"I'm No Fool..." is a series of short animated features produced by the
Walt Disney Corporation for the original
Mickey Mouse Club back in the 50's. The shorts feature
Jiminy Cricket,
Pinnochio's
moral compass, providing general safety and science information in an entertaining and accessable manner. The series has a strong focus on the importance of
books and learning on one's own which is sadly lacking in a lot of today's
media.
Each short is a touch less than ten minutes and begins and ends with the
theme song, "I'm No Fool", with the lyrics to the closing number reworked to include the lessons taught during the short. The animation is good, featuring colorful flat shading and
fluid motion, as is to be expected from
Disney. Jiminy presents each
hypothetical situation by drawing chalk outlines of the primary participants (usually a stereotypical,
Family Circus-esque American boy) on a black board. The drawings then come to life and get into various questionable situations. Jiminy, of course, steers them in the right direction.
As stated above, the shorts originally ran during the original Mickey Mouse Club and were later transferred to
16mm film and distributed to schools as teaching supplements. During the 80's the shorts were restored and repackaged. They can be seen sporadically on the
Ink and Paint Club on the
Disney Channel at odd hours of the night.
Episode Guide
I'm No Fool...
- As a Pedestrian - Discusses reckless driving and the importance of traffic safety.
- Having Fun - Safety tips when in recreational situations (ice skating, boating, swimming, etc)
- In a Car - Driving safety.
- In an Emergency - How to stay cool in a hectic and potentially dangerous situation
- In Unsafe Places Features Pinnochio discovering the difference between safe play areas and unsafe ones.
- In Unsafe Places II - More of the same, but this time the protagonist is an alien.
- In Water - Water safety procedures.
- On Wheels - Bicycle, roller skate and skateboard safety rules.
- With a Bicycle - History of the bicycle and safety rules.
- With Electricity - The fundamental science behind electricity, the history of its relationship with man (from the cavemen to Benjamin Franklin) and safety rules.
- With Fire - Jiminy discusses the dual role of fire as a source of warmth and as a destructive force, and then discusses fire safety at home and at a campground.
- With Safety at School - Features Pinnochio and the proper way to conduct one's self in the school environment.