Q: One of my all-time favorite classic Disney shorts is Johnnie Fedora and Alice Bluebonnet. After watching the short time and time again, and purchasing some merchandise with his likeness on it, I’ve noticed some inconsistencies with the spelling of Johnnie’s name. The title before the short spells his name Johnnie. Any merchandise I’ve come across, including the Little Golden Book and sheet music from the song, spells his name as Johnny. I am a Disney purist (I like to make sure I know everything about my favorite characters), which is why I’m wondering what the proper spelling of Johnnie’s name is.
Emily, Celebration, Florida
A: Both spellings were used at the time the film was released in 1946. Usually we go by the spelling on the film itself, but in this case, the other spelling was a lot more common. As you noticed, the Johnny spelling was used on contemporary merchandise and sheet music. So, there really is no definitive answer; Disney used both spellings.
Dave Smith