During World War II, when the Disney studio had deep economic problems, many staff members were away at war and much of the studios facilities were used for war efforts, it was impossible to produce a typical full-length animated feature. Thus, the “package” features were created, which combined shorter segments into motion picture compilations. And on that note, Make Mine Music was developed, featuring 10 cartoon segments set to music and featuring top-name talent of the time, whom Walt referred to as “ghost stars,” since they were heard but not seen. Some of those ghosts stars included the Andrews Sisters, Andy Russell, Dinah Shore and Jerry Colonna (pictured above with Walt Disney), and a cartoon cast that included an opera-singing whale, a pair of hats that fall in love, the feuding families, the Martins and the Coys, Peter and the Wolf and Mighty Casey (at the bat). As Walt Disney described it, “When I got through I had sort of a cartoon vaudeville show.”
