by Neal Gabler
Diane and Sharon yelling. Meeting Notes, Dec. 11, 1939, Bambi—Story Meetings, 1939, Bambi Production Materials—Story Meeting Notes, Sweatbox Notes, Corr., Research, A3267, WDA.
“I thought he would be excited…” Quoted in Thomas, Building a Company.
“What else is it good for?” J. P. McEvoy, “Walt Disney Goes to War,” This Week, Jul. 5, 1942.
“Give me the plans,…” Discussion of New Burbank Disney Studio.
Colors and campus. Ibid.
Quail, doves, rabbits… Cash Shockley (head paint foreman) to Marty Sklar, Jul. 26, 1968, RHC, Box 27, Folder 107.
“[I]t wasn’t until…” Bill Cottrell, interview by Jay Horan, Aug.-Oct. 1983, WDA.
Size of Burbank compared to Hyperion. Estimate on New Studio Cost, No. 3—Nov. 4, 1938, New Studio Building Misc. Folder, Walt Disney Corr., InterOffice, 1938-1944, N-Q, A1630, WDA.
Animation Building. Robert D. Feild, The Art of Walt Disney (New York: Macmillan, 1942); Justice, Justice.
Snack bar. Ollie Johnston quoted in Thomas, Building a Company.
Gymnasium. Justice, Justice.
Noontime show. Paul Hollister, “Genius at Work: Walt Disney,” Atlantic Monthly 166, no. 6 (Dec. 1940).
“swank hotel.” Walt to Mike May, Jan. 18, 1940, May. C.A. (Mike) Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1945-1946, L-P, A1535, WDA.
Housing on the lot. Joe Grant quoted in Green and Green, Remembering Walt.
“The whole atmosphere…” Clipping, LAT, n.d. [Dec. 1940, Jan. 1941], WDA.
“walk across the lawns…” Sam Robins, “Disney Again Tries Trailblazing,” NYT Magazine, Nov. 3, 1940.
“[Y]ou can’t help feeling…” Hollister, “Genius at Work.”
“Everyone seemed happy…” Fay Adler to Walt [rec. March 11, 1941], A Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1940-1941, A-B, A1520, WDA.
“collegiate atmosphere…” Anthony Bower, “Snow White and the 1,200 Dwarfs,” Nation, 152 (May 10, 1941).
“Everything looked so nice…” Justice, Justice.
“you will cause discontent!” Quoted in Hollister, Man or Mouse, Chap. 8.
Impersonality. Quoted in Watts, Magic Kingdom.
Attempts at greater efficiency. Johnson, Whimsy Works, Chap. 2.
“When Disney began to get…” Art Babbitt quoted in Charles Glenn, “Disney Strike Leader Tells of New Kind of ‘Animation,’” LA Labor [July 1941], 1941 Strike Press Clippings, Disney Studio Strike, 1941 (from Main Files), A1683, WDA.
“line of demarcation…” Bill Melendez quoted in Solomon, Enchanted Drawings.
“[I]t was his thought…” Memo, George Morris to Roy, Jan. 26, 1939, Disney, Roy O.—Trip to NY, January 1939 Folder, Roy O. Disney Corr., Disney, Roy O.—Personal & Trips (1934-1941), A2995, WDA.
“‘Pinocchio tops any…” LAT, Feb. 4, 1940.
“happiest event since the war.” NYT, Feb. 8, 1940.
“brings the cartoon…” “It’s a Disney,” [Mar. 11, 1940] in Otis Ferguson, The Film Criticism of Otis Ferguson, ed. Robert Wilson (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1971).
“infallible.” New York Herald Tribune, Feb. 8, 1940.
“any worries you may have had…” Memo, Stuart Buchanan to Walt, Feb. 8, 1940, Pinocchio (First Nite Congratulations) Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1938-1939, A1518, WDA.
“Everything from my viewpoint…” Roy to Walt, Feb. 10, 1940, Disney, Roy O., Folder, Walt Disney Corr., InterOffice, 1938-1944, D, A1627, WDA.
“severe loss.” Memo, George Morris to Roy, Apr. 24, 1940, cited in “Outline of Points that May Come Up in Walt Disney’s Deposition,” Jun. 6, 1942, Babbitt Case Folder, Walt Disney Corr., InterOffice, 1938-1944, A-B, A1625, WDA.
“[T]he expression was at the Music Hall…” Ben Sharpsteen, interview by Richard Hubler, Oct. 9, 1968, WDA.
“bleakest vision…” Finch, Art of Disney.
Walt blamed Gone with the Wind. Sam Robins, “Disney Again Tries Trailblazing,” NYT Magazine, Nov. 3, 1940.
Pinocchio overseas. Thomas Brady, “Hollywood Makes Little Ones Out of Big Ones,” NYT, July 21, 1940, sec. 9; Walt Disney interview by Martin, Reels 6 & 7, Reel 7, WDA.
$2 million gross. Reel by Reel Sweatbox Notes, Mar. 10, 1941, BAMBI NOTES (Complete by Seq) of REVISIONS Resulting from March showings, 1941, Bambi Production Materials—Story Meeting Notes, Sweatbox Notes, Corr., Research, A3267, WDA.
“Pinocchio lacked…” LAT, Jan. 12, 1941.
“Man is in the forest!” Charles Solomon, “Historical Perspective,” Animation (Summer 1992).
“We would like to pull you in…” Bambi, Seq. 4.3 (BAMBI MEETS FALINE ON THE MEADOW, Jan. 9, 1940, Bambi—Story Meetings, 1940, Bambi Production Materials—Story Meeting Notes, Sweatbox Notes, Corr., Research, A3267, WDA.
“These pictures represent…” BAMBI—SEQ. 11, Feb. 1, 1940, Bambi—Story Meetings, 1940, ibid.
Fifteen months. BAMBI—SEQ. 12.0 (Story Meeting Notes), Feb. 27, 1940, Bambi—Story Meetings, 1940, ibid.
“I wanted a special show.” COLOR LEICA MEETING, BAMBI—“Raindrop Sequence” 2.4, Apr. 22, 1940, ibid.
RCA and Fantasound. Walt to Sarnoff, May 24, 1939; Sarnoff to Walt, Jun. 14, 1939; Tel. Roy to Walt, Jun. 27, 1939, Radio Corp. of America (David Sarnoff) Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1938-1939, Q-T, A1519; Memo, Roy to Walt, Jul. 6, 1939, Re: RCA Projection Equipment for Fantasia, Roy O. Folder, Walt Disney Corr., InterOffice, 1938-1944, A1627, WDA.
“There was complete silence.” Hand, Memoirs.
Generous salary. Motion Picture Daily, Jan. 7, 1936. Walt’s 1934 salary was listed at $78,000. Chaplin received $143,000, Bing Crosby $104,499, and Mae West $339,266.
Salaries. John H. Crider, “Disney Cartoons Go ‘Big Business,” NYT, Mar. 14, 1940.
“I could buy…” Arthur Miller, “Walter in Wonderland,” LAT Magazine, Dec. 4, 1938.
“I belong to this studio.” Ibid.
As early as 1928… Edwin Schallert, “Busy Future Outlined,” LAT, Feb. 2, 1953.
“We don’t have to answer…” Douglas W. Churchill, “Disney’s ‘Philosophy,’” NYT Magazine, Mar. 6, 1938.
Waiting after Snow White. Memo, Herb Lamb to Walt, Re: Financial Status, Feb. 8, 1941, Lamb Folder, Walt Disney Interoffice Corr., 1938-1944, L-M, A1629, WDA.
Profit and loss. Crider, “Cartoons;” NYT, Dec. 21, 1940.
Finances. Hollister, Man or Mouse, chap. 6.
“I suggest we give these boys…” Ibid..
$45,000 per short. Summary of Income Statements from Dec. 31, 1934, to Oct. 2, 1943, Morris, George, Folder; Roy to Bob Carr, John Ross, Re: Definition of Picture Costs, Jul. 2, 1941, Disney, Roy O., Walt Disney Interoffice Corr., 1938-1944, L-M, A1627, WDA.
“[Y]ou spend a hell of a lot…” Memo, George Morris to Roy, Jun. 16, 1939, Disney, Roy O.—Trip to NY, Jun.-Jul. 1939 Folder, Roy O. Disney Corr., Disney, Roy O.—Personal & Trips (1934-41), A2995, WDA.
Terms of stock issue. Roy to Walt, Feb. 16, 1940, Disney, Roy O., Walt Disney Corr., InterOffice, 1938-1944, D, A1627, WDA; NYT, April 2, 1940.
“It will seem a little odd…” Quoted in “History in the Making,” Current History, Apr. 1940.
Fred Moore visit. Fred Moore to Walt, Mar. 26, 1940, Kidder, Peabody Co. Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1940-1941, G-M, A1523, WDA.
“If you sell any of it,…” Walt Disney interview by Martin, Reel 12.
“It’s there.” BAMBI—SEQ. 12.0 (Story Meeting Notes), Feb. 27, 1940, Bambi—Story Meetings, 1940, Bambi Productions Materials—Story Meeting Notes, Sweatbox Notes, Corr., Research, A3267, WDA.
“He let me know very emphatically…” Sharpsteen, Answers to Questions Submitted by Smith.
“The reason we brought it in…” Quoted in Leonard Maltin, The Disney Films, 3rd ed. (New York: Hyperion, 1995).
“And listening to him tell…” Ward Kimball, interview by Mica Prods., aired Jul. 1, 1984, WDA.
“I was one of the ‘poor boys.’…” “Bill Peet Unleashed,” interview by John Province,
n.d., Hogan’s Alley, http://cagle.msnbc.com/hogan/interviews/peet/peet.asp.
“[i]t was in the nature…” George Sherman, “Bill Tytla,” Cartoonist Profiles (Aug. 1970).
Efficiencies. Michael Barrier, Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in its Golden Age (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999).
Idea for The Reluctant Dragon. LAT, Nov. 19, 1940.
“The answer [to the financial crisis]…” Meeting on Benchley Picture, May 7, 1940, Benchley—A Trip Through the Studio Folder, Box: Reluctant Dragon, Dumbo, Saludos Amigos, Victory Through Air Power, Three Caballeros, A2829, WDA.
Laying out the story. A Trip Through the Studio (Benchley Picture), May 21, 1940, ibid.
“I don’t think you should have any…” Ibid.
“The thing we should play up…” Memo, Walt to Al Perkins, Re: Benchley Short, May 6, 1940, ibid.
“Walt gave me a completely free hand…” Quoted in Maltin, Disney Films.
Watching a rough cut. Walt Disney Desk Diaries, Oct. 30, 1940, entry, 1940, WDA.
“very revolutionary type…” Ward Kimball, interview by John Canemaker, Jul. 7, 1973, WDA.
“All remaining sequences…” Memo, Pearce to Walt, Re: BAMBI Report, Jun. 8, 1940, Bambi Corr., Perce Pearce, Bambi Prod. Materials—Story and Meeting Notes, Sweatbox Notes, Corr., Research, A3267, WDA.
“the dread of Man…” BAMBI—SEQ. 8.0 (Story Meeting Notes), Jun. 15, 1940, Bambi—Story Meetings, 1940, ibid.
“He’s hunting for his mother…” BAMBI—SEQ. 13, 14,15, Story Meeting Notes, Jun. 14, 1940, ibid.
“Walt was demanding eloquence…” Thomas and Johnston, Disney’s “Bambi.”
Skunk and Owl. Sweatbox Notes, Bambi, Sept. 9, 1939, Bambi—Story Meetings, 1939, Bambi Production Materials—Story Meeting Notes, Sweatbox Notes, Corr., Research, A3267, WDA.
“I’d like to see us find things,…” BAMBI—SEQ. 11, Feb. 1, 1940, Bambi—Story Meetings, 1940. He makes a similar comment at a story meeting on Feb. 3.
“possibly the most important day…” Thomas and Johnston, Disney’s “Bambi.”
“That’s great stuff…” BAMBI—Animation Review, Seq. 2.1, 2.2, 4.3, Mar. 1, 1940, Bambi—Story Meetings, 1940, Bambi Production Materials—Story Meeting Notes, Sweatbox Notes, Corr., Research, A3267, WDA.
“It’s your picture…” Thomas and Johnston, “Disney’s Bambi.”
Take a trip. BAMBI—Animation Review, Seq. 2.1, 2.2, 4.3, Mar. 1, 1940.
“This is opening up something…” Ibid.
“He needs broader things.” Sweatbox Notes, Bambi, Sept. 1, 1939, Bambi—Story Meetings, 1939, Bambi Prod. Materials—Story Meeting Notes, Sweatbox Notes, Corr. Research, A3267, WDA.
“They have absolute confidence in us….” Memo, Roy to Walt, Jul. 5, 1940, Memos to and from Walt, 1940-1943 folder, Roy O. Disney InterOffice Corr., Disney, Roy O.—trips to Disneyland (1954-61), A3002, WDA.
“we are using our best…” Walt to Stoky, July 29, 1940, Stokowski, Leopold, Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1945-1946, R-Z, A1526, WDA.
One cameraman… Thomas and Johnston, Illusion of Life.
Watching dailies. Bob Broughton (cameraman), interview by author.
“Yes, it is true.” John Canemaker, “Art Babbitt,” Cartoonist Profiles (Dec. 1979).
“We are portraying…” “Ave Maria,” Meeting Notes, Feb. 8, 1940, “Ave Maria”—Meeting Notes, Fantasia Story Meetings, etc., A1782, WDA.
“There’s still a lot of Christians…” Story Meeting, Dec. 8, 1938, Concert Feature—Meetings, 1938, Fantasia, Story Meetings, etc., A1782, WDA.
“feeling that you are inside a cathedral…” “Ave Maria,” Meeting Notes, Jan. 12, 1940, “Ave Maria”—Meeting Notes, ibid.
Down to the dissolves. “Ave Maria” notes dictated by Jaxon on changes suggested with Walt, Jun. 25, 1940, “Ave Maria”—Meeting Notes, ibid.
It took six days. Thomas and Johnston, Illusion of Life; Broughton interview.
Getting Stokowski to play. Broughton interview.
“It’s a lousy job.” “Ave Maria,” Meeting, Aug. 2, 1940, “Ave Maria”—Meeting Notes, Fantasia Story Meetings, etc., A1782, WDA.
Earthquake. Broughton interview.
Motorcycle idling. Thomas and Johnston, Illusion of Life.
“something that will arrest the attention…” Stokowski to Walt, Nov. 16, 1940; Walt to Stokowski, Nov. 18, 1940, Stokowski, Leopold, Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1945-1946, R-Z, A1536.
“slow money maker…” Meeting on Benchley Picture, May 7, 1940, Benchley—A Trip Thru the Studio Folder, Box: Reluctant Dragon, Dumbo, Saludos Amigos, Victory Through Air Power, Three Caballeros, A2829, WDA.
Financing and releasing Fantasia themselves. Roy to Walt, Feb. 16, 1940, Disney, Roy O., Walt Disney Corr., InterOffice, 1938-1944, D, A1627, WDA.
“bang-up financing program…” M. H. Aylesworth to Walt, Dec. 27, 1939, A Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1938-1939, A-De, A1515, WDA.
Hal Horne’s second thoughts. Hal Horne to Roy, Jul. 9, 1940, Horne, Hal, Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1942-1943, D-H, A1527, WDA.
RKO contract. Memo, Roy to Walt, Re: Feature Contracts, August 2, 1940, D Folder, Walt Disney InterOffice Corr., 1938-1944, D, A1627, WDA.
Distributing themselves. Roy to Walt, Dec. 5, 1940, Disney, Roy O., ibid.
Weight of Fantasound. Roy to Walt, Oct. 23, 1940, Re: Sound Equipment, ibid.
Installation of Fantasound. NYT, Nov. 1, 1940. A jurisdictional dispute ensued between two unions, one claiming priority because the Broadway was an old theater and the union maintained equipment, the other claiming priority because the Broadway had been refurbished and the union installed new equipment. The dispute jeopardized the premiere. Though it was finally resolved, it meant that the theater was still being wired on the day of the premiere.
Leaving for New York. Dolores Voght to C. W. May, Nov. 2, 1940, May, C.A. (Mike), Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1945-1946, L-P, A1525; Walt to Daisy Beck, Feb. 15, 1941, Misc. File, WDA.
“only goes to show…” Walt to Neysa McMein, Nov. 2, 1940, Mc Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1940-1941, G-M, A1523, WDA.
“I don’t know how much money…” Theodore Straus, “A Sorcerer, Not an Apprentice,” NYT, Nov. 17, 1940, sec. 9.
“We’re selling entertainment…” New York World-Telegram quoted in Culhane, Disney’s Fantasia.
Patronesses. NYT, Oct. 28, 1940.
“gala premiere” Walt to Daisy Beck, Feb. 15, 1941, Misc. File, WDA.
“motion picture history was made…” NYT, Nov. 14, 1940.
Times editorial. NYT, Nov. 15, 1940.
Olin Downes. NYT, Nov. 14, 1940; Nov. 17, 1940, sec. 9.
“his first mistake.” “Both Fantasy and Fancy,” [Nov. 25, 1940,] in Ferguson, Film Criticism.
“The forces of evil…” Harry Raymond, “A Dissenting Report on Disney’s ‘Fantasia,’” Daily Worker, Dec. 6, 1940.
Dorothy Thompson. “On the Record,” NY Herald Tribune, Nov. 25, 1940.
“couldn’t have been sweeter.” Walt to Mike May, Nov. 19, 1940, May, C.A. (Mike), Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1945-1946, L-P, A1535, WDA.
Writing Stokowski. Walt to Stokowski, Nov. 18, 1940, Misc. File, WDA.
“The premiere audience was…” Edwin Schallert, “Fantasia Acclaimed as Cinema Masterpiece,” LAT, Jan. 30, 1941.
“an earthquake in motion picture history.” Arthur Miller, “The Art Thrill of the Week,” LAT, Feb. 2, 1941.
“There is nothing…” LAT, Feb. 2, 1941.
“big experience,” Robins, “Disney Again Tries Trailblazing.”
“suicidal.” Walt to Dudley Crafts Watson (Art Institute of Chicago), May 20, 1941, W Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1940-1941, S-Z, A1525, WDA.
“disappointment” Roy O. Disney, interview by Richard Hubler, Nov. 17, 1967, WDA.
“He said something to the effect…” Quoted in Solomon, The Disney That Never Was.
“Every time I’ve made a mistake…” Walt Disney interview by Martin, Reel
11.
Stravinsky’s visit. Igor Stravinsky and Robert Craft, Expositions and Developments (Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday & Co., 1962).
Stormed out. Quoted in Champaign-Urbana Courier, Mar. 3, 1949, in Culhane, Disney’s Fantasia.
“Doesn’t sound bad…” “Disney Backward Masking,” POV, no. 6-7 [1995].
“Doesn’t sound as if…” LAT, Jan. 12, 1941.
“WILL FINISH THIS WEEK…” Tel. Roy to Walt, Nov. 30, 1940, Disney, Roy O., Walt Disney Corr., InterOffice, 1938-1944, D, A1627, WDA.
Broadway Theater. Memo, Paul Scanlon to Dolores Voght, Re: Fantasia, Mar. 11, 1941, Fantasia—Distribution, Walt Disney Corr., InterOffice, 1938-1944, F-K, A1628, WDA. Thomas M. Pryor, “By Way of Report,” NYT, Nov. 24, 1940, sec. 9.
Net profits at Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco. Fantasia: Results of All Engagements Where Fantasia is Being Shown as of W/E Apr. 5, 1941, Disney, Roy O., Walt Disney Corr., InterOffice, 1938-1944, D, A1627, WDA.
“I see no reason…” Roy to Walt, Dec. 5, 1940, ibid.
“[W]e were frightened.” Story Meeting Future Concert Feature, May 14, 1940, Concert Feature II (Sequel), Fantasia, Story Meetings, etc., A1782, WDA.
“The prospective patron…” Hollywood Citizen-News, Jan. 20, 1941, quoted in Solomon, Disney That Never Was.
Remake the film each year. Disney, “Growing Pains.”
“From all the talk…” Stokowski to Walt, Dec. 27, 1940, Stokowski, Leopold, Folder, Walt Disney Corr., 1945-1946, R-Z, A1536, WDA.
“stir up musical circles.” Story Board Meeting on “Insect Ballet,” Dec. 23, 1940, Concert Feature II (Sequel), Fantasia, Story Meetings, etc., A1782, WDA.
“Peter and the Wolf.” Ibid.; Walt Disney interview by Martin, Reels 9 & 10.
Economies. Story Meeting on “Ride of the Valkyries” and “Swan of Tuonela,” Jan. 27, 1941, Concert Feature II (Sequel), Fantasia, Story Meetings, etc., A1782, WDA.
“Humoresque.” Story Meeting, Fantasia Alternates, “Mushrooms,” Mar. 29, 1941, ibid.
Exceeding loan limit. Memo, Herb Lamb to Walt, Feb. 22, 1941, Lamb, Herb, Folder, Walt Disney Corr., InterOffice, 1938-1944, L-M, A1629, WDA.
“It is my opinion…” Roy to Walt, Re: Fantasia, Apr. 8, 1941, Disney, Roy O., Walt Disney Corr., InterOffice, 1938-1944, D, A1627, WDA.