Mouse on the Mayflower
| The Mouse on the Mayflower | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Romeo Muller |
| Directed by |
Jules Bass Arthur Rankin, Jr. |
| Starring |
Tennessee Ernie Ford John Gary Eddie Albert Joanie Sommers Paul Frees June Foray |
| Music by |
Maury Laws (music) Jules Bass (lyrics) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) |
Jules Bass Arthur Rankin, Jr. |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
Rankin/Bass Productions Toei Animation (animation) |
| Distributor | NBCUniversal Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release |
|
The Mouse on the Mayflower is a 1968 animated Thanksgiving television special created by Rankin/Bass and animated by Japanese studio Toei Animation. It was the first official special under the Rankin/Bass moniker after changing its name from Videocraft the previous year. It debuted on NBC on November 23, 1968.[1] The special is about a church mouse named Willum, who is discovered on the Mayflower. Tennessee Ernie Ford voices Willum and narrates.[2]
Plot
The famous ship called Mayflower is trapped amidst a huge storm. The entire story is narrated by a church-mouse called Willum, from his viewpoint. The tale begins with the pilgrim preachers deciding to move to America and getting aboard the Mayflower. However, because of the huge storm, the ship gets on the verge of sinking. Then, Willum, the pilgrim mouse, comes up with an idea to save the ship.
When the pilgrims land safely, they write the Mayflower Compact and start constructing their new church and colony. However, it is already the autumn season and they do not have much food stored for the winter. The pilgrims then learn to plant crops during the spring season and celebrate a big feast toward the onset of the autumn season or fall. This is their first Thanksgiving celebration.
Cast
- Tennessee Ernie Ford as Narrator
- Eddie Albert as Captain Standish
- John Gary as John Alden
- Joanie Sommers as Priscilla Mullins
Additional voices
Crew
- Produced and Directed by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass
- Written by Romeo Muller
- Music: Maury Laws
- Lyrics: Jules Bass
- Animation Production: Toei Animation (as Toei Studios)
- Animation Direction: Michihiro Kanayama, Akinori Matsubara
- Art Direction: Tsumotu Fujita
- Chief animator: Naoki Miyahara
- Supervising Animators: Masayuki Uchiyama, Toshiyuki Kano, Tadayoshi Yamamuro
- Inbetween Animators: Chiori Matsuda, Shiho Tamai, Teruko Akama, Kyko Muramatsu, Yukari Fukumori, Mariko Oka, Muiko Ishizuka, Miki Shimane, Satoshi Ishihara, Kenichi Eizawa, Yasunaga Fukamoto, Reiko Nagumo
- Key Animation: Hayao Miyazaki (uncredited)
- Animators: Kenji Yukoyama, Takashi Abe, Kazuhida Fujiwara, Masahiro Sasaki, Tatsuhiro Nagaki, Koji Nashizawa, Koichi Arai, Hideki Hamasu
- Background Artist: Tomoko Eridate
- Cameraman: Hisao Shirai
- Painters: Chiaki Hirao, Yoko Yasunaga
- Musical Director: Maury Laws
- Recording Supervision: Phil Kaye, Jim Harris
Home media
The Mouse on the Mayflower was first released on VHS by Family Home Entertainment in 1989 and 1993. Sony Wonder and Golden Books Family Entertainment also released the special on VHS in the Holiday Classics Collection line in 1998.
References
- ↑ Lowry, Cynthia (26 November 1968). "Critic liked ice show by Miss Fleming". Retrieved 4 December 2010.
- ↑ "Mayflower mouse returns". Sumter Daily Item. 21 November 1970. Retrieved 4 December 2010.