The Reluctant Dragon (1941)

Directors:

Alfred L. Werker
Hamilton Luske
(more)

Writers:

Kenneth Grahame (story)
Ted Sears (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 June 1941 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Family | Comedy

Tagline:

Sequences in MULTIPLANE TECHNICOLOR (original print media ad - many caps)

Plot:

Humorist Robert Benchley learns about the animation process at Walt Disney Studios while trying to find the great man himself to pitch him the idea of making a cartoon about a shy dragon.

Plot Keywords:

Dragon | Disney Studios | Tour | Sound Effect | Horse

Cast

Robert Benchley	...	Robert Benchley
Frances Gifford	...	Doris (Studio Artist)
Buddy Pepper	...	Humphrey (Studio Guide)
Nana Bryant	...	Mrs. Benchley
Claud Allister	...	Sir Giles (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice)
Barnett Parker	...	The Dragon (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice)
Billy Lee	...	The Boy (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice)
Florence Gill	...	Herself (Voice Artist)
Clarence Nash	...	Himself / Donald Duck (voice)
Norman Ferguson	...	Himself (as Norm Ferguson)
Ward Kimball	...	Himself (Goofy animator)
Jimmy Luske	...	Jimmy, Baby Weems model
Alan Ladd	...	Al, Baby Weems storyboard artist
Truman Woodworth
Hamilton MacFadden		(as Hamilton Mac Fadden)
Maurice Murphy
The Staff of the Walt Disney Studio
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ernie Alexander	...	Baby Weems' Father (voice) (uncredited)
Frank Churchill	...	Himself (story room pianist) (uncredited)
Pinto Colvig	...	Goofy (segment "How to Ride a Horse") (voice) (uncredited)
Louise Currie	...	(uncredited)
John Dehner	...	Tall Baby Weems Storyboard Artist with Mustache (uncredited)
Walt Disney	...	Himself (uncredited)
Lester Dorr	...	Slim (uncredited)
Frank Faylen	...	Frank, Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Art Gilmore	...	FDR (segment "Baby Weems") (voice) (uncredited)
Henry Hall	...	Studio Policeman (uncredited)
Verna Hillie	...	Sculptor (uncredited)
Leone Le Doux	...	Baby Weems (segment "Baby Weems") (voice) (uncredited)
James MacDonald	...	Sound Effects Man (uncredited)
Eddie Marr	...	Walter Winchell (segment "Baby Weems") (voice) (uncredited)
Linda Marwood	...	Baby Weems' Mother (segment "Baby Weems") (voice) (uncredited)
John McLeish	...	Narrator (segment "How to Ride a Horse") (voice) (uncredited)
Gerald Mohr	...	Studio Guard / Narrator (segment "Baby Weems") (voice) (uncredited)
Fred Moore	...	Himself (uncredited)
Steve Pendleton	...	Humphrey's Boss - Head of Security (uncredited)
Wolfgang Reitherman	...	Artist (uncredited)
Raymond Severn	...	Baby Weems (segment "Baby Weems") (voice) (uncredited)
Val Stanton	...	Courier (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice) (uncredited)
J. Donald Wilson	...	Narrator (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred L. Werker
Hamilton Luske		(cartoon sequences)
Jack Cutting		(cartoon sequences) (uncredited)
Ub Iwerks		(cartoon sequences) (uncredited)
Jack Kinney		(cartoon sequences) (uncredited)

Writing credits
Kenneth Grahame		(story)
Ted Sears		(screenplay) &
Al Perkins		(screenplay) &
Larry Clemmons		(screenplay) &
William Cottrell		(screenplay) (as Bill Cottrell) &
Harry Clork		(screenplay)
Erdman Penner		(story "Reluctant Dragon" sequence) &
T. Hee		(story "Reluctant Dragon" sequence)
Joe Grant		(story "Baby Weems" sequence) &
Dick Huemer		(story "Baby Weems" sequence) &
John P. Miller		(story "Baby Weems" sequence)
Robert Benchley		uncredited
Berk Anthony		(story) (segment "The Reluctant Dragon") uncredited

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

Original Music by
Frank Churchill
Larry Morey

Cinematography by
Bert Glennon		(director of photography)
Winton C. Hoch		(director of photography: Technicolor sequences) (as Winton Hoch)

Film Editing by
Paul Weatherwax

Art Direction by
Ken Anderson		(art direction: cartoon sequences)
Yale Gracey		(art direction: cartoon sequences)
Hugh Hennesy		(art direction: cartoon sequences)
Lance Nolley		(art direction: cartoon sequences)
Gordon Wiles

Set Decoration by
Earl Wooden		(as Earl Woodin)

Production Management
Earl Rettig	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ford Beebe Jr.	....	assistant director: cartoon sequences
Jasper Blystone	....	assistant director
Jim Handley	....	assistant director: cartoon sequences
Erwin L. Verity	....	assistant director: cartoon sequences (as Erwin Verity)
Jack Bruner	....	assistant director: cartoon sequences (uncredited)
Lou Debney	....	assistant director: cartoon sequences (uncredited)
Art Gibeaut	....	assistant director: cartoon sequences (uncredited)

Art Department
Charles Philippi	....	art direction: cartoon sequences (as Chas Philippi)

Sound Department
Frank Maher	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Ub Iwerks	....	special effects
Joshua Meador	....	special effects (as Joshua L. Meador)

Visual Effects by
Edwin Aardal	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Jerome Brown	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Brad Case	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Ugo D'Orsi	....	effects animator (uncredited)
George De Beeson	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Russ Dyson	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Andy Engman	....	effects animator (uncredited)
James Escalante	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Art Fitzpatrick	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Harry Hamsel	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Joe Harbaugh	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Jack Huber	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Paul B. Kossoff	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Fred Madison	....	effects animator (uncredited)
John McDermott	....	effects animator (uncredited)
John McManus	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Art Palmer	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Miles E. Pike	....	effects animator (uncredited)
John Reed	....	effects animator (uncredited)
George Rowley	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Sandy Strother	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Reuben Timmins	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Don Tobin	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Noel Tucker	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Vernon G. Witt	....	effects animator (uncredited)
Cornett Wood	....	effects animator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Jack Campbell	....	animator
Ray Huffine	....	background artist
Walt Kelly	....	animator
Ward Kimball	....	animator
Fred Moore	....	animator
Milt Neil	....	animator
Wolfgang Reitherman	....	animator
Art Riley	....	background artist (as Arthur Riley)
Claude Smith	....	animator
David Swift	....	animator (as Bud Swift)
Harvey Toombs	....	animator
Stephen Bosustow	....	animator (uncredited)
Chester Cobb	....	animator (uncredited)
Rex Cox	....	animator (uncredited)
Ed Fourcher	....	animator (uncredited)
George Goepper	....	animator (uncredited)
Ray Lockrem	....	background artist (uncredited)
Bob McIntosh	....	background artist (uncredited)
Paul Murry	....	animator (uncredited)
Mique Nelson	....	background artist (uncredited)
Frank Onaitis	....	animator (uncredited)
Frank Oreb	....	animator (uncredited)
John Sibley	....	animator (uncredited)
Louis Terri	....	animator (uncredited)
Judge Whitaker	....	animator (uncredited)
Bernard Wolf	....	animator (uncredited)

Music Department
Leigh Harline	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)
Paul J. Smith	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Charles Wolcott	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Walt Disney	....	presenter
Natalie Kalmus	....	color director: Technicolor sequences
Lyle De Grummond	....	technical planner (uncredited)
T. Hee	....	caricatures: title sequence (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• RKO Radio Pictures (1941) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (1991) (worldwide) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Sonovox  special sound effects

Also Known As:

"A Day at Disneys" - USA (TV title)
"Sorcery Animation Heaven" - Japan (English title) (imdb display title)

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone) | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Walt Disney Studios, 500 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

Film debut of John Dehner.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mrs. Benchley:[Reading] "So they set off up the hill, arm in arm, the knight, the dragon, and the boy. The lights in the little village began to go out one by one."
[Is interrupted by a toy rifle going off]
Mrs. Benchley:"But there were stars and a late moon as they climbed the downs together."
[Toy rifle again]
Mrs. Benchley:Robert, please.
[Pan to Robert Benchley lying on a raft in the pool, with the toy rifle]
Robert Benchley:Go on, I can hear in any position.
[Shoots a dart at a duck decoy in the pool]
Mrs. Benchley:[Continues reading] "And as they turned the last corner and disappeared from view, snatches of an old song were borne back on the night breeze. I can't be certain which of them was singing, but I think it was the dragon."
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Christmas Under Fire (2002) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Reluctant Dragon

An overlooked gem

Reluctant Dragon is best viewed in the Disney Treasures Behind the Scenes DVD.this story combined with baby weems and Goofys "how to ride a horse" make this a magical treat for all ages,Timeless Disney classic.The live action scenes of the original voices of Donald Duck and Clara Cluck are a rare joy to see.