"Walt Disney to release film based around studio lot later this year" -New York Times, January 3rd 1941
---
Taken from an interview with Walt Disney, 1959
Interview: Well Mr Disney, congratulations on finally releasing Fantasia!
Walt Disney: Yea it was a lot of hard work you know, going through World War 2 and the animator's strike. At one point I even considered shutting down production! I recall we were making an anthology films of some sorts to keep us afloat during that time period until we returned with Snow White.
Interview: Oh yes I remember. You started of with the Emperor's New Groove, right?
Walt Disney: Well not really, our first proper package film released in 1943, the Emperor's New Groove was more or less made to combat the animator's strike. We called it the Emperor's New Groove to attract audiences, and we also had two big stars at the time, Bing Crosby and Charlie Chaplin star in the movie. We actually wanted to do the Emperor’s New Clothes as a Silly Symphony short back in the 1930s, but that never happened and instead we have “The Emperor’s New Groove” today with Mickey Mouse.
Interview: Ah interesting, so what was the first package film...
---
"The Emperor's New Groove" was a animated anthology film, essentially a tour around the then new Walt Disney Studio lot, ending with the titular aniamted segment.
To promote the film, the duo of Bing Crosby and Charlie Chaplin (whom Disney had used as inspiration for creating Mickey Mouse in the 20s) was brought in to star as visitors of the studio lot. The first part of the film would revolve around the duo exploring with a studio employee Doris (played by Frances Gillford). Crosby and Chaplin, led by Doris, encounter the Nine Old Men who would explain the daily routines at the studio, including animating characters, the multiplane camera an the process of Technicolor. It's at this moment when the film turns from black and white to full color (ala the Wizard of Oz). Little John from "Robin Hood" and Jiminy Cricket from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" appear on the animation cels to explain how everything works. Crosby and Chaplin meet with Walt Disney himself, who shows the duo his latest featurette: The Emperor’s New Groove
The second segment, also the most famous and iconic segment in the film, is the Emperor's New Groove. A re-telling of the Hans Christian Andersen tale "The Emperor's New Clothes" starring Mickey Mouse. The tyrannical emperor Pete rules over the kingdom, three talented tailors, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy have had enough of Pete's shenanigans and decide to humiliate him with a trick. The trio presents themselves to Pete, they promise to weave him the most stylish and luxurious clothing. Every day, Pete would parade on the streets wearing the wackiest clothes possible, the peasants (including cameos from Clara Cluck, Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow) all find this funny but do not dare laugh. Finally, Mickey, Donald and Goofy convince Pete to "wear" a suit that appears invisible to those who are foolish and incompetent. Pete parades on the street with nothing but his underwear. A child finally points out that Pete has nothing but underwear on, and the public laughs and humiliates Pete, who flees from the kingdom in embarassment, vowing revenge on Mickey, Donald and Goofy.
After watching the featurette, Crosby and Chaplin are prepared to leave, with Chaplin feeling a bit sorry for Pete. Suddenly, Pete appears on the rootop, asking if anybody has seen "a teensy weensy little mouse", Crosby faints in fear while Chaplin explains to Pete that he is merely a figment of his imagination.
The film would not be a commercial success, mostly due to the fact that it wasn't a traditional Disney film like the three film before it. There was also the devastating strike, one which would be known as the "1941 Disney Animator's Strike". Many talented artists such as Art Babbit, Bill Melendez and Bill Tytla left the Disney Studio after the strike and would never return. Sadly, the film wouldn't even make it to the WDAC line-up, even though the titular Mickey Mouse segment would become as iconic as the mouse himself.
Release Date: June 20th 1941
Cast:
Bing Crosby (Himself)
Charlie Chaplin (Himself)
Frances Gillford (Doris)
The Nine Old Men (as Themselves)
Mel Blanc (Little John)
Cliff Edwards (Jiminy Cricket)
Walt Disney (Himself, Mickey Mouse)
Clarence Nash (Donald Duck)
Pinto Colvig (Goofy)
Billy Bletcher (Pete)
Notes: I may have completely butchered TTL's The Emperor's New Groove, but I can assure you that something similar will take its place down the line. Anyways, as far as changes go, the first half of the film is almost a carbon copy of OTL's The Reluctant Dragon and the original STC's Raya and the Last Dragon, while the second segment is an adaptation of "The Emperor's New Clothes" starring Mickey Mouse and friends. That idea was actually considered as a short IOTL, so I decided to implement that in here as well as a few traces of OTL's Mickey and the Beanstalk.
