of The Band Concert".
who performs the Light Cavalry Overture
(by Franz von Suppé
). The sponsor (Pegleg Pete as Mr. Sylvester Macaroni) loves the rehearsal, but come the actual performance, Goofy
drops all the instruments under an elevator, destroying the instruments' sounds. Sylvester Macaroni hates it, but suddenly lightens up when he realises the audience loves it anyway. Clara Cluck is in the orchestra in the beginning "rehearsal" sequences but not in the actual performance at the end. Other characters appearing in this short are Donald Duck
, Clarabelle Cow
and Horace Horsecollar
.
At one stage, Donald is so fed up with the chaos caused by the wrecked instruments that he packs his things and leaves. Mickey, determined to carry on come what may
, points a gun at Donald's head to get him back into playing. This scene is missing in some versions of the short.
Effects animation
1942 in film
The year 1942 in film involved some significant events, in particular the release of a film consistently rated as one of the greatest of all time, Casablanca.-Events:...
American animated
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released to theaters by RKO Radio Pictures
RKO Pictures
RKO Pictures is an American film production and distribution company. As RKO Radio Pictures Inc., it was one of the Big Five studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheum theater chains and Joseph P...
. The cartoon depicts 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...
conducting a symphony orchestra sponsored by Pete. The film was directed by Riley Thomson
Riley Thomson
Riley A. Thomson, Jr. was an American animator and comics artist who spent most of his career working with Walt Disney films and characters. He directed six Disney short films including The Nifty Nineties and Symphony Hour.-Career:Thomson began his career in 1935 at Leon Schlesinger Productions ...
and features music adapted from the "Light Cavalry Overture
Light Cavalry Overture
The Light Cavalry Overture is the overture to Franz von Suppé’s operetta Light Cavalry .Although the opera is rarely performed or recorded, the overture is one of Suppé's most popular compositions, and has achieved a quite distinct life of its own, divorced from the opera of which it originally...
" by Franz von Suppé
Franz von Suppé
Franz von Suppé or Francesco Suppé Demelli was an Austrian composer of light operas who was born in what is now Croatia during the time his father was working in this outpost of the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
. The voice cast includes 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...
as Mickey, Billy Bletcher
Billy Bletcher
William "Billy" Bletcher was an American actor, comedian, and voice artist, a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.-Career:...
as Pete, and John McLeish as a radio announcer.
The film marked the last theatrical appearance of Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, and Clara Cluck for over 40 years. They were not seen again until 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...
in 1983. Mickey himself would not make a theatrical appearance for over four years, returning in 1946's Squatter's Rights
Squatter's Rights (film)
Squatter's Rights is an animated short film produced in Technicolor by Walt Disney Productions and released to theaters on June 7, 1946 by RKO Radio Pictures. The cartoon is about a confrontation between Pluto and Chip and Dale who have taken up residence in Mickey Mouse's hunting shack...
. Symphony Hour is also the last time that Mickey appeared together with either Donald Duck or Goofy in a theatrical film until Mickey's Christmas Carol.
Symphony Hour bears similarities with the 1935 film The Band Concert
The Band Concert
The 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...
. Leonard Maltin called this short a "Spike Jones
Spike Jones
Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny and other Warner Brothers cartoon characters, performed a drunken, hiccuping verse for 1942's "Clink! Clink! Another Drink"...
version of The Band Concert".
Plot
Mickey leads a radio orchestraRadio orchestra
A radio orchestra is an orchestra employed by a radio network in order to provide programming as well as sometimes perform incidental or theme music for various shows on the network. In the heyday of radio such orchestras were numerous, performing classical, popular, light music and jazz...
who performs the Light Cavalry Overture
Light Cavalry Overture
The Light Cavalry Overture is the overture to Franz von Suppé’s operetta Light Cavalry .Although the opera is rarely performed or recorded, the overture is one of Suppé's most popular compositions, and has achieved a quite distinct life of its own, divorced from the opera of which it originally...
(by Franz von Suppé
Franz von Suppé
Franz von Suppé or Francesco Suppé Demelli was an Austrian composer of light operas who was born in what is now Croatia during the time his father was working in this outpost of the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
). The sponsor (Pegleg Pete as Mr. Sylvester Macaroni) loves the rehearsal, but come the actual performance, 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...
drops all the instruments under an elevator, destroying the instruments' sounds. Sylvester Macaroni hates it, but suddenly lightens up when he realises the audience loves it anyway. Clara Cluck is in the orchestra in the beginning "rehearsal" sequences but not in the actual performance at the end. Other characters appearing in this short are 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...
, 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 Horace Horsecollar
Horace Horsecollar
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...
.
At one stage, Donald is so fed up with the chaos caused by the wrecked instruments that he packs his things and leaves. Mickey, determined to carry on come what may
The show must go on
"The show must go on" is a well-known phrase in show business, meaning that regardless of what happens, the show must still be put on for the waiting patrons...
, points a gun at Donald's head to get him back into playing. This scene is missing in some versions of the short.
Cast
- Walt DisneyWalt DisneyWalter 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...
– Mickey MouseMickey MouseMickey 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... - Billy BletcherBilly BletcherWilliam "Billy" Bletcher was an American actor, comedian, and voice artist, a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.-Career:...
– Sylvester Macaroni (Pete) - John McLeish – Radio announcer
- Clarence NashClarence NashClarence Charles "Ducky" Nash was an American voice actor, best known for providing the voice of Donald Duck for the Walt Disney Studios...
– Donald DuckDonald DuckDonald 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... - Pinto ColvigPinto ColvigVance DeBar "Pinto" Colvig was an American vaudeville actor, radio actor, newspaper cartoonist, prolific movie voice actor, and circus performer whose schtick was playing clarinet off-key while mugging....
– GoofyGoofyGoofy 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... - Florence GillFlorence GillFlorence Gill was an English voice actress. She provided the voices of Walt Disney's Clara Cluck and The Wise Little Hen. Her interment was located at Chapel of the Pines Crematory in Los Angeles, California....
– Clara Cluck
Production team
Principal animation- Jack CampbellJack CampbellJack Campbell may refer to:* Jack Campbell , pseudonym for American science fiction author John G. Hemry* Jack M. Campbell , American politician* Jackie Campbell, Scottish footballer for Partick Thistle...
- Les ClarkLes ClarkLes Clark was the first of Disney's Nine Old Men. Joining Disney in 1927, he was the only one to work on the origins of Mickey Mouse with Ub Iwerks.- The Disney Studio :...
- George De Beeson
- John Elliotte
- Ed LoveEd LoveEdward H. Love was an American animator who has worked at various studios during the golden age of animation. He is well known for his work at Disney , MGM , Walter Lantz , and his work on television shows such as Yogi Bear and The Flintstones.Love won a Golden Award at the 1984 Motion Pictures...
- Jim Moore
- Kenneth MuseKenneth MuseKenneth Lee Muse was an American animator. He is best known for his work on the Tom and Jerry series at MGM.-Biography:...
- Riley ThomsonRiley ThomsonRiley A. Thomson, Jr. was an American animator and comics artist who spent most of his career working with Walt Disney films and characters. He directed six Disney short films including The Nifty Nineties and Symphony Hour.-Career:Thomson began his career in 1935 at Leon Schlesinger Productions ...
- Bernard Wolf
Effects animation
- Joseph Gayek
- Jack ManningJack ManningJack Manning may refer to:*Jack Manning , 19th century baseball player*Jack Manning , American film, stage and television actor-Others:...
- Ed ParksEd ParksEdward Harry "Mickey" Parks was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He also played in the All-America Football Conference for the Chicago Rockets. Parks played college football at the University of Oklahoma and was drafted in the...