Jim Korkis New Articles & Books

Disney historian and best-selling author Jim Korkis is back at it with more great little-known anecdotes and unofficial stories from Disney's past. His authoritative but friendly and accessible style make for enjoyable reading.

Over the past couple months, Jim has released several Snow White-related articles including one on the evolution of the Disney princess, published December 21, 2012 (the 75th anniversary) in the UK-based tabloid The Sun. Read Fairest to Feminist.

 Image via The Sun.

The piece was greatly expanded and posted on MousePlanet earlier this month. Read Evolution of the Disney Princess.

Then just a few days ago, MousePlanet uploaded Debunking Disney Stories, a piece in which Jim does just that. It includes an interesting segment on the Disneyland statues from Snow White's Grotto.


The big news is the release of Jim's new book, Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South? It's the first definitive account of the Disney film, its history, its production, and the controversy that still surrounds it today. In addition, his 2010 title The Vault of Walt has now been completely revised with a major overhaul and five brand-new stories.

Both books are now available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble...

Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South?
Amazon or B&N

The Revised Vault of Walt
Amazon or B&N


Some good reads await!

J.B. Kaufman's Book Release x Two

J.B. Kaufman's two books, The Fairest One of All: The Making of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Art and Creation of Walt Disney's Classic Animated Film have both officially launched this week. Check out these behind-the-scenes videos posted by publisher Weldon Owen.

Screen Capture of JB Kaufman and Diane Disney Miller.

JB Kaufman and Diane Disney Miller on The Fairest One of All...

JB Kaufman, Diane Disney Miller, and Lella Smith on the art exhibition and companion catalog book...

Bonus video with Diane Disney Miller...

J.B. Kaufman's Exhibition Companion Book

With 2012 marking the 75th anniversary of Snow White, author J.B. Kaufman is treating fans to something extra special. In addition to The Fairest One of All, his forthcoming 320-page treatise on the making of the the film, he's also giving us a companion volume entitled Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Art and Creation of Walt Disney's Classic Animated Film.

This second book features over 200 pieces of art from the new exhibition coming in November to the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco...

Both familiar and never-before-seen pieces from the Walt Disney Animation Research Library will walk the reader scene by scene through the movie, accompanied by behind-the-scenes stories about the film’s production. [amazon.com paraphrased description]

Front Dust Jacket

Title Page

I asked JB about this new book...

FILMIC LIGHT: JB, you have not one, but two Snow White books coming out this year. Why two?

JB KAUFMAN: We didn’t originally plan it that way. Believe it or not, when we first started working on The Fairest One of All, I don’t think it occurred to any of us that the film’s 75th anniversary was coming up. But as it turned out,the publishing timetable did coincide neatly with that anniversary, and that led to the idea of a special Snow White exhibition at the Walt Disney Family Museum, and that led to the idea of a separate, smaller book that would serve as an exhibition catalog. And we tried to put some real substance into it, so it could be published separately in a trade edition; and as a result we wound up with two different books on the same subject at the same time. I’m really happy with the way it worked out, because the two books are very different; each complements the other.

FM: How do they differ and complement each other?

JB: The Fairest One of All is meant to be a definitive history of the film, and it’s driven by the text. I’m very proud of the book’s design (I didn’t design it, so I can brag about that!), and it’s heavily and beautifully illustrated—the illustrations including some exciting rarities—but the images are chosen primarily to illustrate the text. The catalog is just the opposite: the art comes first and the book is sumptuously designed around it. The text is a supplement to that. I should add that the catalog does give a substantial account of the film’s production, and I’m happy to say that we included some drawings and paintings that were used to create specific effects, along with explanatory text to show how they were used. So, even with the same subject, the two books don’t duplicate each other. I’m very happy with the way they work together.

FM: What kinds of specific artwork do we see in the exhibition book?

JB: The works—everything from early concept art and story sketches through layout drawings, background paintings, animation drawings, and painted cels, to the finished cel setups used in the film. As the exhibition catalog, it reflects the exhibition itself, which is designed to illustrate the full range of production art that went into the making of a film as elaborate as Snow White.

Snow White on Stairs, p. 118.

Spell Book, p. 163.

Snow White's Glass Coffin, p. 230-231.

Title: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Art and Creation of Walt Disney's Classic Animated Film
Approx. Dimensions: 9.5" x 10.75"
Pages: 256

Publisher: The Walt Disney Family Foundation Press
ISBN: 9781616284374
Release Date: October, 16, 2012
List Price: $35.00 (USD)

Rear Dust Jacket

With the completion of his two Snow White books, what's next for JB?

FM: Do you have any other Disney projects in the works?

JB: Yes, as a matter of fact I’m working on a followup book about the making of Pinocchio. As you can imagine, that’s a fascinating subject too! But it will take some time to finish it.

J.B. Kaufman Interview and His New Book - The Fairest One of All

It's big! It's heavy! And with an October release date, it's almost here! J.B. Kaufman's new book, The Fairest One of All: The Making of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is nothing short of an event. Several other fine titles on the subject have been published in recent history, many of them invaluable contributions to our collective understanding. Yet, as Diane Disney Miller writes in the foreword, this one is the definitive book on the making of the film. The timing of its publication also makes it the perfect "official celebratory book" of the 75th anniversary.

Front Dust Jacket

J.B. Kaufman is an author and film historian on the staff of the Walt Disney Family Foundation and has published extensively on topics including Disney animation and American silent film. [rear jacket flap]

JB

This book is the first to reconstruct the process in exacting detail of how Snow White was made. Kaufman spent years researching the film’s history, interviewing participants, and studying the marvelous archival art that appears in these pages. The result is a work that can be appreciated equally as a piece of film history and as a collectable art book. [amazon.com paraphrased description]

Title Page (UK Edition)

Table of Contents

The Filmic Light blog is all about bringing together the various pieces of how Walt Disney's Snow White came into being and also showing what resulted from it. This is exactly what JB has done with his book. In Part One, background information is presented on those stage and film productions that proceeded and helped to inspire the Disney studio.

Then the heart of the book is in Part Two. From 1933 when the idea first "crystallized" in Walt's mind to the world premiere in 1937, the making of the film is detailed in such a way as we've not been privileged to before. Through the combination of story meeting notes, sweatbox sessions, animator interviews, and numerous other sources, the development of every sequence in the movie is revealed.

Luske and Natwick sketches of Snow White, p. 48.

Part Three continues with the post-1937 Snow White legacy--the massive success and its effect on the studio, international distribution, war-time films, theatrical re-releases, Snow White merchandise, and more.

The appendices, footnotes, and bibliography are included in Part Four. Appendix-A in particular details the production credits for each of the film's sequences--invaluable information from an animation history standpoint--laid out nicely for all to see.

Recently, I had the good fortune of being able to ask JB a few questions about his new book...

FILMIC LIGHT: A book as thoroughly detailed and researched as this is not written by someone with only a passing fancy in the subject matter. Tell us about your background and what it was that first attracted your interest in the Snow White film.

JB KAUFMAN: Like millions of other people, I’ve been a Disney enthusiast as long as I can remember, and have a special fondness for Disney animation of the 1930s. I think the Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphony cartoons of those years achieved a gold standard that no other animation studio has ever duplicated at any time. And you can’t love those films and not love Snow White; it was the culmination of all the things the Disney studio had accomplished during the 1930s in terms of character animation, storytelling, use of color, use of music and everything else.

FM: How did you come to write the book and what is it you hoped to achieve by publishing it?

JB: I think I probably always had the idea of a Snow White book in the back of my mind, but several years ago, during a conversation with Diane Disney Miller about other Walt Disney Family Foundation projects, the idea of such a book came up and we made the decision to go ahead with it. The main thing I’d like to achieve is to record this story for posterity.This is history; I think it’s highly significant history; and I think it’s important to make sure it’s not forgotten.

The Queen at her Mirror, p.100-101.

FM: Your research for the book was extensive, and for a film historian, Snow White must have been a dream come true. Where did you start? What kinds of materials and documents did you go through? Did the bulk of your work take place at the Walt Disney Animation Research Library or somewhere else?

JB: You’re right, a film historian documenting, say, silent film history is usually desperate to find any little scraps of information that will shed light on the films. With Snow White, so much documentation had been preserved that the challenge was just the opposite: to get a grasp of that huge mountain of information and get some kind of meaningful perspective on it. For extensive research into Disney production history, the best place to start is the Walt Disney Archives. They’ve done a magnificent job of preserving story conference transcripts, correspondence, animation drafts, and other primary production papers. I also found some wonderful rarities in the collection of the Walt Disney Family Foundation. Yes, the Animation Research Library is also a great place to do research; their main function is to preserve the art itself, but certain kinds of primary documents were filed along with the art and are still preserved there.

FM: What were your greatest finds?

JB: There were so many that it’s hard to single anything out, but to me the most striking thing is the combination you get when you put different kinds of documents together. For example, the draft for a scene will tell you something about the scene—but if you combine that with the sweatbox notes, where Walt and the directors are asking for changes; the exposure sheet, where the changes are recorded as the scene moves through production; and sometimes the retake order, where a decision is made to revise something after the scene has been filmed the first time, the combined effect is a much more complete idea of how the finished scene arrived on the screen.

Early sketch of Snow White and Dwarfs' musical party, p.175.

FM: Most of the people who worked on the film have now passed on, but you did have the opportunity to talk with a few of them a number of years ago. What were some of the more memorable interviews?

JB: At that time they were all memorable because I was just starting out in this field, I was so in awe of these artists, and most of them were so friendly and generous in sharing their memories with a total stranger. Grim Natwick was a highlight, partly because he was such a legendary figure. At the time I wasn’t actively planning a Snow White book, so my questions for him were more general, but of course Snow White was the high point of his Disney experience and he wound up sharing some great memories. I couldn’t afford to travel very much in those days and some of my interviews were done by telephone, but Art Babbitt suggested that I send him my questions and a blank cassette tape. That turned out to be a good system, and I got a good sample of his biting wit! But he was also very kind about taking time to answer my questions.

FM: You laid out the progression of the film in such magnificent detail that your book will certainly become “the” reference for Snow White enthusiasts for years to come. Is there anything in particular that you hope others will take away from it after reading?

JB: Thank you! When a film or any other popular work is absorbed into our culture over a long period of time—even a film as beautiful and widely loved as Snow White—I think some of us tend to get used to it, take it for granted, and stop thinking about it. If this book gets people to start thinking about Snow White again, as you’ve done with your blog, take a fresh look at it, and maybe even come to a new appreciation of it, I’ll be happy.

Witch's demise sketch, Ken O'Conner, p.215.

Title: The Fairest One of All: The Making of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Approximate Dimensions: 11.25" x 12.75"
Pages: 320

US Publisher: Weldon Owen
US ISBN: 9781616284381
US Release Date: October 16, 2012
US List Price: $75.00 (USD)

UK Publisher: Aurum Press Ltd.
UK ISBN: 9781781310250
UK Release Date: October 11, 2012
UK List Price: £35.00 (GBP)

Rear Dust Jacket (UK Edition)

The Fairest One of All is just one of two books by JB being published this year in celebration of the movie's 75th anniversary. See the companion book in the next post.

Jim Korkis Article - 'Happy Birthday Snow White'

Check out Disney historian Jim Korkis' recent MousePlanet article in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. As usual, Jim comes through with some great little known facts and anecdotes about the making of the film.

Jim Korkis image via Larry Lauria at Animation World Network.

Learn more about Jim's 2010 book, The Vault of Walt, in an earlier post.

Interview with Collector Stephen Ison

It was on a trip to Walt Disney World back in 1973 that a young college kid named Stephen Ison saw his first piece of animation art. Decades later, he would become the owner of the largest collection on the planet of original animation art from Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In 1994, Steve's passion would give rise to Snow White...An Art in Its Making, both a museum exhibit and a hardcover book which featured his collection.

In the Fall 1993 issue of Disney News magazine (p. 55-56) an article appeared entitled A Suitor for Snow White or... Memoirs of a Devoted Collector.  It was written by and about Steve and his "hobby".

A Suitor for Snow White... Magazine image scans courtesy of the Dan Alexander Collection.
See his blog at Dan Alexander Dizmentia.

_____________

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to correspond with Steve via email. I asked him how he got started collecting, where he acquired his pieces, and what's become of the artwork today. Here's what he had to say...

Filmic Light: Who are you Steve and how did you come to be a collector of animation art?

Stephen Ison: Like most kids growing up in the 50s, I watched The Mickey Mouse Club and was always fascinated by Roy Williams (The Big Mouseketeer) whenever he would draw the various characters on the show. That’s what got me interested in drawing and my earliest exposure to all things Disney. As a kid, I was also bitten by the collector bug...baseball cards, stamps, coins, and other assorted “stuff”. I’ve always been a collector of something. I saw my first piece of animation art in 1973 at Walt Disney World and was shocked that you could actually own a piece of art used in a Disney film! Well, the price of the cel was the same as my monthly car payment...so, as a poor college kid, I had to pass, but that’s what planted the seed. I knew someday, if I ever could afford it, I’d start a collection of Disney animation art. It really was that simple. Many years later...after attending an auction of Disney animation art in New York, I started down a road to what would become more than just a hobby.

FL: How did you find this animation art? And where/who did get it from?

SI: When I first started, I found art in the usual places...auctions, antique toy shows, and Disneyana conventions. Later, I became as interested in meeting and knowing many of the artists who worked on the classic Disney films as collecting myself. That’s what kept me motivated to learn more and acquire (preserve) more vintage pieces. Many of my pieces came from the artists themselves.

FL: Why Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?

SI: When you have the “collector bug”, you have a tendency to “want it all”, so to speak. Well, animation art began to get popular, that I felt I had to make a compromise.  Which film was my favorite in style and quality?  Which one was the first?  Which one did Walt Disney put his heart and soul into?  Snow White.

FL: What did the collection consist of, how large, what forms of art, favorite pieces?

SI: By the time I had been collecting only from Snow White, I believe I had around 700 plus pieces. Those pieces consisted of master backgrounds, concept art, cels, drawings, studio notes, character models, and various other items associated with the film.  My favorite piece...that’s a hard one...guess it would have to be a panorama master watercolor background of the exterior of the Dwarfs cottage by Sam Armstrong. The Disney Art program ended up creating a limited edition of the piece.

FL: Since most drawings, paintings and cels from Snow White were not signed, did you know who the actual artists were for your pieces?

SI: I was always able to identify most of the drawings, concept art, and backgrounds since I got to know most of the artists who were still around while I was seriously collecting. I don’t think any of them are around anymore. It was an honor and a privilege to know many of them and be able to call them “friend”. I’d have to say one of my best friends in world was Maurice Noble; a background painter on Snow White, who later worked at Warner Brothers with Chuck Jones on hundreds of the classic shorts in the late 40s and 50s. He was one of the most talented and creative people I’ve ever know. He taught me about the classic animation process. I miss him.

FL: How did you house your collection and where is it today?

SI: As my collection grew, I had to learn how to preserve the art. I consulted with the Indianapolis Museum of Art about preservation and conservation, and designed a home gallery that was built to actual museum specs...and, OK...I understand this is a bit much...but, it was designed to look like the interior of the Dwarfs cottage! Yeah, I know... I actually did this three times over a 20 plus year time span, but finally decided my Snow White days should/would come to an end when I retired and built a home in the mountains of North Carolina...not a location conducive to “home galleries”. That was about the time I was approached by Disney Feature Films to see if I’d be interested in letting Snow White come back home to where she started. Today, my collection is under the watchful and protective eye of The Disney Animation Research Library in Los Angeles. A decision I’ve never regretted.

Photos of Steve's home gallery when it housed the Snow White collection:

Home Gallery images courtesy of Stephen Ison.

FL: Has your "hobby" of collecting Snow White cels opened doors for you? That is, have you met many other SW collectors? Other people associated with the making of the film or other later Disney personalities? Any anecdotal stories you'd like to share?

SI: Yes, many wonderful doors have opened, as a result of collecting from Snow White...exhibitions throughout the world, books, lectures, lifetime friendships... One of my favorite memories is the night I received a phone call from a woman who said her name was Diane Disney Miller, that she had read the forward of my Snow White book and it made her cry. She then asked if she could come to my exhibit at the Indianapolis Museum of Art...that person, of course, was Walt Disney’s daughter, Diane. She has always been so supportive. What an honor. That was the ultimate for me at the time. Recently, Diane asked me to curate an exhibit of Snow White animation art for the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. A must see. An amazing facility and tribute to her father. It opens December 2012 in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the release of Snow White.  We’re pulling Snow White art from every source I’ve ever known for the last 25 years. It will be an extensive exhibit.

FL: Have you seen other Snow White collections? When you're with other similar collectors, what's the conversation like?

SI: As far as I know, there are, nor ever were, any serious collectors of “Snow White only” animation art. Most of the high-end collectors had art from all of the classic Disney films. That was always tough for me, and at times, took a lot of discipline for me not to do the same. I really loved it all.

FL: Are you collecting today?

SI: Well, once bitten, as they say. Yes, I’m still picking up choice pieces, but not just from one film. I especially enjoy concept art from Fantasia. Some of those pieces are amazing and are truly works of art.

_____________

The Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: An Art in Its Making exhibition ran for two months at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, from December 4, 1994 until February 5, 1995. A newspaper article dated December 18, 1994 in the Louisville Courier-Journal highlights Steve and his museum exhibit.

Newspaper images courtesy of the Dan Alexander Collection. Used with permission.

Read Dan's Dizmentia post about his 1994 visit to this Snow White exhibit.

_____________

A couple photos from the IMA exhibit:

Exhibit images courtesy of Stephen Ison.

FL: How did the An Art in Its Making exhibit come about at the Indianapolis Museum of Art?

SI: It took me about four years to convince the Indianapolis Museum of Art to sponsor an exhibit of art from Snow White. Many people at the museum didn’t consider it art. In the end, it broke all attendance records for the museum’s 150 year history! Take that nay sayers!

FL: Was it your entire Snow White collection?

SI: Yes. However, after the exhibition, my collection almost tripled in size over the next 12 years.

FL: Did you attend the opening?

SI: Yes. We also flew out several of the original artists who worked on Snow White...Joe Grant, Marc Davis, Ken O’Connor, Ward Kimball, Betty Kimball, Maurice Noble, and Bill Justice. Great weekend. People lined up for hours to meet them and have books signed.

Signing books at the museum event, from left to right, Betty Kimball, Ward Kimball, Marc Davis, and Joe Grant:

Now from right to left, Ken O’Connor, Maurice Noble, Joe Grant, Marc Davis:

Book Signing images courtesy of Stephen Ison.

FL: Finally, any special memory or anecdote from the event?

SI: To see these people honored in this way was one of the most satisfying events I’ve ever witnessed. And, to see so many people respond to these wonderful pieces of art was the true pay off of years of collecting. Also, personally touring groups of young school children and watching them react as they learned and asked “real” questions.

 

_____________

I, for one, can't wait to see the Snow White art exhibit Steve is assisting with for the Walt Disney Family Museum. Hopefully we'll get more details on it as we get closer to its opening in December 2012. In the upcoming posts, we'll have a look at the 1994 book featuring Steve's collection as well as the guide booklet from the IMA exhibit.