Chicken Little (1943)

It's a peaceful day at the local poultry farm until Foxy Loxy happens along intent on a chicken dinner. He takes the advice of a book on psychology by striking "the least intelligent" first... See full summary »

Stars:

Florence Gill, Frank Graham, Clarence Nash

Cast

Uncredited cast:
Florence Gill	...	Hens - clucking sounds only (voice) (uncredited)
Frank Graham	...	Narrator / Foxy Loxy / Chicken Little / Cocky Locky / Turkey Lurkey / Additional characters (voice) (uncredited)
Clarence Nash	...	Ducks - quacking sounds only (voice) (uncredited)

Storyline

It's a peaceful day at the local poultry farm until Foxy Loxy happens along intent on a chicken dinner. He takes the advice of a book on psychology by striking "the least intelligent" first and convinces dim witted Chicken Little the sky is falling. Chicken Little spreads the word but when head man Cocky Locky proves the story to be false, Foxy Loxy spreads rumors that Cocky Locky isn't the smart chicken he appears to be, which leads to the ultimate undoing of the chickens at the hands of Foxy Loxy.

---

Plot Keywords:

chicken | chicken little | psychology | farm | dinner | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Family | Animation | Short

---

Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 December 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tuppkycklingen

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

8 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Produced as a propaganda short during WWII, warning audiences not to believe anti-American propaganda. Originally the film was to have had more direct references to the war: Foxy Loxy would have read from "Mein Kampf"; and the chicken's graves would have been marked by swastikas. But Walt Disney decided to keep the film generic so that it would not become dated after the war.

---

Goofs

After Cocky Locky announces "The sky isn't really falling," Chicken Little responds by shouting "I tell you it is too falling!" When he says this, his speech doesn't match his beak movement.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: Our story takes place in a nice, cozy little farmyard.

---

Connections

Edited into Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color: Man Is His Own Worst Enemy (1962)

User Reviews

not really for children

I remember reading the 'Chicken Little' book as a child but this cartoon turns it on its head with one eye on the time it was made, 1943, during the Second World War.

The sly and hungry Foxy Loxy reads from a text which describes how to lie and cheat your neighbours - in this case to persuade Chicken Little and others than the sky is falling, and so the world is about to end.

It showcases the power of propaganda, panic and persuasion to achieve an aim (Foxy of course wants a hearty supper of chickens and ducks). Cocky Locky is the political leader who gets depicted as a fool, while Henny Penny and her cronies spread gossip and hysteria.

A clever cartoon, perhaps too sophisticated for children, but enjoyable on some levels to a younger audience with a bit of forethought, a bit like 'Animal Farm'.