
Did you know a real monkey once played Mickey Mouse in a live-action film? This surprising piece of Disney trivia is tied to a 1934 adaptation of Babes in Toyland, where a costumed monkey replaced the iconic mouse for a memorable (and unusual) role.
The Iconic Mouse Meets His Match
Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse in 1928, and he is one of the most recognizable characters in entertainment history. He debuted in Steamboat Willie (1928) and has since been the face of The Walt Disney Company. However, decades before Mickey Mouse became a public domain character in 2024, another studio attempted to capitalize on his popularity by including a version of him in its own film.
In 1934, MGM Studios released Babes in Toyland, a live-action adaptation of a beloved 1903 opera. Originally, RKO Pictures wanted to collaborate with Walt Disney Animation Studios on an animated adaptation, but the project’s budget proved too steep. Instead, MGM Studios and Hal Roach created their own version of the story, filled with nursery rhyme characters like Little Bo Peep, the Three Little Pigs, and Mother Goose.
Among the cast was the Cat that Plays the Fiddle, who had a mischievous companion dressed as Mickey Mouse. The catch? This Mickey Mouse wasn’t a mouse at all—it was a real monkey dressed in a tight-fitting costume.
A Mischievous Not-Mickey Mouse
In the film, the Cat and his monkey sidekick spend their time causing chaos in Toyland. In one scene, the Cat serenades his companion with a fiddle until the monkey falls asleep. Later, the pair wreak havoc in Toyland, culminating in the monkey dropping bombs on a goblin army.
Although the character closely resembles Mickey Mouse, Disney did not officially license the role. Instagram user @rmsthornton recently shared clips from the film, though incorrectly stating that Disney loaned the character to MGM for the film. No partnership existed, and instances like this have likely influenced Disney’s strict protection of its intellectual property over the decades.
*Editor’s Note: ‘Babes in Toyland’ was filmed decades before studios adhered to animal rights policies. The video below includes content that some viewers may find upsetting.
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