Snow White Sabbatical

Image copyright Disney's Official Snow White Facebook page, February 2016.

After eight intense years of sitting in front of this computer, researching and archiving, I have decided to take an extended "sabbatical" from the Filmic Light. It has been an immense amount of work, yet a real pleasure too. What a remarkable opportunity this endeavor has afforded me, to connect with so many interesting and wonderful people from all over the world.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all those generous individuals who contributed to this Snow White project. Without you, there would be no archive. Thank you also to everyone who followed the posts and shared their support and encouragement. You truly kept me going. If the opportunity should arise, I will return at some point to continue the documentation. But for now, I am content with what we have accomplished.

There will always be a place in my heart for Snow White. This character that Walt Disney brought to the big screen is the perfect embodiment of truth, beauty, kindness, and above all, innocence. Today, she is every bit the universal beacon of light--the filmic light--that she was back in 1938 when the world was on the brink of global hostilities.

The story is universal--the Prince and the Princess, the masculine and feminine, these two opposites that reside in each of us. When in harmony, they operate as a whole. What could be more powerful than to take action out in the world and all the while see it through the purity of childlike innocence?

If I've learned anything from doing this work, it's that the kindness found within in the Snow White spirit is still very much alive and well in the people of the world today--despite what we might hear to the contrary.

Be resilient...and remember to keep a yodel in your heart.

Heigh-Ho!
Robert

Why I like Snow White
Total number of Archive entries to date: 3032

About "Benjamin's Ride" Snow White Documentary

One of the projects we'll be working on over the next several years is a fan-based documentary entitled, Benjamin's Ride. Ben is an autistic boy who fell in love with Snow White's Scary Adventures at Walt Disney World. He was the last person to ever ride the attraction before it was permanently closed in 2012. His story is told through interviews with his parents and others. This project has been a labor of love for us ever since it was started back in 2011.

This film is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company. There has been no outside sources of funding, only our own out-of-pocket.

If Snow White has in some way had an influence on your life, we'd love to hear about it. We welcome your stories.

Adriana Caselotti's Snow White Dress

Adriana Caselotti was no stranger to the Snow White dress. She wore it on countless occasions, usually out on public appearance tours to publicize the latest Disney re-release of film. She also posed for numerous in-studio photo sessions.

Chicago Herald-Examiner, April 22, 1938.

Clipping from Adriana Caselotti estate via Heritage Auctions.

Adriana in her 1958 dress promoting the re-release of the movie that year.

B&W image copyright Disney.

Additional public engagements included fan conventions, school groups, and other affairs. This pink and yellow version--Adriana's last--belonged to her. She greets a group of school children in 1988 at her southern California home.

She was pictured wearing it for a write-up in the September 21, 1993 edition of the supermarket tabloid, Globe.

Pink dress images via Heritage Auctions.

Though the dress design had changed through the years, Adriana's joyful personality did not. When she wore it, she truly did so with a smile and a song. See a few more examples of Adriana with a Snow White dress in a recent Archive entry.

Walt Disney & Shirley Temple Oscars Photo

In December 2016, Heritage Auctions listed this well-known b&w photograph from the 1939 Academy Awards. It features Shirley Temple presenting Walt Disney with the honorary Oscar for Snow White. The special award consisted of one full size statue and seven miniatures. (Learn more in an earlier post.)

The photograph belonged to the personal collection of Shirley Temple Black. Mounted to construction paper. Measures 11" x 14" (image area 8" x 9.5"). It is inscribed in black fountain pen ink by Walt Disney..."To Shirley Temple from Snow White, Dopey, and all the gang and me too - Walt Disney".

Also signed in pencil by the photographer, Hyman Fink.

Images via Heritage Auctions.