Fred Moore: Mickey Mouse Contrite

An animation drawing by Fred Moore was sold earlier this month at Heritage Auctions. It is a strong image of Mickey Mouse in his greatest roll as the Sorcerer's Apprentice in "Fantasia" (1940). Although this is not a production drawing, Mickey is apparently expressing to Yen Sid, the sorcerer, that he regrets his overreach as an apprentice. Well done, Mickey.

Fred Moore
Heritage sale of August 11, 2025

https://comics.ha.com/itm/animation-art/production-drawing/fantasia-the-sorcerer-s-apprentice-mickey-mouse-animation-drawing-by-fred-moore-walt-disney-1940-/a/7398-20100.s?ic2=mytracked-lotspage-lotlinks-12202013&tab=MyTrackedLots-101116#

Note:  If you want to know why the animators called the sorcerer Yen Sid, just read his name backwards.

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Ward Kimball: The Sorcerer's Apprentice for Bill Blair

Animator Ward Kimball (1914-2002) was one of Walt Disney's legendary Nine Old Men. Kimball's full-figure sketch of Mickey Mouse shows him in his most iconic role as the Sorcerer's Apprentice from Fantasia (1940). It was listed just the other day by Schulson Autographs, Ltd., of Millburn. It has already found a new owner.

Ward Kimball
AbeBooks listing accessed April 27, 2022

https://www.abebooks.com/signed/Mickey-Mouse-Original-Drawing-Signed-KIMBALL/31168419988/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=viewbook

Disney Family Album:  Ward Kimball

April 30, 2022 Update:  Animation expert and Ward Kimball biographer Amid Amidi expresses some doubt about this piece:

https://twitter.com/wardkimball/status/1520528997532246020

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Sally Holmes's Copy of Fantasia by Deems Taylor

Sally Holmes was an inbetweener at Walt Disney Studios, meaning that she animated transitional frames between key frames. She left her job circa 1946 at which time she had many of the animators and even Walt himself sign her copy of Deems Taylor's Fantasia (1940). Some of the book's signers were well on their way to becoming Disney legends and others were to remain more obscure. Most added original drawings. Some of these presented to the married Holmes were sexist and risqué—and quite different from the usual Disney fare. The book was sold on eBay circa November 2009. It is now on the market again via AbeBooks, selling for a pretty penny.

Title page
"To Sally Holmes
All Best Wishes
Walt Disney"

"G'By Sally!"
Artist Unknown
"Gosh Sally! I'm sure gonna miss yuh!
'Take care of yourself baby'
David Deliege[?]
(Dave)"

"Take It Easy"

Rudy Cataldi

"To a 'ducky' pin-up girl!"

Stamped "O. K. for INB[etweening].

Signed: Earl Combs"

Fantasia
AbeBooks listing accessed March 17, 2022

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30356290095&searchurl=kn%3DDisney%26sortby%3D1&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp3-_-image27

Not much is known about Holmes. Here's her signature on a 1945 Disney studios borrowing card, second from the top:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1945-walt-disney-studio-library-card-1890410556

Note:  Sally Holmes's farewell book was previously sold on eBay in 2009. This allowed Jenny Lerew's The Blackwing Diaries blog to show many additional pages from this volume. You can see her full 2009 post here. Also, Mark Mayerson's blog Mayerson on Animation has an additional page from the 2009 listing here. Back in 2009, I still had the good sense not to try blogging.

EBay listings are generally deleted three months after auction close. I would love to hear from anyone who may have had the foresight to archive the complete 2009 listing for this volume. Additional information about Sally Holmes would be welcome, of course.

Books signed and illuminated en masse like this one are often fascinating, at least to me. I would like to post images provided by collectors who are lucky enough to own books personalized by the likes of Disney studio animators, Dutch Treat Club members, or New Yorker artists—that sort of thing. 

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The New Yorker Advertises in Stage, April 1938

"People who like the theatre can't help but like The New Yorker." So advertised the magazine in the April 1938 issue of Stage: The Magazine of After Dark. The ad featured a collage of nine theatre pages from The New Yorker, all illustrated by Alfred Frueh. Evidently the magazine was making a play for new readers who were fans of the theatre, rather than fans of flawless grammar. Frueh's drawings cover the Broadway plays "On Borrowed Time," "Our Town," Julius Caesar," "Of Mice and Men," and "A Doll's House," among others.

"People who like the theatre can't help but like The New Yorker."
Alfred Frueh

The magazine cover features a photograph of actress Helen Hayes:

Helen Hayes touring as Portia in "The Merchant of Venice"
Stage:  The Magazine of After Dark, April 1938
Photo by Vandamm

The truth is, readers of Stage were already familiar with a number of contributors to the New Yorker, many of them artists. Illustrator Victor de Pauw contributed cartoons and spot drawings to The New Yorker. A full-width spot drawing for Stage on the contents page could easily be taken for a New Yorker spot.

Contents
Spot drawing by Victor de Pauw

Ludwig Bemelmans illustrates a Frank Sullivan piece the year after the artist's work first appeared in The New Yorker and the year before his first Madeline book was published.

First putting suet on his Saratoga lawn for a tame flock of spring harbingers, Frank Sullivan takes a junket to Broadway, and casts a weather-eye on the current drama.
Ludwig Bemelmans

Detail showing the remainder of the far right side of the Bemelmans drawing

Christina Malman caricatures actress Beatrice Lillie.

"Till the Weather Breaks" by Beatrice Lillie
Caricature  of Beatrice Lillie by Christina Malman

Why , I can remember when a dog could go to sleep all day in the middle of Main Street and nothing come along to disturb him.

—Thornton Wilder, "Our Town"

The streets of Grover's Corners still look pretty tranquil in Adolf Dehn's illustration of the Stage Manager's story, condensed. New Yorker readers occasionally got to see Dehn's work, but never in color.

"Our Town"
Adolf Dehn

Meanwhile Abe Birnbaum illustrates the jazz scene.

The old Onyx Club

"Oh, Say Can You Swing" by Paul Douglas

Illustration by Abe Birnbaum

Ruth Woodbury Sedgwick's column is named for the privilege of sitting in the center seats of the seventh row. One hopes George Price's absurd cartoon takes place many rows back.

"He's a dramatic critic, and sees a point in keeping it a secret."
George Price

Music writer Marcia Davenport, who also contributed to The New Yorker, offers the second part of a profile of conductor Leopold Stokowski. Otto Soglow's accompanying cartoon anticipates the iconic handshake between Stokowski and Mickey Mouse that was to occur two years later in Walt Disney's "Fantasia" (1940). The maestro is even shown in silhouette, as both he and Mickey are in the movie. Did Davenport have advance knowledge of the handshake?

"Hi-ya, Leo."
Otto Soglow

from "Fantasia" (1940)

Note:  This all started when master collagist Stephen Kroninger sent me a scan of the New Yorker theatre advertisement from his magazine collection. After that, one thing just led to another. My thanks to Stephen for all the work he put in. This is his forty-sixth contribution here. He should know better by now.

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Alan Johnson's Copy of Animals Animals Animals

Choreographer Alan Johnson did not attend the 1979 book signing for Animals Animals Animals: A Collection of Great Animal Cartoons, but a friend of his did and came away with something quite special. The book, which was intended for Mr. Johnson and later inscribed to him, is signed by three cartoonists who also furnished three original cartoons which share the theme of—wait for it—dancing hippopotamuses!

Cartoonist Marty Murphy gives us a chorus line of hippos. (For whatever it's worth, "A Chorus Line" had opened on Broadway in 1975 and was still a major hit in 1979.) Don Dougherty illustrates a hippo's dance audition marred by a not wholly unpredictable mishap.

But it is cartoonist Sergio Aragonés of Mad Magazine fame who delivers the most dazzle with the least seeming effort. His drawing of a dance audition obviously makes reference to the "Dance of the Hours" sequence from Walt Disney's "Fantasia" (1940). The film had been re-released to theaters in 1977 but its individual sequences were well-known anyway.

Alan Johnson had choreographed stage productions of "West Side Story" (after Jerome Robbins) and dance scenes from the Mel Brooks film comedies "The Producers," "Blazing Saddles," and "Young Frankenstein." He passed away on July 7 of this year.

George Booth, Gahan Wilson, and Ron Wolin, eds.
For the Cartoonists Guild
Animals Animals Animals:
A Collection of Great Animal Cartoons
New York:  Harper & Row, 1979

Original drawings by Marty Murphy, Sergio Aragonés, and Don Dougherty

"I know she's out of step...You want to tell her?"
Marty Murphy

"Oh no!
Sergio Aragonés
Inscribed "MAD-ly/Aragonés
***
"Next..."
Don Dougherty
Inscribed "Happy Holidays/Don Dougherty/'79"

AbeBooks Listing Retrieved October 9, 2018

https://www.abebooks.com/Animals-Collection-Great-Animal-Cartoons-Signed/30089716422/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&cm_ite=readmore

From "The Dance of the Hours"

Amilcare Ponchielli

Walt Disney's "Fantasia" (1940)

"Springtime for Hitler"

Choreographed by Alan Johnson

"The Producers" (1967)

Written and Directed by Mel Brooks

Note:  This is the very first copy of Animals Animals Animals to appear on Attempted Bloggery. The book, frankly, is one I've never seen. There must be other interesting copies out there from this signing and perhaps from others. I'd love to see images of some of them, especially any with original drawings or inscriptions, and to hear from anyone who may have attended such a signing.


Quick Links to the Attempted Bloggery Archives:

Sergio Aragonés

George Booth

Mel Brooks

Walt Disney

Gahan Wilson

Signed Books with Original Drawings

Attempted Bloggery's Graceful Index

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Mickey Mouse Dreams of Power as the Sorcerer's Apprentice

Here he is, Mickey Mouse in his greatest role, the Sorcerer's Apprentice from Walt Disney's "Fantasia" (1940). Furthermore, this is his most glorious moment, when he dreams he has the power to command the heavens. Or is it? Well, not quite. The cel is actually from the moment when Mickey just begins to dream, a few seconds before he ascends to the rocky summit where the non-production background has him standing.

This is an original production cel on a Courvoisier Gallery background with a painted overlay of the stars. The whole set-up is meant to make the cel appear to be from the scene maybe ten or twenty seconds later. There is a small tear in the celluloid at Mickey's feet. Even so, it doesn't get much better than this.

This will be sold on February 21 at Heritage. Even today, though, it will take at least $20,000 to get you into the game.

Walt Disney Studios, Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's Apprentice Production Cel, "Fantasia," 1940

As stated above, the corresponding video still really occurs at the very beginning of the apprentice's dream, before he has ascended to the crag from which he commands the stars:

Mickey begins to dream in "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," Video Still 4:20.

"The Sorcerer's Apprentice"

Walt Disney's "Fantasia" (1940)

Walt Disney Studios, Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's Apprentice Production Cel with Matte, "Fantasia," 1940

Heritage Auctions

February 21, 2013

http://comics.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=7052&lotIdNo=29003#94589458738

Walt Disney Studios, Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's Apprentice Production Cel, "Fantasia," 1940

Heritage Auctions

February 21, 2013

http://comics.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=7052&lotIdNo=29003#94589458738

Walt Disney Studios, Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's Apprentice Production Cel, "Fantasia," 1940

Heritage Auctions

February 21, 2013

http://comics.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=7052&lotIdNo=29003#94589458738

Walt Disney Studios, Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's Apprentice Production Cel, "Fantasia," 1940

Heritage Auctions

February 21, 2013

http://comics.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=7052&lotIdNo=29003#94589458738

February 21, 2012 Update: Sold for: $26,290.00 (includes BP)

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My New iPhone Case

First the bad news: I didn't get to join my family in Disneyland this summer. Yes, life occasionally has a few bitter disappointments.

I did receive a cool souvenir, though. My iPhone 4S now sits securely in a Disney case featuring Mickey Mouse in perhaps his greatest role as the Sorcerer's Apprentice. It is not a classic image from Fantasia, but rather one of those modern airbrushed images Disney has become so fond of. Siri, it's time to remember the magic!

My new iPhone case featuring Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's
Apprentice from Walt Disney's Fantasia (1940)

It's available from the Disney Store.

http://www.disneystore.com/electronics-sorcerer-mickey-mouse-iphone-4-case/mp/1301733/1000206/?LSID=2687457%7C10676026%7C0f4477fe3c8348da9451ef334d6c65fe

September 25, 2015 Update:  They're gone!

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Fantasia Art from "The Nutcracker Suite"

On December 14, Bonhams will be offering these two works from Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite" segment of Walt Disney's Fantasia (1940). The first is a vibrant pastel study on black paper of the Russian Dance. The second is a multi-cel set up of snowflakes, probably on a master background.


Sale 19431 - Entertainment Memorabilia including Animation Art, 14 Dec 2011
California, Los Angeles 

Lot No: 4387

A Walt Disney storyboard from Fantasia

1940, pastel on black, depicting thistles dancing the Russian Dance in a high-kicking Cossack style from the Nutcracker Suite section of the film, matted.
7 1/2 x 10 1/2in within mat

Estimate: US$1,000 - 1,500
December 14, 2011: Sold for US$1,500 inclusive of Buyer's Premium  

http://www.bonhams.com/usa/auction/19431/lot/4387/

Lot No: 4398

A Walt Disney celluloid from Fantasia

1940, gouache on celluloid, the multi-cel set-up of the snow fairies from the The Nutcracker Suite sequence in the film, applied to a watercolor background that was most likely used in the film.
10 x 12 1/2in

Estimate: US$600 - 800
December 14, 2011: Sold for US$3,125 inclusive of Buyer's Premium  

http://www.bonhams.com/eur/auction/19431/lot/4398/

"Nutcracker Suite" - Fantasia 1940 

Video modified November 24, 2012

Note: My last Disney post dating from Walt's birthday is here.

167

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

I've previously shown a quintessential flag painting by Jasper Johns from the collection of the late author Michael Crichton. Crichton also owned some animation art of superlative quality. Here is a great cel from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" sequence of Walt Disney's "Fantasia (1940) mounted on a Courvoisier Gallery background. Crichton could collect both high-concept Pop Art and outstanding Disney animation art—my kind of guy.

Walt Disney Studios

Images

ENLARGE & ZOOM

Price Realized

• £6,000
• ($9,468)
• Price includes buyer's premium

Estimate

£2,000 - £2,500
• ($3,164 - $3,955)

Sale Information

Sale 5570 
Popular Culture: Film and Entertainment 
25 November 2010
London, South Kensington

• Overview
• Features

Lot Description

Walt Disney Studios
Fantasia, 1940
Mickey as the Sorcerer's Apprentice greeting a broom carrying two buckets of water, gouache on celluloid applied to a watercolour production background, framed, accompanied by an originalWalt Disney Productions certificate
Image: Mickey: 5½x5¾in. (14x14.5cm.) Broom: 5x2in. (13x5cm.)
Overall: 18½x16½in. (47x42cm.)

Special Notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 17.5% on the buyer's premium.

Saleroom Notice

Please note this cel is applied to a Courvoisier airbrush background and not a production background as stated in the catalogue 

Pre-Lot Text

WORKS FROM THE COLLECTION OF MICHAEL CRICHTON

http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?from=searchresults&intObjectID=5374866&sid=ae1f5587-be81-4705-97b2-7cc348dd7bd6

November 8, 2015 Update:

"Fantasia," 1940

Walt Disney

"Fantasia" Still 26:50
A match for Mickey, but not for the broom

Christie's Sale 5570, November 25, 2010

Note:  My most recent post on Disney animation art is here.

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