Fred Moore: Mickey Mouse Contrite

An animation drawing by Fred Moore was sold earlier this month at Heritage Auctions. It is a strong image of Mickey Mouse in his greatest roll as the Sorcerer's Apprentice in "Fantasia" (1940). Although this is not a production drawing, Mickey is apparently expressing to Yen Sid, the sorcerer, that he regrets his overreach as an apprentice. Well done, Mickey.

Fred Moore
Heritage sale of August 11, 2025

https://comics.ha.com/itm/animation-art/production-drawing/fantasia-the-sorcerer-s-apprentice-mickey-mouse-animation-drawing-by-fred-moore-walt-disney-1940-/a/7398-20100.s?ic2=mytracked-lotspage-lotlinks-12202013&tab=MyTrackedLots-101116#

Note:  If you want to know why the animators called the sorcerer Yen Sid, just read his name backwards.

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Woodland Café Dancing Couple Animation Drawing

Yesterday an animation drawing from Walt Disney's animated short "Woodland Café" (1937) was sold at Heritage Auctions. A caterpillar couple—or perhaps they're earwigs—is shown tearing up the dance floor. The art is from the lively opening of the Silly Symphony. The couple must be doing the jitterbug.

Sold!

Video still at 1:57

"Woodland Cafe" (1937)

Walt Disney Studios

 04645

William Steig: The Financial Treadmill

A William Steig concept drawing shows a man walking on a treadmill, unhappily writing a check as he pursues riches that at least for the moment are out of his reach. Unsigned, the sheet is numbered 2 in a circle, indicating that it is part of a sequence, very likely for an unknown animated project. It was offered at auction yesterday along with other animation art from other unknown projects. Another drawing depicts a couple returning home from an evening out when they are met by a girl, seen from behind, opening the door. This drawing, also unsigned, is either in the hand of, or else in the manner of, Gahan Wilson. Finally, a red car seems to morph, Transformers-style, into some complex mechanical gizmo. Steig, we know, collaborated with Weston Woods Studios in an animated version of "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" (1993), so it is just possible that this small, disparate collection comes from there. Whatever studio they're from, these pieces failed to find a buyer.

William Steig, Gahan Wilson, et al.

Schubertiade Music & Arts

August 3, 2022, lot 102

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/steig-william-1907-2003-original-drawing-102-c-8174024a65

Note:  Should some observant reader recognize any of these animation projects, please come forward.

04036

Walt Disney Studios: "Ye Olden Days" Animation Drawing

A vintage animation drawing shows wandering minstrel Mickey Mouse, having won the hand of Princess Minnie, being carried aloft on his donkey at the victorious conclusion of Walt Disney's "Ye Olden Days" (1933). The prince who Mickey must defeat in combat is Goofy, then still called Dippy Dawg. Silly Symphonies were produced in color starting in 1932 with "Flowers and Trees," but Mickey Mouse was popular enough that his cartoons could remain in black and white until 1935 with "The Band Concert." Still, that doesn't mean a little color couldn't be added to an animation drawing every now and then.

Walt Disney Studios
RR Auction January 9, 2020

https://www.rrauction.com/PastAuctionItem/3422776

Film still at 8:00

"Ye Olden Days" (1933)

Walt Disney

03489

Drawing Life with George Booth Kickstarter Reward, Continued

In April of 2019 I became a supporter of the Kickstarter project to fund Drawing Life with George Booth. The documentary film, still in production, is the work of Nathan Fitch with animation by producer Emily Collins. George Booth's cartoons have been gracing the pages of The New Yorker for fifty-one years now. My pledge of $150 comes with the reward of an animation drawing from the production, nicely framed if the photo is any indication. The presumptive delivery date for all the rewards was to be in August 2019. That deadline was missed, as I noted a year ago, and the year since hasn't exactly been ideal for meeting commitments of any sort.

Thus it was no surprise that Mr. Fitch's most recent Kickstarter update, or check-in as he now calls it during the pandemic, reports only limited progress on the film and on the rewards. Here's a brief excerpt, dated August 14, 2020:

I see little reason to doubt that this project will be completed eventually and completed well. There is every reason to expect that the film will be outstanding, especially given its subject. And while I am not yet ready to pronounce judgment on the animation art reward, that is one fine-looking tote bag.


Note:  This Kickstarter project for Drawing Life with George Booth may be found here. The August 14 check-in to which I refer may be read in full here.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

George Booth

Animation Drawings

Attempted Bloggery's Cinematic Index

03368

Puppy Love

The course of true love never did run smooth

A Midsummer Night's Dream

William Shakespeare

Even Mickey and Minnie Mouse have had their troubles. Just imagine Minnie's consternation. She has just received a box of chocolates from Mickey, only to find a dog bone inside of it. But is poor Mickey really to blame?

"Puppy Love"

https://www.rrauction.com/bidtracker_detail.cfm?IN=790

Colorized film still at 5:36

Walt Disney's "Puppy Love" (1933)
Colorized

03156

Drawing Life with George Booth Kickstarter Reward Soft Deadline

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1738241852/drawing-life-with-george-booth/description

I fancied myself quite the patron of the arts back in April when I supported the Kickstarter project to fund Drawing Life with George Booth. The film, currently in the late stages of production, is a documentary by Nathan Fitch with animation by Emily Collins, who is also a producer. George Booth is of course a national treasure who has been contributing cartoons to the New Yorker for fifty years. I joined thirty-two others in giving a pledge of $150. This level of giving comes with a reward of an animation drawing, presumably by Ms. Collins after George Booth. The reward had a predicted delivery date of August 2019 so, ever the optimist, I set aside today's blog post to celebrate the occasion. To date, though, I don't think the filmmakers even have asked for my shipping address. Ah well....

The latest Kickstarter update from Mr. Fitch dated August 2 assures supporters the filmmakers are hard at work on all aspects of the project. He ends with:

And that's where we stand.


Note:  This Kickstarter project for Drawing Life with George Booth may be found here.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

George Booth

Animation Drawings

Attempted Bloggery's Lifelike Index

03021

MoCCA Fest 2018: "Your Face" and "Homer's Face" Animation Drawings by Bill Plympton

Animator Bill Plympton makes his films the old-fashioned way, drawing each and every image on paper himself without the assistance of in-betweeners. "Your Face" is his iconic 1987 film that was Oscar-nominated for best animated short. This year saw the television premiere of a short parody version of the film, "Homer's Face" for the opening couch gag on "The Simpsons." Mr. Plympton showed up at MoCCA Fest in April with a stack of assorted animation drawings, highlighted by a pair of closely-matched drawings from the two films. How often does an artist take the trouble to curate drawings for collectors?

Bill Plympton
Animation drawing
"Your Face" (1987)

"Your Face"

Video still at 1:29

"Your Face" (1987)

Bill Plympton

Bill Plympton
Animation drawing
"Homer's Face" (2018)

"Homer's Face"

Video still at 1:07

"Homer's Face"

Bill Plympton

'The Simpsons"

Season 29, Episode 13

Couch gag

"3 Scenes Plus a Tag from a Marriage"

Bill Plympton
Animation drawings
"Your Face" (1987)
"Homer's Face" (2018)

Plymptoons
DVD signed by Bill Plympton



Note:  David Apatoff wrote an excellent piece about Bill Plympton at Comic-Con on his Illustration Art blog back in 2014. Don't miss it.

This week's blog posts are devoted to the signed books and original art I acquired at MoCCA Fest 2018. This is Bill Plympton's first appearance on Attempted Bloggery. The artist's website is here.

Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

The MoCCA Arts Festival

Animation Drawings

Attempted Bloggery's Headstrong Index

02559

Mickey in Giantland

Mickey Mouse runs for fear of his life in this dynamic animation drawing from the 1933 Walt Disney short "Giantland." I'm afraid I lost my appetite for adventure when I discovered that in this scene Mickey is actually inside the giant's mouth!

Walt Disney Studios, "Giantland" 1933 Animation Drawing
Bonhams Los Angeles
December 17, 2006
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/14034/lot/1355/?search_query=1&division=None&passages=True&earliest_first=True&country=None&past_sales=past&back_to_year=2003&sale_no=None&top_level_department=None&department=None&query=Touchdown+Mickey&create_facets=True&value_data_currency=GBP

Walt Disney Studios, "Giantland" 1933 Animation Drawing

Bonhams Los Angeles Listing

December 17, 2006

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/14034/lot/1355/?search_query=1&division=None&passages=True&earliest_first=True&country=None&past_sales=past&back_to_year=2003&sale_no=None&top_level_department=None&department=None&query=Touchdown+Mickey&create_facets=True&value_data_currency=GBP

Walt Disney Studios "Giantland" (1933) Video Still 4:12

Walt Disney Studios, "Giantland" 1933 Animation Drawing
Bonhams Los Angeles
December 17, 2006

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/14034/lot/1355/?search_query=1&division=None&passages=True&earliest_first=True&country=None&past_sales=past&back_to_year=2003&sale_no=None&top_level_department=None&department=None&query=Touchdown+Mickey&create_facets=True&value_data_currency=GBP

Walt Disney's "Giantland" (1933)

Mickey Mouse in 'Giantland'

 http://ludy-quadrinhosdisney.blogspot.com/2011/01/mickey-em-giantland-1933.html

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