Tuesday, September 26, 2006


Are Myklebust sent me last week this link to an excellent article about the Mickey Mouse gaz mask. Since the Mickey Mouse gaz mask was very heavily used during the London blitz, and since I am going to London this evening, the timing sounded right to post this.

My trip to London means that the blog might be quiet once again this week.

6 comments:

DisneyDave said...

I have the rare British Mickey Mouse gas mask carrying canister with Disney graphics from WW II. There are only 4 or 5 known to exist.

The British Imperial War Museum does not own one and the top gas mask collector in the U.K. does nto own one.

The small British child's rubber mask is quite readily available in teh collector's market, but the actual canister with Mickey Mouse graphics is rare in the true sense of the word.

As for the American mask, I was able to interview the son of the now deceased former owner of the Sun Rubber Company. Richey Smith shed some light on his father's mission to get the Mickey MOuse child's gas mask produced in America.

I'll have more on both the British Happynak Disney canister and the American Mickey MOuse mask in an upcoming post on my blog.

Didier Ghez said...

David: Surprise, surprise, I was thinking about you when I posted this.

(David Lesjak runs the great blog Toons at War and is THE "Disney during WWII" expert)

DisneyDave said...

Ahhh, so the truth is out. A gentle prod and push from my researcher friend who wants to see more posts on my blog. Sleep is my enemy and I'm trying hard to post new items. I'll try and get the gas mask stuff up in the next week or two. I have another Hank Porter photo to post first though.

Expert am I??? Yikes! More like someone who has an uncontrolled passion, or obsession as my wife would say, for his hobby. I am truly blessed as my wife appreciates what I collect and really enjoys the hobby as much as I do.

Actually, I am deeply indebted to and must thank Paul Anderson publicly as he granted me unfettered access to his archives of information several years ago. I can't wait for his next issue of POV to be published as I am sure he has unearthed many, many, new and interesting facts about this chapter of the Disney Studio's history.

Didier Ghez said...

FrenchDisneyFan: Paul is silent for other reasons than the ones you mention in your last sentence. There is a strong chance that POV will get published again when those reasons are out of the way.

DisneyDave said...

I agree with Didier. Paul is a man of integrity.

I hear he has been dealing with some very serious issues and believe he will get POV out when these other issues are resolved.

Having had access to his archives of material to write my own book on Disney's involvement in the war, I know how much reference material he has and how thourough he is.

While we will undoubtedly have some duplication of info between our publications, the war issue of POV will contain new info and I can hardly wait to see the issue.

Please do not impinge on the character of my friend Paul Anderson as you do not know his situation at the current time.

Frustrating, yes. But as the cliche goes, patience is a virtue.

Anonymous said...

i have 1