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Saturday, January 20, 2024

Original Production Animation Cel of Doc, Bashful, and Sneezy from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937

Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cel of Doc, Bashful, and Sneezy set on an airbrushed wood veneer Courvoisier background from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937, Walt Disney Studios; Partial Courvoisier label verso; Size - Doc, Bashful, & Sneezy: 4 1/2 x 7 3/4", Image 7 x 9"; Unframed.
 
Snow White: "Supper's not quite ready. You'll just have time to wash."
Dwarfs: (confused) "Wash?"
Grumpy: "Hah! Knew there's a catch to it."
Bashful: "Why wash?"
Happy: "What for? We ain't going nowhere."
Doc: "Ain't New Year's."
Snow White: "Oh, maybe you have washed."
Doc: "Maybe we...yes, maybe we have. Where? Where…uh, you said "where"...why, last week……month…year…why, uh, recently."
Dwarfs: "Yes, recently."
Snow White: "Oh, recently. Let me see your hands."
Snow White: "Why, Doc, I'm surprised."
Snow White: "C'mon, let's see them."
Snow White: "Oh, Bashful. My, my, my. (to Sneezy) And you?"
Snow White: "Oh, worse than I thought."


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!


Back of the original production animation cel of Doc, Bashful, and Sneezy showing the partial Courvoisier label. 
 
Although the initial concept designing of the dwarfs was relatively easy for the Walt Disney animation department, the actual animating of them proved to be difficult. The animators, already finding human figures difficult to animate, now had to animate dwarfed human figures. The great Disney animator Vladimir Tytla noted that the dwarfs should walk with a swing to their hips, and Fred Moore commented that they had to move a little more quickly in order to keep up with the other human characters. 
 
Doc was not present in the original November 1935 story outline of the film as referenced by Robert D. Field in "The Art of Walt Disney." However, several months later his role in the film and his relationship with Grumpy was well established. Walt Disney commented that Doc's flustered personality should be such that he never knew quite where he is without one of his fellow dwarfs reminding him. Radio comedian Roy Atwell, who used stammering and mixed-up language in his act, was chosen to be the voice of Doc. Various Walt Disney artists were involved in the animation of Doc throughout the film including: Vladimir Tytl, Fred Moore, Shamus Culhane, Les Clark, and Ward Kimball.

Bashful is very shy and coy, and he has a crush on the beautiful Snow White. His shyness prompts him to blush and he then covers his reddened face behind his hands and beard; which is often accompanied by giggles. Various Walt Disney artists were involved with Bashful's concept and animation throughout the film including: Vladimir Tytl, Fred Moore, Shamus Culhane, and Les Clark. The film and television actor Scotty Mattraw provided the voice for Bashful.
 
Due to Sneezy's severe hayfever, he sneezes very often throughout the film and this often prevents him from speaking. His sneezes can be gale force and will blow away anything and anyone in their path. As a result, the other dwarfs are quick to hold his nose whenever they feel he may have a sneeze approaching. The memorable scene in which the dwarfs tie a knot in Sneezy's beard was inspired by an early sketch by Albert Hurter, a concept and inspirational sketch artist at Walt Disney Studios. Various Disney artists were involved in the animation of Sneezy throughout the film including: Ward Kimball, Vladimir Tytl, Fred Moore, Shamus Culhane, and Les Clark. Billy Gilbert, an American comedian and actor known for his comic sneeze routines, provided the voice of Sneezy.

This is an absolutely spectacular original hand painted and hand inked production cel setup of Doc, Bashful, and Sneezy set on an airbrushed wood veneer Courvoisier background. The Courvoisier setups from Snow White are highly desired by collectors for their rarity and beauty. Courvoisier Galleries was the first gallery to recognize the artistic value to the newly emerging animation art form in the 1930s and 40s and worked with Disney Studios to prepare and sell the original cels and drawings to the public. This cel is from the scene where Snow White has prepared dinner and is inspecting the hands of the Dwarfs to make sure they are washed and clean. The dialog for the scene is above. A wonderful full figure image of Doc, Bashful, and Sneezy with their eyes and mouths open; and would be a great addition to any vintage Walt Disney animation art collection!
 
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