It's Goofy's 88th Birthday! Celebrate With This Disney+ Playlist - Inside the Magic

The world’s favorite goof turns 88 years old today. And for all this time, Goofy has been making people laugh with his slapstick adventures. So to commemorate his special day, we have compiled a list of the best Goofy moments which you can now enjoy on Disney+.

“Ye Olden Days”

“Wait. This is a Mickey Mouse short!”

Yes, but it is also the only short currently on Disney+ that shows Goofy in his original form: “Dippy Dawg.” Still ever the fool and showcasing the same goofy voice, Dippy Dawg would eventually evolve into the Goofy we know and love today. Disney would also go on to find a balance in the two identities in the lastest Mickey Mouse cartoon short as Bill Farmer’s Goofy dresses and acts more like his older Dippy self.

“Hawaiian Holiday”

This is one of the earlier shorts in which Goofy has finished his evolution and is now a member of the “Fab Five” with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Pluto. While Mickey, Minnie, and Donald have a hula jam sesh, Goofy grabs his longboard hoping to catch some waves on Waikiki Beach. He gets close, but the ocean has other plans. And it is not as friendly to him and it was to Moana.

But something very significant comes from short like this one. This is where the surfing/boarding term “goofy-footed” originates. The “correct” way to surf or board is by putting the left foot forward in your stance. However, Goofy, of course, does it “wrong” and puts his right foot forward. The connotation has stuck ever since. The alternate riding style has been accepted, but those who use it are still referred to as “goofy-footed” or simply “goofy.” This writer, in fact, is a goofy-footed surfer.

“The Art of Skiing (Pronounced SHEE-ing)”

Goofy has taken it upon himself to teach us many things with the help of his proper and seemingly well-educated narrator. One of those lessons was on the Art of Skiing (pronounced “SHEE-ing”). But while Goofy takes on the snowcapped mountains to give us a few pointers, this is the short that will go down in history as the first time we hear Goofy’s now-iconic shout we hear every time he barrels into oblivion.

“How To Fish”

Another iconic “How to” lesson from Goofy. We follow him into the mountains for some river fishing, fly fishing, and lake fishing. Antics of course ensue as Goofy attempts each kind of fishing style.

But what is interesting about this short and others like it from the 1940s is the comedic environmental comments made. Goofy takes his first breath of fresh air and passes out because he is so used to the extremely polluted city air. As he creeps up to the stream, he passes piles of junk collected on the riverbank. Other tropes like this are carried in other Goofy shorts as well. The most common example is the city sky is always gray, not blue.

“How to Play Football”/”Double Dribble”/”How to Play Baseball”

Goofy has always been an active character and has always been eager to introduce his viewers to some new sports. This has been a difficult time for many as professional and amateur sports seasons have either been delayed or canceled. So, before they open back up again, it might be a good idea to get a little refresher from Goofy.

“Potatoland” 

Okay, now let’s jump to just a few years ago and celebrate the Goofy we have today. What better way to do that than by remembering the moment he got to live out his life-long dream: visiting Potatoland. With the help of his pals Mickey and Donald, Goofy gets a very exciting day in a theme park made entirely out of potatoes (before the midday sun brought it all crashing down.)

Bonus: Goof Troop/A Goofy Movie

Yes, these are not technically shorts, but we cannot celebrate Goofy’s legacy without talking about how much of a loving father he’s been to his son, Max. Left as a single dad, Goofy and Max stick together through the comedy of suburban life in the Disney Channel show, Goof Troop, and they embark on a cross country road trip in his first feature-length film, A Goofy Movie. In both instances, we see how selfless Goofy can be and how he can make us cry just as easily as he makes us laugh.

Related: Recipe: “Hi Dad” Soup Spoon Cookies Will Bring The Nostalgia of ‘A Goofy Movie’

It can be argued that Disney would not be the same without Goofy, and he has made the brand all the better. Here’s to 88 more years of hilarious adventures.

What’s your favorite Goofy short? Let us know in the comments!