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IMDbPro

The Small One

  • 19781978
  • GG
  • 26m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
42,839
821
Sean Marshall, Clarence Nash, and Hal Smith in The Small One (1978)
AnimationShortDrama
Ordered by his father to sell his old, small donkey, named Small One, a Hebrew boy in ancient Israel takes the donkey to the Jerusalem market. Finding no buyers there, the boy is about to gi... Read allOrdered by his father to sell his old, small donkey, named Small One, a Hebrew boy in ancient Israel takes the donkey to the Jerusalem market. Finding no buyers there, the boy is about to give up when he meets a kind man named Joseph.Ordered by his father to sell his old, small donkey, named Small One, a Hebrew boy in ancient Israel takes the donkey to the Jerusalem market. Finding no buyers there, the boy is about to give up when he meets a kind man named Joseph.
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
42,839
821
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Directors
      • Don Bluth
      • Jack Cutting(earlier cartoon clips)
      • Wolfgang Reitherman(earlier cartoon clips)
    • Writers
      • Vance Gerry(story)
      • Peter Young(story)
      • Charles Tazewell(book)
    • Stars
      • Sean Marshall(voice)
      • William Woodson(voice)
      • Olan Soule(voice)
    Top credits
    • Directors
      • Don Bluth
      • Jack Cutting(earlier cartoon clips)
      • Wolfgang Reitherman(earlier cartoon clips)
    • Writers
      • Vance Gerry(story)
      • Peter Young(story)
      • Charles Tazewell(book)
    • Stars
      • Sean Marshall(voice)
      • William Woodson(voice)
      • Olan Soule(voice)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 21User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos17

    Sean Marshall and Clarence Nash in The Small One (1978)
    Sean Marshall, Clarence Nash, and Hal Smith in The Small One (1978)
    Sean Marshall, Clarence Nash, and Hal Smith in The Small One (1978)
    Sean Marshall and Clarence Nash in The Small One (1978)
    Sean Marshall and Clarence Nash in The Small One (1978)
    Ruth Clifford and Clarence Nash in Pluto's Christmas Tree (1952)
    William Woodson in The Small One (1978)
    Thurl Ravenscroft in The Small One (1978)
    Sean Marshall in The Small One (1978)
    Olan Soule in The Small One (1978)
    Joe Higgins in The Small One (1978)
    Hal Smith in The Small One (1978)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sean Marshall
    • Boy
    • (voice)
    William Woodson
    • Tanner
    • (voice)
    Olan Soule
    Olan Soule
    • Father
    • (voice)
    • (as Olan Soulé)
    Hal Smith
    Hal Smith
    • Auctioneer
    • (voice)
    Joe Higgins
    Joe Higgins
    • Guard
    • (voice)
    Gordon Jump
    Gordon Jump
    • Joseph
    • (voice)
    Clarence Nash
    • Small One
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Thurl Ravenscroft
    • Potter
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Ken Sansom
    • Baker
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    • Directors
      • Don Bluth
      • Jack Cutting(earlier cartoon clips) (uncredited)
      • Wolfgang Reitherman(earlier cartoon clips) (uncredited)
    • Writers
      • Vance Gerry(story)
      • Peter Young(story)
      • Charles Tazewell(book)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This short was Don Bluth's last involvement with Disney.
    • Quotes

      Auctioneer: Now, the next animal will truley amaze you! A fine steed of great breeding! So--WHAT? What? You, you there boy! Get out of here! Off there! I have no time for this! Go away, Boy! Go away!

      Boy: But please, Sir. This donkey's for sale.

      Auctioneer: Well this is a horse market! I haven't got time to waste on a scrawny donkey!

      Boy: He's not scrawny! He's a strong donkey. He's gentle and kind. And good enough to be in a king's stable!

      Auctioneer: A king's stable? Did you say? Did you hear that gentlemen? It seems we have the Prince of Donkeys with us today! Yes! Take note of this wel muscled animal! The alert stance! And deer heart! Come gentlemen! Do not hesitate! Who will start the bidding at one thousand pieces of silver? But look closly my friends! Observe the sleek coat! And the tail! This is a tail?

      Boy: Stop it! Let go of his tail!

      Auctioneer: I assure you gentlemen! He is as strong as a bull!

      Boy: Get off him!

      Auctioneer: Move! Move!

      Boy: Get off him! Get off!

      Auctioneer: The king's donkey!

      [the Small One knocks the Auctioneer out, the Auctioneer falls down into the ground, he breaks free, everybody laughs, who causes the Auctioneer to get more angry as his eyes become bloodshot and his face turns red and contorts into an expression of pure rage. Clearly not the reaction the boy and the small one were hoping for. The boy and the small one are scared by the angry Auctioneer, they try to leave]

      Auctioneer: Get that miserable beast, out of here!

      [he angrily throws a small vase at them, the boy and the small one takes off scared, accidentally dropping a basket of melons, chasing the chickens away, they hides on the wall]

      Auctioneer: [the auctioneer continues to host] Now gentlemen! Now that we had our fun and disposed of the King's donkey!

      [from O.C]

      Auctioneer: I wish to direct your attention to a truley amazing...

    • Alternate versions
      "The Merchant's Song" lyrics have been altered. The original lyrics were "We simply cheat a little if we must". In the recent versions it was changed to "We work a little harder if we must". This is because the original lyrics are perceived to have Jewish stereotypes. These original lyrics are no longer present on the DVD versions of the film.
    • Connections
      Featured in Disney Dimanche: Episode #2.1 (1979)
    • Soundtracks
      Small One
      Composed by Don Bluth

      Performed by Christalee

    User reviews21

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Dinsey's Heart-warming Christmas story
    Here is a favorite Christmas special from Disney, with great animation and a heart-warming story. I think this special is the only directorial job for Don Bluth before he left the Disney studio to create films like An American Tail, Thumbelina, etc. The story (as some of you might know it) is about a boy who has to sell his favorite donkey (and friend) named "Small One". But the problem is finding the prefect, kind owner for him. That's all I could tell you folks, you will have to see the film for yourself how it ends.

    So anyway, I really love this special with its really beautiful story and wonderful animation.
    helpful•11
    0
    • ja_kitty_71
    • Dec 3, 2015

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 16, 1978 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Der Esel von Bethlehem
    • Filming locations
      • Walt Disney Feature Animation - 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Walt Disney Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      26 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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    Sean Marshall, Clarence Nash, and Hal Smith in The Small One (1978)
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