A pretty cool signature!
Showing posts with label lucille la verne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lucille la verne. Show all posts
Friday, October 24, 2014
Lucille La Verne Autograph
From the collection of Michael Filippello comes this autograph of one of the greats--Lucille La Verne--the voice of both the Evil Queen and the Old Hag in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
A pretty cool signature!
A pretty cool signature!
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
January 9, 1938 - Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air
The Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air was a short-lived Sunday
afternoon radio program on NBC. A children's musical variety show, the
half hour broadcast was recorded in front of a live studio audience at the Disney Little Theater on the RKO lot. Initially, Walt Disney was skeptical of a weekly presentation featuring his characters; he didn't believe they would translate well into this non-visual medium. However, Pepsodent tooth paste
was offering a weekly sponsorship outlay of ten to twelve thousand dollars, and that's probably what got the show the green light. Yet, Walt's instincts were correct. Looking
back, the programs are certainly interesting from a historical
perspective, but they do lack a little something in entertainment value.
In all, there were 20 episodes that ran from January 2 to May 15, 1938. It's not difficult to see how Walt aspired to use this platform to help promote his recently premiered Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. With the film scheduled to open at New York's Radio City Music Hall on January 13, 1938 and then into general release across North America on February 4th, a weekly radio show would only help to enliven the buzz.
Every episode incorporated Snow White's talking Magic Mirror as a means of teleporting the Disney characters into their adventures. The gang would drop in on Mother Goose, King Neptune, The Pied Piper, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and many other storybook tales.
The January 9, 1938 Program:
Today's episode, the second in the series, was entitled "Snow White Day". Our host John Hiestan was joined on stage by Walt Disney as himself. Walt also voiced Mickey Mouse (a role he continued for only the first three episodes; Mickey's radio duties were then turned over to actor Joe Twerp). Other characters included Minnie Mouse (Thelma Boardman), Goofy (Stuart Buchanan, who voiced the Huntsman in the film, and possibly Grumpy here) and Donald Duck (Clarence Nash).
The opening theme was Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? performed by the Felix Mills Orchestra, followed by an instrumental of Whistle While You Work. Additional vocals (and bird sounds) were provided later in the show by the twelve-member, all-female Minnie Mouse Woodland Choir, plus their counterparts, an eight-member male choir.
We learn from Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and announcer Hiestan that Donald has been locked in the attic (although he turns up later). Walt then asks Goofy to bring out the Magic Mirror, after which Mickey invokes it to 'bid Snow White and her Prince to appear.'
Snow comes on to sing I'm Wishing followed by the Prince's One Song. When I first heard these numbers, I thought the vocals were performed, as they were in the film, by Adriana Caselotti and Harry Stockwell. I still think the Prince's voice may be Stockwell. However, after many more listenings, I'm leaning towards the idea that Snow White is played by Thelma Hubbard. Hubbard would have this role for certain eleven months later on the Lux Radio Theater.
Walt continues a narration of the Snow White story which leads into her singing With a Smile and a Song. Mickey then invokes the Mirror once again, this time to bring forth the Old Witch, Lucille La Verne. It's a terrific little moment between her and Walt when she approaches with a basket of apples and says, "Hello Disney! Have a bite?!"
Later, the Seven Dwarfs arrive on stage singing Heigh-Ho (the male choir) before being introduced to the audience. Again, the voice-actors sound a bit anomalous to what we're used to in the movie. Pinto Colvig, aka Grumpy and Sleepy, surely had been replaced since he'd already left the Studio in 1937. Yet all the others could be here: Roy Atwell (Doc), Otis Harlan (Happy), Scotty Mattraw (Bashful). Certainly Billy Gilbert is Sneezy. He practically steals the show with his nasal antics. The whole gang is then transported to the Dwarfs' cottage where they perform the Silly Song.
The program's showstopper was a version of Some Day My Prince Will Come where both Snow White and the Prince sing to each other. Things wrap up with a final Pepsodent plug before Walt tells us what to expect in next week's show. Then it closes with an instrumental of With a Smile and a Song.
Thanks to musical director Felix Mills, we can now listen to this program in its entirety. His estate donated the original recorded discs from the radio show to the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters, and you can hear seven out of the original twenty episodes, including Snow White, on the Internet Archive.
Special thanks to Jim Korkis for his invaluable knowledge of this subject. Learn more about Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air in Jim's article posted on MousePlanet.
In all, there were 20 episodes that ran from January 2 to May 15, 1938. It's not difficult to see how Walt aspired to use this platform to help promote his recently premiered Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. With the film scheduled to open at New York's Radio City Music Hall on January 13, 1938 and then into general release across North America on February 4th, a weekly radio show would only help to enliven the buzz.
Every episode incorporated Snow White's talking Magic Mirror as a means of teleporting the Disney characters into their adventures. The gang would drop in on Mother Goose, King Neptune, The Pied Piper, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and many other storybook tales.
Image via 2719 Hyperion.
The January 9, 1938 Program:
Today's episode, the second in the series, was entitled "Snow White Day". Our host John Hiestan was joined on stage by Walt Disney as himself. Walt also voiced Mickey Mouse (a role he continued for only the first three episodes; Mickey's radio duties were then turned over to actor Joe Twerp). Other characters included Minnie Mouse (Thelma Boardman), Goofy (Stuart Buchanan, who voiced the Huntsman in the film, and possibly Grumpy here) and Donald Duck (Clarence Nash).
The opening theme was Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? performed by the Felix Mills Orchestra, followed by an instrumental of Whistle While You Work. Additional vocals (and bird sounds) were provided later in the show by the twelve-member, all-female Minnie Mouse Woodland Choir, plus their counterparts, an eight-member male choir.
We learn from Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and announcer Hiestan that Donald has been locked in the attic (although he turns up later). Walt then asks Goofy to bring out the Magic Mirror, after which Mickey invokes it to 'bid Snow White and her Prince to appear.'
Snow comes on to sing I'm Wishing followed by the Prince's One Song. When I first heard these numbers, I thought the vocals were performed, as they were in the film, by Adriana Caselotti and Harry Stockwell. I still think the Prince's voice may be Stockwell. However, after many more listenings, I'm leaning towards the idea that Snow White is played by Thelma Hubbard. Hubbard would have this role for certain eleven months later on the Lux Radio Theater.
Walt continues a narration of the Snow White story which leads into her singing With a Smile and a Song. Mickey then invokes the Mirror once again, this time to bring forth the Old Witch, Lucille La Verne. It's a terrific little moment between her and Walt when she approaches with a basket of apples and says, "Hello Disney! Have a bite?!"
Later, the Seven Dwarfs arrive on stage singing Heigh-Ho (the male choir) before being introduced to the audience. Again, the voice-actors sound a bit anomalous to what we're used to in the movie. Pinto Colvig, aka Grumpy and Sleepy, surely had been replaced since he'd already left the Studio in 1937. Yet all the others could be here: Roy Atwell (Doc), Otis Harlan (Happy), Scotty Mattraw (Bashful). Certainly Billy Gilbert is Sneezy. He practically steals the show with his nasal antics. The whole gang is then transported to the Dwarfs' cottage where they perform the Silly Song.
The program's showstopper was a version of Some Day My Prince Will Come where both Snow White and the Prince sing to each other. Things wrap up with a final Pepsodent plug before Walt tells us what to expect in next week's show. Then it closes with an instrumental of With a Smile and a Song.
Thanks to musical director Felix Mills, we can now listen to this program in its entirety. His estate donated the original recorded discs from the radio show to the Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters, and you can hear seven out of the original twenty episodes, including Snow White, on the Internet Archive.
Special thanks to Jim Korkis for his invaluable knowledge of this subject. Learn more about Mickey Mouse Theater of the Air in Jim's article posted on MousePlanet.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
December 19, 1937 - Chase & Sanborn Radio Show
In this episode, Charlie plans to trap Santa Claus and reads a letter he's written to him. The Snow White segment kicks in around the 10:25 mark.
Charlie interacts with the Dwarfs played by Billy Gilbert (Sneezy), Pinto Colvig (Grumpy), and Roy Atwell (Doc). It's also a treat to hear both Lucille La Verne as the Queen and then the Witch, plus Adriana Caselotti as Snow White. In future radio productions, their characters are performed by other actors. Moroni Olsen is also present as the voice of the Magic Mirror.
The music is performed by Robert Armbruster and His Orchestra. Songs include Heigh-Ho and Whistle While You Work.
You can listen to the show at Comic Book Plus. Segments of this particular recording have been deleted including the commercials and musical performances by Nelson Eddy and Dorothy Lamour. TRT: 20:27.
The show sponsor was Chase and Sanborn Coffee. Learn more at Old Time Radio Archive.
Image via Old Time Radio Catalog.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Deleted Scenes - Witch at Cauldron
During the production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney and his directors divided the film into 16 separate sequences, so as to make the monumental task of animating it more manageable. In actuality, there are many more than this since most of the sequences are further divided into sub-categories (e.g., Sequence 3A, 3B, 3C, etc.).
Sequence 9A takes place in the Queen's laboratory where the "Old Hag" stands over her cauldron. In the film, when all the Dwarfs finally doze off to sleep after their merry-making at the cottage, the story cuts back to this scene. It was directed by Bill Cottrell. In the version we all know, the steam clears and she's seen dunking the apple into her poisonous brew...
Sequence 9A was not originally meant to start with the apple-dunking. The scene actually began with a long shot that slowly moves in on the cackling Witch. Her Raven is seen stage-right perched atop the skull upon the table...
With a poison-filled vial grasped tightly in her right hand, she stirs the boiling cauldron counter-clockwise with her left...
In a manner reminiscent of the Witches' Spell from Macbeth, voice-actor Lucille La Verne smashingly delivers the following lines:
She then tips the vial to add the last deadly ingredient...
The yellow mixture turns a sickish green, and the incantation concludes with:
These scenes were fully inked, painted, animated and photographed by September 1937. Then in November, just one month before the premiere, the scene of the Witch dunking the apple was re-shot and became the new beginning for Sequence 9A. Like the other deleted scenes throughout the film, these of the Witch stirring her cauldron were probably cut simply to tighten the story.
Altogether, the cauldron deleted scenes last approximately 34 seconds. The Witch and Raven were animated by Norm Ferguson. Special effect animation was completed by George Rowley (cauldron bubbles and steam), Paul Satterfield (steam and liquid in vial), and Reuben Timmons (steam). Page 292, The Fairest One of All, J.B. Kaufman.
To the dismay of many a Snow White fan, the cauldron piece was not included among the deleted scenes on the 2009 Blu-ray home video release. However, for those who own the earlier 2001 DVD, you can enjoy this short but powerful bit of animation history.
2001 Snow White DVD, North American NTSC version, Disc 2...
On Disc 2, navigate from the Magic Mirror menu to The Dwarfs' Mine, then to Deleted Scenes...
And for those lucky enough to own the 1994 Deluxe LaserDisc (and a player to view it with), the cauldron pencil test is included as an extra.
Sequence 9A takes place in the Queen's laboratory where the "Old Hag" stands over her cauldron. In the film, when all the Dwarfs finally doze off to sleep after their merry-making at the cottage, the story cuts back to this scene. It was directed by Bill Cottrell. In the version we all know, the steam clears and she's seen dunking the apple into her poisonous brew...
Screen images copyright Disney. Used here for historical documentation purposes.
Sequence 9A was not originally meant to start with the apple-dunking. The scene actually began with a long shot that slowly moves in on the cackling Witch. Her Raven is seen stage-right perched atop the skull upon the table...
With a poison-filled vial grasped tightly in her right hand, she stirs the boiling cauldron counter-clockwise with her left...
In a manner reminiscent of the Witches' Spell from Macbeth, voice-actor Lucille La Verne smashingly delivers the following lines:
During this incantation, we see vapor rise from the bubbling stew to briefly take the shape of one, two, three skulls...Boil cauldron, boil.Boil cauldron, boil.Death within your depths I seeFor one who dares to rival me.
She then tips the vial to add the last deadly ingredient...
The yellow mixture turns a sickish green, and the incantation concludes with:
Brew the magical recipe.A huge blast of steam fills the room. When the air begins to clear, the sequence continues with the dunking of the apple...
Boil cauldron, boil!
These scenes were fully inked, painted, animated and photographed by September 1937. Then in November, just one month before the premiere, the scene of the Witch dunking the apple was re-shot and became the new beginning for Sequence 9A. Like the other deleted scenes throughout the film, these of the Witch stirring her cauldron were probably cut simply to tighten the story.
Altogether, the cauldron deleted scenes last approximately 34 seconds. The Witch and Raven were animated by Norm Ferguson. Special effect animation was completed by George Rowley (cauldron bubbles and steam), Paul Satterfield (steam and liquid in vial), and Reuben Timmons (steam). Page 292, The Fairest One of All, J.B. Kaufman.
To the dismay of many a Snow White fan, the cauldron piece was not included among the deleted scenes on the 2009 Blu-ray home video release. However, for those who own the earlier 2001 DVD, you can enjoy this short but powerful bit of animation history.
2001 Snow White DVD, North American NTSC version, Disc 2...
On Disc 2, navigate from the Magic Mirror menu to The Dwarfs' Mine, then to Deleted Scenes...
And for those lucky enough to own the 1994 Deluxe LaserDisc (and a player to view it with), the cauldron pencil test is included as an extra.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Joe Grant - Artist and Storyman Extraordinaire
It was 1933 when Joe Grant (1908–2005) was employed as a newspaper cartoonist for the now defunct LA Record. His work caught the attention of Walt Disney, and Joe was invited to draw for the studio. The initial gig was as a caricaturist (uncredited) on the short, Mickey's Gala Premier[e].
Walt liked his work and asked Joe to stay on full-time. He was among those first artists and animators who were present when production started to kick in on Snow White. Joe added to Disney's first feature in a number of ways including running (along with Bill Cottrell) Lucille La Verne's recording session for the Queen and Witch voice-overs (see earlier post).
Joe sketched an image of the veteran actress as the old crone, and this led to his greatest contribution to film--his drawings of the Queen/Witch. These became the model sheets that would defined the character's appearance and from which the animators would bring her to life.
Joe became one of the studio's top story developers and was placed in charge of the newly formed Character Model Department--a "think tank" where sketches of new character and story ideas would be tacked to the walls and plaster maquettes (sculpted by Grant and others) would be created. As head of the department, no model sheet was considered “official” until Joe approved it with his mark: "O.K., J.G."
After Snow White, the studio of course shifted into high gear. It was the "Golden Age" and he led the development on Pinocchio and Fantasia. When in 1940 Walt Disney was forced to create a film on the cheap due to lost revenue in the European market, Joe and co-writer Dick Huemer took a small book of less than a dozen pages and created the story for the enormously successful Dumbo.
He left the Disney studio in 1949 to pursue other interests, but forty years later, Joe was asked to return to assist as a consultant. He said it was like being Rip Van Winkle...
Joe was back and part of the rejuvenated Disney Animation Studio. He worked on such films as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Fantasia 2000, Monsters, Inc., and more.
The last film produced before his death was Chicken Little which was subsequently dedicated to him. His final project, Lorenzo, a short about a cat who's tail has a life of its own, was conceived and partially storyboarded by Joe. Once considered for a segment in the third Fantasia film, it received an Academy Award nomination in 2005.
Joe was active to the end and passed away while working at his drawing board in his studio.
See more of Joe's Witch/Queen sketches.
Walt liked his work and asked Joe to stay on full-time. He was among those first artists and animators who were present when production started to kick in on Snow White. Joe added to Disney's first feature in a number of ways including running (along with Bill Cottrell) Lucille La Verne's recording session for the Queen and Witch voice-overs (see earlier post).
A Joe Grant caricature, circa 1936, of Bill Cottrell at recording session with Lucille La Verne.
Image copyright Disney via John Canemaker's Paper Dreams.
Image copyright Disney via John Canemaker's Paper Dreams.
Joe sketched an image of the veteran actress as the old crone, and this led to his greatest contribution to film--his drawings of the Queen/Witch. These became the model sheets that would defined the character's appearance and from which the animators would bring her to life.
Joe Grant's pastel sketches of the Witch.
Old Witch model sheet courtesy of the Bill Peckmann collection.
Joe Grant's Witch + Queen.
Joe Grant and Walt Disney. Image via PRNewsFoto.
Joe became one of the studio's top story developers and was placed in charge of the newly formed Character Model Department--a "think tank" where sketches of new character and story ideas would be tacked to the walls and plaster maquettes (sculpted by Grant and others) would be created. As head of the department, no model sheet was considered “official” until Joe approved it with his mark: "O.K., J.G."
1939 picture of the Character Model Department headed by Joe Grant when they were working on Fantasia.
Image from John Canemaker's Before the Animation Begins.
Image from John Canemaker's Before the Animation Begins.
After Snow White, the studio of course shifted into high gear. It was the "Golden Age" and he led the development on Pinocchio and Fantasia. When in 1940 Walt Disney was forced to create a film on the cheap due to lost revenue in the European market, Joe and co-writer Dick Huemer took a small book of less than a dozen pages and created the story for the enormously successful Dumbo.
Dumbo 1941 title card; current value $600 (US).
He left the Disney studio in 1949 to pursue other interests, but forty years later, Joe was asked to return to assist as a consultant. He said it was like being Rip Van Winkle...
except that nothing had changed. It was the same thing. You really do pick it up again.
Source: Not Just Your Average Joe: Disney Legend Joe Grant, an interview by Mike Lyons
Joe was back and part of the rejuvenated Disney Animation Studio. He worked on such films as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Fantasia 2000, Monsters, Inc., and more.
Joe Grant.
The last film produced before his death was Chicken Little which was subsequently dedicated to him. His final project, Lorenzo, a short about a cat who's tail has a life of its own, was conceived and partially storyboarded by Joe. Once considered for a segment in the third Fantasia film, it received an Academy Award nomination in 2005.
Joe was active to the end and passed away while working at his drawing board in his studio.
See more of Joe's Witch/Queen sketches.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Hollywood Stories - Stephen Schochet on Lucille La Verne
In the short video below, hollywoodstories.com storyteller Stephen Schochet shares the well-known anecdote involving Lucille La Verne and her recording session for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The actress who voiced both the Evil Queen and the Witch achieved that distinctive sound for the more ragtag of the two characters through some very original improvisation.
Schochet is author and narrator of numerous Hollywood tales including the audiobook Fascinating Walt Disney. In the bonus video below, learn anecdotal information about Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and Sid Grauman as well as Mary Pickford and how she was inadvertently responsible for the creation of the handprints in cement at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre Forecourt.
Bonus video.
Lucille La Verne pose struck for animator Joe Grant during the dialog recording session.
Bonus video.
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