Oswald the Lucky Rabbit at Disney Theme parlk
Q : I was just wondering if you believe there will be a future Mickey Mouse full-length film? Also, do you know if Disney Animation has any future plans for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit? Thank you!
Dylan, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
A: I know of no plans for a full-length Mickey Mouse film; Walt Disney had always thought that it would be hard for Mickey to sustain a complete feature. Regarding Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, you might be interested that now, for the first time, guests can meet the character at Tokyo DisneySea.
Q : I have had this photo of a Sleeping Beauty background scene for many years, and it’s my favorite early Disney film. I have always wondered who painted the original scene of the castle battlements. In researching the credits at the end of the film, there are ten artists listed. I would like to know if it is possible to find out who the artist was.
Mark, Los Angeles, California
A: It is not usually possible to determine which particular artist did which background for a film. The primary styling of the film was done by Eyvind Earle, and other artists, including Art Riley, Thelma Witmer, Frank Armitage, Walt Peregoy, Al Dempster, Dick Anthony, and Ralph Hulett, contributed backgrounds in his style.
Q : One of my all-time favorite Disney movies, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, was released on Blu-ray August 12. Mr. Toad is one of my favorite characters and it makes me crazy like the Toad Hall-owner that I cannot find any information on the making of this movie anywhere! Could you share some interesting facts most Disney fans would not know about the movie? Also, what kind of items do you have archived from the Ichabod and Mr. Toad movie or the wild ride that was inspired by it?
Trent, Minneapolis, Minnesota
A: During the 1940s, with the Disney Studio having financial problems due to the war, Walt decided to release a bunch of feature packages that were made up of two or more shorter films. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad was the last of those package films. It juxtaposed a famous American tall tale, by Washington Irving, with an even better-known British tale by Kenneth Grahame. Bing Crosby and Basil Rathbone were hired to narrate the two segments. The film took more than two years to complete, and was one of the shorter Disney animated features at 68 minutes.
Q : Q: Disney fans, as you know, are likely the most obsessive fans in the world. We’re always looking for a clear, definitive answer to obscure minutiae about the Disney Company. So, here’s the information leading up to the question: —The D23 “List of Disney Films” lists 660 films and ends with The Secret of the Wings. —In your May 1, 2014 “Ask Dave” column, you state that there are 684 films up to and including Maleficent. —In your March 6, 2014 “Ask Dave” column, you respond to a question about Kinky Boots by stating that it’s a Miramax film. You don’t mention that Disney owned Miramax at the time Kinky Boots was released. —Film No. 631 of the D23 “List of Disney Films” is The Switch (Miramax). Is the inclusion of The Switch an error on the list? If not, how is it justified? Does this affect the final number of Disney films?
Joel, Morden, Manitoba
A: Different people have counted the Disney features in different ways through the years, so you may find some lists that do not agree with other ones. But, I do have Maleficent as No. 684 on my list. Regarding Miramax, they released their own films so those are not included on the Disney lists, with two exceptions. After Disney sold Miramax in 2010, it continued with plans to release two films under the Miramax label—The Switch and The Tempest—so those two films are on the Disney list. The feature list, as part of Disney A to Z on the D23 website, gets updated regularly.
Q : I am a very huge Disney fan—I realized that when I turned 11, and now I’m 13. So my first question is, is it true that Disneyland lets out cats at night to eat any rodents that they find? The second question is, is it true that most of the Matterhorn is made of chicken wire? And the third question is, did the ride Expedition Everest used to be the most expensive ride to build (in the world) or is it still?
Kyle, Upland, California
A: Disneyland has feral cats living there, but they were not introduced by Disneyland cast members. Their health is monitored, and food is left out for them. They are handy in keeping down the rodent population, which naturally occurs in rustic, jungle-like areas. The Matterhorn does not really use chicken wire. The structure was framed in wood, then covered with metal lath, a mesh that will hold plaster, which is then sprayed on. Disney does not publicize the cost of its attractions, but Expedition Everest was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most expensive roller coaster when it was built in 2006. Today that cost has no doubt been surpassed by Radiator Springs Racers and other attractions.
Q : How did Walt Disney lose Oswald?
Molly, Woodburn, Oregon
A: Due to his contract, Walt Disney did not own the rights to the character, so the distributor decided to make the cartoons in his own studio, without Walt Disney.