Top-rated
Mon, Oct 1, 1956
Shooting gallery operator Darlene laments her single condition until Bobby shows up. The Mellomen provide singing voices for the four guys who serve as targets in the gallery. The second season opener was a surprise for touching on teen romance and even more so for celebrating a non-Disney amusement park.
Wed, Oct 3, 1956
Five-part occasional series with photographer Earl Theisen from Look magazine teaching the kids how to use a camera. Filmed on location at various sites including the San Diego Zoo and Disneyland. Jack Jackman was not a Mouseketeer, but was used for two 'Anything Can Happen Day' series. He was likely related to Bob Jackman, then head of the Disney Music Department.
Fri, Oct 5, 1956
The tap-dancing Steiner Brothers were Talent Round-Up winners in the second season. Middle-brother Ronnie joined the Mickey Mouse Club as a Mouseketeer during the first season as a dancer. Placed on the Mouseketeer Blue Team, Ronnie soon missed performing with his brothers, and declined to renew his option and left at the end of the first season.
Mon, Oct 8, 1956
Jimmie and the Mouseketeers bop to the first song, then Cubby plays his drums to pay his soda fountain bill. Terrific staging and choreography, and the kid's own feel for the music, made this a real treat. Introduces two elements common to other skits in Season 2: Bob's Sweet Shoppe, with Bob Amsberry as the elderly sodajerk, and the choreography built around three or four couples. There would be no more character or story type dancing as in the first season.
Wed, Oct 10, 1956
This series was shot on film without sound. Voice-over narration by Eileen and sound effects were added later in the studio, as was commentary by photographer Earl Theisen. There were no titles, theme song, credits, or continuity between episodes. It was just a bare bones newsreel style feature that was inexpensive and quick to make.
Wed, Oct 17, 1956
Another educational series, this followed four kids as they trained to be rookie firemen. Walt Disney himself hosted this series. Filmed at the Disneyland Firehouse and at local Fire Department training facilities. Because of the physical exertions required the kids replaced their "ears", slacks, skirts, and dress shoes with helmets, jeans and sneakers instead.
Mon, Oct 22, 1956
A true ensemble piece with everyone getting in on the action. The kids wander into the Sound Effects room and try out the equipment. Later Jimmie leads the Mouseketeers in a rendition of a von Suppé overture. The first song had lyrics by Cliff Edwards (aka Ukelele Ike/ also the voice of Jiminy Cricket) while the special effects soundtrack for the second number was by Jimmy MacDonald from a 1930's Mickey Mouse cartoon.
Wed, Oct 24, 1956
Third in a five-part occasional series with photographer Earl Theisen from Look magazine teaching the kids how to use a camera. Filmed on location at various sites including the San Diego Zoo and Disneyland. This series was Kevin Corcoran's first Disney work. Throughout it he is referred to as "Kevin". He wouldn't be tagged with the nickname "Moochie" until after June 1956 when he did the serial Adventure in Dairyland. His work on that serial interrupted the filming of this series, which resumed in July 1956.
Wed, Oct 31, 1956
For the second episode of this series the kids trained with an Los Angeles Fire Department Ladder company, learning the team work necessary for handling the hoses. Mouseketeer Charley Laney was used for this series because, while a bit weak in dancing skills, he was a strong athletic kid. It's to the producers credit that they not only used Sherry and Eileen, but had them doing the same tough work as the boys.
Mon, Nov 5, 1956
The mice teach Doreen how to play Hop Scotch Hop, assisted by Bob Amsberry, before lamplighter Roy chases them home. Darlene then sings an evening hymn alone in her room. This day's show illustrates how simple storylines and effects could make for successful numbers by highlighting the talent and appeal of the Mouseketeer performers.
Mon, Nov 12, 1956
Captain Roy delivers tourists Lonnie, Bobby, Tommy, Doreen, Eileen, and Cheryl to Trinidad, where banana seller Dennis is worried about his business. Jimmie and the locals help everyone get acquainted through calypso music. The US was swept by a brief calypso craze during 1956, which gave rise to this show and another in the third season. Though the cast was ethnically-challenged, the quality of musical arrangements, choreography, and performers ensured the skit's success.
Fri, Nov 16, 1956
Christine Marshall was the California State Champion baton twirler and at age 15 won the National Baton Championship. Kathleen Lenski was a concert violinist child prodigy and, as an adult, became a renowned performer as a member of the Angeles String Quartet and performed on the soundtrack for several major motion pictures during the 1980's thru 2010's, including "The Color Purple"; "Red Dawn'; "Backdraft"; "A League of Their Own"; "The Princess Diaries"; "Toy Story"; and "Star Trek: First Contact".
Mon, Nov 19, 1956
Tramps Karen and Cubby sing, while the other tramps are led by Darlene in the Tramp Ballet. Bob Amsberry plays a sour role as a railway cop. Eileen does a take off on her jumping bit in Sweetshop Rock, while Darlene slips and sprawls head first on the stage but jumps back up and keeps going.
Wed, Nov 21, 1956
Cubby was a popular Mouseketeers in terms of fan mail received, and also had a fine sense of comic acting. He made a good choice to show the viewing audience what being a Mouseketeer was like. The last half was a promotion for the film Westward Ho, the Wagons. Teacher Jean Seaman was able to take part in this show since it was filmed in summer when the Mouseketeers were out of school.
Mon, Nov 26, 1956
The opening number was an ensemble effort, celebrating morning in a Montemarte square, with singing done in turns by different cast members. The second song had Annette as a ballet student encouraged by flower vendor Jimmie, who sings in praise of her as Bobby joins her in a pas de deux.
Mon, Dec 3, 1956
From the music room class the scene dissolves to Cubby and Karen as little figures in a weather house. The older kids do the Edelweiss Polka then Roberta Shore appears to teach everyone how to yodel. The first number was also shown during the serial Adventure in Dairyland. Polka is Czech for a Polish girl and the polka comes from that country. However, Walt Disney loved Switzerland so a tune by Danish composers was given English lyrics and cast as a "Swiss" polka.
Fri, Dec 7, 1956
Though she left the Mouseketeers in January 1956, Mary Sartori returned during the second season as a Talent Round-Up winner, having finally found a dancing partner (John F. Smith) taller than her. While her partner was given the standard talent winner hats and song, Mary received a mortarboard hat with mouse ears while the Mouseketeers sang You're a Mousekegraduate.