It took 115 cartoons to get the treasured Oscar, but Mickey Mouse finally received one during the 14th Academy Awards in Best Animated Short Film for his October 1941 "Lend a Paw." The win was a stunner for Mickey, although a well deserved one for the mouse that built the Disney empire. Mickey's voice was none other than Walt Disney's.
"Lend a Paw" was a remake of 1933 'Mickey's Pal Pluto.' In both cartoons, Mickey's dog Pluto has a split conscious in the form of a devil and an angel both vying for him to do either right or wrong in saving a kitten. It's winter time when Pluto rescued a kitten inside a bag floating on a river's ice flow. Pluto's none too happy with the kitten when it follows him home. The canine becomes upset when owner Mickey treats the newfound cat to his dog food. Things go completely off the rails for Pluto and the kitten when both end up inside an outdoor well.
The kitten in "Lend a Paw" was drawn similarly to the character Figaro in 1940's "Pinocchio." In the short's preface the cartoon is dedicated to a charity called "Tailwagger Foundation." This non-profit foundation, established in 1929, has helped save the lives of many sick and injured animals through life-saving treatments. It also assists rescue groups in their efforts to find homes for pets. Actress Bette Davis lent the organization a huge boost in publicity when she was elected president for the Southern California region. Also, huge donations from Howard Hughes and Walt Disney infused well-needed money to get the organization going into high gear.
