Interesting Snow White related articles and podcasts

In the last few weeks, I've been gearing up for the D23 expo (look for updates on my trip soon).  That means I've been agonizing over which Snow White shirts to pack, reading all kinds of different things, and trying to catch up on my podcasts.  With the end of google reader, I'm afraid I've completely neglected my new feedly account and have accumulated a shameful number of unread articles - I'm sure I've missed quite a few things, but here are some of things I've been checking out:

First, I've mentioned before that WEDway radio did a series to celebrate Snow White's 75th anniversary (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3).  I finally caught up on my listening during a recent 8 hour drive through central California.  Matt and Nate did an absolutely fantastic job.  I found myself talking to them the whole time (or rather talking to myself in my car).  Take the time to listen to the series, it's really worth it!

Mice Chat's George Taylor has posted an article all about the Disney Inn.  Ever since I learned of this Snow White themed resort, I've been wishing for a time machine.

Babble.com has an article celebrating Marge Champion - she is turning 94 this year!  Marge was the live action reference model for Snow White, you can read more about her in a previous post on this website.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic is now on display until October at the Norman Rockwell Museum.  While I probably won't be making it to the east coast before that time, the website is beautiful!  Be sure to download the educator and family guide - it's really quite interesting.  They also have some merchandise for sale from the exhibit.

They Made the Magic: Marge Champion

Continuing on with the series of people who worked on Snow White, Marge Champion is one who I've talked about before.  Marge is one of the few who are still with us who can say: 'I was there!'

Marge was born September 2, 1919 in Los Angeles, California.  Her father owned a dance studio and learned at an early age to dance.  She was hired by the Walt Disney Studio as the live action reference model for Snow White.  She later preformed this same task for the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio and the dancing hippos in Fantasia.

Marge was married to animator Art Babbit, but later married Art Champion.  She and Art had a successful dancing career that included film (Showboat among others) and a television show.  She and Champion were married until 1973.  In 1977 she married Boris Sagal (father of Katie), but lost her husband in 1981 in an accident on a set.  After her retirement she worked as a dance instructor in New York City and even appeared in Fame.

Marge has appeared at many events in recent years including TCM's film festival and D23's Detestation D where she has shared her thoughts.  Marge was also the guest on a podcast where you can hear her remembering her work with Disney.  She was named a Disney Legend.

Destination D: 75 years of Animation: Snow White Still Fairest of them All

Okay, here we are, the panel you've been waiting for: Snow White Still the Fairest of them All!  Tim O'Day hosted this panel featuring musicologist and historian Alex Rannie, CEO of Walt Disney Family Museum Gabriella Calicchio, and 93 year old Marge Champion who was the live action model for Snow White.

The panel began with clarfiying that the word soundtrack didn't exist in 1937 so the music was refered to as "the exclusive recordings from the actual sound film." Alex Rannie brought a variety of images of sheet music that Churchill, Harline, Morey and Smith worked on for the film.

 The Silly Song was in fact the third song written for the scene where the dwarfs entertain Snow White.  One version of the song was Never Too Old to Be Young.  There was another song called Lady in the Moon that was written before 1935.  In this song, each dwarf would sing a verse as a different anmal who was in love with the lady in the moon.  The song ends with all the animals realizing the lady in the moon is, in fact, the man in the moon.  Sleepy would have sang as a fish and Dopey a frog. One idea stuck, Sleepy still plays a fish clarient in the final film.  So the song that made it into the film was the Silly Song.   In 1935 there was the first national Hillbilly Championships in LA that inspired the yodeling.  The sound effects team worked on the Grumpy's pipe organ.  In order to get the correct sound, the team used jugs and the largest jug required so muh air, the player would pass out - only Jimmy McDonald would play that one.  At one point the song had a verse sung by Snow White!  The D23 audience was lucky enough to hear the recording session of Snow White's verse.

The Yodel Song

Never to Old

Lady in the Moon

Final Song: The Dwarf's Yodel Song or The Silly Song
(Look at the words in the box: inspired the dance craze "Doin the Dopey")

The next guest introduced was Marge Champion.  This 93 years young woman was gracious enough to come and talk to the D23 audience about her memories of being part of the team that created Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  She was hired as the live action reference model for Snow White.

Marge Champion

 Marge told the story of how she was hired to work for Disney.  Her father owned a dance studio and when Disney went looking for a girl to do live action shots for Snow White, Marge was in the right place at the right time.  She believes she wasn't the first to take on htis role because the bodice of the costume had two rows of hooks and eyes, suggesting that it was fitted for some one else.  (You can see the outfit she word at the Archives exhibit at the Reagan Library).  When asked if Walt was at the audition, she said she was sure he was there, but she didn't see him.

The process from live action, to sketch, to final product

Marge also told of her life growing up: her father would go to Shirley Temple's house to teach her ballet and Marge knew Shirley.  When wanting to be excused from the dinner table, Marge was taught to say: "I've had an elegant sufficency, May I be excused?"

Marge Champion in her costumes

During her time at the studio, Marge would act to Adriana Caselotti's voice recordings.  The animators referred to the girls as Margiana Belchalotti (a mash up of both of their names).  Marge also remembers how the studio needed her to run through the forest for Snow White's frightening escape.  They hung clotheslines and attached ropes that would hit her like branches.  Ham Luske attached some to her dress.  She said it didn't take much acting because she was  terrified!  She though the whole structure would fall down at any minute.

You'd be scared too if animators made you run through ropes hung from cloteslines!

The most interesting thing that Marge remembered was that at one point, animators thought that Snow White's head should be larger than her body as was a popular style of animation in those days (think Betty Boop).  In order to test this, Marge was given a football helmet that was painted with a wig and bow.  She remembered having to wear it and under the hot lights, she became dizzy and almost fainted!

The final panelist shared some of the artwork that will be featured at the Walt Disney Family Museum when the exhibit opens this fall.  They also announced D23 would hold an event in November.  I can't wait to see some of these in person:

Two History Articles

Vanity Fair and The Huffington Post both have articles by Patrictia Zohn this month.  The first is about the Ink and Paint girls with lots of information about those years preparing for Snow White and the latter is an artcile about the live action model for Snow White.  See links to read full text: Walt Disney Animators (March 2010)
and Off the Cuff

MouseStation Podcast

December 31st Podcast from MouseStation (374) features and "interview" (more like Marge reminiscing) from the D23 expo. I was lucky enough to be at the Snow White panel that day and saw her in person. In this interview, done shortly after the panel, she talks about how she was involved with Snow White as well as other Disney features. She discusses how a writer for Life magazine convinced Disney to tell the public about how they used a live action model. She relates lots of interesting facts and information. MousePlanet website also included a video from the DVD of Marge's work.
Marge was honored as a Disney Legend in 2007. See the Disney Website for more information. Enjoy!