The Reluctant Dragon (1941)
- Starring:
- Robert Benchley, Frances Gifford, (more)
- Director(s):
- Alfred L. Werker
Synopsis of The Reluctant Dragon
The very first Disney feature to include live-action footage, this behind-the-scenes documentary about the studio's animation process includes the cartoon short of the title, which in later years was often exhibited separately from this film. Robert Benchley stars as himself, a visitor to the Disney lot, where he intends to pitch an animated version of the children's fairy tale The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame to Walt Disney himself. Benchley wanders away from his studio-appointed guide and tours the facilities himself, where he sees various new cartoons in the process of being storyboarded, including a Baby Weems short. Benchley also meets Clarence Nash, the voice of Donald Duck, and a young animator (played by Alan Ladd) before being corralled to Disney's screening room, where he is shown the company's new short, none other than The Reluctant Dragon. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
Complete Cast of The Reluctant Dragon
- Robert Benchley - Himself
- Buddy Pepper - Humphrey
- Claud Allister - Sir Giles
- Billy Lee - Little Boy
- Clarence Nash - Donald Duck
- Alan Ladd - Animator
- Maurice Murphy
- Pinto Colvig - Goofy
- John Dehner
- Frank Churchill - Himself
- Edward Marr - Walter Winchell in Baby Weems
- Henry Hall - Studio Cop
- Raymond Severn - Baby Weems
- Arthur Gilmore - FDR in Baby Weems
- Frank Faylen - Orchestra Leader
- Frances Gifford - Doris Studio Artist
- Nana Bryant - Mrs. Benchley
- Barnett Parker - Dragon
- Florence Gill - Herself
- Ward Kimball - Himself
- Hamilton MacFadden
- Ernie Alexander - Baby Weems's father
- Jeff Corey - Animator
- Gerald Mohr - Guard
- Fred Moore - Himself
- Val Stanton - Courier in Reluctant Dragon
- Walt Disney - Himself
- Gerald Mohr - Baby Weems Narrator
- Lester Dorr - Slim
- Director(s):
- Alfred L. Werker
- Writer(s):
- William Cottrell, Larry Clemmons, Ted Sears
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