The Mouse Factory

- Season 2

(1972)

Host 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.

Jim Backus takes a look at legendary folk hero Paul Bunyan.

Just 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.

Henry Gibson hosts this episode dressed as a court jester to set the mood for tales of brave knights and ladies in distress.

Mickey's longtime pet and co-star, Pluto, is featured in his own special tribute, hosted by John Astin.

Famed 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.

Although 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.

Shari 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.

Wally 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.

Hostess 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.

Henry 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.

Harry 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.

Over 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.

John 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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Big 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.

Although 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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Jim Backus hosts this look at how different homes have served the needs of different inhabitants, as seen in various Disney films.

In 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.

The 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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Annette Funicello returns to the show, bringing with her an Adelie dwarf penguin to introduce cartoons starring this unusual bird.

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Hostess and puppeteer Shari Lewis tells the story of "Mickey and the Beanstalk" to her friend, Lamb Chop.

Ken Berry hosts this look at how the Disney artists have captured several unusual dance routines on film.