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The Mouse Factory : Season 2
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Air date: 11 Sep '72 - 26 episodesThe Mouse Factory is an American syndicated television series produced by Walt Disney Productions and created by Ward Kimball, that ran from 1972 to 1974. It showed clips from various Disney cartoons and movies, hosted by celebrity guests, including Johnny Brown, Charles Nelson Reilly, JoAnne Worley and many more, visiting the Disney studio and interacting with the walk-around Disney characters from the Disney Theme Parks. It was later re-run on the Disney Channel in the 1980s and '90s. The theme played over the previews of each episode was a fast instrumental version of "Whistle While You Work" from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The song played over the end credits is "Minnie's Yoo Hoo", the theme song from the original Mickey Mouse Clubs that met in theaters starting in 1929. However, due to low ratings, the series was canceled after its second season.
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List of Episodes (26)
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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1. Alligators
11 Sep '72Host Johnny Brown explains that alligators have three parts: the eating part, the tail part and the middle part, which helps keeps the eating part from eating the tail part. He then explains the prominence of alligators and crocodiles in Disney films.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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2. Paul Bunyan
18 Sep '72Jim Backus takes a look at legendary folk hero Paul Bunyan.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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3. Bullfighting
25 Sep '72Just as baseball is known as America's national pastime, so is bullfighting in Spain and Latin America. Host Bill Dana explains that part of the excitement is generated by the sheer size of the bulls that weigh over 1,000 pounds each. Although usually only the harvest of men will face these beasts, there are a few exceptions, as demonstrated by Goofy.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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4. Knighthood
02 Oct '72Henry Gibson hosts this episode dressed as a court jester to set the mood for tales of brave knights and ladies in distress.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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5. Pluto
09 Oct '72Mickey's longtime pet and co-star, Pluto, is featured in his own special tribute, hosted by John Astin.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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6. Goliath II
16 Oct '72Famed Disney star Kurt Russell hosts this look at elephants in general and Goliath II in particular. His guest star is a baby elephant. He uses scenes from live-action movies to explain a study of elephant life in the wild and the family structures these animals enjoy.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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7. The Mouse Show
23 Oct '72Although Mickey is certainly the world's most famous mouse, he was not the only mouse to come from Disney. Host Dave Madden looks at some Disney cartoons starring other mice.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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8. Cats
30 Oct '72Shari Lewis tries to convince her dog puppet friend, Hush Puppy, that not all cats are bad, but the dog disagrees, so Lewis educates him on the history of cats. She then shows him some Pluto cartoons that also involve felines, since Hush Puppy relates to Pluto's treatment of cats.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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9. Ben Franklin
06 Nov '72Wally Cox takes a look at Ben Franklin, one of colonial America's scientific and political leaders, remarking that a man is only as good as his inspirations, many of which, in Ben's case, succeeded thanks to a church mouse named Amos.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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10. Mickey Mouse
13 Nov '72Hostess Annette Funicello continues her long association with Mickey by hosting this look at the mouse's illustrious career. Among other things, we learn of Mickey's vital statistics: height 2 feet 3 inches, weight 13 pounds.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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11. Lions
20 Nov '72Henry Gibson explains that although lions had always been known as the proud "king of the jungle", not all lions are worthy of such a title and proves it with the episode's cartoons which include, among others, "Lambert the Sheepish Lion", a story about one of the most timid lions ever born.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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12. Consciences
27 Nov '72Harry Morgan claims that while everyone has a conscience, most people don't pay attention to it, and claims that mankind has been struggling between the battles of good and evil since the beginning of time. He uses different Disney cartoons of this type to express his point.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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13. Noah's Ark
04 Dec '72Over the years, Disney animators produced two very different versions of the story of Noah and his ark. Bill Dana introduces the earlier of the two, the Silly Symphony "Father Noah's Ark", produced using conventional animation techniques. He then introduces the Studio's second version of 1959, filmed using stop-motion animation and various household junk.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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14. Hunting
11 Dec '72John Astin explores the different types of hunting and explains that man began hunting for food, but now hunt mainly for sport, as demonstrated in Disney cartoons about hunting.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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15. Sports
18 Dec '72Hosted by Nipsey Russell.
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16. Tugboats
25 Dec '72Big ships need the lowly tugboat's service, according to returning host Dave Madden. He claims that the bigger the vessel, the more it needs the assistance of a tugboat to safely dock in and navigate through crowded waters of modern harbors. What's more, the tugboat's assistance can also mean the difference between life and death for a big vessel.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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17. Automobiles
01 Jan '73Although cars have improved modern living, they still have their own problems. Host Ken Berry explains how the slightest puncture in so much as a single tire can throw a whole car out of commission, as seen in "Donald's Tire Trouble", which was released during a time of gas rationing and rubber shortage, due to World War II. Other complications are shown in other Disney cartoons as well.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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18. Trains
08 Jan '73Hosted by Harry Morgan.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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19. Homes
15 Jan '73Jim Backus hosts this look at how different homes have served the needs of different inhabitants, as seen in various Disney films.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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20. The Reluctant Dragon
22 Jan '73In the guise of a wandering minstrel, Wally Cox explains that contrary to popular belief, not all dragon stories are true. Usually depicted as fire-breathing and basically bad, they've been blamed for kidnappings, droughts and famines. Cox decides to debunk this idea by retelling the story of The Reluctant Dragon.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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21. Wheels
29 Jan '73The core cartoon of this episode is "Donald and the Wheel", and Johnny Brown describes how the seemingly simple wheel has spurred many of mankind's greatest inventions.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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22. Winter Fun
05 Feb '73Hosted by Kurt Russell.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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23. Penguins
12 Feb '73Annette Funicello returns to the show, bringing with her an Adelie dwarf penguin to introduce cartoons starring this unusual bird.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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24. Elephants
19 Feb '73Hosted by Nipsey Russell.
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The Mouse Factory (1972)
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25. Mickey and the Beanstalk
26 Feb '73Hostess and puppeteer Shari Lewis tells the story of "Mickey and the Beanstalk" to her friend, Lamb Chop.
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