Mickey Mouse Club Serials: Season One Short Serials
The serials listed here are generally five-part semi-documentary productions, usually made by a freelancer or an independent company, and then given a voice-over narration at the Disney Studio. They are often hard to distinguish from the newsreel specials. Some of the serials are longer, but because they contain little or no storyline, and are meant to be educational, they are included here.
These short serials fell into three main types: animal adventures, nature expeditions, and cultural travel. The animal series usually were standalone stories, with no continuity between episodes. The nature expeditions and travel series had a simple storyline and one or two young protagonists, who were seen but never heard; the films had no soundtrack. Music and sound effects would be added in at the studio. The nature expeditions generally had some slight continuity between episodes; the travel formats sometimes did, but not always. In the travel format, an ethnic correspondent would be introduced on a set in the Disney Studio, then narrate as the local protagonist(s) of the country was seen on film. Sometimes the correspondent was a Mouseketeer, and sometimes a Mouseketeer and an ethnic correspondent would jointly host.
Most of the information on this page came from original research done by Bill Cotter, however, any errors of fact or mistakes in interpretation are my own.
English Correspondent
Five episode series in the travel format. For this serial the correspondent was Dirk Metzger, an American living in England. Unlike the other travel serials this season, the voice-over narration was done in the country where the episodes were filmed. Dirk would do more episodes in this series during the second season. When his father, a Colonel in the USMC, was transferred to Arlington, Virginia before the third season started, Dirk was invited to host and narrate Newsreel specials on the US Government.
| Episode | Orig Air Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Bushey Park School | Oct 17, 1955 | |
| The Pool of London | Oct 18, 1955 | |
| Covent Gardens | Oct 19, 1955 | |
| Battersea Dogs Home | Oct 20, 1955 | |
| Boy Soldier Maker | Oct 21, 1955 |
Let's Go Series
Five episode series in the nature expedition format. For this serial the narrator was Alvy Moore, while each epsiode had its own youthful protagonist(s). Moore was originally slated to be the "Roving Mooseketeer", a role he played only in the serial What I Want To Be. He would do three more serial narrations in the first season, and one in the second season. He was brought to the studio by writer Stirling Silliphant, but survived Silliphant's dismissal by Walt Disney.
| Episode | Orig Air Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Let's Go - Arizona | Oct 24, 1955 | |
| Let's Go - Skin Diving | Oct 25, 1955 | |
| Let's Go - Exploring | Oct 26, 1955 | |
| Let's Go - Shark Hunting | Oct 27, 1955 | |
| Let's Go - on an Elephant Roundup | Oct 28, 1955 |
Border Collie
Four episode dramatic series set in Hamilton County, Illinois. Bobby Evans played Rob Brown, who tries to train a border collie to be a sheep dog for a contest. He succeeds with the help of an old trainer, played by Arthur N. Allen. The narrator was Alvy Moore, and the original title of the series in pre-broadcast promotional material was The Scamp. Larry Lansburgh, who was fond of both horses and border collies, directed this serial, which was written by Bill Cox.
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Japanese Correspondent
Five episode series in the travel format. For this serial the correspondent was George Nagata, who would do another set of episodes in the second season, and some newsreel specials in the third season.
| Episode | Orig Air Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese Excursion | Dec 12, 1955 | |
| Japanese Home | Dec 13, 1955 | |
| Japanese Amusement | Dec 14, 1955 | |
| Japanese School | Dec 15, 1955 | |
| Japanese Sports and Games | Dec 16, 1955 |
Christmas 'Round the World
Five episode series in the travel format. For this serial various Mouseketeers acted as the correspondents, with Alvy Moore as the narrator. More episodes were done in the second season.
| Episode | Orig Air Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Christmas in Switzerland | Dec 19, 1955 | |
| Christmas in Holland and Italy | Dec 20, 1955 | |
| Christmas in Mexico | Dec 21, 1955 | |
| Christmas in Sweden #1 | Dec 22, 1955 | |
| Christmas in Sweden #2 | Dec 23, 1955 |
Animal Autobiography
Seven episode series culled from True-Life Adventure Films. Each episode focused on a different species, with a voice-over narration personifying the animal narrator. There was no continuity between episodes.
| Episode | Orig Air Date | Narrator | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Buffalo | Dec 26, 1955 | Bob Johnson | ||
| The Coyote | Dec 27, 1955 | Dallas McKennon | ||
| The Black Bear | Dec 28, 1955 | June Foray | ||
| The Prairie Dog | Dec 29, 1955 | Richard Beals | ||
| The King of Beasts | Dec 30, 1955 | Bob Johnson | ||
| The Giraffe | Feb 23, 1956 | Sterling Holloway | ||
| The Mountain Lion | Feb 24, 1956 | Bob Johnson |
Mexican Correspondent
Five episode series in the travel format. For this serial the correspondent was Gabriel Lopez, and the local protagonist Andy Velasquez.
| Episode | Orig Air Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Andy Velasquez | Jan 16, 1956 | |
| Pepe Ortiz Bull Ranch | Jan 17, 1956 | |
| The Charros | Jan 18, 1956 | |
| Acapulco | Jan 19, 1956 | |
| Mexico City | Jan 20, 1956 |
San Juan River Expedition
Five episode series in the nature expedition format. Alvy Moore narrates as a group of youngsters and their adult guides travel the San Juan River in the Four Corners area between Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.
| Episode | Orig Air Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Start of the Trip and Sandwaves | Jan 23, 1956 | |
| Rapids and Petroglyphs | Jan 24, 1956 | |
| Gold Panning and Mining Ruins | Jan 25, 1956 | |
| Flash Flood | Jan 26, 1956 | |
| Uranium Claim and Rainbow Bridge | Jan 27, 1956 |
Italian Correspondent
Five episode series in the travel format. For this serial the correspondent was Annette Funicello. This was the last original serial shown the first season, the show going into reruns until the following October. It was the studio's first acknowledgment of Annette's growing popularity.
| Episode | Orig Air Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Rome | Feb 27, 1956 | |
| Circus Family | Feb 28, 1956 | |
| The Boy's Republic | Feb 29, 1956 | |
| Venice Gondolier | Mar 01, 1956 | |
| Venice Glass Blower | Mar 02, 1956 |