The Wise Little Hen
The Wise Little Hen | |
---|---|
Silly Symphonies series | |
Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Wilfred Jackson |
Produced by | Walt Disney |
Voices by |
Florence Gill Clarence Nash |
Music by | Leigh Harline |
Animation by |
Archie Robin Clyde Geronimi Art Babbitt Louie Schmitt Ugo D'Orsi Frenchy de Tremaudan Wolfgang Reitherman Dick Huemer[1] |
Studio | Walt Disney Productions |
Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date(s) |
|
Running time | 7 minutes (one reel) |
Language | English |
The Wise Little Hen is a Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies cartoon, based on the fairy tale The Little Red Hen. This cartoon marked the debut of Donald Duck, dancing to the Sailor's Hornpipe. Donald and his friend Peter Pig try to avoid work by faking stomach aches until Mrs. Hen teaches them the value of labor. This cartoon was released on June 9, 1934. It was animated by Art Babbitt, Dick Huemer, Clyde Geronimi, Louie Schmitt, and Frenchy de Tremaudan (with assistance from a group of junior animators headed by Ben Sharpsteen)[2][1] and directed by Wilfred Jackson.[3] It was also adapted as a Sunday comic strip by Ted Osborne and Al Taliaferro.[4]
Plot
The Wise Little Hen of the title is looking for someone to help her plant her corn. Peter Pig and Donald Duck both feign belly aches to get out of the chore since they would rather play than work. So, with help from her chicks, she plants it herself. Harvest time comes; again, Peter and Donald claim belly aches, but the hen sees through this when boards of their clubhouse fall off showing their little act when they shake hands with each other for getting out of doing work. She cooks up a variety of corn dishes, and heads over to Peter and Donald to help her eat them, but before she can open her mouth, they already fake their belly aches. Once she asks, they are miraculously "cured" but all she gives them is castor oil, to teach them a lesson. As the hen and her chicks eat the corn themselves, Peter and Donald, with nothing but an appetite, repent with all their might by kicking each other on the rear.
Cast
- Florence Gill - the Wise Little Hen (She only properly speaks in her sung lines when she asks Peter or/and Donald if they will "Help her plant, harvest or eat her corn")
- Clarence Nash - Donald Duck, Peter Pig
Other references
This short was one of the many featured in Donald Duck's 50th Birthday.
Home video releases
- Donald Duck Volume 1 (Betamax) 1986
- Mickey Mouse & Donald Duck Volume 2 (VHS, Laserdisc) 1989
- Donald Duck's 50 Birthday (VHS, Laserdisc) 1991
- The Chronological Donald Volume 1 (DVD) 2005
- Walt Disney's Timeless Tales Volume 3: Casey at the Bat/Little Hiwatha/Morris the Midget Moose (DVD) 2006
- Walt Disney Animation Collection: Classic Short Films Volume 5: Wind in the Willows (DVD) 2009
Adaptations
There was an adaptation story to the cartoon called "Mrs. Cackles's Corn" from Walt Disney's Story Land: 55 Favorite Stories. There are a couple of differences like instead of Donald Duck and Peter Pig, they use Daniel Duck and Podgo Pig in the story, the hen is called Mrs. Cackle, and Clara Cluck is telling the story.
References
- 1 2 "Happy Birthday Donald Duck! Walt Disney's "The Wise Little Hen" (1934) |". Cartoonresearch.com. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
- ↑ Malone, Patrick A. "The Wise Little Hen". The Encyclopedia of Disney Animated Shorts. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ↑ "The Wise Little Hen". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2007-06-09.
- ↑ The Wise Little Hen at the INDUCKS