WALT DISNEY IN LONDON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 182, 6 August 1935, Page 6

WALT DISNEY IN LONDON

MICKEY MOUSE’ WILL NEVER MARRY SO TEMPERAMENTAL (Bv Seton Margrave) LONDON, June 15. I A slender, neat, athletic young man 1 of medium height, with dark hair, a “ natty ” moustache, and eyes which seem almost black, stepped on to a Paddington platform yesterday afternoon and faced the movie cameras. Mr. Walt Disney, creator of Mickey Mouse, had arrived in London. ft is Mr. Disney’s first visit to Europe since he was an ambulance driver with the American Expeditionary Force in France during the Great War. In 1917 he was a poor and unknown youth of 16, who made many wounded soldiers smile at the comical drawings with which he had decorated his ambulance. Now, at the age of 34, he makes the whole world smile and is Hollywood Personality No. 1. ]n talking pictures he s|ands on a pedestal comparable only with that occupied by Mr. Charlie Chaplin in silent films. What strikes one most in meeting ibis amazing young man is that he radiates cheerfulness as constantly as -Mickey Mouse himself. He is still unspoiled by success and still regards his good fortune with gratitude and astonishment. If you ask him how Mickey Mouse came into being all he can say is that, like Topsy, “ he just growed.” Real Caricatures. When 1 met him at Grosvenor House, Park-lane, last night, Mr. Disney revealed that several of his famous characters are based on real people. “ For example,” he said, “ in ‘The Tortoise and the Hare,’ the tortoise is a caricature of Mr. Charles Butterworth and the hare was suggested by Mr. Max Baer.” 1 asked him to tell me the name of lhe famous film star who was the original of Donald Duck. He exploded with laughter and replied, “ You can’t catch me like that. Donald is just a composite of all the people you dislike.” Mr. Disney is not due to return to Hollywood until the beginning of August, when he will produce a fulllength film cartoon of “ Snow White and the Beven Dwarfs.” Hitherto the running time of one of his films has been about eight minutes. “ SnowWhite and the .Seven Dwarfs ” will run for 80 minutes. “ I am here,” he said, “ to get ideas. Generally he is reasonable, but there are times when Mickey is hopeessly temperamental. For days on end :ic will not dance as he is supposed to dance. 1 “ He can miss a character and muff a scene with the worst of them, and stories which looked grand in scenario become dull and lifeless in film form. “ Then as happens in other studios, we call our star a hateful beast. Mouse Contracts. “ In addition to Mickey Mouse, 1 have life contracts with Minnie Mouse, Clarabell Cow, Horace Horsecollar, and ray latest acquisition, Donald Duck, besides working agreements with many others, including Clara Chick and the Three Little Pigs. “ It is a very heavy task to keep all these players busy, and I have come'to Lu rope lor freshening. 1 intend to visit many countries on the Continent, and in all countries 1 shall visit as many cinemas as possible. “ 1 am going round clocking laughs.

Out of that experience I hope to make films of greater universal appeal, and perhaps 1 may get an idea for a new • haracter. ’ ’ You Will See Him. I cun slate officially that the romance between Mickey and Minnie will not lead to a wedding. When I asked Mr. Disney if Mickey’s intentions were serious, he replied “ Mickey will not marry. ’That would spoil everything." 1 thought, it would be indelicate to inquire if this answer implied any criticism of marriage in Hollywood. \ erv soon vou will be able to see Mr. Disney in the fihns, if not in the flesh, since British Movietone News is to present exclusive pictures of his airi \ a I in London.

Mr. Disney is accompanied bv Mrs. Disney, by his brother, Mr. Rov Disney, who is his business manager, and | by Mrs. Hoy Disnef. Last, night, in a broadcast from London, he made an original observation about. England. “ Coming up in the train from I’ly- | mouth.” be* said, “ my wife and I j thought how beautiful it was to see all | your chimney pots. You know, we do not, see many fireplaces in America.’’ I