Silly Symphonies

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The redrawn (from 1930) opening title for the first Silly Symphony cartoon, The Skeleton Dance (1929). The original title card stated "Celebrity Productions Inc. Present A."

Silly Symphonies was an acclaimed series of animated short subjects produced by Walt Disney Productions from 1929 to 1939. Unlike the Mickey Mouse series it served as a sister series to, Silly Symphonies did not usually feature continuing characters. Donald Duck got his start in a Silly Symphonies cartoon (The Wise Little Hen, 1934), and Pluto's first appearance without Mickey Mouse was also in a Silly Symphonies cartoon (Mother Pluto, 1936).

[edit] About the series

A scene from The Skeleton Dance (1929).

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The series was first distributed by Pat Powers from 1929 to 1930 and released by Celebrity Productions (1929 - 1930). After viewing "The Skeleton Dance", the management at Columbia Pictures quickly became interested in distributing the series. As a matter of fact, Columbia Pictures (1930 - 1932) only picked up the distribution of the Mickey Mouse series on the condition that they would have exclusive rights to distribute the Silly Symphonies series. The original title cards to the shorts released by Celebrity Productions and Columbia Pictures were all redrawn after Walt Disney stopped distributing his cartoons through them. In 1932, Disney began distributing his product through United Artists. The original title cards on these shorts stated "Joseph M. Schenck Presents A Silly Symphony". When Disney began to distribute his cartoon with RKO Radio Pictures the title cards were all replaced with the words "Mickey Mouse presents a Silly Symphony"

Shortly after the switch to U/A, however, the series quickly became even more popular. Walt Disney had seen some of Dr. Herbert Kalmus' tests for a new three-strip, full-color Technicolor process, which would replace the previous, two-tone Technicolor process. Disney signed a contract with Technicolor which gave the Disney studio exclusive rights to the new three-strip process through the end of 1935, and had a 60% complete Symphony, Flowers and Trees, scrapped and redone in full color. Flowers and Trees was a phenomenal success, and within a year, the now-in-Technicolor Silly Symphonies series had popularity and success that matched (and later surpassed) that of the Mickey Mouse cartoons. Several Silly Symphonies entries, including Three Little Pigs (1932), The Grasshopper and the Ants (1934), The Tortoise and the Hare (1934), The Country Cousin (1936), The Old Mill (1937), Wynken, Blynken, and Nod (1938), and The Ugly Duckling (1939, originally made in black and white in 1931), are among the most notable films produced by Walt Disney.

Within the animation industry, the Silly Symphonies series is most noted for its use by Walt Disney as a platform for experimenting with processes, techniques, characters, and stories in order to further the art of animation. Among the innovations developed and/or improved upon in the series are Technicolor filmmaking, true and believable character animation, special effects animation, and dramatic storytelling in animation. Disney's experiments were widely praised within the film industry, and the Silly Symphonies won seven Academy Awards for Best Short Subject (Cartoons), maintaining a six-year-hold on the category after it was first introduced. This record was matched only by MGM's Tom and Jerry series during the 1940s and 1950s.

Silly Symphonies brought along many imitators, including Warner Bros. cartoon series Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies, and MGM's Happy Harmonies. The television series Mickey Mouse Works used the Silly Symphonies title for some of its new cartoons, but unlike the original cartoons, these did feature continuing characters. Disney also produced comic strips and comic books with this title.

On December 3, 2001, Disney released "Silly Symphonies" as part of its DVD series "Walt Disney Treasures". On December 19, 2006, "More Silly Symphonies" was released, completing the collection and allowing the cartoons to be completely available to the public.

[edit] Filmography

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[edit] 1929

• The Skeleton Dance. Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 22 August 1929.
• El Terrible Toreador. Directed by Walt Disney, first released on 7 September 1929.
• Springtime. Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 24 October 1929.
• Hell's Bells. Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 11 November 1929. Featuring Satan, the Grim Reaper, Cerberus, and various unnamed demons of Hell.
• The Merry Dwarfs. Directed by Walt Disney, first released on 16 December 1929.

[edit] 1930

• Summer. Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 6 January 1930.
• Autumn. Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 13 February 1930.
• Cannibal Capers. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 13 March 1930.
• Frolicking Fish. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 8 May 1930.
• Arctic Antics. Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 5 June 1930.
• Midnight in a Toyshop. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 3 July 1930.
• Night. Directed by Walt Disney, first released on 31 July 1930.
• Monkey Melodies. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 10 August 1930.
• Winter. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 5 November 1930.
• Playful Pan. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 28 December 1930. Featuring the Greek god Pan.

[edit] 1931

• Birds of a Feather. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 10 February 1931.
• Mother Goose Melodies. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 17 April 1931. Featuring among others Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, Little Bo Peep, Little Boy Blue, Little Jack Horner, Mother Goose, Old King Cole, and Simple Simon.
• The China Plate. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 25 May 1931.
• The Busy Beavers. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 22 June 1931.
• The Cat's Out. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 28 July 1931.
• Egyptian Melodies. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 21 August 1931.
• The Clock Store. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 30 September 1931.
• The Spider and the Fly. Directed by Wildred Jackson, first released on 16 October 1931.
• The Fox Hunt. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 18 November 1931.
• The Ugly Duckling. Based on a story by Hans Christian Andersen. Directed by Wildred Jackson, first released on 16 December 1931.

[edit] 1932

• The Bird Store. Directed by Wildred Jackson, first released on 16 January 1932.
• The Bears and the Bees. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 9 July 1932.
• Just Dogs. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 30 July 1932. Featuring the first starring role of Pluto.
• Flowers and Trees. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 30 July 1932. First commercially released film in Technicolor
• King Neptune. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 10 September 1932. Featuring Greco-Roman god Poseidon/Neptune as the "King of the Sea".
• Bugs in Love. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 1 October 1932.
• Babes in the Wood. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 19 November 1932. Featuring Hansel and Gretel.
• Santa's Workshop. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 10 December 1932. Featuring Santa Claus.

[edit] 1933

• Birds in the Spring. Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 11 March 1933.
• Father Noah's Ark. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 8 April 1933. Featuring Noah, Ham, Japheth, Shem and their respective wives, as well as a cavalcade of animals.
• The Three Little Pigs. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 27 May 1933. Featuring the namesake characters and the Big Bad Wolf.
• Old King Cole. Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 29 July 1933. Featuring the namesake character along with (among others) Jack Sprat and Little Boy Blue/
• Lullaby Land. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on August 19, 1933. Featuring Mr. Sandman.
• The Pied Piper. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 16 September 1933. Featuring the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
• The Night Before Christmas. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 9 December 1933.

[edit] 1934

• The China Shop. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 13 January 1934.
• The Grasshopper and the Ants. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 10 February 1934. Based on a fable by Aesop.
• Funny Little Bunnies. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 24 March 1934. Featuring the Easter Bunnies.
• The Big Bad Wolf. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 14 April 1934. Featuring the title character along with the Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood.
• The Wise Little Hen. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 9 June 1934. Featuring the debut of Donald Duck.
• The Flying Mouse. Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 14 July 1934.
• Peculiar Penguins. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 1 September 1934.
• The Goddess of Spring. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 3 November 1934. Featuring Persephone and a version of her uncle/husband Hades/Pluto, identified here with Satan. The Disney animators' first attempt to create visually realistic human characters.

[edit] 1935

• The Tortoise and the Hare. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 5 January 1935. Featuring Max Hare and Toby Tortoise. The former has been suggested as an early influence to Looney Tunes character Bugs Bunny.
• The Golden Touch. Directed by Walt Disney, first released on 22 March 1935. Featuring Midas and Goldie the elf.
• The Robber Kitten. Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 13 April 1935.
• Water Babies. Directed by Wilfred Jacksom, first released on 11 May 1935.
• The Cookie Carnival. Directed by Ben Sharpsteen, first released on 25 May 1935.
• Who Killed Cock Robin?. Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 26 June 1935.
• Music Land. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 5 October 1935.
• Three Orphan Kittens. Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 26 October 1935.
• Cock o' the Walk. Directed by Ben Sharpsteen, first released on 30 November 1935.
• Broken Toys. Directed by Ben Sharpsteen, first released on 14 December 1935.

[edit] 1936

• Elmer Elephant. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 28 March 1936.
• Three Little Wolves. Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 18 April 1936. Featuring the title characters along with their father the Big Bad Wolf and his rivals the Three Little Pigs.
• Toby Tortoise Returns. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on August 22, 1936. Featuring Max Hare and Toby Tortoise. It is a sequel to The Tortoise and the Hare. This time the plot revolves around a boxing match. The short features characters from other Silly Symphonies, including Practical Pig from Three Little Pigs, the woodpecker from Who Killed Cock Robin?, and a Mae West lookalike.^[1]
• Three Blind Mousketeers. Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 26 September 1936.
• The Country Cousin. Co-directed by David Dodd Hand and Wilfred Jackson, first released on 31 October 1936.
• Mother Pluto. Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 14 November 1936. Featuring Pluto mothering a number of newly-hatched chicks.
• More Kittens. Co-directed by David Dodd Hand and Wilfred Jackson, first released on 19 December 1936.

[edit] 1937

• Woodland Café. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 13 March 1937.
• Little Hiawatha. Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 15 May 1937.
• The Old Mill. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 5 November 1937.

[edit] 1938

• The Moth and the Flame. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 1 April 1938.
• Wynken, Blynken, and Nod. Directed by Graham Heid, first released on 27 May 1938.
• Farmyard Symphony. Directed by Jack Cutting, first released on 14 October 1938.
• Merbabies. Outsourced to Harman-Ising Pictures, co-directed by Rudolf Ising and Vernon Stallings, first released on 9 December 1938.
• Mother Goose Goes Hollywood. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 23 December 1938.

[edit] 1939

• The Practical Pig. Directed by Dick Rickard, first released on 24 February, 1939. Featuring the Three Little Pigs, the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Wolves.
• The Ugly Duckling. Directed by Jack Cutting, first released on 7 April, 1939. Another cartoon version of the classical story, first animated in 1931, and the only Silly Symphony story to be made twice.

[edit] Walt Disney Specials

In 1938, Disney released the first of several Walt Disney Specials, a fairly significant number of shorts which featured no continuing characters, and yet were not labeled Silly Symphonies. Some of them may also be considered as featurettes rather than shorts. However, animation fans generally find them similar in nature to the previous series and occasionally reference them as unofficial entries or successors to it. The following list should not be taken as official:

• Ferdinand the Bull. Directed by Dick Rickard, first released on November 25, 1938.
• Education for Death. Directed by Clyde Geronimi, first released on January 15, 1943.
• Reason and Emotion. Directed by William O. Roberts, first released on August 27, 1943.
• Chicken Little. Directed by Clyde Geronimi, first released on December 17, 1943.
• The Pelican and the Snipe. Directed by Hamilton Luske, first released on January 7, 1944.
• The Brave Engineer. Directed by Jack Kinney, first released on March 3, 1950. Featuring Casey Jones.
• Morris the Midget Moose. Directed by Charles Nichols, first released on November 24, 1950.
• How To Catch a Cold. First released on August 1, 1951.
• Lambert the Sheepish Lion. Directed by Jack Hannah, first released on February 8, 1952.
• Susie the Little Blue Coupe. Directed by Clyde Geronimi, first released on June 6, 1952.
• The Little House. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on August 8, 1952.
• Adventures In Music: Melody. Co-directed by Ward Kimball and Charles Nichols, first released on May 28, 1953.
• Football Now and Then. Directed by Jack Kinney, first released on October 2, 1953.
• Adventures In Music: Toot Whistle Plunk and Boom. Co-directed by Ward Kimball and Charles Nichols.
• Ben and Me. Directed by Hamilton Luske, first released on November 11, 1953. Featuring Amos Mouse with his friends Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
• Pigs Is Pigs. Directed by Jack Kinney, first released on May 21, 1954.
• Casey Bats Again. Directed by Jack Kinney, first released on June 18, 1954.
• Social Lion. Directed by Jack Kinney, first released on October 15, 1954.
• Hooked Bear. Directed by Jack Hannah, first released on April 27, 1956.
• Jack and Old Mac. Directed by Bill Justice, first released on July 18, 1956.
• In the Bag. Directed by Jack Hannah, first released on July 27, 1956.
• A Cowboy Needs a Horse. Directed by Bill Justice, first released on November 6, 1956.
• The Story of Anyburg U.S.A.. Directed by Clyde Geronimi, first released on June 19, 1957.
• The Truth About Mother Goose. Co-directed by William Justice and Wolfgang Reitherman first released on August 28, 1957.
• Paul Bunyan. Directed by Les Clark, first released on August 1, 1958.
• Noah's Ark. Directed by Bill Justice, first released on November 10, 1959. Featuring Noah, Ham, Japheth, Shem and their respective wives, plus a cavalcade of animals, all created with various inanimate objects and brought to life via stop motion animation.
• Goliath II. Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, first released on January 21, 1960. It was the first time that the xerography process was used in animation.
• The Saga of Windwagon Smith. Directed by Charles Nichols, first released on March 16, 1961.
• A Symposium On Popular Songs. Directed by Bill Justice, first released on December 19, 1962.
• Scrooge McDuck and Money. Directed by Hamilton Luske, first released on March 23, 1967.
• The Small One. Directed by Don Bluth, first released on December 16, 1978. The title character is a donkey. The film follows his adventure from a stable to his sale to Joseph of Nazareth and Mary, the mother of Jesus on their way to Bethlehem.
• Vincent. Directed by Tim Burton, first released in 1982.
• Oilspot and Lipstick. Directed by Michael Cedeno, first released in 1986.
• Redux Riding Hood. Directed by Steve Moore, first released in 1998.
• Three Little Pigs. Directed by Darrell Rooney, first released in 1998. Styled as parody of The Real World, a reality television program featured on MTV

[edit] References

1. ^ Toby Tortoise Returns (1936). Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on January 13, 2006.

[edit] External links

• Toonopedia: Silly Symphonies
• A listing of all 75 Silly Symphonies at The Encyclopedia of Disney Animated Shorts