Friday, August 3, 2012

Walt Disney's "Parade of the Award Nominees" (1932)

First of all, this cel of Mickey Mouse is not from Walt Disney's "The Band Concert", my usual fare on Fridays in the summer. The red outfit is actually that of a drum major rather than a band leader and the obscure short is "Parade of the Award Nominees," which was produced for one showing only at the 1932 Academy Awards and then forgotten for a long time. Technically, this is Mickey's first screen appearance in color, although "The Band Concert" (1935) is his first theatrical color short.

In 2011, this animation cel and non-production background was sold twice with very different results. In February, it was sold by Heritage Auctions along with two unremarkable drawings by animator Teddy Harmon which I think may have distracted attention from the main item. The sale price of $11,352.50 is healthy, but perhaps it does not fully reflect the unique nature of this item.

Walt Disney Studios, "Parade of the Award Nominees" (1932)
Original animation cel and non-production background


Teddy Harman, Versatile-- Teddy

Teddy Harman, "How do you like my nooo shooo's[?]"


Walt Disney Studios, "Parade of the Award Nominees" (1932)
Iconic original animation cel and non-production background with frame

Walt Disney Studios, "Parade of the Award Nominees" (1932)
Original animation cel and non-production background
Heritage Auctions Listing

[End of Heritage Auctions listing]

Ten months later, the very same cel was sold at Profiles in History. The auction description here is far better than Heritage's, in that it points out the many unique attributes of this cell. Of course, they call this an original production background, but I don't see any evidence this background was actually used in the short. The "Parade of the Award Nominees" short actually features an awkwardly repeating background with a palace and a windmill. And a palace. And a windmill...

Profiles in History points out that this is the only known example of Mickey Mouse art from the short, and the only time ever that Mickey was dressed in green pants. I suppose that his usual red pants would blend in too closely with the drum major outfit, creating a confusing look.

This time the cel sold for a remarkable $80,000. The buyer's premium alone was more money than the total sale at Heritage.
Walt Disney Studios, "Parade of the Award Nominees" (1932)
Original animation cel and non-production background

Walt Disney Studios, "Parade of the Award Nominees" (1932)
Original animation cel and non-production background
Profiles in History Auction Listing

Profiles in History's "Icons of Animation" auction catalogue of December 17, 2011
Video Still 1:07
Image added December 29, 2013
"Parade of the Award Nominees" (1932)
Walt Disney Studios
Video modified December 29, 2013

Walt Disney Studios, "Parade of the Award Nominees" (1932)
Original animation cel and non-production background


Note:  My previous Disney post is about animator Les Clark's pencil rendering of Band Concert Mickey here.

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