Jim Korkis New Articles & Books

Disney historian and best-selling author Jim Korkis is back at it with more great little-known anecdotes and unofficial stories from Disney's past. His authoritative but friendly and accessible style make for enjoyable reading.

Over the past couple months, Jim has released several Snow White-related articles including one on the evolution of the Disney princess, published December 21, 2012 (the 75th anniversary) in the UK-based tabloid The Sun. Read Fairest to Feminist.

 Image via The Sun.

The piece was greatly expanded and posted on MousePlanet earlier this month. Read Evolution of the Disney Princess.

Then just a few days ago, MousePlanet uploaded Debunking Disney Stories, a piece in which Jim does just that. It includes an interesting segment on the Disneyland statues from Snow White's Grotto.


The big news is the release of Jim's new book, Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South? It's the first definitive account of the Disney film, its history, its production, and the controversy that still surrounds it today. In addition, his 2010 title The Vault of Walt has now been completely revised with a major overhaul and five brand-new stories.

Both books are now available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble...

Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South?
Amazon or B&N

The Revised Vault of Walt
Amazon or B&N


Some good reads await!

Courvoisier Cels - Queen's Sinister Animals

Snow White Crow and Skull Courvoisier Production Cel, 1937. Scene of the Queen's pet crow, reacting in horror to the Old Hag with her poisoned apple. Image area measures approximately 10.25" x 9", overall size 18" x 17.25".

Vultures Production Cel and Courvoisier Background, 1938. Cel art featuring the vultures is among the toughest to find since they appear only briefly in the film. Courvoisier woodgrain background. The birds are approximately 3" x 4" within an image area of 6" x 6"; Frame 13.25" x 13.25".

Images and info from Heritage Auctions via the Animation Art Signature Auction.

Disney Animator Gag Drawings for Joe Magro, 1937

• Gag drawing by Disney art director Hugh Hennesy. Animator Joe Magro goes nose to nose with the Old Hag. Mixed media.

Who was Joe Magro? The good folks over at Cartoon Brew give us the answer...

Italian-American artist Joe Magro was hired at Disney in 1936 during the studio’s expansion to produce Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Originally from Rochester, New York, Magro was attending Mechanics Institute (now Rochester Institute of Technology) when his teacher Fritz Trautmann suggested that he apply to the Disney studio.

Magro left Disney in 1937 and returned to the East Coast. He apparently stayed long enough at the studio to make friends with the other artists. We know that because when Magro left, his Disney colleagues presented him with a “good luck” book filled with gag drawings. The drawings from that book are currently being auctioned by Heritage Auctions and include pieces by Fred Moore, Ward Kimball, Bill Tytla, Grim Natwick and Marc Davis, among others.

Since Joe was at the Studio during the height of the Snow White production, the majority of drawings within the “good luck” book included some kind of reference to the film. All the pieces were created on 12-field 5-peghole sheets of animation paper (12" x 10").

• Gag drawing by Marc Davis. Snow White thinks Joe is "chicken". Mixed media.

• Gag drawing by Vladimir "Bill" Tytla. Note Mickey Mouse on the blackboard and Dopey as one of the students. Graphite and colored pencil.

• Gag drawing by animator Dave Rose. Original layout drawing of the poison apple antidote has been collaged with another piece of art. Graphite and colored pencil.

• Gag drawing by Grim Natwick. The fairest on the beach meets animator Joe Magro. Rendered in colored pencil.

• Gag drawing by Fred Moore. Snow's red bow in hair. Tongue-in-cheek caption reads: "But -- what could you possibly do with me in New York?" Mixed media.

• Gag drawing by animator, Jack Larsen. Joe Magro in the lap of luxury. Colored pencil.

• Gag drawing by Marc Davis and Charles "Nick" Nichols. Another humorously cheeky piece. Mixed media.

• Gag drawing by Charles "Nick" Nichols. Grumpy says goodbye. Graphite and colored pencil.

Images via Heritage Auctions.

The rest of the (non-Snow White) drawings can be seen at Cartoon Brew. Learn more about Heritage's Animation Art Signature Auction in the previous archive entry.

2013 Heritage Animation Art Auction

Heritage Auctions is holding their Animation Art Signature Auction in New York City on February 21 and 23 at the Ukrainian Institute of America (Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion).

Featured among the many fine pieces are several pages of original Snow White artwork. This includes Courvoisier cels and backgrounds, model sheets, artist concept drawings, animator production drawings, and more. A few examples...

• Production Cel on hand-painted, airbrushed gradated Courvoisier background, 1937. Prince about to lift Snow White on horseback. Image area approximately 8.75" x 8.45". Framed overall size 34" x 24.25".

• Production Cel in original Courvoisier wood veneer set-up. Snow sings to six of the seven. Hand-painted background effects, 1937. Image area 14.25" x 11.25". Framed 28" x 25.5".

• Snow White with Apple Production Drawing, 1937. Red pencil on animation paper with "39" written in the lower right corner. Image area approximately 6".

• Prince Production Drawing, 1937. He leans over to kiss Snow White. Rendered in graphite and red pencil on a 12-field sheet of animation paper, 12" x 10". Includes color notations for the cel inkers.

• Alex Ignatiev Dopey Publicity Drawing, 1960s. On 16-field animation paper, created for publicity purposes. Image area approximately 5.5" x 4".

• Old Hag Production Drawing, 1937. Graphite pencil with slight red and green highlights.

Images and info via Heritage Auctions.