cel from cartoon Hockey Homocide starring Goofy as referee on the ice
Q : My all-time favorite Goofy cartoon has to be Hockey Homicide. IMDb lists the legendary Doodles Weaver, who did his fake sportscasting for Spike Jones’ recordings of “William Tell Overture” and “Dance of the Hours,” as having provided the narration of this hilarious cartoon. Can you confirm his involvement?
Jason, South Salem, New York
A: Yes, that was indeed Doodles Weaver in Hockey Homicide. He also narrated Cured Duck and Tennis Racquet, and did “radio voices” in Duck Pimples.
Q : I am a high school International Baccalaureate (IB) student hoping to go into archiving and have a passion for Disney history. Recently, I was asked to write a 4,000-word essay on a topic of my choice and chose film propaganda in World War II. While researching, I found a rumor that Winston Churchill arranged a private screening of Victory Through Air Power for President Roosevelt at the Quebec Conference. Is this rumor true? This question has really been bothering me as I cannot find any solid data about it.
Kaitlyn, Phoenix, Arizona
A: This story is supposedly true, as reported by Albert Lasker who was an advertising executive and big supporter and colleague of Major Alexander de Seversky, who wrote the book Victory Through Air Power.
Q : I am a big fan of Clarabelle Cow. I just wanted to know: was she ever intended as a leading character or nothing more than an ensemble player? Also, what happened to old characters like Giddy Goat and the dog on trombone from The Band Concert?
Jeremy, Los Angeles, California
A: Sometimes a supporting player is noticed and becomes popular on his or her own. It did not happen to the characters you listed, though Clarabelle did appear in supporting roles in a number of cartoons and was a regular on the House of Mouse television show. Clarabelle even has a singing/speaking role in Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. And Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream on Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure is a nod to her.
still showing Thor and Captain America from the movie The Avengers
Q : What is Walt Disney’s highest grossing film?
Ethan, Agawam, Massachusetts
A: The Disney film that is currently highest on the list of movies from all studios, in third place, is Marvel’s The Avengers. Next comes Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, in eighth place. If you adjust for inflation, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs joins the top ten.
Snow White playing with the forest animals
Q : What are the names of the following Disney characters? The Prince from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; Prince Charming from Cinderella; The Featherduster and Wardrobe from Beauty and the Beast; Maleficent’s raven from Sleeping Beauty; Cinderella‘s horse; and Alice’s sister from Alice in Wonderland?
J, Los Angeles, California
A: Maleficent’s raven is known as Diablo. In the stage version of Beauty and the Beast, the Wardrobe is “Madame de la Grande Bouche” and the Featherduster is Babette. Cinderella’s horse is Major. The remainder were not given other names in their original films.