Saluting Goofy Through the Decades

By Courtney Potter

Lovable, good-natured, and (let’s face it) hilariously accident prone, Goofy is a stalwart friend—and proof that good things do ultimately come to those who try, try again. The animated character who’d become Goofy made his very first appearance on May 25, 1932, in the Mickey Mouse cartoon Mickey’s Revue. Audiences had to keep their eyes peeled, though; the character, who isn’t onscreen for very long, is a member of the audience memorably cheering on Mickey’s musical comedy. But he obviously made an impact, as he’s gone on to an incredible 90 years of mirth and merriment—onscreen (the name “Goofy” officially kicked off with his first starring role in an animated short: 1939’s Goofy and Wilbur); within the panels of comic books; inside Disney parks around the world; in video games; and so much more!

To celebrate Goofy’s nine decades of fun, we’ve rounded up some favorite stills of Goofy’s adventures through the years. Did yours make the cut?

...And keep the Goofy gaiety going by checking out some goof-tastic animated shorts and features on Disney+!

Goofy is running down a hill in a red and yellow glider, with puffs of dirt and smoke following him, in the animated short Goofy’s Glider. He’s wearing a yellow shirt and blue pants.

Goofy’s Glider (1940) — Goofy tries to demonstrate glider-flying, but is unsuccessful—until finally, a cannon does the job, shooting him into orbit!

Goofy, wearing a red and white baseball uniform, holds a ridiculous number of bats as he steps up to plate in a still from the animated short How to Play Baseball.

How to Play Baseball (1942) — After a few other successful shorts in which Goofy demonstrated how—or maybe how not—to do something, it became a series. How to Play Baseball finds Goofy illustrating the game by playing all the positions on both teams and displaying the different types of pitching, accompanied by an offscreen narrator.

Goofy, wearing a red blazer and tan pants, is measuring a bear for a photo in a still from the animated short Hold That Pose. There is camera equipment nearby.

Hold That Pose (1950) — Goofy buys photographic equipment for his fun new hobby, and eagerly goes out to find a subject—which turns out to be a bear. But he so annoys the bear with the flash that it chases him all the way back to his apartment.

Goofy is wearing a red and yellow swimming costume as he’s water-skiing—underwater—in a still from the animated short Aquamania. There’s a yellow octopus in front of him, looking back.

Aquamania (1961) — Nominated for an Academy Award®, this animated short finds Goofy demonstrating the art of water-skiing. After all manner of misadventures, including encountering an octopus and (somehow) a roller coaster, he manages to win a championship race.

Goofy, as Jacob Marley’s ghost, is faded in color and wrapped in chains, in a still from Mickey’s Christmas Carol. He’s standing in Ebenezer Scrooge’s living room, next to a frightened Ebenezer, portrayed by Scrooge McDuck.

Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983) — Goofy costars in this animated feature, based on Charles Dickens’ classic yuletide tale, as Jacob Marley’s ghost—warning Ebenezer Scrooge (in this instance, Scrooge McDuck) what fate awaits him should he not change his miserly ways.

In a still from Goof Troop, Goofy is wearing an orange shirt, polka dot bow tie, and green pants, and his son Max is wearing a red shirt and purple pants. Goofy is holding onto Max’s shirt as Max tries to run away.

Goof Troop (1992) — Goofy hit the big time with this Disney Channel series that chronicled the heartwarming misadventures of his struggles to raise son Max in 1990s suburbia.

Max and Goofy are inside a crowded diner in a still from A Goofy Movie. There are two nuns, as well as someone dressed like Elvis. There are several plates of food on the table. Max is wearing a red shirt; Goofy is wearing a green shirt and shorts and a brown vest, and is holding a map of the United States.

A Goofy Movie (1995) — A feature film spin-off from Goof Troop, this fan favorite follows Max and Goofy as they go on what’s supposed to be a fishing trip, with plentiful father-son bonding time... only Max has other plans, all to impress his girlfriend Roxanne. Chaos, but ultimately happiness, ensues.

Sylvia and Goofy sit on a bench outside, at night, in a still from An Extremely Goofy Movie. Sylvia has red hair and is wearing a green strapless dress with green earrings; Goofy is wearing a white leisure suit with a purple shirt and green neck scarf. Their mood rings are touching and setting off a spark.

An Extremely Goofy Movie (2000) — In the sequel to A Goofy Movie, Goofy enrolls in college with Max... but brings his 1970s collegiate notions with him. When he teams up with a like-minded school librarian, the disco lights and mood rings swing back to action on campus!

Donald, Sora, and Goofy from the game Kingdom Hearts. Donald is wearing a blue hat and jacket; Sora is wearing a black outfit with yellow straps; and Goofy is wearing a green shirt, black vest, and yellow hat and pants.

Kingdom Hearts (2002) — Goofy costars as a captain of the royal knights in this action and role-playing video game series, which features tons of Disney characters and situations. The popular game was developed by Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios, and debuted in the U.S. in 2002.

In a still from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Goofy stands in a room with green wallpaper, next to a robot version of himself; Mickey Mouse and Pluto are standing off to the side. A schematic of the robot is nearby.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2006) — The “Sensational Six,” including Goofy, star in this CG-animated Disney Channel series for preschoolers, designed to encourage problem solving and promote early math skills.

Goofy, wearing an orange and red shirt and dark green pants, is swinging several TV components by their cables in a still from the animated short How to Hook Up Your Home Theater.

How to Hook Up Your Home Theater (2007) — Goofy makes his way back to the big screen (and the “How To” series) with this animated short, in which our enthusiastic but clueless friend is confronted by a huge instruction manual for his new home theater setup—and has to deal with a truly gargantuan universal remote and a spaghetti of multicolored cables! Directed by Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers (Prep & Landing).

Goofy is wearing a chef’s hat, a green shirt, orange vest, and blue pants, and he’s putting something into the oven in the kitchen, in a still from the “Learning to Cook” episode of How to Stay at Home.

How to Stay at Home (2021) — During the COVID-19 pandemic, iconic Disney animator Eric Goldberg created several brand-new, hand-drawn Goofy shorts for a three-episode Disney+ series called How to Stay at Home. We follow along as Goofy learns how best to wear a mask; how to cook a unique meal; and how to binge-watch a favorite show while still trying to complete some other tasks.

Funny the Funhouse is joined by Goofy, Pluto, Daisy, Donald, Mickey, Minnie, and others in a still from Mickey Mouse Funhouse.

Mickey Mouse Funhouse (2021) — Goofy is part of Disney Junior’s latest whimsical animated series featuring Funny, an enchanted talking funhouse who leads Mickey and his pals on imaginative adventures. The series’ most recent special finds Mickey, Minnie, and friends joining legendary pirate Captain Salty Bones on a big treasure hunt!