Magazine

THE IMPOSSIBLE DISNEY TRIVIA CONTEST?

By Peter Adamakos


If you're like me, Disney trivia contests bore you to death. They are
made for the general public and ask you to name the seven dwarfs over
and over. You can usually answer all but one, which is usually not
only trivial in nature but of no interest, like "How many logs made
up the original Frontierland fort entrance at Disneyland?" Most
Disney trivia contests ask you to regurgitate what is available in
books. You can look up the answers.

Here is a Disney trivia contest for the true Disney fan, answers to
which are not to be found in the published record (for the most part),
but on observation of the films themselves.

Most, but not all, come from Disney animation. 

If you think you have the answers to all the questions, email me your answers at:

Peter@disada.com   

 the first to do so with all the correct answer will win, 

a fine rare Disney prize based on whatever his or her favorite Disney film or character is. 

It could be an original movie poster, pressbook or something else not made for the public.
You pick the film or character, and I'll offer you a choice of a great prize.

 I'll supply the answers when someone answers all the questions.

So, there is no time limit to the contest.

l) What is Cinderella's last name and how many times does she lose
 her footwear in the film?

    (Okay, that's the last easy one.)

2) The opening music to THE JUNGLE BOOK gives a mysterious jungle
 feel to the start of the film. But George Bruns actually composed
 and used this same music in an earlier Disney production that had
 nothing to do with jungles. What was the earlier production and
 in what scene was it used?

3) There are lots of painting errors in Disney (and others') films
 that jar the film watching experience. But there can be filming
 errors as well. In the Mickey Mouse cartoon short THE WHOOPEE
 PARTY (1932) there is a dancing couple, which disappears and pops
 on again when the cameraman shot a few frames forgetting to place
 their cels under the camera, then resumed shooting their cels
 again. This same thing happens in BAMBI at one point. What is
 the scene and to which character(s) does this happen?

4) In one Disney animated feature there is a visual tribute to a
 classic silent film. What is the scene, the nature of the tribute
 and what is the silent film they are copying?

5) Long ago Jimmy MacDonald, a sound effects artist, voiced Mickey
 Mouse. Currently there is a Disney character that is not voiced
 by an actor, but by one of their animators. He or she does this
 character’s voice from time to time. Who is the animator and
 who is the character?

6) An actor in THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965) supplied the voice for a
 major supporting character in a Disney animated feature. Name
 the voice talent.

7) What is the legal relationship between Donald Duck and Huey, Louie
 and Dewey? In what film is this relationship legally described
 and how?

8)  Two different Disney songs shared the same title though they were
 very different. What two very different singers sang their
 respective songs, and in which two films did they sing them?

9) What is the name of the circus Dumbo appears in and what is the
 significance of the name?

 
10) Two Disney features have dedications at the end of their opening
 titles. What are the films and to whom are they dedicated?

11) It has always been written that Uncle $crooge was first seen in
 the 1947 comic book story A CHRISTMAS ON BEAR MOUNTAIN, but his
 prototype, a Scottish-accented tightfisted duck looking very
 close to $crooge appeared years before Carl Barks' story in
 which film?

12) Some characters from LADY AND THE TRAMP actually appeared in a
 later film. Who were they and what was the film?

13) While everyone imagines they see naughty things in Disney
 animation from sky writing to ministers' crotches, you never
 read about a naughty thing that actually did happen. In one
 short Donald Duck clearly says the F word in anger. It was
 so clear that it was rerecorded when the film was brought
 back to theaters in the 1980s. Yet all the video copies and
 broadcast copies to this day have the original recording at
 that moment. What is the film and on what occasion was it
 brought back to theaters?

14) In the 1950s, years after World War Two ended, an ordinary
 run of the mill Disney storybook has a prominent swastika
 as part of a visual design on its cover. I've never seen
 anyone else notice it, but it is clearly and prominently there.
    The book has nothing to do with the war, the military or
 history, but is a normal Disney cartoon book. It was even
 reprinted some years later with the swastika still there. If
 anyone else has noticed, what is the book?

15) Four youths, sons of prominent Disney animation creative
 people, have voiced characters in Disney animated features.
    Who are the boys and in what film did each supply a voice?
    Who was their parent who worked at Disney?

16) In the opening of his television shows, especially those with
 a western theme, Walt Disney wore a tie with a distinctive
 design on it. What was the significance of the design?

17) One well-known Disney actor appeared mute in two productions
 but spoke in a third. Who was actor and what were the
 productions?

18) One Disney songwriter was nominated that year for the Academy
 Award not as a songwriter, but for acting in the same year
 the Disney film was released. Name the songwriter, the name
 of the Disney film, and the film that earned the songwriter
 an Oscar nomination.

19) One of Walt Disney's daughters can be seen in which feature?

20) Two fairly well known Disney actors went on to become producers
 at the studio. Who were they?


Well, there it is. There are no trick questions. All films, features
and shorts referred to above were shown in theaters--there aren't
any obscure educational films included. I think I have made the
questions clear, but if there is any clarification needed, ask me.
If asked to do more articles for future issues, I will include an
update on people are doing if all 20 questions have not been
correctly answered yet. Good luck!

  ------

Peter Adamakos has been a collector of original animation artwork for over 35 years. His collection has formed the basis of major museum exhibitions in cities like Montreal, New York, Toronto, Tampa, Paris, Atlanta, Brussels and many more. His 30 year-old animation company has moved to Ottawa. He can be reached at or P.O. Box 37009, 3332 McCarthy Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1V OWO.