Silly Symphonies

Silly Symphonies is a series of cartoons made by Walt Disney Productions. Unlike Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and other Disney cartoons, the Silly Symphonies did not usually feature continuing characters. The original Silly Symphonies cartoons lasted from 1929 to 1939. On the television series Mickey Mouse Works they used Silly Symphonies as the titles to some cartoons, but unlike the original cartoons these did feature continuing characters. Donald Duck got his start in a Silly Symphonies cartoon and Pluto's first appearance without Mickey Mouse was also in a Silly Symphonies cartoon.

The names of the Warner Bros. cartoon series, "Looney Tunes" and "Merrie Melodies," were inspired by the "Silly Symphonies" name.

Filmography

1929

• The Skeleton Dance . Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 22 August, 1929.
• El Terrible Toreador . Directed by Walt Disney, first released on 7 September, 1929.
• Springtime. Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 24 October, 1929.
• Hell's Bells . Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 11 November, 1929. Featuring Satan, the Grim Reaper, Cerberus and various unnamed demons of Hell.
• The Merry Dwarfs . Directed by Walt Disney, first released on 16 December, 1929.

1930

• Summer. Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 6 January, 1930.
• Autumn. Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 13 February, 1930.
• Cannibal Capers . Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 13 March, 1930.
• Frolicking Fish . Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 8 May, 1930.
• Arctic Antics . Directed by Ub Iwerks, first released on 5 June, 1930.
• Midnight in a Toyshop . Directed by Wilfred Jackson , first released on 3 July, 1930.
• Night. Directed by Walt Disney, first released on 31 July, 1930.
• Monkey Melodies . Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 10 August, 1930.
• Winter. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 5 November, 1930.
• Playful Pan . Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 28 December, 1930. Featuring the Greek god Pan.

1931

• Birds of a Feather. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 10 February, 1931.
• Mother Goose Melodies . Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 17 April, 1931. Featuring among others Humpty Dumpty, Jack and Jill, Little Bo Peep, Little Boy Blue, Little Jack Horner, Mother Goose, Old King Cole and Simple Simon.
• The China Plate . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 25 May, 1931.
• The Busy Beavers . Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 22 June, 1931.
• The Cat's Out . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 28 July, 1931.
• Egyptian Melodies . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 21 August, 1931.
• The Clock Store . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 30 September, 1931.
• The Spider and the Fly . Directed by Wildred Jackson, first released on 16 October, 1931.
• The Fox Hunt . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 18 November, 1931.
• The Ugly Duckling. Based on a story by Hans Christian Andersen. Directed by Wildred Jackson, first released on 16 December, 1931.

1932

• The Bird Store . Directed by Wildred Jackson, first released on 16 January, 1932.
• The Bears and the Bees . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 9 July, 1932.
• Just dogs . Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 30 July, 1932. Featuring the first starring role of Pluto.
• Flowers and Trees. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 30 July, 1932.
• King Neptune. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 10 September, 1932. Featuring Greco-Roman god Poseidon/Neptune as the " King of the Sea".
• Bugs in Love . Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 1 October, 1932.
• Babes in the Woods . Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 19 November, 1932. Featuring Hansel and Gretel.
• Santa's Workshop . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 10 December, 1932. Featuring Santa Claus.

1933

• Birds in the Spring . Directed by David Dodd Hand , first released on 11 March, 1933.
• Father Noah's Ark . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 8 April, 1933. Featuring Noah, Ham, Japheth, Shem and their respective wives.
• The Three Little Pigs. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 27 May, 1933. Featuring the namesake characters and the Big Bad Wolf.
• Old King Cole. Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 29 July, 1933. Featuring the namesake character along with (among others) Jack Sprat and Little Boy Blue/
• Lullaby Land . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on August 19, 1933. Featuring Mr. Sandman.
• The Pied Piper. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 16 September, 1933. Featuring the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
• The Night Before Christmas. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 9 December, 1933.

1934

• The China Shop . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 13 January, 1934.
• The Grasshopper and the Ants . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 10 February, 1934. Based on a fable by Aesop.
• Funny Little Bunnies . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 24 March, 1934. Featuring the Easter Bunnies.
• The Big Bad Wolf. Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 14 April, 1934. Featuring the title character along with the Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood.
• The Wise Little Hen. Directed by Wilfred Jackson, firs released on 9 June, 1934. Featuring the debut of Donald Duck.
• The Flying Mouse . Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 14 July, 1934.
• Peculiar Penguins . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 1 September, 1934.
• The Goddess of Spring . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 3 November, 1934. Featuring Persephone and a version of her uncle/husband Hades/ Pluto, identified here with Satan.

1935

• The Tortoise and the Hare. Directed by Wilfred Jackson , first released on 5 January, 1935. Featuring Max Hare and Toby Tortoise . The former has been suggested as an early influence to Looney Tunes character Bugs Bunny.
• The Golden Touch. Directed by Walt Disney, first released on 22 March, 1935. Featuring Midas and Goldie the elf.
• The Robber Kitten . Directed by David Dodd Hand , first released on 13 April, 1935.
• Water Babies . Directed by Wilfred Jacksom, first released on 11 May, 1935.
• The Cookie Carnival . Directed by Ben Sharpsteen , first released on 25 May, 1935.
• Who Killed Cock Robin? . Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 26 June, 1935.
• Music Land . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 5 October, 1935.
• Three Orphan Kittens . Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 26 October, 1935.
• Cock o' the Walk . Directed by Ben Sharpsteen, first released on 30 November, 1935.
• Broken Toys . Directed by Ben Sharpsteen, first released on 14 December, 1935.

1936

• Elmer Elephant . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 28 March, 1936.
• Three Little Wolves . Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 18 April, 1936. Featuring the title characters along with their father the Big Bad Wolf and his rivals the Three Little Pigs.
• Toby Tortoise Returns . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on August 22, 1936. Featuring Max Hare and Toby Tortoise.
• Three Blind Mousketeers . Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 26 September, 1936.
• The Country Cousin . Co-directed by David Dodd Hand and Wilfred Jackson, first released on 31 October, 1936.
• Mother Pluto . Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 14 November, 1936. Featuring Pluto mothering a number of newly-hatched chicks.
• More Kittens . Co-directed by David Dodd Hand and Wilfred Jackson, first released on 19 December, 1936.

1937

• Woodland Café . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 13 March, 1937.
• Little Hiawatha . Directed by David Dodd Hand, first released on 15 May, 1937.
• The Old Mill . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 5 November, 1937.

1938

• The Moth and the Flame . Directed by Burton Gillett, first released on 1 April, 1938.
• Wynken, Blynken and Nod . Directed by Graham Heid , first released on 27 May, 1938.
• Farmyard Symphony . Directed by Jack Cutting , first released on 14 October, 1938.
• Merbabies . Co-directed by Rudolf Ising and Vernon Stallings , first released on 9 December, 1938.
• Mother Goose Goes Hollywood . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 23 December, 1938.

1939

• The Practical Pig . Directed by Dick Rickard , first released on 24 February, 1939. Featuring the Three Little Pigs, the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Wolves.
• The Ugly Duckling. Directed by Jack Cutting, first released on 7 April, 1939. Colored remake of the 1931 Silly Symphony.

"Unofficial entries"

In 1938, Disney released the first of what was to be a fairly significant number of shorts which featured no continuing characters and yet were not labeled Silly Symphonies. However, animation fans generally find them similar in nature to the previous series and occasionally reference them as unofficial entries or successors to it. The following list should not be taken as official:

• Ferdinand the Bull . Directed by Dick Rickard, first released on 25 November, 1938.
• Education for Death. Directed by Clyde Geronimi , first released on 15 January, 1943.
• Reason and Emotion . Directed by William O. Roberts , first released on 27 August, 1943.
• Chicken Little . Directed by Clyde Geronimi , first released on 17 December, 1943.
• The Pelican and the Snipe . Directed by Hamilton Luske , first released on 7 January, 1944.
• The Brave Engineer . Directed by Jack Kinney , first released on 3 March, 1950. Featuring Casey Jones.
• Morris the Midget Moose . Directed by Charles August Nichols , first released on 24 November, 1950.
• How to Catch a Cold . First released on August 1, 1951.
• Lambert the Sheepish Lion . Directed by Jack Hannah, first released on 8 February, 1952.
• Susie the Little Blue Coupe . Directed by Clyde Geronimi, first released on 6 June, 1952.
• The Little House . Directed by Wilfred Jackson, first released on 8 August, 1952.
• . Co-directed by Ward Kimball and Charles August Nichols, first released on 28 May, 1953.
• Football Now and Then . Directed by Jack Kinney, first released on 2 October, 1953.
• . Co-directed by Ward Kimball and Charles August Nichols.
• Ben and Me . Directed by Hamilton Luske, first released on 11 November, 1953. Featuring Amos Mouse with his friends Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
• Pigs is Pigs. Directed by Jack Kinney, first released on 21 May, 1954.
• Casey Bats Again . Directed by Jack Kinney, first released on 18 June, 1954.
• Social Lion . Directed by Jack Kinney, first released on 15 October, 1954.
• Jack and Old Mac . Directed by Willam Justice , first released on 18 July, 1956.
• A Cowboy Needs a Horse . Directed by William Justice, first released on 6 November, 1956.
• The Story of Anyburg U.S.A. . Directed by Clyde Geronimi, first released on 19 June, 1957.
• The Truth About Mother Goose . Co-directed by William Justice and Wolfgang Reitherman, first released on 28 August, 1957.
• Paul Bunyan. Directed by Les Clark , first released on 1 August, 1958.
• Noah's Ark. Directed by William Justice, first released on 10 November, 1959. Featuring Noah, Ham, Japheth, Shem and their respective wives.
• Goliath II . Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, first released on 21 January, 1960.
• The Saga of Windwagon Smith . Directed by Charles August Nichols, first released on 16 March, 1961.
• The Small One . Directed by Don Bluth, first released on 16 December, 1978. The title character is a donkey. The film follows his life from birth to his sale to Joseph of Nazareth and Mary, the mother of Jesus on their way to Bethlehem.
• Vincent. Directed by Tim Burton, first released in 1982.
• Oilspot and Lipstick . Directed by Michael Cedeno , first released in 1986.
• Redux Riding Hood . Directed by Steve Moore, first released in 1998.
• Three Little Pigs. Directed by Darrell Rooney , first released in 1998. Styled as parody of the Real World, a reality television program featured on MTV

External links

• Toonopedia: Silly Symphonies
• A listing of all 75 Silly Symphonies