CONTENTS

X Acknowledgements XIII A Note on the Illustrations

THE SILLY SYMPHONIES DISNEY’S FIRST FANTASYLAND

3 PART 1 THE TIFFANY LINE

5 The Skeleton of an Idea 7 The Earliest Symphony Formula 9 Starting to Tell Tales 11 Remaking Fairy Tales 18 Silly Toddlers and Their Families 19 Caste and Class in the Symphonies 21 An Exception to the Silly Rules: Three Little Pigs 22 Another Exception: Who Killed Cock Robin? 25 New Direction for the Symphonies at RKO 27 Ending in a Symphony Dream World 29 On a Final Note

31 PART II PRODUCING THE SILLY SYMPHONIES

31 The Columbia Years (1929-1932) 35 The United Artists Years (1932-1937) 45 Disney’s RKO Radio Pictures (1937-1939)

THE SILLY SYMPHONIES A FILMOGRAPHY

51 INTRODUCTION

53 THE SKELETON DANCE (1929) 114 KING NEPTUNE (1932) 176 TOBY TORTOISE RETURNS (1936) 193 WYNKEN, BLYNKEN & NOD (1938) 56 EL TERRIBLE TOREADOR (1929) 116 BABES IN THE WOODS (1932) 178 THREE BLIND MOUSEKETEERS (1936) 196 MOTH AND THE FLAME (1938) 58 SPRINGTIME (1929) 118 SANTA’S WORKSHOP (1932) 180 THE COUNTRY COUSIN (1936) 198 MERBABIES (1938) 60 HELL’S BELLS (1929) 120 BIRDS IN THE SPRING (1933) 182 MOTHER PLUTO (1936) 202 FARMYARD SYMPHONY (1938) 62 THE MERRY DWARFS (1929) 122 FATHER NOAH’S ARK (1933) 184 MORE KITTENS (1936) 204 MOTHER GOOSE GOES HOLLYWOOD (1938) 64 SUMMER (1930) 124 THREE LITTLE PIGS (1933) 186 WOODLAND CAFÉ (1937) 206 THE PRACTICAL PIG (1939) 66 AUTUMN (1930) 128 OLD KING COLE (1933) 188 LITTLE HIAWATHA (1937) 208 THE UGLY DUCKLING (1939) 68 CANNIBAL CAPERS (1930) 130 LULLABY LAND (1933) 190 THE OLD MILL (1937) 210 FERDINAND THE BULL (1938) 70 NIGHT (1930) 132 THE PIED PIPER (1933) 72 FROLICKING FISH (1930) 134 THE CHINA SHOP (1933) 215 APPENDIX A THREE SYMPHONY SIMILES 74 ARCTIC ANTICS (1930) 136 THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1933) 216 HOT CHOCOLATE SOLDIERS (1934) 76 MIDNIGHT IN A TOY SHOP (1930) 138 GRASSHOPPER AND THE ANTS (1934) 218 DON DONALD (1937) 78 MONKEY MELODIES (1930) 140 THE BIG BAD WOLF (1934) 220 DONALD’S BETTER SELF (1938) 80 WINTER (1930) 142 FUNNY LITTLE BUNNIES (1934) 82 PLAYFUL PAN (1930) 144 THE FLYING MOUSE (1934) 222 APPENDIX B UNFINISHED SYMPHONIES 84 BIRDS OF A FEATHER (1931) 146 THE WISE LITTLE HEN (1934) 227 APPENDIX C SUNDAY COLOR COMIC PAGES 86 MOTHER GOOSE MELODIES (1931) 148 PECULIAR PENGUINS (1934) 230 APPENDIX D SILLY SYMPHONY DISCOGRAPHY 88 THE CHINA PLATE (1931) 150 THE GODDESS OF SPRING (1934) 90 THE BUSY BEAVERS (1931) 152 THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE (1934) 234 APPENDIX E SILLY SYMPHONY BOOKS, 1934-1940 92 THE CAT’S NIGHTMARE (1931) 154 THE GOLDEN TOUCH (1935) 239 APPENDIX F GOOD HOUSEKEEPING PAGES 94 EGYPTIAN MELODIES (1931) 156 THE ROBBER KITTEN (1935) 96 THE CLOCK STORE (1931) 158 WATER BABIES (1935) 98 THE SPIDER AND THE FLY (1931) 160 THE COOKIE CARNIVAL (1935) 243 Bibliography 100 THE FOX HUNT (1931) 162 WHO KILLED COCK ROBIN? (1935) 247 Index 102 THE UGLY DUCKLING (1931) 164 MUSIC LAND (1935) 104 THE BIRD STORE (1932) 166 THREE ORPHAN KITTENS (1935) 106 THE BEARS AND BEES (1932) 168 COCK O’ THE WALK (1935) 108 JUST DOGS (1932) 170 THREE LITTLE WOLVES (1936) 110 FLOWERS AND TREES (1932) 172 ELMER ELEPHANT (1936) 112 BUGS IN LOVE (1932) 174 BROKEN TOYS (1935)