Pinocchio (1940)

Directors:

Norman Ferguson
T. Hee
(more)

Writers:

Carlo Collodi (from a story by)
Ted Sears (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 February 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Adventure | Drama | Family | Fantasy | Music

Tagline:

Disney's all-time family classic is back ...No strings attached! [1987 re-release Australia]

Plot:

A living puppet, with the help of a cricket as his conscience, must prove himself worthy to become a real boy.

Plot Keywords:

Pinocchio | Fairy | Jiminy Cricket | Conscience | Boy

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins

Cast

Mel Blanc	...	Donkeys / Gideon (hiccup) / Marionette Soldiers (voice) (uncredited)
Don Brodie	...	Carnival Barkers (voice) (uncredited)
Walter Catlett	...	J. Worthington Foulfellow (voice) (uncredited)
Marion Darlington	...	Birds (voice) (uncredited)
Frankie Darro	...	Lampwick (voice) (uncredited)
Cliff Edwards	...	Jiminy Cricket (voice) (uncredited)
Dickie Jones	...	Pinocchio / Alexander (voice) (uncredited)
Charles Judels	...	Stromboli / The Coachman (voice) (uncredited)
Jack Mercer	...	Rough House Statue (voice) (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Patricia Page	...	Marionettes (voice) (uncredited)
Thurl Ravenscroft	...	Monstro (voice) (uncredited)
Christian Rub	...	Geppetto (voice) (uncredited)
Evelyn Venable	...	The Blue Fairy (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Ferguson		(sequence director)
T. Hee		(sequence director)
Wilfred Jackson		(sequence director)
Jack Kinney		(sequence director)
Hamilton Luske		(supervising director)
Bill Roberts		(sequence director)
Ben Sharpsteen		(supervising director)

Writing credits
Carlo Collodi		(from a story by) (as Collodi)
Ted Sears		(story adaptation) &
Otto Englander		(story adaptation) &
Webb Smith		(story adaptation) &
William Cottrell		(story adaptation) &
Joseph Sabo		(story adaptation) &
Erdman Penner		(story adaptation) &
Aurelius Battaglia		(story adaptation)
Bill Peet		uncredited

Produced by
Walt Disney	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Leigh Harline
Paul J. Smith

Art Direction by
Ken Anderson		(as Kenneth Anderson)
Hugh Hennesy
John Hubley
Dick Kelsey
Kendall O'Connor
Charles Philippi
Thor Putnam
Terrell Stapp
McLaren Stewart
Al Zinnen
Bruce Bushman		(uncredited)
Arthur Heinemann		(uncredited)
Charles Payzant		(uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ford Beebe Jr.	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Lou Debney	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Jim Handley	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Graham Heid	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Mike Holoboff	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Larry Lansburgh	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Lloyd Richardson	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Wah Chang	....	character maquettes (uncredited)
Don Christensen	....	atmosphere sketches (uncredited)
Gustaf Tenggren	....	conceptual designs (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Edwin Aardal	....	special animation effects (uncredited)
Jerome Brown	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Paul Busch	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Ugo D'Orsi	....	special animation effects (uncredited)
James Escalante	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Frank Follmer	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Dan MacManus	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Fred Madison	....	effects animator (uncredited)
John McDermott	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Ted Parmelee	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Sandy Strother	....	special animation effects (uncredited)
Cornett Wood	....	special animation effects (uncredited)

Animation Department
Art Babbitt	....	animation director (as Arthur Babbitt)
Preston Blair	....	animator
Jack Bradbury	....	animator (as John Bradbury)
Jack Campbell	....	animator
Les Clark	....	animator
Claude Coats	....	background artist
Merle Cox	....	background artist
John Elliotte	....	animator
Hugh Fraser	....	animator
Campbell Grant	....	character designer
Joe Grant	....	character designer
Ray Huffine	....	background artist
Albert Hurter	....	character designer
Ollie Johnston	....	animator (as Oliver M. Johnston)
Milt Kahl	....	animation director (as Milton Kahl)
Lynn Karp	....	animator
Ward Kimball	....	animation director
Eric Larson	....	animation director
John Lounsbery	....	animator
Don Lusk	....	animator
Robert Martsch	....	animator
John McManus	....	animator
Joshua Meador	....	animator
John P. Miller	....	character designer
Fred Moore	....	animation director
Milt Neil	....	animator
Charles A. Nichols	....	animator (as Charles Nichols)
Art Palmer	....	animator
Don Patterson	....	animator
Martin Provensen	....	character designer
Wolfgang Reitherman	....	animation director (as Woolie Reitherman)
George Rowley	....	animator
Ed Starr	....	background artist
Norman Tate	....	animator
Don Tobin	....	animator
Don Towsley	....	animator
Bill Tytla	....	animation director (as Vladimir Tytla)
John Walbridge	....	character designer
Bernard Wolf	....	animator (as Berny Wolf)
Marvin Woodward	....	animator
Dick Anthony	....	background artist (uncredited)
Mike Arens	....	animator (uncredited)
Bill Berg	....	animator (uncredited)
Dick Brown	....	animator (uncredited)
Paul Busch	....	animator: "Jiminy Cricket" (uncredited)
Bruce Bushman	....	layout artist (uncredited)
Lars Calonius	....	animator (uncredited)
Bob Carlson	....	animator (uncredited)
Brad Case	....	animator (uncredited)
Walt Clinton	....	animator (uncredited)
Sam Cobean	....	animator: "The Coachman" (uncredited)
Charles Cristadoro	....	character model designer (uncredited)
Shamus Culhane	....	animator (uncredited)
George De Beeson	....	animator (uncredited)
Phil Duncan	....	animator: "Pinocchio" (uncredited)
Andy Engman	....	animator (uncredited)
Norman Ferguson	....	supervising animator: "J. Worthington Foulfellow" and "Gideon" (uncredited)
Art Fitzpatrick	....	animator (uncredited)
Joseph Gayek	....	animator (uncredited)
Blaine Gibson	....	inbetween artist (uncredited)
Franklin Grundeen	....	animator (uncredited)
Harry Hamsel	....	animator (uncredited)
Eric Hansen	....	background artist (uncredited)
William T. Hurtz	....	animation assistant (uncredited)
Milt Kahl	....	animator: "Jiminy Cricket" and "Pinocchio as a real boy" (uncredited)
Walt Kelly	....	animator (uncredited)
Hank Ketcham	....	assistant animator (uncredited)
Ward Kimball	....	supervising animator: "Jiminy Cricket" (uncredited)
Teddy Kline	....	character model designer (uncredited)
Paul B. Kossoff	....	animator (uncredited)
Murray McClellan	....	animator (uncredited)
Bob McCrea	....	animator (uncredited)
Richard McDermot	....	animator (uncredited)
Helen McIntosh	....	character model designer (uncredited)
Bill Melendez	....	assistant animator (uncredited)
Art Moore	....	animator (uncredited)
Paul Murry	....	inbetween artist (uncredited)
Mique Nelson	....	background artist (uncredited)
Lester Novros	....	animator (uncredited)
Ken O'Brien	....	animator (uncredited)
Frank Oreb	....	animator (uncredited)
Tom Oreb	....	animator (uncredited)
Chic Otterstrom	....	animator (uncredited)
June Patterson	....	ink and paint artist (uncredited)
John Reed	....	animator (uncredited)
Art Riley	....	background artist (uncredited)
Duke Russell	....	character model designer (uncredited)
William Shull	....	animator (uncredited)
Howard Smith	....	animator (uncredited)
Shirley Sodaholm	....	character model designer (uncredited)
Robert Stokes	....	animator (uncredited)
David Swift	....	animator (uncredited)
Howard Swift	....	animator (uncredited)
Frank Thomas	....	animation director: "Pinocchio" (uncredited)
Harvey Toombs	....	animator (uncredited)
Noel Tucker	....	animator (uncredited)
Jim Will	....	animator (uncredited)
Kay Wright	....	inbetween artist (uncredited)
Robert W. Youngquist	....	animator (uncredited)

Music Department
Leigh Harline	....	songs: Music by
Ned Washington	....	songs: Lyrics by
Frederick Stark	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Charles Wolcott	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Walt Disney	....	presenter
Don Barclay	....	model: "Gideon" (uncredited)
Walter Catlett	....	model: "J. Worthington Foulfellow" (uncredited)
Marge Champion	....	model: "The Blue Fairy" (uncredited)
Christian Rub	....	model: "Geppetto" (uncredited)
Val Stanton	....	model: "Jiminy Cricket" (uncredited)
Sheila Terry	....	secretary (uncredited)
Mary Whitney	....	secretary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1940) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1945) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1954) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1962) (USA) (theatrical) (as Buena Vista Distribution Co. Inc) (re-releases from 1962 onward)
• RKO (1952) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1973) (Austria) (theatrical) (re-release)
• RKO Radio Pictures (A/SIA) (1940) (Australia) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures Argentina (1940) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1951) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1946) (France) (theatrical) (as RKO Radio Films)
• Sascha Filmverleih (1952) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Walt Disney Productions (1983) (France) (theatrical)
• ABC Family (2009) (USA) (TV)
• Abril Vídeo (1993) (Brazil) (VHS)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2002) (USA) (TV)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Disney Blu-ray (2009) (France) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Disney Channel (1986) (USA) (TV)
• Gativideo (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• PolyGram Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1985) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Walt Disney Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Other Companies

• Technicolor  photographed in

Also Known As:

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor High Fidelity Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Canada:F (Ontario) | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | Brazil:Livre | Denmark:A | Iceland:L | Peru:PT | South Korea:All | USA:Approved (certificate #4646) (original rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1970) | New Zealand:G | Portugal:M/6 | USA:G

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

This was the first Disney feature available on DVD.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Pinocchio meets Honest John and Gideon, he carries a book and apple (which Honest John eats). When the three go marching throughout the town, Pinocchio's apple core and book vanish.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jiminy Cricket:[after singing "When You Wish Upon a Star"] Pretty, huh? I'll bet a lot of you folks don't believe that, about a wish comin' true, do ya? Well, I didn't, either. Of course, I'm just a cricket singing my way from hearth to hearth, but let me tell you what made me change my mind.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "M*A*S*H: Souvenirs (#5.22)" (1977)

Soundtrack:

I've Got No Strings

The most enchanting and magical of all the Disney films.

For seventy years, people of all demographics have been entertained and enchanted by the animated features brought out by the Disney studios. In an era when most animated films lack imagination and spirit, it's always nice to watch an earlier Disney film, whether it be one of their old classics or the works released during the early 90's renaissance. Most film historians claim that Snow White and Fantasia are the best films to come out of the beginning years and while I agree they are certainly historically important, they don't quite give me the joy provided by 1940's Pinocchio. Adapted from the Italian story, Disney may have changed things plenty during the writing progress, but the result is a magical and unforgettable experience that proves to not only be a fun romp, but also one of the best cautionary tales brought to the screen.

The story is, of course, familiar to everyone. A kindly, old woodcarver named Gepetto builds his own "little wooden boy" and soon enough the puppet is brought to life. However, before he can become a real boy, Pinocchio must prove himself worthy and with Jiminy Cricket as his conscious, he goes out into the real world, full of crooks and criminals. Naturally, Pinocchio the ever youthful puppet, lands into plenty of trouble, first becoming an actor for a scary marionette master and then being turned into a donkey. The audience, especially the young children watching, are absolutely enthralled by the whole production, but also scared by what is shown on screen. Unlike today's cartoons, that try to be as "friendly" as possible, Walt Disney wanted his films to leave an impact and Pinocchio certainly fits into that category. While the film enchants, it also provide plenty of frightening moments as well.

Quite possibly the scariest scene in the film is when on Pleasure Island, troublesome boys are transformed into donkeys and sent to the salt-mines. Pinocchio can quite possibly be called the greatest anti-cigar film ever made, just for the fact that it doesn't say that smoking is bad, it shows it (although, ironically, Disney himself was a massive smoker)! Another scene that really gets to young audiences is the part in which Pinocchio begins to lie up a storm and his nose grows, even producing a nest with birds at the end. It's enough to make children squirm in their seats and have them afraid to tell a lie again. One of the reasons these scenes are so successful in leading people to the right decision is the fact that Pinocchio is not just a little wooden boy, he represents the child in every one of us: naive and ready to set out into the world, but not fully aware of the dangers awaiting us.

Along with the donkey-transformation and nose-growing scenes, the most memorable aspect of Pinocchio is the music. "When You Wish Upon a Star" is Disney's anthem for a reason. It's not only beautiful, but also brings about what we all want: to wish for a better world, one without evil puppet masters, children taking bad habits and devilish foxes bringing people to the dark side. Finally, the most touching scene comes in the end, when Pinocchio seems like he might die, but his bravery to save Gepetto finally allows him to become a real boy. Even remembering that scene leads one to smile as it's not only Gepetto and Pinocchio's wish that is fulfilled, but ours as well. Everybody loves a happy ending and Pinocchio features the best of them all. Not only is it the best film made by Disney, but it's also their most optimistic. And that's why Pinocchio is such a classic.