I Didn't Know The Van Beuren Studio Made Mickey Mouse Cartoons...

Actually, no.

Here are Mickey and Minnie ripoffs starring in "The Office Boy," an Aesop's Sound Fable entry from New York City's Van Beuren Productions in 1930, originally released theatrically by the Pathe Film Exchanges.

With musical synchroniztion by Gene Rodemich, this cartoon was produced by Amadee J. Van Beuren and directed by John Foster and Harry Bailey.

This was the kind of cartoon that became a little too close for comfort as Walt Disney soon afterward took legal action against the Van Beuren studio.

Check this out!

Time For An Old Cartoon, Boys and Girls!

From the Van Beuren studio in 1930, here's "Good Old Schooldays," part of the studio's Aesop's Sound Fables series. Originally released theatrically by Pathe Film Exchanges, this cartoon, with music synchronized by Gene Rodemich, was produced in New York City by Amadee J. Van Beuren and directed by John Foster and Mannie Davis (both of whom would eventually rejoin their old boss Paul Terry at Terrytoons).

Early Carole Lombard

From 1929, here's "Big News" from Pathe.  This early talkie stars Robert Armstrong (of future "King Kong" fame) and Carole (spelled on the credits as "Carol") Lombard.  In this drama, Bob and Carole play husband and wife, with her threatening divorce unless he devotes more time to their marriage.  In reality, the husband is an undercover detective busy investigating a dope ring led by a crook who has friends in high places.  This picture, based upon the stage play of the same name by George S. Brooks, with adaptation and dialogue by Jack Jungmeyer and Walter DeLeon, was produced for the screen by Ralph Block and directed by Gregory La Cava.

Time For An Early Sound Cartoon

From 1928, here's Farmer Al Falfa starring in "Dinner Time," part of the Aesop's Fables series filmed in New York City, produced by Amadee J. Van Beuren, directed by series creator Paul Terry and co-directed by John Foster.  This was one of the very first synchronized sound animated cartoons.  It was premiered in New York City on September 1, 1928 and released by Pathe Film Exchange on October 14, a month before Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie, " which premiered on November 28 at the 79th Street Theater, also in New York City.



Paul Terry, who was not happy about the added cost of sound to his films, left Fables Studios not long after this film was released and launch a new cartoon studio with animator Frank Moser.  This was the studio that became known as Terrytoons. 

Time For A Treat

Time for a 1924 short from the Hal Roach studios from their Our Gang (The Little Rascals) series, "The Sun Down Limited."  Originally released theatrically by Pathe.

Let's Go To Egypt and Get Gypped!

From 1930, in living black and white, it's Waffles the Cat and Don the Dog starring in "Gypped In Egypt," an Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon produced in New York City by the Van Beuren Corporation and distributed by Pathe (whose US operations would soon be taken over by RKO).  In this one, the boys travel to Egypt and get into one big problem after another. 





This cartoon, with music by Gene Rodemich, was directed by John Foster and Mannie Davis, both of whom would later be reunited with their old boss Paul Terry at Terrytoons.