# 3185h - 1998 32c Celebrate the Century - 1930s: Disney's "Snow White" Debuts
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32¢ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Celebrate the Century â 1930s
City: Cleveland, OH
Quantity: 12,533,000
Printed By: AshtonâPotter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed, engraved
Perforations: 11.5
Color: Multicolored
On December 21, 1937, Walt Disney released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the worldâs first full-length animated feature film.
âSnow Whiteâ is an old German folktale, preserved in written form by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm. The story tells of a princess who survives the murderous efforts of a jealous queen with the help of seven dwarfs. Disney was inspired to re-tell the tale, removing much of the original storyâs violence and playing up the romance.
By all accounts, this was the largest undertaking ever attempted by the Disney Studio. The cartoon short of the past was no longer financially viable and something new had to take its place. Creating the film would prove to be a daunting task that took almost four years. Disney employed 750 animators who made two million sketches for Snow White. The final movie had approximately a quarter of a million frames and cost almost $1.5 million. Disney had to borrow money and take out a mortgage on his house to meet the rising cost.
Convinced that the project would fail because audiences wouldnât sit through a full-length cartoon, the Hollywood film industry labeled the film âDisneyâs Folly.â But viewers were excited and buzz surrounding the movie grew as the premiere drew closer. Advanced ticket sales outpaced any other movie ever booked at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles. Demand was so great that people were limited to four tickets each. The premiere showing sold out, but an additional 30,000 people lined up around the block on December 21, 1937 just to be a part of the unprecedented event.
Snow Whiteâs massive success was a turning point in Disneyâs career, establishing him as one of the worldâs most beloved film makers. The movie was not only the worldâs first full-length animated film, it was also the first to ever have a soundtrack recording album released for it. It held the title of highest-grossing film ever for exactly one year, after which it was knocked out of the top spot by Gone With The Wind.
Click here to see video from the 1937 premiere event.
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32¢ Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Celebrate the Century â 1930s
City: Cleveland, OH
Quantity: 12,533,000
Printed By: AshtonâPotter (USA) Ltd
Printing Method: Lithographed, engraved
Perforations: 11.5
Color: Multicolored
On December 21, 1937, Walt Disney released Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the worldâs first full-length animated feature film.
âSnow Whiteâ is an old German folktale, preserved in written form by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm. The story tells of a princess who survives the murderous efforts of a jealous queen with the help of seven dwarfs. Disney was inspired to re-tell the tale, removing much of the original storyâs violence and playing up the romance.
By all accounts, this was the largest undertaking ever attempted by the Disney Studio. The cartoon short of the past was no longer financially viable and something new had to take its place. Creating the film would prove to be a daunting task that took almost four years. Disney employed 750 animators who made two million sketches for Snow White. The final movie had approximately a quarter of a million frames and cost almost $1.5 million. Disney had to borrow money and take out a mortgage on his house to meet the rising cost.
Convinced that the project would fail because audiences wouldnât sit through a full-length cartoon, the Hollywood film industry labeled the film âDisneyâs Folly.â But viewers were excited and buzz surrounding the movie grew as the premiere drew closer. Advanced ticket sales outpaced any other movie ever booked at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles. Demand was so great that people were limited to four tickets each. The premiere showing sold out, but an additional 30,000 people lined up around the block on December 21, 1937 just to be a part of the unprecedented event.
Snow Whiteâs massive success was a turning point in Disneyâs career, establishing him as one of the worldâs most beloved film makers. The movie was not only the worldâs first full-length animated film, it was also the first to ever have a soundtrack recording album released for it. It held the title of highest-grossing film ever for exactly one year, after which it was knocked out of the top spot by Gone With The Wind.
Click here to see video from the 1937 premiere event.
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