Original Production Animation Cels of Doc, Bashful, Sneezy, Two Birds, and Two Squirrels from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937
Original hand painted and hand inked production animation cels of Doc, Bashful, Sneezy, Two Birds, and Two Squirrels set on an airbrushed Courvoisier background from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937, Walt Disney Studios; Partial Courvoisier label verso; Size - Doc, Bashful, & Sneezy: 4 1/4 x 6 1/4", Image 9 1/2 x 9 1/2"; Unframed.
These original animation cels capture a key moment of suspense and comedy from Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, featuring Doc, Bashful, and Sneezy alongside a pair of birds and two curious squirrels. Returning home from a long day at the mine, the dwarfs discover that an intruder has broken into their cottage and is sleeping in their beds upstairs.
Armed with a lantern, Doc cautiously leads the investigation, tiptoeing through the cottage toward the darkened bedroom while nervously urging his brothers, "Shh! Be quiet, everyone!" As they enter the room, the dwarfs creep toward the mysterious shape beneath the covers, with the woodland creatures watching anxiously. Convinced they are facing a terrifying monster, Sneezy cries, "Jiminy Crickets!" while Bashful exclaims, "Gawrsh!" Sneezy then declares, "What a monster! And covering our beds." Doc, in his wonderfully flustered manner, announces, "Let's murder it before it wakes up." Happy's hilarious response—"Which end do we murder? And which end?"—is immediately followed by the dwarfs' collective "Shhh!"
The expressive poses, nervous woodland creatures, lantern-lit atmosphere, and hilarious dialogue perfectly capture the suspense and comic timing of this memorable sequence, just before the dwarfs discover that their terrifying intruder is actually Snow White, peacefully sleeping in their beds.
This memorable sequence showcases the painstaking work behind what would become a landmark achievement in cinematic history. Development on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs began in early 1934, and by June, Walt Disney announced to The New York Times the production of his first feature, to be released under Walt Disney Productions. Before Snow White, the Disney studio had been primarily involved in the production of animated short subjects in the Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphonies series. However, Disney hoped to expand his studio's prestige and revenues by moving into features, estimating that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs could be produced for a budget of $250,000—ten times the budget of an average Silly Symphony.
As the first full-length cel animated feature in motion picture history, Walt Disney had to fight immense skepticism to bring his vision to life. Both his brother and business partner, Roy Disney, as well as his wife, Lillian, attempted to talk him out of the ambitious project. Throughout its production, the Hollywood movie industry mockingly referred to the film as "Disney's Folly." Undeterred, Disney took enormous financial risks, eventually mortgaging his own house to help finance the production. The final budget ran up to a total cost of $1,488,422.74, an absolutely massive sum for a feature film in 1937.
Translating the seven distinct personalities into fluid, believable movement presented significant artistic challenges. Although the initial concept designing of the dwarfs was relatively easy for the Walt Disney animation department, the actual animating of them proved difficult. The animators, already finding human figures challenging to animate, now had to animate dwarfed human figures with unique proportions. Legend Vladimir Tytla noted that the dwarfs should walk with a distinct swing to their hips, while Fred Moore emphasized that they needed to move a little more quickly to keep up with the other human characters.
Each of the three dwarfs in this scene represents a unique blend of vocal talent and animation expertise. Doc, holding the lantern high, was not present in the original November 1935 story outline referenced by Robert D. Field in The Art of Walt Disney. However, several months later his leadership role and his comical relationship with Grumpy were firmly established. Walt Disney noted that Doc's flustered personality should be such that he never knew quite where he was without one of his fellow dwarfs reminding him. Radio comedian Roy Atwell, known for his stammering and mixed-up language routines, was cast as the voice of Doc—a trait reflected in his iconic line, "We'll search the house, high and low, top and bottom, inside and out!" Animators Vladimir Tytla, Fred Moore, Shamus Culhane, Les Clark, and Ward Kimball all contributed to bringing Doc's endearing clumsiness to life.
Behind Doc stands Bashful, whose quiet, coy nature makes him an immediate fan favorite. Bashful harbors a deep crush on Snow White, prompting him to blush and cover his reddened face behind his hands and beard, often accompanied by soft giggles and a timid "Oh, gosh!" Provided with a gentle voice by film and television actor Scotty Mattraw, Bashful's subtle movements and blushing humor were crafted by animators Vladimir Tytla, Fred Moore, Shamus Culhane, and Les Clark.
Completing the trio in the cel is Sneezy, whose character is defined by his severe hay fever. His explosive, gale-force sneezes frequently prevent him from speaking and threaten to blow away anything in their path, prompting the other dwarfs to nervously clamp his nose whenever he begins to gasp, "Ah-ah-ah-CHOO!" The memorable running gag where the dwarfs tie a knot in Sneezy's beard was inspired by an early inspirational sketch by Albert Hurter. Animated by Ward Kimball, Vladimir Tytla, Fred Moore, Shamus Culhane, and Les Clark, Sneezy was voiced by American comedian Billy Gilbert, who was celebrated for his signature comic sneeze routines. Together, these masterfully animated personalities transformed what critics once dismissed as "Disney's Folly" into a timeless masterpiece of cinema history.
This is an absolutely spectacular original hand painted and hand inked production cel setup of Doc, Bashful, Sneezy, Two Birds, and Two Squirrels all set on an airbrushed Courvoisier background. The Courvoisier setups from Snow White are highly desired by collectors for their rarity and beauty. Courvoisier Galleries was the first gallery to recognize the artistic value to the newly emerging animation art form in the 1930s and 40s and worked with Disney Studios to prepare and sell the original cels and drawings to the public. An absolutely stunning setup of three Dwarfs and four animals; and show stopper for any vintage Walt Disney animation art collection!
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