‘Mouse in Transition’: Basil or Mouse Detective? (Chapter 19)
Long before “Tangled” and “Frozen,” Disney artists complained about the silly title of another Disney film—”The Great Mouse Detective.”
Untold Tales
‘Mouse in Transition’: Goodbye Disney (Chapter 18)
The first sign that you might get laid off at Disney: the bosses won’t give you a new computer.
‘Mouse in Transition’: The Trials of ‘Oliver & Company’ (Chapter 17)
Steve Hulett recounts his experiences working on “Oliver & Company” and the unexpected tragedy that happened during its production.
‘Mouse in Transition’: A Gong Show with Eisner and Katzenberg (Chapter 16)
Steve Hulett remembers the time when Disney artists were told they were being moved to a warehouse off the lot, and the animation division’s first “gong show” pitch session.
‘Mouse in Transition’: The Arrival of Jeffrey Katzenberg (Chapter 15)
Michael Eisner lounged his six-foot-four frame in a conference room chair. He was wearing jeans and sweatshirt, but why not? It was a Saturday morning.
‘Mouse in Transition’: “Call Us Mike and Frank” (Chapter 14)
Walt Disney Productions changed forever when two guys named Mike and Frank showed up.
‘Mouse in Transition’: ‘Basil’ Kicks Into High Gear (Chapter 13)
When the Disney strike of 1982 ended and the story artists returned to their respective work spaces in the animation building, “Basil of Baker Street” was still running along two sets of tracks. There were storyboards filled with gags and character bits, and boards filled with plot points.
‘Mouse in Transition’: Disney Dead-Ends and Lucrative Mexican Caterpillars (Chapter 12)
Steve Hulett on everything from “Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore” to “Katy Caterpillar.”
‘Mouse in Transition’: Rodent Detectives and Studio Strikes (Chapter 11)
“Basil of Baker Street” by novelist Eve Titus was an illustrated children’s book centered on a mouse who fancied himself an ace detective. The mouse resided (naturally enough) inside the walls of 31 Baker Street in London, home of a human-sized ace detective, the name of whom escapes me.
‘Mouse in Transition’: Cauldron of Confusion (Chapter 10)
Steve Hulett recounts his role in the the confusing and chaotic production of Disney’s most un-Disney-like feature, “The Black Cauldron.”
‘Mouse in Transition’: The CalArts Brigade Arrives (Chapter 9)
“Chief has to DIE,” Ron Clements said. “The picture doesn’t work if he just breaks his LEG. Copper doesn’t have enough motivation to hate the fox.”
‘Mouse in Transition’: Mickey Rooney, Pearl Bailey and Kurt Russell (Chapter 8)
Don Bluth and his troops were gone, but the studio still had an animated movie to get out. Art Stevens, now lead director, was slowly pulling the picture together with the animators and layout artists who remained loyal to the Mouse. But the animation department was still in flux.
‘Mouse in Transition’: When Everyone Left Disney (Chapter 7)
Don Bluth smiled at me. “I wouldn’t worry about being laid off from Disney’s, Steve. Nobody gets laid off around here. When somebody messes up, the studio just sends them to WED.”
‘Mouse in Transition’: Detour Into Disney History (Chapter 6)
Before I got hired at Disney Features, I sold a few magazine articles and developed a love of writing for print, where there was nothing between writer and reader but words on a page. When I became a Disney employee, I realized I was surrounded by animation veterans with vivid memories of the rambunctious days at the old Hyperion studio, and the creative struggles that went into making “Snow White,” “Pinocchio,” and the other early features. Talking to older Mouse House staffers, it dawned on me they could provide great source material for articles.
‘Mouse in Transition’: The Marathon Meetings of Wolfgang Reitherman (Chapter 5)
My wrestling match with Ken Anderson now over, I returned once more to Wolfgang “Woolie” Reitherman and Larry Clemmons, working on the story end of “The Fox and the Hound.”
‘Mouse in Transition’: And Then There Was…Ken! (Chapter 4)
I was back in Don Duckwall’s office, exchanging insincere smiles with him. I had been on “The Fox and the Hound” with Larry, Woolie, and everybody else for half a year. But now Don wanted me to go on another assignment.
‘Mouse in Transition’: The Disney Animation Story Crew (Chapter 3)
Larry had me writing sequence scripts for “The Fox and the Hound,” which turned out to be my assignment for the next six months. Part of the package was attending Woolie Reitherman’s marathon story sessions, which often left me drained and dazed. There were also Woolie’s marathon take-selection meetings, which left me drained and bewildered.
‘Mouse in Transition’: Larry Clemmons (Chapter 2)
Disney’s head animation writer in 1977 was cartoon veteran Larry Clemmons, who had first been hired at the studio in 1930. At the time of his hiring, he was a Yale graduate with a degree in architecture, but an Ivy League education was of little value in 1930 when the economy was collapsing…and few buildings were being erected.
‘Mouse in Transition’: ‘Disney’s Newest Hire’ (Chapter 1)
The first chapter of Steve Hulett’s memoir about working as a writer at Disney in the late-Seventies and Eighties.
