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Friday, September 28, 2018

Original Production Animation Cel of Maleficent and Diablo Signed by Marc Davis from "Sleeping Beauty," 1959


Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cel of Maleficent and Diablo  from "Sleeping Beauty," 1959, Walt Disney Studios; Set on a lithographic background; Signed Marc Davis in ink lower right; Size - Maleficent & Diablo: 9" x 6 1/2", Image 10 3/4 x 15 3/4"; Unframed.


"Come, my pet. Let us leave our noble prince with these happy thoughts." - Maleficent 

"Sleeping Beauty" is a Walt Disney animated full length feature film and was based on "The Sleeping Beauty" by Charles Perrault and "Little Briar Rose" by The Brothers Grimm. The film was the sixteenth in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, and it was released to theaters on January 29, 1959 by Buena Vista Distribution. This was to be the last Disney adaptation of a fairy tale for many years, both because of its initial mixed critical reception, and because of it's under performance at the box office. The Walt Disney studio did not return to the fairy tale genre until 30 years later, with the release of "The Little Mermaid" in 1989.

"Sleeping Beauty" was directed by Les Clark, Eric Larson, and Wolfgang Reitherman, under the supervision of Clyde Geronimi. The story was written by Joe Rinaldi, Winston Hibler, Bill Peet, Ted Sears, Ralph Wright, and Milt Banta. The film's musical score and songs, featuring the Graunke Symphony Orchestra, was under the direction of George Bruns. Arrangements and/or adaptations were derived from numbers from the 1890 "Sleeping Beauty Ballet" by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. In addition, Igor Stravinsky's music compositions were also adapted into the film. "Sleeping Beauty" was the first animated film to be photographed in the Super Technirama 70 widescreen process, as well as the second full-length animated feature film to be filmed in anamorphic widescreen; following "Lady and the Tramp" four years earlier. In select first-run engagements, the film was presented in Super Technirama 70 and 6-channel stereophonic sound.


Original Marc Davis signed production animation cel of Maleficent and Diablo without the background.

The style for "Sleeping Beauty" was based on the art of Eyvind Earle, who was known for his 'Pre-Renaissance' style; accomplished with strong vertical lines combined with Gothic elegance. Earle was involved with the design of all the characters in the film, and he designed and painted most of the backgrounds. The early sketches for Maleficent depicted a hag-like witch, however it was later decided that her final design should be more elegant; as it better suited Earle's backgrounds. The principal animator for Maleficent, Marc Davis, decided to make Maleficent a powerful fairy rather than an old crone that had been described in the original source material. A contributing factor for this decision may have been influenced by the choice of Eleanor Audley to be the voice of the character. Audley had previously worked for Disney by providing the voice for the cold and calculating Lady Tremaine (The Stepmother) in "Cinderella." It is known that Frank Thomas who animated Lady Tremaine and Marc Davis who animated Maleficent, incorporated the facials features of Eleanor into both characters. Audley was also the live-action model for Maleficent, and Marc Davis claimed that her movements and expressions were ultimately incorporated into the animation.


Close up of the Marc Davis signature.

Marc Davis's design for Maleficent's costume was inspired by a book on Medieval art. One of the images featured was that of a religious figure with long robes, the ends of which resembled flames. Davis incorporated this into Maleficent's final design, and he based the sides of her headdress on the wings of a bat, and the top of her headdress on the horns of a devil. If you ask people to name their favorite Disney Villain, chances are you will one of three answers; The Evil Queen/Witch from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Cruella DeVil from "One hundred and One Dalmatians," or Maleficent from "Sleeping Beauty." Two of the three, Cruella and Maleficent, were created and drawn by the great Walt Disney animator Marc Davis.

This cel is from the scene when Maleficent visits Prince Phillip, who is her prisoner in her dungeon. She torments him with a story about the fact that although he will grow old, Princess Aurora will remain in an ageless slumber. When he is eventually freed from Maleficent's castle, he will be to old to have any type of life with her. As Maleficent turns to leave the shackled Prince in his stone dungeon cell, she says to her pet raven Diablo (now perched on her hand), "Come, my pet. Let us leave our noble prince with these happy thoughts." This is a rare untrimmed cel of Maleficent, the Mistress of all evil; and her pet raven Diablo. Making the cel even more special is the fact that it is hand signed in black ink by Maleficent's animator Marc Davis. A beautiful piece of vintage Walt Disney history and a centerpiece to any animation art collection!

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Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Original Production Animation Drawing of Bambi Signed by Marc Davis From "Bambi," 1942


Original production animation drawing in red, blue, green, and graphite pencils of Bambi from "Bambi," 1942, Walt Disney Studios; Signed in pencil by Marc Davis center right; Numbered 1 in pencil lower right and animation ladder right center; Size - Bambi: 3 1/2 x 5", Sheet: 10 x 12"; Unframed.

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

"Come on, it's all right. Look. The water's stiff." - Thumper

"Bambi," 1942 is a full length animated film by Walt Disney Studios and based on the book "Bambi, A Life in the Woods" by Austrian author Felix Salten. The film was released by RKO Radio Pictures on August 13, 1942. "Bambi" received three Academy Award nominations: Best Sound (Sam Slyfield), Best Song (for "Love Is a Song" sung by Donald Novis), and Best Original Music Score. In June 2008, the American Film Institute presented a list of its "10 Top 10" (the best ten films in each of ten classic American film genres) and "Bambi" placed third in the animation category. In December 2011, "Bambi" was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.

The story centers on Bambi, a white-tailed deer, his parents (the Great Prince of the forest and his unnamed mother), his animal friends Thumper (a pink-nosed rabbit), Flower (a skunk), and his childhood friend and future mate, a doe named Faline. Walt Disney wanted all of the animals to be more realistic and expressive than those in "Snow White". He had Rico LeBrun, a wildlife animal painter, come into the Disney Studios to lecture to the animators on the structure and movement of animals. The animators went on excursions to the Los Angeles Zoo and Walt Disney set up a small zoo at the Disney Animation Studio with animals such as rabbits, ducks, owls, skunks, and a pair of fawns aptly named Bambi and Faline; so that the artists could see first-hand animal movement. Animator Marc Davis created the final design of Bambi by incorporating LeBurn's realistic study of deer anatomy but exaggerating the character's face by making his proportions baby-like; including a short snout and big expressive eyes.


Close up of the original production animation drawing of Bambi and the Marc Davis signature.

"Bambi" was Walt Disney's favorite film he ever made, and it is not too surprising given his love of nature films. The special effects, particularly the water, and the lush hand painted backgrounds create a wonderful environment that allows the viewer to be totally immersed into the film. Combined with a great story of friendship and complete success in the creation of characters; the film is able to provide amazing feelings of both happiness and sadness, as the viewer watches Bambi grows up from fawn to deer.

Although the character of Bambi was designed by Marc Davis; animation was accomplished by Frank Thomas, Milt Kahl, Eric Larson, Ollie Johnson, and Preston Blair. The voice of Bambi was provided by four different actors, corresponding to the different ages of Bambi as he grew older: Bobby Stewart (baby), Donnie Dunagan (young), Hardie Albright (adolescent), and John Sutherland (young adult). Donnie Dunagan was also the performance model for the character, with the animators integrating his facial expressions onto the face of Bambi.


Close up of the production number.

This is a wonderful original production animation drawing of Bambi from the very famous snow/ice scene. Bambi awakens to find his first snow covered forest. The pond has frozen over, and his bunny friend Thumper assures him it's safe, "Come on, it's all right. Look. The water's stiff." Bambi runs down a small hill and slips and slides across the frozen pond, and this is a wonderful drawing from that sequence. Bambi is full figure, eyes open, and the drawing is hand signed by his Walt Disney animator Marc Davis. This is a beautiful piece of original animation artwork that is perfect for any art collection!

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Original Production Animation Cel of Prince John from "Robin Hood," 1973


Original hand painted production animation cel of Prince John from "Robin Hood," 1973, Walt Disney Studios; Walt Disney seal lower left; Set on a lithographic background; Numbered 83 in ink lower right; Framed with a black and gold wood frame, gold wood fillet, two acid free linen mats, and UV conservation clear glass; Size - Prince John: 6 3/4 x 9 1/4", Image 9 x 12", Frame 22 x 25".

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

"To coin a phrase, my dear counselor, rob the poor to feed the rich." Prince John

The history of Robin Hood is that he is a heroic outlaw from English folklore who, according to legend, was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. He is usually depicted dressed in green, leads a band of Merry Men, and his motto is "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor." Robin Hood has became a popular folk figure, with ballads dating back to as early as the 15th century.

"Robin Hood" was the twenty-first full length animated film released by Walt Disney Studios on November 8, 1973. Robin Hood is an anthropomorphic fox and the protagonist of the film. Although Robin Hood is often shown as an outlaw who chooses to rob from the rich to help the poor people, in this Disney animated version, he is shown mainly attacking Prince John and his agents (Sir Hiss and the Sheriff of Nottingham), who have impoverished Nottingham with high taxes. Robin Hood and Little John steal the tax caravans and give it back to the peasants while trying to avoid capture.


Original production animation cel of Prince John without the background.


Close up of the Walt Disney seal.


Close up of the production number.


Framed original production animation cel of Prince John
All the characters in Disney's version of "Robin Hood" were played by animals. Prince John was a lion, Sir Hiss (no surprise) was a snake, and the Sheriff of Nottingham was a wolf. Prince John is a spoiled King who will resort to any underhanded trick so that he can maintain the crown and throne of Nottingham; and was voiced by the great and deep voiced Peter Ustinov. Sir Hiss was voiced by Terry-Thomas (who's hissing speech was masterful), and both were animated by Ollie Johnston. The on-screen presence of the two together is just wonderful and Johnston's animation skills, at this point, are top notch! The personalities are different and distinct, as are the ways the two different characters move and interact. Kaa from a prior film "Jungle Book," 1967 must have been a nice starting point, in order to allow Sir Hiss to show more emotion and expression through the use of not only his face and head, but his tail.

This is a wonderful original production cel of Prince John talking to Sir Hiss. They are on their way to Nottingham and discussing the issue of taxing the poor, and Prince John says, "To coin a phrase, my dear counselor, rob the poor to feed the rich." Prince John while holding his crown in his paws says to Sir Hiss, "Tell me, ah what is the next stop, ah Sir Hiss?" A spectacular eyes and mouth open hand painted animation cel of the primary villain of the film, and a great addition to any animation art collection!

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Original Production Animation Cels of Professor Ratigan and Felicia from "The Great Mouse Detective," 1986


Original hand painted production animation cels of Professor Ratigan and Felicia set on a lithographic background from "The Great Mouse Detective," 1986, Walt Disney Studios; Ratigan cel numbered R83 in ink lower right and Disney lower left; Felicia numbered 8 in ink lower right; Size - Ratigan & Felicia: 8 1/2" x 9"; Image: 9 1/2" x 11 3/4"; Unframed.

To purchase these cels or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!

"Oh , Felicia, my precious, my baby. Did Daddy's little honey bun enjoy her tasty treat?" - Ratigan 

Eve Titus wrote a series of stories about Basil of Baker Street; a mouse that lived next door to Sherlock Holmes and who shared many of his skills and traits. Walt Disney Studios adapted the Titus stories into a wonderful feature film that was still able to maintain the Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes characters, even though they were transformed into a mouse world. The resulting film "The Great Mouse Detective" was directed by Ron Clements, music by Henry Mancini, and was released on July 2, 1986. Although the script took about four years to develop, the animation only took a year with an estimated total budget of $14 million.


Original production animation cel of Ratigan without the background.


Original production animation cel of Felicia without the background.

Ratian was designed and animated by Walt Disney master animator, Glen Keane. The inspiration for the character was Professor James Moriarty, the nemesis to Sherlock Holmes in the series of stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Ratigan was voiced by veteran Hollywood actor Vincent Price, who stated it was his favorite role because he had two songs written for him, "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind," and "Goodbye, So Soon."

In the following paragraph Ratigan explains his scheme to his henchmen:
"My friends, we are about to embark on the most odious, the most evil, the most diabolical scheme of my illustrious career. A crime to top all crimes.  A crime that will live in infamy! Tomorrow evening, our beloved monarch celebrates her Diamond Jubilee and, with the enthusiastic help of our good friend, Mr. Flaversham, it promises to be a night she will never forget! Her last night, and my first, as supreme leader of all Mousedom!"

Felicia is Ratigan's fat spoiled pet cat, who also serves as his executioner. These cels are from the part in the film when one of Ratigan's mouse henchman, Bartholomew, accidentally calls Ratigan a rat. Ratigan summons Felicia with a bell and because Bartholomew is drunk, he does not notice her walking up behind him. Felicia picks up Bartholomew up by his tail and swallows him whole. This pair of cels are from the following scene when Ratigan says "Oh , Felicia, my precious, my baby. Did Daddy's little honey bun enjoy her tasty treat?" A fantastic cel setup from this very memorable part of the film and a great addition to any animation art collection!

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Sunday, September 23, 2018

Original Production Animation Cel of Alice and Dinah from "Alice In Wonderland," 1951


Original hand inked and hand painted production animation cel of Alice and her cat Dinah set on a lithographic background from "Alice In Wonderland," 1951, Walt Disney Studios; Size - Alice & Dinah: 7 3/4 x 4", Image 9 x 4", Mat 14" x 9 1/4"; Double Matted.

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

"In my world, you wouldn't say 'meow'. You'd say 'Yes, miss Alice'." - Alice

"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.

Initial design for the character of Alice was accomplished by Mary Blair during the storyboard phase and also by Les Clark. Alice was animated by Ollie Johnston, Don Lusk, and Marc Davis who animated her for the tea party scene.


Original production animation cel of Alice and Dinah without the background.


Double matted original production animation cel of Alice and Dinah.

Dinah is Alice's small reddish brown kitten with blue eyes, she was animated by Eric Larson, and voiced by Mel Blanc. In this scene, Alice is not paying attention to her sister reading from a history book, because the book doesn't have any pictures. Alice then explains that in her world the books would have nothing but pictures and speaking to Dinah says, "In my world, you wouldn't say 'meow'. You'd say 'Yes, miss Alice'."

This is a wonderful full figure original production animation cel of Alice holding her pet kitten Dinah. Both characters are eyes open and original artwork of Dinah is extremely rare to market. 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 Tod and Vixey from "The Fox and the Hound," 1981


Original hand painted production animation cel of Tod and Vixey from "The Fox and the Hound," 1981, Walt Disney Studios; Set on lithographic background; Numbered 81 in ink lower right; Walt Disney seal lower left; Size - Tod & Vixey: 7 1/2 x 5 3/4", Image 11 1/2 x 15 1/2"; Unframed.

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

"And, now, that is a natural fact
'Cause when you be yourself
With a lady act
You're gonna be appreciated right back" - Big Mama

"The Fox and the Hound," 1981 is the 24th animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Productions and it was loosely based on the novel, of the same name, by Daniel P. Mannix. The film tells the story of two unlikely friends, a red fox named Tod and a hound dog named Copper. The story centers on the two main character's struggle to preserve their friendship, as their emerging instincts and surrounding social pressures begin to force them to become adversaries. The film was directed by Ted Berman, Richard Rich, and Art Stevens; and features the voice talents of Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell, Pearl Bailey, Jack Albertson, Sandy Duncan, Jeanette Nolan, Pat Buttram, John Fiedler, John McIntire, Dick Bakalyan, Paul Winchell, Keith Mitchell, and Corey Feldman. At the time of release, "The Fox and the Hound" was the most expensive animated film produced to date, costing $12 million.


Original production animation cel of Tod and Vixey without the background.

The story begins with Tod, an orphaned red fox who's mother was shot by a hunter not long after leaving him by a fence post. An owl, Big Mama, feels sorry for the little fox; and with the help of Dinky and Boomer (a sparrow and a woodpecker) they eventually get the Widow Tweed to adopt the young orphan.

Tod befriends a young coonhound dog named Copper, who is supposed to be his sworn enemy; however they soon become inseparable best friends. One day Copper is sent off on a hunting trip and is taught how to be a true hunting dog. He returns home and tells Tod that their friendship can't continue any longer, because he realizes what he must become. This is sad news for Tod, and one day the old Irish Wolfhound hunting dog Chief attacks Tod. Copper saves him from being killed and Tod escapes, but Chief ends up getting severely hurt during the attack. Copper becomes angry and decides to go on the hunt for Tod.


Close up of the Walt Disney seal.


Close up of the production number.

During the hunt, Tod and his new female fox friend Vixey, are able to evade Copper and the hunter Amos Slade. But when the two hunters encounter a bear, Tod is torn between running away or risking his life to save his old best friend. Tod decides to intervene, but falls down a waterfall and is badly hurt. Amos Slade tries to take advantage of the wounded fox, but Copper stands in front of him and preventing Slade from firing a shot. In the end, their friendship is repaired and they are again best friends. Tod was animated by Ollie Johnston, Don Bluth, Mark Henn, Dan Haskett, John Lasseter, and John Musker; and was voiced by Keith Coogan (fox pup) and Mickey Rooney (adult fox). Vixey was Glen Keane and Mark Henn and voiced by the American singer, dancer, comedian, and actress Sandy Duncan.

This is an absolutely beautiful original hand painted production animation cel of Tod and Vixey. After Vixey and Tod have a fight, this cel appears in the scene when Big Moma (voiced by Pearl Bailey) sings the song "Appreciate the Lady." This allows Todd to be himself and for Vixey to give him another chance, after Tod was not able to catch a fish on his own. This is a great eyes open image of both characters, a stand out piece of animation artwork, and is a perfect addition for any collection!

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Original Production Animation Cel of Pecos Bill from "Melody Time," 1948


Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cel of Pecos Bill from "Melody Time," 1948, Walt Disney Studios; Set on a lithographic background; Size - Pecos Bill & Hat: 8 1/2 x 6 1/2", Image 8 3/4 x 9 3/4"; Unframed.

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

"So Yippie-aye-ay, aye-ay! Yippee-aye-o!" - Pecos Bill 

"Melody Time," 1948 is a live-action animated film and was the tenth feature film released and produced by Walt Disney. The film was released by RKO Radio Pictures on May 27, 1948. According to Walt Disney the film follows: "In the grand tradition of Disney's greatest musical classics, such as Fantasia, Melody Time features seven classic stories, each enhanced with high-spirited music and unforgettable characters... feast for the eyes and ears, wit and charm... a delightful Disney classic with something for everyone."

The seven classic stories include:

"Once Upon A Wintertime" which features Frances Langford singing the title song about two romantic young lovers (Jenny and Joe) during the month of December.

"Bumble Boogie" is a surrealistic battle for a solitary bumble bee as he tries to ward off a visual and musical frenzy by Freddy Martin and His Orchestra as they play a swing-jazz variation of Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee.

 "The Legend of Johnny Appleseed" tells the story of John Chapman, who lived during pioneer days in the Mid-West and earned his famous nickname because he planted so many apple trees. Dennis Day narrates the story and provides the voice for both Johnny and his angel.

"Little Toot" is based on the story by Hardie Gramatky about a small tugboat (Little Toot) who wanted to be just like his father, Big Toot; but who just could not stay out of trouble. The singing group the Andrew Sisters provide the vocals.

"Trees" is a segment featuring the recitation of the 1913 poem "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer with music by Oscar Rasbach, and performed by Fred Waring and The Pennsylvanians. To preserve the look of the original story sketches, Walt Diseny animation layout artist Ken O'Connor used frosted cels and rendered pastel images directly onto the celluloid. The cel was then laminated with clear lacquer to protect the pastel during the filming process, and the result was unique to animation of the time.

"Blame It on the Samba" brings back to the screen Walt Disney cartoon stars Donald Duck and Jose Carioca as they meet the Aracuan Bird, who introduces them to the samba. The music is the 1914 polka Apanhei-te, Cavaquinhoby Ernesto Nazareth that was altered to English lyrics. The Dinning Sister provided the vocals and Ethel Smith appears in the live-action role.

"Pecos Bill" was the final and longest (22 minutes) segment of the film and focuses on the Texas hero Pecos Bill, who was raised by coyotes and would later become the biggest and best cowboy that ever lived. The story also stars his horse Widowmaker and tells the story of his ill-fated and instant romance with a beautiful woman named Slue Foot Sue. The segment features Western stars of the day Roy Rogers, Bob Nolan, Trigger, and Sons of the Pioneers explaining to two kids Bobby Driscoll and Luana Patten why coyotes howl at night; and in the process end up telling the story of Pecos Bill.


Original production animation cel of Pecos Bill without the background.

Pecos Bill was animated by Ward Kimball and Milt Kahl and the character was portrayed by Wally Boag in the live action Golden Horseshoe Revue at Disneyland. The live action Western entertainment show would become the longest running stage production in history, running from Disneyland's opening day July 17, 1955 to October 12, 1986.

This is a rare and wonderful cel of Pecos Bill from the vintage 1948 feature film "Melody Time." He is wearing his pink long-sleeved shirt, grey vest, green bandanna, his eyes are open, and a cigarette is hanging out of his mouth. He is firing his pistols into the air and his black cowboy hat is floating above and to the left of his head. A very action packed image and an absolutely phenomenal piece of original animation artwork perfect for any collection!

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Original Production Animation Drawing of Governor Ratcliffe from "Pocahontas," 1995


Original production animation drawing of Governor Ratcliffe in graphite pencil from "Pocahontas," 1995, Walt Disney Studios; Signed by Rick (Richard) Hoppe in pencil center left; Size - Governor Ratcliffe: 10 x 12 1/2", Sheet 12 1/2 x 17"; Unframed.


"This is my land! I make the laws here! And I say anyone who so much as looks at an Indian without killing him on sight, will be tried for treason and hanged!" - Governor Ratcliffe

"Pocahontas" 1995 is an animated musical drama and the 33rd full length feature film produced by Walt Disney, and it was released on June 23, 1995 by Buena Vista Pictures. The film was loosely based on the life of the Native American woman Pocahontas and portrays a fictionalized historical encounter with the Englishman John Smith and the settlers of Jamestown. The film was directed by Mike Gabriel and Eric Goldberg, musical score by Alan Menken, songs by Stephe Schwartz, and stars Irene Bedard as the voice of Pocahontas and Mel Gibson and the voice of John Smith. Supporting casts includes David Ogden Stiers, Russell Means, Christian Bale, Billy Connolly, and Linda Hunt.


Close up of the original production animation drawing of Governor Ratcliffe and the Rick (Richard) Hoppe signature.

Governor Ratcliffe, the main villain of the film, was wonderfully voiced by David Ogden Stiers (who also voiced Wiggins) who is most known for portraying Major Charles Winchester on the hit TV show "M*A*S*H*." This is a large and rare drawing of Governor Ratcliffe accomplished in graphite pencil. A fantastic chest up image, he is eyes open, and the drawing is signed by Rick (Richard) Hoppe; who was the supervising lead animator for the character. A wonderful drawing that is perfect for any animation art collection!

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Friday, September 21, 2018

Original Production Animation Cels of Wart Pulling Excalibur From The Stone and Magic Effects from "The Sword In The Stone," 1963


Original hand painted production animation cels of Wart pulling Excalibur from the stone and Magic Effects from "The Sword In The Stone," 1963, Walt Disney Studios; Both set on a lithographic background; With original Art Corner mat, backing board, and sticker certificate; Size - Wart (King Arthur) & Excalibur: 7 x 6 1/4", Image 10 x 11"; Unframed.


"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 pulling Excalibur from the stone.


Original production animation cel of Magic Effects.

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.

On Christmas Eve, Wart's foster brother Kay is knighted and Wart is reinstated as Kay's squire. On the day of the tournament, Wart realizes that he has left Kay's sword at an Inn, which is now closed. Archimedes sees the Sword in the Stone, and Wart removes it and returns with it to the tournament. Sir Ector, Wart's foster father, recognizes the sword as the one from the stone and the tournament is halted. Sir Ector places the sword back in its anvil, demanding Wart prove that he pulled it. Thinking now that anyone can pull the sword easily, Kay and others try unsuccessfully to remove it. Sir Pellinore and Sir Bart stand up for Wart and encourage him to try and pull the sword again.


Original Art Corner backing board with sticker certificate.


Close up of the original Art Corner sticker certificate.

These cels is from the scene when Wart, surrounding by onlookers, pulls the Sword Excalibur from the anvil and fulfills the prophecy that "whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is rightwise king, born of England." Wart is then crowned King Arthur of England and Merlin tells Arthur that he will go on to lead the Knights of the Round Table and become very famous. This is an extremely rare original production animation cel Wart pulling Excalibur from the stone and an original Magic Effects cel; both from the high point of the film. An absolutely phenomenal piece of original animation artwork perfect for any collection!

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Sequence of Three Original Production Animation Drawings of Ursula from "The Little Mermaid," 1989


Sequence of three original production animation drawings of Ursula in graphite and blue pencils from "The Little Mermaid," 1989, Walt Disney Studios; Numbered 117, 118, and 119 upper right; Size - Ursula: 6 1/2 x 9", Sheets 10 1/2 x 12 1/2"; Unframed.

To purchase these drawings or to visit the Art Gallery, CLICK HERE!

"You got it, sweetcakes. No talking, singing, zip." - Ursula 

"The Little Mermaid," is an American animated musical fantasy film and the 28th film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. It was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures to theaters on November 17, 1989. The film was based on the Danish fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen, which tells the story of a beautiful mermaid princess who dreams of becoming human. The film was written, directed, and produced by Ron Clements and John Musker; with music by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. The voice cast includes: Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Pat Carroll, Samuel E. Wright, Jason Marin, Kenneth Mars, Buddy Hackett, and René Auberjonois.

"The Little Mermaid," 1989 was the final Disney film using hand painted animation cels. Disney Studios, specifically Ron Clements and John Musker, adapted the Hans Christian Anderson story to give the villain a much bigger role. The first choice to voice the character was Beatrice Arthur who turned down the part. It was eventually accepted by veteran stage actress Elaine Stritch; however she clashed with the music stylist. The voice was finally given to Pat Caroll who described the role as, "part Shakespearean actress, with all the flair, flamboyance and theatricality, and part used-car salesman with a touch of con artist." Although I would have loved to have heard Arthur and Stritch sing "Pour Unfortunate Souls," Ursula is the absolute embodiment of Caroll and I think she was the best choice!


Ursula original production animation drawing.


Close up of the Ursula original production animation drawing.


Ursula original production animation drawing.


Close up of the Ursula original production animation drawing.


Ursula original production animation drawing.


Close up of the Ursula original production animation drawing.

The animation of the character was initially offered to Glen Keane, however after hearing Jodi Benson sing "Part of Your World" he wanted to animate Ariel instead and so Ursula ended up going to Disney animator, Ruben Aquino. Aquino credits Ursula as his favorite character in which he has ever worked and said, "When animating Ursula, I was inspired mainly by the voice and by the story sketches, but of course, I also worked very closely with the directors (John Musker and Ron Clements) to realize their vision. Given a great voice, the scenes almost animate themselves, and that definitely was the case with Pat Carroll's amazing vocal performance. I also did a lot of research on octopus locomotion to make sure Ursula's movements were convincing."

This is an outstanding three drawing sequence from Ursula's famous song "Poor Unfortunate Souls," one of the true highlights of the entire film! This drawings are from the most famous part of the sequence; when Ursula tells Ariel that in return for making her human, Ursula wants Ariel's voice as payment. The dialog for the scene is below:

Ursula: "Oh, and there is one more thing. We haven't discussed the subject of payment. You can't get something for nothing, you know."
Ariel: "But I don't have any..."
Ursula: "I'm not asking much. Just a token really, a trifle. You'll never even miss it. What I want from you is... Your voice."
Ariel: "My voice?"
Ursula: "You got it, sweetcakes. No talking, singing, zip."

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