Mickey M. Michaels, portrayed by Mark Gatiss, is a character featuring prominently throughout The League of Gentlemen. He appears in the first and second series, cameos in the Christmas special and features prominently in the third series. His regular use in the television series also gained the character appearances in The League of Gentlemen: Live at Drury Lane, The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse and The League of Gentlemen Are Behind You! - the latter of which he was the main focus of the second act.
Initially part of the restart course at the Job Centre, it gradually becomes clear that Pauline Campbell-Jones has sympathy for Mickey throughout the television series, and once released from her prison sentence early gains affection for him, culminating in their marriage at the end of the third series. The third series additionally sees him intertwined with the road accident story arc. Mickey is portrayed as unintelligent (being described as "simple" by Pauline) and unhygienic, only holding down one job briefly throughout the entire series at Burger Me. He is shown to be kind hearted, especially to Pauline, and has an obsession with the Fire Brigade, wanting a career with them.
Personality[]
Unlike many of the resident of Royston Vasey, Mickey is the more likable people living there. A man with learning difficulties, Mickey is a child trapped in a man's body. Despite his unkempt and dubious hygiene, Mickey is kind hearted and friendly to everyone, and has a particular affection for Pauline. His dream job is to be a fireman, despite lacking the intelligence. His simple nature even softened the heart of Pauline, who still mocked his intelligence, gave him the nickname "Mickey luv".
Mark Gatiss based Mickey on people he saw growing up near a mental hospital that his parents worked at.
Appearances[]
Series One[]
Mickey appears in the first episode at the start of the restart course, clearly he has been to some before, he reveals to Pauline that he has a job interview but Pauline bullies him into missing it, by threaten to cut his benefits. Near the end of the episode Mickey is playing with a toy Fire Engine when Benjamin asks him if he saw Martin which he hasn't.
In his second appearance Pauline's class on selling things after she beats Ross with The Big Issue, Mickey is chosen despite his fearful behaviour, however she is kinder to him. With the second re-creation Pauline has Mickey done a Interview for trolleys around ASDA, Mickey's previous jobs was as a Milk Monitor and his skills was that he was a good swimmer which included his lack of good language meant he didn't get the job. However when Pauline attacks Ross after her interview, Mickey shouted at Pauline to stop which she did.
The final episode, the restart is to finish and Mickey gifts Pauline with a pen on a necklace which shows to her how much Mickey cares for her. However Ross reveals that he is in fact a spy and work for the Job Centre, Mickey questions why he is here if he has a job. After Ross dismissed the session, Mickey is the last one to leaving giving Pauline his pen.
Series Two[]
Mickey is repeating the Restart when Pauline appears but she behaves like she was still at work, but after Cathy Carter Smith puts her in her place, Mickey reveals he has saved her a place. Carter however is worst than Pauline, she forces Mickey to sit up straight and after she kicks Pauline out Mickey stands on his table and supports Pauline. After Pauline gets a job at Burger Me, Mickey also gets a job there, however while in the kitchen with her Ross came in and Pauline spoils his burger with the help of Mickey's acne, however a Security Camera recording results in their dismissal.
After Ross questions the two and Mickey refuses to explain what happens. However after Pauline is mocked by Ross and attacks him Mickey holds him down for Pauline to tape him down. Pauline then gets Mickey to look for somebody to explain her demands, however when she reveals that she is holding Ross for ransom until she gets her job back and some pens, Mickey demands he wants a Fire truck but while she tells this to the person he turns out to be deaf. However after a week Mickey remarks that something might of killed off people which is right, however Mickey ate the paper in the place out of hunger, but after Pauline agrees to get something, she tells Mickey to watch Ross, while she was out Ross promised Mickey the fire-truck if he unties him, Ross ran and Mickey wrote a letter and left leaving Pauline to be arrested.
Christmas Special[]
Mickey's ancestor was seen in the Victorian story being kicked out of a Workhouse by Pauline's past version and Ross helps him but he is too heavy for Ross to carry.
Series Three[]
Mickey is told that Pauline has been released and she arrives at his home, she finds his room is covered in pictures he colour in and he offers her to stay in his room, he convinces her to stay and she sleeps on the floor, Pauline however is working with Ross to expose Mickey and his brothers cheating the system, she gets only small pieces of information and nothing solid.
During Barbara's party when he dressed like a milkmaid Mickey is pressured by Pauline about selling his drawings and where he gets his money from, she finds him crying admitting that he knows Pauline is being helpful but he wants to be a fireman and says how it's like Pauline's dream for "Her Nibs", Pauline feels guilty and is about to confess but instead they make love. However the next day, while Pauline tells Ross of her engagement to Mickey, Mickey is painting and has brought her a giant fountain pen for her shop. Ross phones Mickey to reveal that he and Pauline had sex, as Pauline runs to Mickey to stop him, Mickey never picks up the phone as his water falls on his drawing of him and Pauline making the red bleed through her. He instead runs to find Pauline but thankfully she was saved from death by Lance Longthorne. The Series ended with Pauline and Mickey's wedding where he was smarten up and in tears as he and Pauline embraced.
The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse[]
Mickey is seen briefly alongside Pauline, in which his dog has been swept into the air like a kite due to the devastating weather changes.
Live at Drury Lane[]
In the first Live show he only appeared in one sketch where Pauline was murdered, he saved Ross from her beating, then he is asked questions which he confused by, however he explains that while Pauline was nice to him other times she could cruel, a flashback is done of her stopping him from going to work as a fireman crushing his helmet. However he saw Pauline having sex with Cathy, the detective then gets him to confess to killing Pauline out of being in love, the audience then chooses if Mickey is guilty.
Are Behind You[]
In the Pantomime, Mickey is in Act 2 where he is Pauline's son, (like Jack) he is ordered to sell Daisy the Cow for money. On the way to market Daisy is refusing to move and he jokes she will become the Special Stuff but before Mickey reveals the truth about Special Stuff, Daisy farts and so he takes her to Dr. Chinnery. However later on Daisy has disappeared and Mickey worries what Pauline will do, he then pees on a Vegetable Patch where the Magic Beans are and a Beanstalk grows due to Mickey's drinking of Baby Bio. He goes to the Local Shop and helps Tubbs remove a curse and so she goes to the ball. Tubbs reveals in her Epilogue that Mickey became a fireman.
Live Again[]
Trivia[]
Deleted Scenes[]
- In the final episode of the first series when Pauline was sadly leaving after being fired, Mickey appeared on the stairs and Pauline took his hand it was cut to stop any idea of romance.
- In the third series, as Mickey convinces Pauline to stay, she remarks she needs a job now and tells her of there being one. Mickey and his brothers earn money from Windscreen washing while Pauline does badly, the Michaels brothers however go crazy on a second car, they learnt their skills from Windsor Safari Park.
- In the Script Mickey was to reveal that Pauline dropped a Dictaphone but he doesn't realise it's true reason.
Behind the Scenes[]
- When Mark was doing Series One he had Conjunctivitis, which was most noticeable as Mickey, by the time of the last scene however it had cleared up some people liked it.
- Mickey in top of the desk is from Dead Poet's Society.
- When Mickey letter's voice-over is heard, Mark was across the room to speak it.
- Mickey's Milkmaid dress for Barbara's party was meant to be Scarlet O'Hara or Little Bo Peep.
- The picture going red is from the film Don't Look Now.
- During the Drury Lane Show the gun didn't go off and so a crew member shouted "bang", however because nobody could hear it Mickey when asked about the gun said that he used Poison.
- In the Pantomime, the beanstalk sometimes failed to appear and so Mark Gatiss would break character and explain what was meant to happen and ask the audience to make believe there was one. During one night this happened was the night the DVD was being taped preserving a funny out-take.