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"Goodness, if the people here are like that I must try not to upset them!" — Alice
"Alice in Wonderland" is the thirteenth animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Productions and was theatrically released on July 26, 1951. The film was adapted from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," the celebrated 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832–1898), better known by his pen name, Lewis Carroll. Disney reimagined Carroll's whimsical literary masterpiece for a younger audience, condensing its imaginative adventures and eccentric characters into a 75-minute animated feature. The resulting film became one of the studio's most visually inventive productions, filled with extraordinary character designs, surreal landscapes, and wonderfully imaginative sequences that continue to captivate audiences more than seven decades after its original release.
The story follows a curious young English girl named Alice, who tumbles down a rabbit hole while pursuing the mysterious White Rabbit and finds herself transported into the fantastical world of Wonderland. Throughout her adventures, Alice encounters an unforgettable assortment of peculiar characters, including the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Caterpillar, the Queen of Hearts, and the mischievous Tweedledee and Tweedledum. As Alice attempts to make sense of this extraordinary world, she discovers that conventional logic and good manners are frequently challenged by Wonderland's delightfully absurd inhabitants.
The voice of Alice was provided by Kathryn Beaumont (born 1938), who was just ten years old when she was selected for the role. Born in London, England, Beaumont caught Walt Disney's attention after appearing in the 1948 MGM musical "On an Island with You." Impressed by her natural charm, expressive personality, and distinctly British voice, Disney personally selected her to portray Alice. Beaumont also served as the live-action reference model for the character, performing scenes that were filmed and studied by Disney's animators to help establish Alice's movements, expressions, and mannerisms. Her performance was instrumental in giving Alice the youthful innocence, intelligence, curiosity, and occasional exasperation that make the character so appealing.
Beaumont's association with Walt Disney continued when she was chosen to voice Wendy Darling in "Peter Pan" (1953), another of the studio's most beloved animated classics. Decades later, she returned to both characters, reprising Alice in Disney's animated television series "House of Mouse" and providing the voices of Alice and Wendy in the popular "Kingdom Hearts" video game franchise. Beaumont continued her association with these iconic Disney characters until 2005, when voice actress Hynden Walch succeeded her in the roles. In recognition of her remarkable contributions to Disney animation, Beaumont was honored as a Disney Legend in 1998.
The visual development of Alice was influenced by the extraordinary artistry of Mary Blair, whose distinctive use of color, imaginative compositions, and stylized character designs helped establish the visual identity of "Alice in Wonderland." Animator Les Clark also contributed to the character's development, while the animation of Alice was primarily handled by several of Walt Disney's most talented artists, including Ollie Johnston, Don Lusk, and Marc Davis. Davis was particularly involved in Alice's animation during the famous Mad Tea Party sequence. The challenge of animating Alice was considerable, as she needed to appear believable and naturally expressive while interacting with Wonderland's wildly exaggerated and often surreal inhabitants.
This exceptional original production animation drawing of Alice was created by legendary Walt Disney animator Don Lusk (1913–2018), who supervised Alice's animation in this memorable sequence. Beautifully rendered in brown and graphite pencils, the drawing demonstrates Lusk's remarkable ability to capture the delicate facial expressions, graceful proportions, and charming personality of Disney's young heroine. Particularly interesting is the handwritten notation "to" in the upper right corner, identifying a portion of Alice's dialogue and providing a fascinating connection between the animator's original artwork and the finished film. Such production annotations offer collectors a wonderful glimpse into the animation process, when individual drawings were carefully coordinated with recorded dialogue to create the illusion of natural speech and movement.
Don Lusk enjoyed an extraordinary career in animation that spanned more than six decades. Joining Walt Disney Studios in the 1930s, he contributed to early Donald Duck cartoons and worked on the studio's groundbreaking first animated feature, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937). His subsequent achievements included animating Cleo and Figaro in "Pinocchio" (1940), contributing to the Arabian Dance sequence of "The Nutcracker Suite" in "Fantasia" (1940), and animating the majestic Great Stag in "Bambi" (1942). Lusk continued working on Disney's animated features through "One Hundred and One Dalmatians" (1961), developing a reputation for his exceptional draftsmanship, versatility, and ability to bring both human and animal characters convincingly to life. He later contributed to numerous television animation productions and remained a respected figure in the industry until his passing in 2018 at the remarkable age of 105.
This delightful drawing originates from the conclusion of Alice's first encounter with the mysterious Cheshire Cat, one of the most memorable characters in "Alice in Wonderland." Voiced by the incomparable Sterling Holloway, the Cheshire Cat is a mischievous, philosophical creature whose ability to appear, disappear, and materialize in unexpected places perfectly embodies the absurdity of Wonderland. During their conversation, the Cat suggests that Alice visit either the Mad Hatter or the March Hare, explaining that both are quite mad. When Alice protests that she does not wish to associate with mad people, the Cat cheerfully informs her, "Oh, you can't help that... most everyone's mad here."
Following this bewildering exchange, Alice begins to walk away, placing her hands upon her hips as she thoughtfully remarks, "Goodness, if the people here are like that I must try not to upset them!" The moment is wonderfully characteristic of Alice, whose determination to remain polite and sensible persists despite the increasingly nonsensical world surrounding her. Her innocent expression and cheerful disposition contrast beautifully with the strange and unpredictable behavior of Wonderland's inhabitants. It is precisely this combination of curiosity, good manners, and quiet determination that makes Alice such an endearing Disney heroine.
The artistry of Don Lusk is especially evident in his treatment of Alice's facial features and body language. Her wide, expressive eyes, gentle smile, and carefully constructed features convey a wonderful sense of youthful optimism. The delicate pencil work captures the softness of her face and the natural appeal of her character design, while the carefully observed proportions reflect the considerable technical skill required to animate a believable human figure. Unlike Wonderland's more exaggerated inhabitants, Alice needed to remain visually grounded, serving as the audience's connection to the extraordinary events unfolding around her. Lusk's sophisticated character animation accomplished this beautifully, balancing realistic movement with the expressive charm associated with classic Walt Disney animation.
Although "Alice in Wonderland" received a mixed critical reception upon its original release, the film gradually developed an enormous following and is now recognized as one of Disney's most imaginative animated achievements. Its extraordinary visual design, memorable musical sequences, and remarkable collection of eccentric characters have secured its place among the studio's most enduring classics. The film also represents an important period in Disney animation, when some of the industry's greatest artists were working together to create increasingly sophisticated and expressive animated performances.
This outstanding original production drawing is a beautiful example of classic Walt Disney animation artistry and a wonderful representation of Alice at her most charming. Capturing the beloved heroine with her eyes open, a delightful smile, and an expression of innocent optimism, the artwork perfectly conveys the personality that has endeared Alice to generations of audiences. Created by the accomplished hand of Don Lusk for one of the film's most memorable character encounters, this exceptional drawing is both a fascinating piece of Disney animation history and a superb addition to any collection of vintage Walt Disney production artwork.
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