Orson Welles 'Snow White' Radio Performance, 1945

A studio audience admission ticket for this live CBS performance...

Sixty Seven years ago tonight, Cresta Blanca Wines sponsored a CBS radio dramatization of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The live broadcast took place at the Columbia Square Playhouse in Hollywood and aired on the program, "THIS IS MY BEST", a series hosted by Orson Welles.

In the introduction to the show, Welles shares that it's his oldest daughter's seventh birthday and that he knows of no better story to share with her than Snow White. As one would expect, his narration is rock solid. Jane Powell, who starred in the 1944 Screen Guild Theater performance, repeats her role as the princess. A full cast of Queen/Witch, Prince and Dwarfs fills out the presentation. Excerpts of the songs from the film are performed throughout with live orchestra accompaniment.

Original Airdate: March 27, 1945...

Listen to the entire half hour CBS radio broadcast starring Orson Welles and Jane Powell. (Audio clip courtesy of the Orson Welles on the Air archive collection.)

Special acknowledgement goes to Rick Payne of dadric's attic for the tip about the radio performance and for the ticket scan.

Singin', Dancin', Heigh Ho! (50th Anniversary - 1987)

Disneyland also commemorated Snow White's Golden Anniversary with a live 24-minute stage show entitled Singin' Dancin' Heigh Ho! Held five times daily (11:45 am, 1:00, 3:00. 4:30 and 6:00 pm) at the then Videopolis Stage, the performance included plenty of singing characters, lots of eighties-style dancers, and even the princess on horseback.

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This 1987 Disneyland Summer Program brochure, good from June 20th to September 6th, was published "exclusively for Anaheim Area Lodging Guests" and included information on hours, prices, dining, and things to do at the park. Featured among the daytime entertainment listings were both the Golden Anniversary Celebration parade and the Singin' Dancin' Heigh-Ho show.

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See the Summer Program and more at Vintage Disneyland Tickets.

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The show began with the Dwarfs singing Heigh Ho as they were joined on stage by a troupe of dancers.

The second number featured Snow White singing With A Smile and a Song to puppet forest animals that popped up from the stage in front of her.

Whistle While You Work came next with Snow beginning the song but soon being replaced on stage by the next group of dancers.

A smoke-filled stage followed with haunted forest trees and giant spider dancers. The Old Witch made her appearance too.

The Dwarfs returned to sing The Silly Song and the dancers did a tap routine.

Dry ice poured across the stage as Snow White sang Some Day My Prince Will Come and was then joined by the Prince in a duet of One Song. In front of a castle backdrop, the royal dancers came out for another spin.

The finale saw the dwarfs and dancers reappear to take their bows. Then the Prince led Snow White out on horseback as live doves were released from the front of the stage.

Screen captures via Harborhouse55.

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As part of the 50th Anniversary, the Disney Channel aired a special taped performance for television. See three clips below from the program featuring Colleen Hawks as Snow White and John LaLonde as the Prince...

Video posted by ColleenHawks.

Video posted by ColleenHawks.

Video posted by allen11375.

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And here's the entire Disneyland stage show in three parts as shot on home video...

Videos posted by scottof83.

The stage performance is also available on DVD (along with the Golden Anniversary Celebration parade) via Harborhouse55.

Snow White "An Enchanted Musical" Trading Cards

An Enchanted Musical was a Disneyland live Snow White stage performance that ran within the park from 2004 to 2006 (see earlier posts for more details). It was a grand production with lots of media celebration and promotional hoopla.

One of the souvenirs from the musical was this set of 8 "finger puppet" trading cards. According to the person I recently purchased them from, the individual cards were not sold to park-goers but were distributed randomly and handed out free.

They're punch-out cards where the characters can be removed along the perforated lines. With two slits near the bottom, your finger or a pencil can be inserted to create finger puppets. Like regular trading cards, each measures approximately 3 1/2" x 2 1/2".

The backside of each card is identical except for the alignment of the finger puppet instructions. The individual words are adjusted to fit within the differing perforation patterns.

All images from personal collection.

The Screen Guild Theater Radio Broadcasts of Snow White

Probably the best known radio broadcast of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was that of the 1938 Lux Radio Theater (see earlier post) which featured an appearance by Walt Disney himself. Yet, the Screen Guild Theater performed at least five more radio adaptations of Disney's Snow White, each were half-hour shows that aired live from Hollywood. The first in 1944 was followed by one in 1946, two in 1948 and another (that was paired with Pinocchio) in 1950.

The Screen Guild Theater was a popular radio show from 1939 to 1952. It was broadcast on CBS for the majority of its run from 1939-1948 with NBC taking it over from 1948-1950, ABC from 1950-1951 and back again to CBS for one more season in 1952. It also went by different names depending upon who the sponsor was: The Gulf Screen Guild Theater, The Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater, The Camel Screen Guild Theater.

Big name Hollywood stars performed on the show to help raise money for the Motion Picture Relief Fund, a charitable organization which assisted retired actors and others in the movie industry who may have fallen on hard times. The salaries from the radio performances were usually donated to this fund.

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Original Airdate April 24, 1944...

Listen to the entire 29:06 minute 1944 CBS Snow White performance via the Internet Archive. Starring Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Jane Powell and Billy Gilbert. 

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Original Airdate December 23, 1946...

The entire 27:57 minute 1946 CBS Snow White performance via the Internet Archive. Starring Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Mary Jane Smith and Charles Kemper. 

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Original Airdate June 7, 1948...

The entire 27:28 minute 1948 CBS Snow White performance via the Internet Archive. Starring Margaret O'Brien, Jimmy Durante, Mary Jane Smith and Mel Blanc. 

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Original Airdate December 23, 1948...

1948 NBC Snow White performance. Starring Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Mary Jane Smith and Charles Kemper. (Audio file not yet located.)

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Original Airdate December 28, 1950...

1950 ABC Snow White/Pinocchio performance. Starring Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Fanny Brice and Hanley Stafford. (Audio file not yet located.)

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The first three Snow White Screen Guild Theater programs were broadcast on CBS and generally followed the same script, the first two sponsored by Lady Esther and the third by Camel. The fourth program (the second of 1948) was also sponsored by Camel but aired on NBC. The script was probably similar to the earlier ones (but I have not yet located the audio recording to confirm). The last Screen Guild performance of Snow White aired on ABC in 1950.

Both the '44 and '46 performances were narrated by the popular Edgar Bergen with his "side-kick" Charlie McCarthy. The 1948 CBS show featured eleven year old Margaret O'Brien telling the story to Jimmy Durante. Then later in 1948, the NBC program again starred Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy as did the ABC episode in 1950.

Edgar Bergen with Charlie McCarthy image via Ventriloquist Central.

Margaret O'Brien image via Wikimedia Commons. Jimmy Durante image via AllStarPics.

Fifteen year old (not 14 as stated in the program) Jane Powell played the singing voice of Snow White the first time around. Fourteen year old Mary Jane Smith replaced her two years later in '46 and again in both of the 1948 programs.

The 1944 broadcast saw Billy Gilbert return from the original film to reprise his role as Sneezy. This is probably why Sneezy ends up having the most lines of all the dwarfs in the script. Charles Kemper played the role in '46 while Mel Blanc took it over in the 1948 CBS version. There are moments in Blanc's performance that you can hear distinct shades of Yosemite Sam. Charles Kemper returned in 1948 for the NBC show.

Fantasmic Old Witch Signage

Lining the entire rear area of the Fantasmic amphitheater at WDW's Disney Hollywood Studios are a series of light poles. Each is adorned with an individual metal sign with the likeness of one of the characters that appears in the performance. After you enter the main open-air venue, the Old Witch from Snow White can be found all the way to the far right side on the very last light post. The same sign is also seen on a pole back along the walkway leading up to the amphitheater.

And now some fiery shots from the performance...

Lux Radio Theater Presents Snow White, December 26, 1938

Lux Radio Theater. Image via OTR Archives.

It was the day after Christmas exactly seventy-two years ago this very night, and how cool it would have been to be in that studio audience! Hosted by Cecil B. DeMille, the Lux Radio Theater presented a live Hollywood performance of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Not only did some of film's original voice actors return to reprise their roles for the show, but Walt Disney himself was on hand to be interviewed by DeMille for both the intermission and at the end of the broadcast.






Left: Cecil B. DeMille

Here's an excerpt from the second interview where DeMille asks Walt about his secret to success with fairytales:

DeMILLE:	In their written form, Walt, fairytales are only for children. But when you bring one to the screen, it captivates everyone. Age, language, race make no difference. What is the secret?
WALT:	Well, here is half an answer. Over at our place we’re sure of just one thing -- everybody in the world was once a child. We grow up, our personalities change. But in every one of us, something remains of our childhood. It’s where all of us are simple and naïve without prejudice and bias. We’re friendly and trusting. It just seems to me that if your picture hits that spot in one person, it’s going to hit that same spot in almost everybody. So in planning a new picture we don’t think of grown-ups and we don’t think of children. But just of that fine clean unspoiled spot down deep in every one of us that maybe the world has made us forget and that maybe our pictures can help recall.

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During my research on this radio broadcast, I received assistance from several different sources. First was Disney Historian Jim Korkis who supplied the names of the performers:

Voice actors from the original film included Roy Atwell (Doc), Billy Gilbert (Sneezy), Moroni  Olsen (Mirror), and Stuart Buchanan (Huntsman). Buchanan also played the voice of Grumpy for this production.

The rest of the radio cast included Thelma Hubbard (Snow White), James Eagles (Prince), Rolfe Sedan (Happy), Jack Smart (Bashful), Lou Merrill (Sleepy), Paula Winslowe (Queen) and Gloria Gordon (Witch). 

Folks like Lou Merrill who did Sleepy were "utility performers" filling in a variety of odd little side voices for a show.  He did a lot of this work for Lux Radio Theater in the early years. Jim Korkis

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Additional information came from Alexander Rannie. In 1993 the Walt Disney Company was working on a CD-ROM of Disney Characters, a sort of interactive companion to the Encyclopedia of Walt Disney's Animated Characters. Alex was the audio designer and one of several animation art researchers for the CD:

Unfortunately, it was never released. Disney couldn't decide exactly what they wanted and who their market was, so the project was eventually shelved. There was talk at one point of incorporating bits of [this] Lux Snow White program into the CD, hence, my research into the particulars of the show. Alexander Rannie

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Finally, the following December 1938 Radio Guide for the week of this broadcast comes from long-time Snow White buff Rick Payne. It featured Dopey on the cover and promoted the Monday airing of the Lux Theater show:

Radio Guide, December 1938 (10 5/8" x 13 5/8"). Images courtesy of Rick Payne via dadric's attic. Used with permission.

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Now come open a window to the past. Sit back and relax as you listen to the entire 56 minute Snow White Lux Radio Theater performance via the Internet Archive. Original airdate December 26, 1938.

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Produced and hosted by film legend Cecil B. DeMille, Lux Radio Theater strove to feature as many of the original stars of the original stage and film productions as possible, usually paying them $5,000 an appearance to do the show. Many of the greatest names in film appeared in the series, most in the roles they made famous on the screen. Source: Wikipedia.

Lux Ad via Eliza Karltorp.

Read D23's Greg Ehrbar's recent article on the numerous Lux Radio Theater performances adapted from Disney films.

The 2009 Screening at El Capitan

As part of the promotional lead up to the October 2009 Blu-Ray release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the film returned to the Hollywood big screen for a limited engagement. This time last year (September 18th - October 1st), an exclusive two-week showing ran at the Disney-restored El Capitan Theatre.

Located at 6838 Hollywood Blvd, the El Capitan first opened its doors on May 3, 1926 and was one of three themed movie palaces all developed by Charles Toberman along with Sid Grauman--the other two theatres of course being the Egyptian and the Chinese.

Sixty three years later, the Walt Disney Company along with Pacific Theatres embarked upon a two-year "archeological dig" which led to the restoration and reopening of this historic landmark in 1991.

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El Capitan Marque. Image copyright 9.17.2009 Loren Javier. Creative Commons License.

The return of Snow White to the movie theatre in 2009 was complimented with a special live appearance by the princess herself at every show. For patrons who wanted more, $31.00 (USD) bought you "breakfast with Snow White". Each Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning before the 10:00 am screening, one could dine with her next door at the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store.

 Window Display in the Soda Fountain and Studio Store. Image copyright 9.17.2009 Loren Javier. Creative Commons License.

As a tie-in with the September 18th opening, the Soda Fountain also released a number of limited edition Snow White pins. 

 

El Capitan Marquee Pin, LE 300; Released 09/18/09. Retail Price $10.95 (US).

Snow White "Princess Jewels" Portrait Pin, LE 300; Released 09/18/09. Retail Price $10.95 (US).

Snow White Book Pin, LE 300; Released 09/18/09. Retail Price $12.95 (US).

Evil Queen/Wicked Witch Spinner Pin, LE 300; Released 09/18/09. Retail Price $12.95 (US).

Dwarfs in Mine Pin, LE 300; Released 09/18/09. Retail Price $10.95 (US).

There was also an unannounced Dopey surprise mystery pin released.

Dopey Surprise Mystery Pin, LE 300; Released 09/18/09. Retail Price $8.95 (US). Image via Pin Pics.

Find more info on Soda Fountain pins at Disney Pin Trading and pinpics.com.