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Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Original Production Animation Drawings of Timothy Q. Mouse from "Dumbo," 1941


Eight original production animation drawings in red, green, and graphite pencils of Timothy Q. Mouse from "Dumbo," 1941, Walt Disney Studios; Numbered 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, and 40 in pencil lower right; Production stamps lower left; Size - Timothy Mouse (Largest Image): 6 1/4 x 6", Sheets: 10 x 12"; Unframed.


“Dumbo! Look! Have I got it! The magic feather! Now you can fly!”
―Timothy Q. Mouse

The Walt Disney full length feature film "Dumbo," released in 1940, introduced to the world one of the greatest characters in the Disney pantheon, Dumbo the flying elephant! Dumbo was the only character in the film who never uttered a single word, and yet he is one of the most remembered Disney stars. All of his feelings were conveyed through body movements and facial expressions. The extraordinary animation skill needed in order to do this with a human, but in this case a baby elephant, can not be underestimated.


Original production animation drawing of Timothy Q. Mouse.


Original production animation drawing of Timothy Q. Mouse.



Original production animation drawing of Timothy Q. Mouse.

The Disney Studio animation artists were still fairly new to feature animation, having only started in 1937 with "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." The film prior to "Dumbo" was "Fantasia," with one of the most successful sequences being "Night on Bald Mountain." Here again, the main character Chernabog, a huge winged devil, sitting on top of a mountain, commanding the undead below, and never uttering a single word; made a huge impression on the viewing public.


Original production animation drawing of Timothy Q. Mouse.


Original production animation drawing of Timothy Q. Mouse.


Original production animation drawing of Timothy Q. Mouse.

The Disney animator Vladimir "Bill" Tytla created the devil-giant for "Fantasia's" "Night on Bald Mountain," and for the next film he was given the task of animated the film's star, Dumbo. He said: 

"I gave him everything I thought he should have," said Tytla. "It just happened. I don't know a damn thing about elephants. It wasn't that. I was thinking in terms of humans, and I saw a chance to do a chracter without using any cheap theatrics. Most of the expressions and mannerisms I got from my own kid. There's nothing theatrical about a two-year-old kid. They're real and sincere- like when they damn near wet their pants from excitement when you come home at night. I've bawled my kid out for pestering me when I'm reading or something, and he doesn't know what to make of it. He'll just stand there and maybe grab my hand and cry... I tried to put all those things in Dumbo."


Original production animation drawing of Timothy Q. Mouse.


Original production animation drawing of Timothy Q. Mouse.

Certainly the greatest theme of "Dumbo" was the wonderful friendship between the mute baby elephant Dumbo and his unlikely friend, a mouse name Timothy. Various Disney animators were involved with the creation and animation of Timothy Q. Mouse including Fred Moore, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Ward Kimball. Edward S. Brophy was an American character actor, voice artist, and comedian; and he provided the voice for Timothy Mouse even though he was not credited in the film for the role.


Close up of the Timothy Q. Mouse original production animation drawings. 


Close up of the Timothy Q. Mouse original production animation drawings. 

This is a rare and wonderful set of eight original production animation drawings of Timothy Q. Mouse holding the "Magic Feather." The Feather had been plucked by Jim Crow from one of his crow comrades as a way to boost Dumbo's confidence that he could really fly. Timothy is eyes and mouth open, running, and holding the "Magic Feather" in his right paw. A spectacular large image from this pivotal point in the film, and a great addition to any vintage Walt Disney animation art collection!
 
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Sunday, January 20, 2019

Original Production Animation Drawing of Timothy Q. Mouse from "Dumbo," 1941


Original production animation drawing in red, green, and graphite pencils of Timothy Q. Mouse from "Dumbo," 1941, Walt Disney Studios; Numbered 9 in pencil lower right; Production stamp lower left; Size - Timothy Mouse: 4 x 6 1/4", Sheet: 10 x 12"; Unframed.


“Dumbo! Look! Have I got it! The magic feather! Now you can fly!”
―Timothy Q. Mouse

The Walt Disney full length feature film "Dumbo," released in 1940, introduced to the world one of the greatest characters in the Disney pantheon, Dumbo the flying elephant! Dumbo was the only character in the film who never uttered a single word, and yet he is one of the most remembered Disney stars. All of his feelings were conveyed through body movements and facial expressions. The extraordinary animation skill needed in order to do this with a human, but in this case a baby elephant, can not be underestimated.


Close up of the Timothy Q. Mouse original production animation drawing.

The Disney Studio animation artists were still fairly new to feature animation, having only started in 1937 with "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." The film prior to "Dumbo" was "Fantasia," with one of the most successful sequences being "Night on Bald Mountain." Here again, the main character Chernabog, a huge winged devil, sitting on top of a mountain, commanding the undead below, and never uttering a single word; made a huge impression on the viewing public.

The Disney animator Vladimir "Bill" Tytla created the devil-giant for "Fantasia's" "Night on Bald Mountain," and for the next film he was given the task of animated the film's star, Dumbo. He said: 

"I gave him everything I thought he should have," said Tytla. "It just happened. I don't know a damn thing about elephants. It wasn't that. I was thinking in terms of humans, and I saw a chance to do a chracter without using any cheap theatrics. Most of the expressions and mannerisms I got from my own kid. There's nothing theatrical about a two-year-old kid. They're real and sincere- like when they damn near wet their pants from excitement when you come home at night. I've bawled my kid out for pestering me when I'm reading or something, and he doesn't know what to make of it. He'll just stand there and maybe grab my hand and cry... I tried to put all those things in Dumbo."

Certainly the greatest theme of "Dumbo" was the wonderful friendship between the mute baby elephant Dumbo and his unlikely friend, a mouse name Timothy. Various Disney animators were involved with the creation and animation of Timothy Q. Mouse including Fred Moore, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Ward Kimball. Edward S. Brophy was an American character actor, voice artist, and comedian; and he provided the voice for Timothy Mouse even though he was not credited in the film for the role.

This is a wonderful original production animation drawing of Timothy Q. Mouse holding the "Magic Feather." The Feather had been plucked by Jim Crow from one of his crow comrades as a way to boost Dumbo's confidence that he could really fly. Timothy is mouth open, standing on Dumbo's trunk, and holding the "Magic Feather" in his left paw. A spectacular large image from this pivotal point in the film, and a great addition to any vintage Walt Disney animation art collection!
 
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Original Production Animation Drawing of Snow White from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937


Original production animation drawing of Snow White from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937, Walt Disney Studios; Red, blue, and graphite pencils on peg hole paper; Production numbers lower right; Color model stamp lower sheet edge; Size - Snow White: 6 x 6 1/4", Sheet 10 x 12"; Unframed.

To purchase this drawing or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!

“Lips red as the rose. Hair black as ebony. Skin white as snow.”
―The Magic Mirror describing Snow White

Development on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs began in early 1934, and by June Walt Disney announced to The New York Times the production of his first feature, to be released under Walt Disney Productions. Before Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the Disney studio had been primarily involved in the production of animated short subjects in the Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphonies series. However, Disney hoped to expand his studio's prestige and revenues by moving into features, and he estimated that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs could be produced for a budget of $250,000 (this was ten times the budget of an average Silly Symphony).

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was to be the first full-length cel animated feature in motion picture history, and as such Walt Disney had to fight to get the film produced. Both his brother and business partner Roy Disney, as well as his wife Lillian attempted to talk him out of it.  The Hollywood movie industry mockingly referred to the film, while is was in production, as "Disney's Folly."  Disney ended up having to mortgage his house to help finance the film's production, which would eventually ran up to a total cost of $1,488,422.74; an absolutely massive sum for a feature film in 1937!


Close up of the Snow White production drawing.

A large number of actresses auditioned for the voice of Snow White. Walt Disney listened to each audition in his office while the actress performed in another room, without any knowledge of the actress' appearance or reputation. This would insure that he would only judge based on the sound of the voice. According to later accounts, most of the voices Disney felt, did not sound young enough. Eventually, in September of 1935, Adriana Caselotti was chosen for the voice of Snow White. Caselotti was eighteen at the time and made her coloraturo soprano sound younger, knowing that the character was intended to be 14 years old. In recording sessions Caselotti found difficulty in the line, "Grumpy, I didn't know you cared"; instead of "didn't", Caselotti was only able to say "din". After rehearsing the line many times, Walt Disney eventually said "Oh, the heck with..." and "din'" remained in the final film.

Snow White's design was supervised by Grim Natwick, an animator who had previously developed and worked on Betty Boop at Fleischer Studios. It is interesting to note that early designs for the Snow White resemble Betty Boop, and some appear to be caricatures of famous actresses of the time. As development continued, Snow White became more and more lifelike. Another animator, Hamilton Luske's first designs for Snow White depicted her as a slightly awkward, gangly teenager. However, Walt Disney had a different idea in mind; he wanted Snow White to be older, and more realistic-looking. This was achieved by the use of live-action references for the animators. Also, in order for Snow White to better relate onscreen to the seven Dwarfs, it was decided that her head be slightly larger than normal. In addition, the women in the animation studio's ink and paint department felt that Snow White's black hair was too unnatural and harsh, so they drybrushed whisps of light grey over the top of each and every cel.

This particular drawing is from the "With A Smile and A Song" song sequence which occurs in a forest clearing. Snow White runs into the forest, after the Huntsman is unable to kill her as demanded by the Evil Queen. The sequence is one of the most beautiful in the film, and the song (music written by Frank Churchill with lyrics by Larry Morey) has become a staple of Pop culture. Snow White runs through the forest and collapses in a clearing. She is awakened by animals and begins to sing "With A Smile and A Song." This is a beautiful drawing from the song sequence and is an extremely detailed drawing of Snow White accomplished in red, blue and graphite pencils. A great addition to any vintage Walt Disney animation art collection!

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Saturday, January 19, 2019

Original Production Cel of Wart as King Arthur from "The Sword In The Stone," 1963


Original hand painted production animation cel of Wart as King Arthur from "The Sword In The Stone," 1963, Walt Disney Studios; Set on a lithographic background; Size - Wart (King Arthur): 6 1/4 x 4 1/2", Image 7 x 9"; Unframed.

To purchase this cel or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!

"I can't be a king, Archimedes. I don't know anything about ruling a country." - Wart/King Arthur
"I told you to leave the thing in the stone, boy." - Archimedes (Owl)
"I'll, I'll run away, that's what I'll do. They'll just have to get somebody else." - Wart/King Arthur
 
"The Sword in the Stone," 1963 is the 18th full length feature film produced by Walt Disney and it was released on December 25, 1963 by Buena Vista Distribution. The film was based on the novel of the same name, that was first published in 1938. It was later republished in 1958 as the first book of T. H. White's tetralogy "The Once and Future King." It was to be the final Disney animated film released before Walt Disney's death on December 15, 1966. The songs in the film were written and composed by the Sherman Brothers, who would become very famous for their future work on later Disney films including; "Mary Poppins," 1964, "The Jungle Book," 1967, and "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," 1971.


Original production animation cel of Wart as King Arthur without the background.

Wart was animated by both Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston; and the voice was provided by three different actors; Rickie Sorensen, Richard Reitherman and his brother Robert Reitherman. This lead to noticeable changes in the character's voice between scenes. Also, the three voices all have Brooklyn-esque accents, which differed with the English setting for the film and with the accents spoken by all other characters.

The cel is from the last scene in the film which occurs after Wart/Arthur has pulled the sword (Excalibur) from the stone and is crowned King of England. As time passes, he feels unprepared for the responsibility of ruling an entire country. After confessing to Merlin's owl Archimedes, he attempts to run away, but every exit door of the castle is blocked by cheering crowds of people. Merlin suddenly returns from Bermuda and is thrilled that Wart is now King Arthur. Merlin tells Arthur that in the future he will be famous, books will be written about him, and perhaps even a motion picture! In this cel Arthur is eyes and mouth open, sitting on the thrown, and grasping the top handle of Excalibur. Cels of Wart as King Arthur (wearing the crown and robe) are extremely rare because he is only in the film as King during the last few minutes of the movie. A great addition to any animation art collection. The dialog for this cel is below:

Wart/King Arthur: "I can't be a king, Archimedes. I don't know anything about ruling a country."
Archimedes (Owl): "I told you to leave the thing in the stone, boy."
Wart/King Arthur: "I'll, I'll run away, that's what I'll do. They'll just have to get somebody else."

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Original Production Animation Cel of Archimedes from "The Sword In The Stone," 1963


Original hand painted production animation cel of Archimedes from "The Sword In The Stone," 1963, Walt Disney Studios; Set on a lithographic background; Size - Archimedes: 3 x 2 1/2", Image 7 3/4 x 10"; Unframed.

To purchase this cel or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!

"This is Archimedes, a highly educated owl." - Merlin 

"The Sword in the Stone," 1963 is the 18th full length feature film produced by Walt Disney and it was released on December 25, 1963 by Buena Vista Distribution. The film was based on the novel of the same name, that was first published in 1938. It was later republished in 1958 as the first book of T. H. White's tetralogy "The Once and Future King." It was to be the final Disney animated film released before Walt Disney's death on December 15, 1966. The songs in the film were written and composed by the Sherman Brothers, who would become very famous for their future work on later Disney films including; "Mary Poppins," 1964, "The Jungle Book," 1967, and "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," 1971.


Original production animation cel of Archimedes without the background.

Merlin is a very powerful wizard with a pet owl named Archimedes. He befriends and becomes the teacher of a 12-year old orphan named Arthur, who goes by the name of Wart. Merlin is first seen living in a forest cottage, and he believes in the philosophy of "Brain over Brawn." As a wizard, he is very intelligent, has a wide variety of powers, and is considered the most powerful wizard in the world. He has the ability to see into the future, and has the ability to shape-shift. Merlin was animated by Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, and Ollie Johnston; and voiced by Karl Swenson who was an American theater, radio, film, and television actor.

Archimedes (named after the Greek mathematician, physicist, philosopher, engineer, inventor, and astronomer) is Merlin's pet talking owl, who is very well educated and also versed on practical knowledge. He can be a bit sarcastic and somewhat grouchy, and he is not afraid to point out Merlin's shortcomings. He was based on Merlin's talking owl from "The Sword in the Stone" by T.H. White. Archimedes was brilliantly animated by Ollie Johnston, and voiced by Junius Matthews (who also voiced Rabbit in the Winnie the Pooh movies and featurettes from 1966-1977).

This is a rare and great image of Archimedes. He is full figure, has his left wing lifted up, and is eyes and beak open. A wonderful cel of Merlin's highly educated companion from one of Walt Disney's most memorable contemporary films. A great piece of animation artwork perfect for any collection!

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Original Production Animation Cel of Archimedes from "The Sword In The Stone," 1963


Original hand painted production animation cel of Archimedes from "The Sword In The Stone," 1963, Walt Disney Studios; Set on a lithographic background; Size - Archimedes: 3 x 2 1/2", Image 7 3/4 x 10"; Unframed.
To purchase this cel or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!

"This is Archimedes, a highly educated owl." - Merlin 

"The Sword in the Stone," 1963 is the 18th full length feature film produced by Walt Disney and it was released on December 25, 1963 by Buena Vista Distribution. The film was based on the novel of the same name, that was first published in 1938. It was later republished in 1958 as the first book of T. H. White's tetralogy "The Once and Future King." It was to be the final Disney animated film released before Walt Disney's death on December 15, 1966. The songs in the film were written and composed by the Sherman Brothers, who would become very famous for their future work on later Disney films including; "Mary Poppins," 1964, "The Jungle Book," 1967, and "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," 1971.


Original production animation cel of Archimedes without the background.

Merlin is a very powerful wizard with a pet owl named Archimedes. He befriends and becomes the teacher of a 12-year old orphan named Arthur, who goes by the name of Wart. Merlin is first seen living in a forest cottage, and he believes in the philosophy of "Brain over Brawn." As a wizard, he is very intelligent, has a wide variety of powers, and is considered the most powerful wizard in the world. He has the ability to see into the future, and has the ability to shape-shift. Merlin was animated by Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, and Ollie Johnston; and voiced by Karl Swenson who was an American theater, radio, film, and television actor.

Archimedes (named after the Greek mathematician, physicist, philosopher, engineer, inventor, and astronomer) is Merlin's pet talking owl, who is very well educated and also versed on practical knowledge. He can be a bit sarcastic and somewhat grouchy, and he is not afraid to point out Merlin's shortcomings. He was based on Merlin's talking owl from "The Sword in the Stone" by T.H. White. Archimedes was brilliantly animated by Ollie Johnston, and voiced by Junius Matthews (who also voiced Rabbit in the Winnie the Pooh movies and featurettes from 1966-1977).

This is a rare and great image of Archimedes. He is full figure, has his left wing lifted up, and is eyes and beak open. A wonderful cel of Merlin's highly educated companion from one of Walt Disney's most memorable contemporary films. A great piece of animation artwork perfect for any collection!

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Friday, January 18, 2019

Original Production Animation Cel of Captain Hook from "Peter Pan," 1953


Original hand inked and hand painted production animation cel of Captain Hook from "Peter Pan," 1953, Walt Disney Studios; Set on a lithographic background; Size - Captain Hook: 8 1/2 x 5", Image 10 x 7 1/2"; Unframed.

To purchase this cel or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!

You know, there's trouble
brewin' on the island.
Women trouble.
I wouldn't want this
to go any farther, but...
the cook told me that
the first mate told him...
that he heard that Pan
has banished Tinker Bell.
Whoa!

Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=peter-pan
 "Ah, Hangman's Tree. So that's the entrance to his hiding place. Thank you, my dear. You've been most helpful." - Captain Hook

The author J. M. Barrie first used Peter Pan as a character in a section of the adult novel "The Little White Bird" in 1902. He returned to that character with his stage play entitled "Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up," which premiered in London on December 27, 1904. The play ran until 1913, and it was later adapted by Walt Disney for the animated feature film entitled, "Peter Pan," in 1953.

Captain Hook was animated by legendary Frank Thomas and voiced by Hans Conried. Conried was also the voice of George Darling, which is consistent with the roles of "Peter Pan" for the stage. Conried was also an accomplished actor, appearing on "I Love Lucy" where he played an English tutor as well as playing the character Wrongway Feldman on "Gilligan's Island." His voice was so distinctive and so memorable that he was perfect for the role of Captain Hook; as he had a wonderful way of conveying both the rough gruff pirate role as well and the sly calculating villain.


Original production animation cel of Captain Hook without the background.

The legendary Frank Thomas animated Captain Hook, and his first sketches were much more menacing than the final product. Walt Disney felt the character was going to be too frightening for children and so Thomas toned down his drawings. The result is a wonderful villain and always rated as one the top male villains in the Disney film world.

From Disney animator Andreas Deja:
Many of you would agree that Captain Hook is one of Frank Thomas' best creations. To some Frank is the best animator who ever lived. - He used live action reference for a number of his characters. In this case it was character actor Hans Conried who provided the voice and acting reference for Hook. Frank was very critical about the way other animators used live action. To him the acting ideas were all you needed, but you still had to pass judgement on the footage and interpret what the actor gave you. His animation never has that roto, floaty feel to it. For one thing Frank was way too talented and smart to let that happen."

After Captain Hook and Mr. Smee captures Tinker Bell, they convince her that Wendy is responsible for coming between her and Peter Pan. Hook says that he will "shanghai" Wendy, explaining that he will "Take her to sea with us. With her gone, Peter will soon forget this mad infatuation." However, in order to capture Wendy, Hook needs to know the location of Peter's secret hiding place. After Hook promises not to lay a finger or a hook on Peter Pan, Tinker Bell reveals that Peter's home is Hangman's Tree. Hook grabs Tinker Bell in is left hand and says, "Ah, Hangman's Tree. So that's the entrance to his hiding place. Thank you, my dear. You've been most helpful." This is a fantastic cel of Captain Hook standing behind his map of Neverland, and after he has grabbed Tinker Bell in his hand (just before locking her inside of a lantern). Hook is eyes and mouth open, and his gold hook is in clear view. A great addition to any Walt Disney vintage animation art collection!

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Original Production Animation Drawing of Dodo and Bill The Lizard from "Alice In Wonderland," 1951


Original production animation drawing of Dodo and Bill The Lizard in graphite, brown, red, and blue pencils from "Alice In Wonderland," 1951, Walt Disney Studios; Numbered 225 lower right; Size - Dodo & Bill The Lizard: 7 1/4 x 8 1/4", Sheet 10 1/2 x 15 1/2"; Unframed.

"Here, my lad?? Have you ever been down a chimney?" - Dodo
"Why governor. I've been down more chimneys..." - Bill the Lizard
"Excellent, excellent. You just pop down the chimney, and haul that monster out of there." - Dodo 

"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" (commonly shortened to "Alice in Wonderland"), is a 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson who wrote under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. Disney reworked the story to fit with both a younger audience and a time frame suitable for an animated film (it's run time is only 75 minutes).

Kathryn Beaumont, who was born in London England, was just 10 years old when she was chosen for the voice of Alice. Walt Disney personally cast Beaumont after seeing her in the film "On an Island with You," in which the child actress had a small role. Disney was so impressed by her that she was also chosen to be the model for Alice, and would also go on to provide the voice for Wendy in "Peter Pan," 1953. Beaumont has also reprised her voice acting role as Alice in two episodes of the animated series, Disney's "House of Mouse," and as both Alice and Wendy in the video game "Kingdom Hearts." She did not retire as the voice of Alice and Wendy until 2005, when her role for these two characters was taken over by Hynden Walch.


Close up of the original production animation drawing of Dodo and Bill The Lizard.

Dodo was brilliantly animated by Milt Kahl and Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman. and the character was voiced by Bill Thompson. The following paragraph is from master Walt Disney animator Andreas Deja:

"This character (Dodo) from "Alice In Wonderland" is beautifully designed, sometime gorgeously animated, but with a completely underdeveloped personality. There is way too little screen footage of him to get any real sense of who he is and why he would be important to the story. The Dodo is a very handsome design though, and it's fun to trace back his visual development.... It's the character's unique proportions that make him stand out. A huge lower body with a relatively small chest."

 Bill the Lizard was animated by Wolfgang Reitherman and voiced by Larry Grey. His appearance in the film is short, but the character is seen again in "The Great Mouse Detective," 1986 as one of Professor Ratigan's henchman. His likeness, clothes, and cockney accent are the same as the character in "Alice" the only difference is that he does not wear his black coat. Bill also makes a cameo appearance at the beginning of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" 1988 when Eddie Valiant looks outside the window before Dumbo appears, Bill can be spotted helping someone out with a ladder.

This drawing is from the scene when Bill The lizard is walking by with a ladder, and is asked by Dodo and the White Rabbit to get rid of the monster (Alice who has grown large due to eating a cookie) inside of the White Rabbit's house. Dodo asks Bill if he has ever been down a chimney before and Bill says that he has been down more chimneys... so Dodo interrupts him and says "Excellent, excellent. You just pop down the chimney, and haul that monster out of there." Dodo pushes Bill down the chimney, causing soot to enter the room, which makes Alice sneeze, and that blasts a soot covered Bill out through the chimney high into the sky. Dodo says, "Well, there goes Bill..." followed by Alice sadly saying "Poor Bill..." The fate of Bill afterward is unknown. This is a masterly rendered drawing of both Dodo and Bill The Lizard, an absolutely beautiful piece of vintage Walt Disney animation art, and a great addition to any animation collection!

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Original Production Animation Cel of Mr Smee from "Peter Pan," 1953


Original hand inked and hand painted production animation cel of Mr. Smee from "Peter Pan," 1953, Walt Disney Studios; Set over a lithographic background; Size - Mr. Smee, Tray, & Pirate Arm: 8 1/2 x 6 1/4", Image 8 3/4 x 8 1/4"; Unframed.

To purchase this cel or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!

You know, there's trouble
brewin' on the island.
Women trouble.
I wouldn't want this
to go any farther, but...
the cook told me that
the first mate told him...
that he heard that Pan
has banished Tinker Bell.
Whoa!

Read more: https://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=peter-pan
 "Good morning, shipmates." - Mr. Smee
And what's good about it, Mr. Smee? Here we are, collecting barnacles on this miserable island." - Pirates

The author J. M. Barrie first used Peter Pan as a character in a section of the adult novel "The Little White Bird" in 1902. He returned to that character with his stage play entitled "Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up," which premiered in London on December 27, 1904. The play ran until 1913, and it was later adapted by Walt Disney for the animated feature film entitled, "Peter Pan," in 1953.

Captain Hook was animated by legendary Frank Thomas and voiced by Hans Conried. Conried was also the voice of George Darling, which is consistent with the roles of "Peter Pan" for the stage. Conried was also an accomplished actor, appearing on "I Love Lucy" where he played an English tutor as well as playing the character Wrongway Feldman on "Gilligan's Island." His voice was so distinctive and so memorable that he was perfect for the role of Captain Hook; as he had a wonderful way of conveying both the rough gruff pirate role as well and the sly calculating villain.


Original production animation cel of Mr. Smee without the background.

The legendary Frank Thomas animated Captain Hook, and his first sketches were much more menacing than the final product. Walt Disney felt the character was going to be too frightening for children and so Thomas toned down his drawings. The result is a wonderful villain and always rated as one the top male villains in the Disney film world.

From Disney animator Andreas Deja:
Many of you would agree that Captain Hook is one of Frank Thomas' best creations. To some Frank is the best animator who ever lived. - He used live action reference for a number of his characters. In this case it was character actor Hans Conried who provided the voice and acting reference for Hook. Frank was very critical about the way other animators used live action. To him the acting ideas were all you needed, but you still had to pass judgement on the footage and interpret what the actor gave you. His animation never has that roto, floaty feel to it. For one thing Frank was way too talented and smart to let that happen."

Mr. Smee was animated by Ollie Johnston and voiced by Bill Thompson. Smee was a wonderful pirate henchman sidekick for Captain Hook and the remarkable friendship that existed between Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, which is well documented; may account for why the villainous pair seemed to work so well together. Of course the voice talent of Bill Thompson was also a fantastic addition. Thompson was well known already at MGM for his voice of Droopy and of Droopy's nemesis Spike.  At Walt Disney studios he would have a long career as the voice of the White Rabbit and the Dodo in Alice in Wonderland, of course Mr. Smee (and some of the other pirates) in Peter Pan and King Hubert in Sleeping Beauty. Bill Thompson's largest showcase for his voice skills was in Lady and the Tramp (1955), where he performed five different dialect parts, as Jock the Scottish Terrier, Bull the Cockney bulldog, Dachsie the German dachshund, Joe the Italian cook, and the Irish policeman in the zoo.

This is a wonderful and rare cel of Mr. Smee being grabbed by his shirt by a Pirate aboard the deck of "Jolly Roger!" The cel is from the first appearance of the Captain Hook's Pirates when they sing the song "A Pirate's Life For Me," however they are very unhappy about being stuck in Neverland and not in the open seas pirating. They complain to Mr. Smee and even throw daggers at a crudely drawn picture of Captain Hook. When Smee appears with his tray of shaving supplies for Captain Hook he says "Good morning, shipmates." The Pirates reply "And what's good about it, Mr. Smee? Here we are, collecting barnacles on this miserable island." One of the large pirates grabs Mr. Smee by his light blue and white stripped shirt. This is a fantastic cel of Mr. Smee; he is eyes and mouth open, full figure, holding his tray of shaving supplies, and a great action oriented image that is perfect for any vintage Disney animation art collection!

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Original Production Animation Cels of Jiminy Cricket and Gideon from "Pinocchio," 1940


Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cels of Jiminy Cricket and Gideon from "Pinocchio," 1940, Walt Disney Studios; Set over a Courvoisier air brush background; With partial original Courvoisier Galleries label verso; Size - Jiminy Cricket: 1 3/4 x 1 1/2", Gideon: 7 x 6 1/2", Image Diameter 8 3/4", Mat 15 1/2 x 13 1/2"; Matted with original Courvoisier calligraphy titled mat.

To purchase this cel or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!

"Oh, it's Jiminy! What you doin' up there?" - Pinocchio

"Pinocchio," 1940 was the second animated feature film produced by Disney, and followed on the success of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." 1937. It was released to theaters by RKO Radio Pictures on February 23, 1940 and was based on the Italian children's novel "The Adventures of Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodi. The general plot of the film involves an old wood-carver named Geppetto, who carves a wooden puppet that he names Pinocchio. One night the puppet is brought to life by the Blue Fairy, who informs him that he can become a real boy if he proves himself to be "brave, truthful, and unselfish". Pinocchio's journey to become a real boy is challenged by his encounters with an array of scrupulous characters.


Partial Courvoisier Galleries label.

"Pinocchio" became the first animated feature to win an Academy Award; it won for both Best Music - Original Score and for Best Music - Original Song for "When You Wish Upon A Star." Most critics and audiences agree that "Pinocchio" is among the finest Disney features ever made, and one of the greatest animated films of all time. In 1994, it was added to the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Due to the huge success of "Snow White," Walt Disney wanted more famous voice actors for "Pinocchio." He cast popular singer Cliff Edwards (who had made the first record selling over a million copies) as Jiminy Cricket. Disney also wanted the character of Pinocchio to be voiced by a real child. The role ended up going to twelve year old actor Dickie Jones, who had previously been in Frank Capra's enormous Hollywood hit, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."


Close up of the Jiminy and Giddy calligraphy title.

Animation began in September 1938 and just as in "Snow White," live-action footage was shot for "Pinocchio" with the actors playing the scenes; which was supervised by Hamilton Luske. The animators then used the footage as a guide for their animation drawings by studying the human movement and then incorporating many of those poses and scenes. The title character was animated by Milt Kahl (initial design), Frank Thomas, and Ollie Johnston. "When I was doing Pinocchio," Johnston said, "I thought of the character being real, a living person, not a drawing."

Jiminy Cricket was animated by Ward Kimball, with Joe Grant working up early rough model sketches.  Kimball would go on to work on many characters for the Walt Disney studios, including the Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat in "Alice In Wonderland;" however the great Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston thought that Kimball's animation of Jiminy Cricket was "the most sincere he ever did."

From veteran Walt Disney animator Andreas Deja:
"Ward Kimball surely was looking forward to animating Jiminy Cricket, after the bad experience he just had on Snow White. His brilliantly animated "Soup Eating Sequence" had been cut from the film, and now it was time for a fresh start on the next feature film Pinocchio. Even though Walt Disney personally assigned the Cricket to Kimball, the animator didn't seem to be able to please the boss with his initial designs. Not appealing, too grotesque and insect like! After many revised versions in which Ward de-insectified the design, Walt finally approved a design that though very appealing had very little to do with the anatomy of a real cricket."


Matted original production animation cels of Jiminy Cricket and Gideon.

Norm Ferguson (Fergy) was the animator responsible for bringing both J. Worthington Foulfellow (The Fox) and Gideon (The Cat) to life. Fergy is most remembered for his creation of Pluto, but his animation of both Foulfellow and Gideon was one of the true highlights of the film "Pinocchio." The inspiration for Foulfellow (also called Honest John) was the classic vaudeville acts; with the actor's overdone dialogue and skill at improvisations. Foulfellow was a very fast talking and persuasive Fox, who would not give poor Pinocchio time to think or respond before moving forward with his own plan to better himself, at the expense of his poor victim. Although dressed in a top hat, gloves, and a cape; all of his clothing is old, ragged, and with patches throughout.

Walter Catlett provided the voice of Foulfellow and endowed the character with a wonderful sophisticated style, that added to the level of sophistication to this petty criminal. Catlett had started is own career in vaudeville and new how to impart that style into his reading of Honest John. In addition, Walter Catlett's voice was also great for Fergy's animation; as it allowed for facial expressions and for mannerisms that enhanced the feel of Honest John. This combination was perfect and really helped in the development of a much more brilliant character, and one of the most entertaining in the film.

The inspiration for Gideon was the silent Marx Brother, Harpo. An earlier Walt Disney film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," had already proven that characters with no dialog (ie. Dopy) could become one of the the most memorable characters of the film. Gideon was going to be voiced by the legendary Mel Blanc, but Disney decided to delete all of his lines; preferring a mute Foulfellow sidekick who has only 3 hiccups in the entire film. Mel Blanc did provide the voice for the hiccups and he did receive payment; stating afterwards "that is it was the most expensive hiccup I ever recorded."

This is a wonderful original production animation Courvoisier cel set-up of both Gideon and Jiminy Cricket. The cels are from the scene when Pinocchio had been persuaded by Honest John and Gideon not to go to school but rather to become a famous actor. Jiminy sees Pinocchio marching and singing with the wicked pair and races to catch up with them. Jiminy jumps onto Honest John's tail and then onto the top of his ragged green top hat. Pinocchio sees him and says "Oh, it's Jiminy! What you doin' up there?" As Honest John moves his head around trying to find what Pinocchio is seeing; the green top hat, with Jiminy holding onto with his umbrella, is tipped into the view of Gideon the Cat. This is a stunning Couvoisier cel set-up from the second full length Walt Disney feature film, and would be a great addition to any animation collection!

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