The Walt Disney Classics Collection Gets "Twitterpatted" For Spring

Pedro
(c) Disney

 Travel In "Classic" Style With New Sculptures from the Walt Disney Classics Collection

Collectors Are Invited to "Get Behind the Wheel" of Four New Porcelain Sculptures
- - But Please Don't Kick the Tires - -

Transportation vehicles have always played a big role in the classic films of Walt Disney - - from the puffing and chugging tugboat in the historic Mickey Mouse cartoon Steamboat Willie (1928) to the little Volkswagen® with a mind of its own in the classic Disney live-action comedy The Love Bug (1969). Now the Walt Disney Classics Collection shines a spotlight on four animated vehicles that are loaded with extras, style - and lots of character.

Premiering in November 2001 are three new open-edition sculptures highlighting such fanciful Disney characters as the ever-determined Casey Junior Circus Train from Walt Disney's classic animated feature Dumbo (1941), the loveable little scamp of the sea "Little Toot" from the popular Walt Disney animated feature Melody Time (1948) and Susie, The Little Blue Coupe from Disney's memorable cartoon short of the same name from 1952. Joining the group in January 2002 will be Pedro the spunky mail plane from the animated feature Saludos Amigos (1943). Pedro will be made available exclusively to 2002 Walt Disney Collectors Society members. Each of the four sculptures feature a suggested retail price of $75 US / $114 Canada.

Each finely detailed porcelain sculpture is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity and possesses the following dimensions and "plussing" elements: "All Aboard! Let's Go!" (Casey Junior Circus Train features a bronze attachment at the steam whistle) is 7" high; Tugging and Tooting (Little Toot features a bronze flag pole and a pewter flag) is 4 1/2" high, "Isn 't She a Beauty? " (Susie, the Little Blue Coupe features a bronze antenna and a shiny cobalt blue showroom paint job) stands 3 3/4" high, and Cleared for Take-Off (Pedro features a pewter propeller and a pewter mailbag strap) stands 3 1/2" high.

All four sculptures have been rendered by noted Disney sculptor and Imagineer Valerie Edwards. A sculptor for the Walt Disney Classics Collection since 1993, Edwards is known for her ability to infuse her works with great personality and to detail. Edwards is also known for her work on other popular Walt Disney Classic Collection sculptures including the numbered limited-edition "A Dress a Princess Can Be Proud Of from Sleeping Beauty and Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee from Alice in Wonderland (limited to 2001).

"These sculptures delightful, and we think our valued collectors will enjoy adding these unique pieces to their collection," said Lee Zoppa, Director of Walt Disney Art Classics, the fine art and collectibles division of The Walt Disney Company. "We have collectors who really enjoy the more esoteric Disney characters, so we think that these three charming additions will make these niche collectors quite happy."

Walt Disney's classic animated feature Dumbo premiered on October 23,1941, and became one of Disney's most endearing, and enduring, animated films. Dumbo won an Academy Award® for Best Original Score and the plaintive lullaby from the film "Baby Mine" was nominated for Best Original Song. The film also received the Cannes Film Festival Grand prix d'Honneur and the Cine Revue Magazine Gold Medal Award.

The colorful and diligent little Casey Junior Circus Train from Dumbo was the basis for the Casey Jr. Circus Train in Fantasy land at Disneyland® in Anaheim, California - - one of the original attractions still featured at the park from its opening day in 1955. The attraction, known as the Le Petit Train du Cirque, is also a one of the attractions in Fantasyland at Disneyland Paris®.

One of the highlights of Walt Disney's popular animated feature Melody Time (1948) is the musical tale of "Little Toot." Told in song by the famous singing trio of the Andrews Sisters, "Little Toot" is a spunky little tugboat that just can't seem to stay out of trouble, until one day he redeems himself by saving a large ship from disaster during a mighty storm at sea. The "Little Toot" segment of the film was so popular that it was re-released on its own as a short cartoon in 1954, and was subsequently featured on Walt Disney's popular weekly television series.

In 1952 Walt Disney released the cartoon short Susie, the Little Blue Coupe. The film, produced in the Disney Studios' distinct graphic style of the 1950s, tells the story of a shiny new little convertible bought and cared for by her owner. After a few years, "Susie" goes out of style and is eventually traded in. Through various harrowing misadventures the little car almost becomes scrap metal when, just in time, a young teenage boy buys "Susie" for $12.50 and lovingly restores her back to showroom condition.

--posted November 28, 2001

Source: Walt Disney Art Classics Press Release