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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Vol. 20: #45 • (11-3-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley
Let's fix our focus on the big screen with facts about “Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs,” America’s first feature-length animated film.
• In 1916, 15-year-old Walt Disney attended a silent film version of the Brothers Grimm Snow White fairy tale in his hometown of Kansas City, and envisioned what would later become his famous classic. Six years after his successful 1928 introduction of Mickey Mouse, Disney began the production of “Snow White,” the first Disney princess.
• The critics thought Disney was crazy to sink so much money into the film, and nicknamed it “Walt Disney’s Folly.” Disney borrowed heavily to produce “Snow White,” even mortgaging his house to finance it. The budget was $250,000, but by the end of things, the cost was $1.5 million, an enormous sum, but especially so in the 1930s.
• “Snow White” took about three years to create, from 1934 to 1937. More than 750 artists completed upwards of two million sketches.
• The early sketches of Snow White illustrated her as a blonde. But the script changed her with the words of the Magic Mirror: “Lips red as the rose, hair black as ebony, skin white as snow.”
• Several names were considered for the seven dwarfs including, Scrappy, Hoppy, Blabby, Crabby, Flabby, Gabby, Gloomy, Shifty, Stubby, Dizzy, and Weezy. In the end, those chosen were Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, Dopey, and Doc. The mute Dopey was initially to be a talkative chatterbox, but when producers couldn’t find a voice they felt matched his demeanor, he became the silent dwarf.
• Walt Disney himself personally chose 18-year-old Adriana Caselotti for the voice of Snow White. She was paid $970 for her work on the film (about $21,000 today). Her contract with Disney forbade most further acting work, with Walt stating, “I’m sorry, but that voice can’t be used anywhere. I don’t want to spoil the illusion of Snow White.” She also was not even credited for the role.
Caselotti branched out into opera instead. At age 75, she recorded “I’m Wishing” for Disneyland’s wishing well attraction.
• The Evil Queen and the old witch were voiced by the same actress, Lucille LaVerne. The old hag’s voice was completely different from the queen’s and was achieved by Lucille removing her false teeth.
• Determined to depict Snow White’s animal friends as accurately as possible, Disney brought in an assortment of live animals into the studio for animators to study.
• The songwriting team composed 25 songs for the film, but just eight were actually used. “Snow White” was the first movie to offer a music soundtrack for purchase.
• Los Angeles’ Carthay Circle Theatre was the site of the premiere of “Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs” on December 21, 1937. The nationwide release followed on February 4, 1938. It was the highest-grossing film in history for a short time, until 1939’s “Gone with the Wind” surpassed it. Adjusted for inflation, it still remains in the Top 10 box office performers. The movie was so successful that Walt was able to purchase 51 acres of land in Burbank, California, to build new studios, those that are still in use today.
• Disney received an Honorary Academy Award for the film – one regular figurine and seven miniature ones. It was first re-released in 1944, followed by seven more re-releases in 1952, 1958, 1967, 1975, 1983, 1987, and 1993. In 1994, “Snow White” was released for the first time on home video.
