The Shaggy Dog (1959)

Director:

Charles Barton

Writers:

Bill Walsh (screenplay) and
Lillie Hayward (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

19 March 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

It's dog-gone FUNNY!

Plot:

Through an ancient spell, a boy changes into a sheepdog and back again. It seems to happen at inopportune...

Plot Keywords:

Mailman | Girl Next Door | Role Reversal | Slapstick Comedy | Little Brother

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Fred MacMurray	...	Wilson Daniels
Jean Hagen	...	Freeda Daniels
Tommy Kirk	...	Wilby Daniels
Annette Funicello	...	Allison D'Allessio
Tim Considine	...	Buzz Miller
Kevin Corcoran	...	Moochie (Montgomery) Daniels
Cecil Kellaway	...	Professor Plumcutt
Alexander Scourby	...	Dr. Mikhail Andrassy
Roberta Shore	...	Franceska Andrassy
James Westerfield	...	Officer Hanson
Strother Martin	...	Thurm
Forrest Lewis	...	Officer Kelly
Ned Wever	...	FBI Chief E.P. Hackett
Gordon Jones	...	Captain Scanlon, Police Chief
Jacques Aubuchon	...	Stefano
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Albertson	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Jim Bannon	...	Betz, FBI Stenographer (uncredited)
Larry J. Blake	...	Police Officer Ed Mercer (uncredited)
Charles Cane	...	Mercer's Patrol Carl Partner (uncredited)
Paul Frees	...	Narrator / J.W. Galvin, Psychiatrist (uncredited) (voice: English version)
John Hart	...	Police Broadcaster (uncredited)
Gregg Palmer	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)
Mark Rodney	...	Kid at Dance (uncredited)
Shaggy	...	Chiffon (uncredited)
Mack Williams	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)

Directed by
Charles Barton

Writing credits
Bill Walsh		(screenplay) and
Lillie Hayward		(screenplay)
Felix Salten		(novel "The Hound of Florence")

Produced by
Bill Walsh	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Paul J. Smith		(as Paul Smith)

Cinematography by
Edward Colman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
James Ballas		(as James D. Ballas)

Art Direction by
Carroll Clark

Set Decoration by
Emile Kuri
Fred M. MacLean		(as Fred MacLean)

Makeup Department
Pat McNalley	....	makeup artist
Ruth Sandifer	....	hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arthur J. Vitarelli	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Robert O. Cook	....	sound supervisor
Harry Lindgren	....	sound mixer (as Harry M. Lindgren)

Visual Effects by
Eustace Lycett	....	special processes

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob McGowan	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Jim Whitman	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gertrude Casey	....	costumer
Chuck Keehne	....	costumer
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Evelyn Kennedy	....	music editor
Joseph Mullendore	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Xavier Atencio	....	title designer
Walt Disney	....	presenter
T. Hee	....	title designer
Bill Justice	....	title designer
William R. Koehler	....	animal supervisor
Ted Bonnet	....	publicist (uncredited)
Tom Mahoney	....	dance director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista Film Distribution Company (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• Discibel (1959) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RKO (1959) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Rank Film Distributors of America (1959) (Non-USA) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1989) (Greece) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1978) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Finland:K-8 | USA:G (re-rating) (1974) | Sweden:Btl | Australia:G | USA:Approved (original rating) | Canada:G (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

As a kind of product placement for Walt Disney's associate publisher Dell, a character is seen reading a comic book of Uncle Scrooge 18. This issue, cover-dated June 1957, features the Carl Barks-written adventure "Land of the Pygmy Indians."

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Thum comes to visit Dr. Andrassy at his home, Dr. Andrassy seems a little surprised and tells him, "I told you never to come here at night." At the end of the scene, Dr. Andrassy says to Thum that he'll seem him at the doctor's home again the following night at 8:00pm, even though at the beginning of the scene he told him never to go to his house at night.

Quotes:

Buzz Miller:Hey, Wilby, what is it this time?
Wilby Daniels:What about the seven bucks I loaned you?
Buzz Miller:What about it?
Wilby Daniels:Cough it up. Pop pulled the plug on my allowance.
Buzz Miller:Gee, pal, I'd like to help you out, but you know how it is. I've got a date with Allison.
Wilby Daniels:I'm sick and tired of financing your romances.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet: The Barking Dog (#10.8)" (1961)

Soundtrack:

The Shaggy Dog

This is a classic and one to enjoy with the entire family.

This is a classic Disney film. Fred MacMurray and others make this a joy to watch. I have seen it several times and always enjoy it...my children even agree with me on this. Contrary to another comment, I believe it has held up very well over the years, though it is dated by virtue of the fact that it reflects the comedy of the period in which it was filmed. I've seen several of the remakes/sequels and none have equalled the original.