Just Mickey | 1930 | Animated Short

Title: Just Mickey | 1930 | Animated Short Director: Walt Disney Studio: Walt Disney Productions Starring: Mickey Mouse (voice by Walt Disney) Based on: Original animated screenplay (Mickey Mouse series) Release Date: March / April 1930 Runtime: Approximately 7 minutes Format: Black and white animated short with synchronized sound Country: United States Language: English Genres: Animation Comedy Music --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Mickey takes the stage alone 00:01:30 Violin performance begins 00:02:30 Classical melody sequence 00:04:00 Audience reactions and heckler 00:05:30 William Tell Overture finale 00:06:30 Mickey bows and exits --- Summary: Just Mickey, also known by its official title *Fiddling Around*, is a 1930 Mickey Mouse animated short in which Mickey performs a solo violin recital onstage. With an unseen audience reacting to his playing, including a persistent heckler, Mickey navigates classical pieces, comedic interruptions, and rhythmic phrasing before finishing with a rousing finale to the William Tell Overture. The short prioritizes musical performance and character expression over a traditional narrative, showcasing Mickey’s versatility and animation synchronized to sound. --- Background: Produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Columbia Pictures as part of the Mickey Mouse film series, Just Mickey (*Fiddling Around*) was directed by Walt Disney and animated following the departure of Ub Iwerks from the studio. As one of the early sound era shorts, it helped demonstrate the studio’s ability to combine music and character animation effectively in a brief, performance-centric format. --- Trivia: Just Mickey is essentially a one-character “concert” short featuring Mickey Mouse performing on the violin. The cartoon reused classical pieces such as Brahms’ Hungarian Dance and the William Tell Overture. The short is also known under its working title *Fiddling Around*, which was used in early promotional materials and later home video releases. It was one of the first Mickey Mouse shorts produced without the involvement of animator Ub Iwerks. Just Mickey entered the public domain in the United States on January 1, 2026. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: March / April 1930 Original Studio / Distributor: Walt Disney Productions / Columbia Pictures Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Not applicable --- Hashtags: #JustMickey1930 #MickeyMouse #Disney #AnimatedShort #PublicDomain #ClassicAnimation