On Veterans’ Day, November 11 (11/11/11), we'll be presenting nine animated cartoons created by Walt Disney to support the war effort during World War II. These classic films, created from 1940-45, feature beloved Disney characters Goofy, Donald, and Pluto as they entertain and educate about managing shortages, and encourage Americans to create ‘Victory Gardens’ and pay their taxes.
The day after Pearl Harbor was attacked, the U.S. Army moved into the Disney Studio lot in Burbank to house troops assigned to protect a nearby Lockheed aircraft plant. Walt Disney himself was recruited by the government to create training films for the military, which made up more than 90% of the company’s production during the war years (and which actually saved the Studio from bankruptcy, since critical overseas markets had been closed by war). Other efforts included the well-known insignia program, which created more than 1200 character emblems for various military and support units.
For Walt, it was a matter of loyalty, patriotism, and honor to throw every resource at his disposal behind the war effort. “We passed a resolution when the War started that any work we would do for the war effort would be done at cost—that there would be no element of profit in the thing," Walt later recalled. "I didn’t want a profit. I had a feeling that everyone of those kids out there had been raised on Mickey Mouse, and anyways I just feel that way about it…I don’t like this profit during war…Everybody’s in that War when people are out there giving up their lives, I don’t like profit in the War, you see?"
The 11th Hour: A Sampling of Shorts from World War II features cartoons starring Donald Duck, who was the top cartoon star at the time, include:
- The Vanishing Private (1942) – Starring Donald Duck doing camouflage painting on a cannon.
- Fall Out/Fall In (1943) – Featuring Private Donald Duck marching with the Army.
- Sky Trooper (1942) – Donald pulls K.P. duty and gets into mischief peeling potatoes.
- Donald Gets Drafted (1942) – Reveals that Donald’s full name is Donald Fauntleroy Duck and introduces the song ‘The Army's Not the Army Anymore.
Walt Disney also made dozens of animated shorts to support the Homefront efforts, and with wartime themes. The 11th Hour: A Sampling of Shorts from World War II also includes:
- Victory Vehicles (1943) – Goofy demonstrates different types of vehicles to use during the war’s rubber shortage, finally determining that pogo sticks are the best option.
- How To Be a Sailor (1944) – One of Goofy’s many ‘how to’ cartoons; in this short, Goofy demonstrates the history of water transport, from the first prehistoric use of floating logs to the modern battleship.
- Food Will Win the War (1942) – Commissioned by the US Dept of Agriculture to encourage the creation of ‘Victory Gardens.’
- The Army Mascot (1942) – Pluto outwits a goat to become the new Army Mascot.
- Private Pluto (1943) – While in the army, Pluto is antagonized by two chipmunks, precursors for Chip 'n' Dale.
The one-hour screenings of The 11th Hour: A Sampling of Shorts from World War II will be taking place on the big screen in our state-of-the-art digital theatre throughout the day (beginning at 11am), and is free with paid admission. Those coming to the special Veterans’ Day screenings will also enjoy Gallery 6 in our Museum , which provides a more in-depth look at Walt’s involvement in World War II, along with art, insignias, posters and film clips, created to support America’s efforts. Hope to see you here this Friday, 11/11/11!
Images © Disney