The Dognapper
Encyclopedia
The Dognapper is a 1934
American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists
. The cartoon stars Mickey Mouse
and Donald Duck
as police officers who chase after Pegleg Pete after he abducts
Minnie's dog Fifi. The film was directed by Ben Sharpsteen
and features the voices of Walt Disney
as Mickey and Clarence Nash
as Donald.
The Dognapper was Donald's third film and was the first adventure story to feature both Mickey and Donald. The duck had appeared earlier that year in Mickey's Orphan's Benefit which had been the characters' first joint appearance.
"prize pooch," has been dognapped
, along with a description of the suspect, Peg Leg Pete. A radio transmission detailing the suspect's get-away car is heard by police officer Mickey Mouse
and his sidekick Donald Duck
. The pair soon see Peg Leg Pete speed by in the car and they chase after him, Mickey driving a motorcycle and Donald riding in a sidecar
. Despite Pete's evasive maneuvers he is unable to escape from Mickey and Donald, and they eventually follow him to his hideout in an abandoned sawmill
.
Inside, Pete chains Fifi to the wall and grabs a submachine gun
. Mickey and Donald follow Pete into the sawmill and hold him at gunpoint. The film is filled with various gags showing the two law men as bumbling and incompetent, yet at every turn they are able to stay ahead of Pete, but not capture him.
Finally, while Mickey and Donald are standing on a log, Pete turns on a circular saw positioned to cut the log. Mickey and Donald run to stay ahead of the blade, but eventually the end of the log comes and the saw blade shakes loose and spins out of control. The blade proves a threat for all three of the characters, but eventually Pete gets his peg leg caught in the center hole and brings it to a stop. Mickey and Donald restrain him with a corset
, and in the final scene Mickey and Donald march Pete off to jail with the now-free Fifi angrily barking at him.
1934 in film
-Events:*January 26 - Samuel Goldwyn purchases the film rights to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from the L. Frank Baum estate for $40,000.*February 19 - Bob Hope marries Dolores Reade...
American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
. The cartoon stars 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...
and 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...
as police officers who chase after Pegleg Pete after he abducts
Dognapping
Dognapping is the crime of taking a dog from its owner with the intention of demanding a ransom. Historically in the United States, dogs had been stolen and sold on for medical research, but the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act of 1966 reduced these occurrences...
Minnie's dog Fifi. The film was directed by Ben Sharpsteen
Ben Sharpsteen
Ben Sharpsteen was an American film director and producer for Disney. He directed 31 films between 1920 and 1980....
and features the voices of 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 and Clarence Nash
Clarence Nash
Clarence Charles "Ducky" Nash was an American voice actor, best known for providing the voice of Donald Duck for the Walt Disney Studios...
as Donald.
The Dognapper was Donald's third film and was the first adventure story to feature both Mickey and Donald. The duck had appeared earlier that year in Mickey's Orphan's Benefit which had been the characters' first joint appearance.
Plot
The plot is introduced in newspaper headlines that Fifi, Minnie Mouse'sMinnie 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...
"prize pooch," has been dognapped
Dognapping
Dognapping is the crime of taking a dog from its owner with the intention of demanding a ransom. Historically in the United States, dogs had been stolen and sold on for medical research, but the introduction of the Animal Welfare Act of 1966 reduced these occurrences...
, along with a description of the suspect, Peg Leg Pete. A radio transmission detailing the suspect's get-away car is heard by police officer 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...
and his sidekick 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...
. The pair soon see Peg Leg Pete speed by in the car and they chase after him, Mickey driving a motorcycle and Donald riding in a sidecar
Sidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle.-History:A sidecar appeared in a cartoon by George Moore in the January 7, 1903, issue of the British newspaper Motor Cycling. Three weeks later, a provisional patent was...
. Despite Pete's evasive maneuvers he is unable to escape from Mickey and Donald, and they eventually follow him to his hideout in an abandoned sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
.
Inside, Pete chains Fifi to the wall and grabs a submachine gun
Submachine gun
A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were...
. Mickey and Donald follow Pete into the sawmill and hold him at gunpoint. The film is filled with various gags showing the two law men as bumbling and incompetent, yet at every turn they are able to stay ahead of Pete, but not capture him.
Finally, while Mickey and Donald are standing on a log, Pete turns on a circular saw positioned to cut the log. Mickey and Donald run to stay ahead of the blade, but eventually the end of the log comes and the saw blade shakes loose and spins out of control. The blade proves a threat for all three of the characters, but eventually Pete gets his peg leg caught in the center hole and brings it to a stop. Mickey and Donald restrain him with a corset
Corset
A corset is a garment worn to hold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes...
, and in the final scene Mickey and Donald march Pete off to jail with the now-free Fifi angrily barking at him.
Release history
- 1934 – Original theatrical release
- c. 1995 – Mickey's Mouse TracksMickey's Mouse TracksMickey's Mouse Tracks was a television series on the Disney Channel which featured Disney cartoons and animated short films, dating from before the advent of Disney Channel. A similar show was Donald's Quack Attack. The show premiered in 1992 and was made to replace Good Morning, Mickey!...
, episode #28 (TV) - c. 1996 – Donald's Quack AttackDonald's Quack AttackDonald's Quack Attack was a television series on the Disney Channel which featured Disney animated short films, especially those with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy...
, episode #54 (TV) - 1998 – Ink & Paint Club, episode #1.32 "Goin' to the Dogs" (TV)
- 2002 – Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Black and White (DVD)