As most Passamaquoddians know, April through December are always used to honor Kevin Corcoran (and sometimes the other months too).  To keep the theme of these “Moochie Months” alive, we’re bringing you a review of one of the features where our little moffet carries the picture.

Of course we’re talking about “Toby Tyler or 10 week with a circus”. The story follows a young man who, in a very Dorothy Gale fashion, runs away to join the circus as to no longer be a nuisance to his Aunt and Uncle.  Don’t worry that Toby doesn’t have a Toto-like animal for company as he’ll make plenty of animal and human friends on his journey.  He joins the circus when an opportunistic peanut salesman realizes Toby can help him expand his own financial health easily.  But gradually, Toby makes other friends in the circus and eventually, becomes a featured performer in a trick horse riding act.  Through his journey he learns to love a trouble making chimpanzee but more importantly he learns… wait for it… there’s no place like home!

Toby Tyler is not the most popular film in the Disney canon, although it has all the trademarks of other Disney films like “Thomasina” and “Pollyanna”:  a youngster has a great effect on the newly joined community.  Corcoran himself is very young in this film, so the story comes across much simpler and less ambitious than those.  His performance is typical Moochie though; his interaction with animals trumps his line readings every time.  And this film ends with an extended scene with Toby Tyler doing rather difficult horse tricks that seem to have been done without a stunt person or stand-in.

There is one catchy song, Biddle-Dee-Dee that appears throughout the film.  But beyond that, the film is not a musical.

One big note of interest is that the film features 2 personalities from the Zorro television show which was off the air because of legal woes between Disney and ABC.  Henry Calvin and Gene Sheldon both receive plum roles and make the film even more enjoyable.

So, once again, we explore the career of Passamaquoddy’s favorite son, Kevin Corcoran… and remember, In Mooch we Must!