Animation Disney History Disney Movies

Disney Released 75 Short Films Within 10 Years!

1929 to 1939 were busy years for Walt Disney Productions as they created and released 75 musical shorts named “Silly Symphony.”

Each short was under 11 minutes and set to whimsical music. Innovated for it’s time, the films would become known for use of the multiplane camera and their incorporation of technicolor. 

Click here to read more about the multiplane camera.  

Firsts

The very first Silly Symphony, titled “The Skeleton Dance” was released on August 22, 1929.

Three years and 28 shorts after the release of “The Skeleton Dance”, the first technicolor film was released- “Flowers and Trees”.

Flowers and Trees was entered into the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2021 for its achievements using the full color three-strip Technicolor process. The film has been described as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”  

All the shorts were designed as stand alone stories without the notable Disney characters; i.e. Mickey, Minnie, Goofy… with one exception. Donald Duck made his very first appearance in 1934’s The Wise Little Hen. 

Academy Awards

Most associate Snow White as Walt Disney’s first Oscar winning award, but the film did not win any categories. The famous picture of Walt with an Oscar and seven miniature statuettes were for recognition of a special achievement. 

Disney’s first SIX Academy Awards actually came from The Silly Symphony Series. 

Disney Studio’s first hit song, “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” came from Silly Symphony number 36, “Three Little Pigs”.

The Silly Symphonies final film, “The Ugly Duckling” would win the 7th and final Oscar for the film series in 1939. 

A List of All the Silly Symphonies

1   The Skeleton Dance– Aug 22, 1929

3    Springtime– Oct 24, 1929

5    The Merry Dwarfs– Dec 19, 1929

7    Autumn– Feb 15, 1930

9    Night– July 31, 1930  *release date was postponed due to the sudden departure of Ub Iwerks

11    Arctic Antics– June 27, 1930

13   Monkey Melodies– Sept 26, 1930

15    Playful Pan– Dec 27, 1930

17    Mother Goose Melodies– Apr 16, 1931

19    The Busy Beavers– June 30, 1931

21    Egyptian Melodies–    Aug 27, 1931

23    The Spider and the Fly– Oct 23, 1931

25    The Ugly Duckling– Dec 17, 1931

27    The Bears and the Bees– Feb 15, 1931

29    Flowers and Trees– July 23, 1932

31    King Neptune– Oct 15, 1932

33    Santa’s Workshop– Dec 10, 1932

35    Father Noah’s Ark– Apr 8, 1933

37    Old King Cole– July 29, 1933

39    The Pied Piper– Sept 16, 1933

41    The China Shop– Jan 13, 1934

43    Funny Little Bunnies– Mar 24, 1934

45    The Wise Little Hen– May 3, 1934

47    Peculiar Penguins– Sept 1, 1934

49    The Tortoise & the Hare– Jan 5, 1935

51    The Robber Kitten– Apr 20, 1935

53   The Cookie Carnival– May 25, 1935

55    Music Land– Oct 5, 1935

57    Cock o’ the Walk– Nov 30, 1935

59    Elmer Elephant– Mar 28, 1936

61    Toby Tortoise Returns– Aug 22, 1936

63    The Country Cousin– Oct 31, 1936

65    More Kittens– Dec 19, 1936

67    Little Hiawatha– May 15, 1937

69    Wynken, Blynken, and Nod– May 27, 1938

71    Merbabies– Dec 9, 1938

73  Mother Goose Goes Hollywood– Dec 23, 1938

75    The Ugly Duckling– Apr 7, 1939

 

2    El Terrible Toreador– Sept 26, 1929

4    Hell’s Bells– Nov 21, 1929

6    Summer– Jan 16, 1930

8    Cannibal Capers– Mar 20, 1930

10    Frolicking Fish– June 21, 1930  *the next two films were released back-to-back due to production delays

12    Midnight in a Toy Shop– Aug 16, 1930

14    Winter– Oct 30, 1930

16    Birds of a Feather– Feb 3, 1931

18    The China Plate– May 23, 1931

20    The Cat’s Out– July 28, 1931

22    The Clock Store– Sept 28, 1931

24    The Fox Hunt– Nov 20, 1931

26    The Bird Store– Jan 16, 1932

28    Just Dogs– May 16, 1932

30    Bugs in Love– Oct 1, 1932

32    Babes in the Woods– Nov 19, 1932

34    Birds in the Spring– Mar 13, 1933

36 Three Little Pigs– May 25, 1933

38    Lullaby Land– Aug 19, 1933

40    The Night Before Christmas– Dec 9, 1933

42    The Grasshopper & the Ants– Feb 10, 1934

44    The Big Bad Wolf– Apr 14, 1934

46    The Flying Mouse– July 14, 1934

48    The Goddess of Spring– Nov 3, 1934

50    The Golden Touch– Mar 22, 1935

52    Water Babies– May 11, 1935

54    Who Killed Cock Robin?– June 29, 1935

56   Three Orphan Kittens– Oct 26, 1935

58   Broken Toys– Dec 14, 1935

60   Three Little Wolves– Apr 18, 1936

62   Three Blind Mouseketeers– Sept 26, 1936

64    Mother Pluto– Nov 14, 1936

66    Woodland Café– Mar 13, 1937

68    The Old Mill– Nov 5, 1937

70    Moth and the Flame– Apr 1, 1938

72    Farmyard Symphony– Oct 14, 1938

74    The Practical Pig– Feb 24, 1939

It is neat to see the progression in pictures from black & white to color. The original few had a very similar format with their characters and their movements, which is probably how they released so many in a short span of time. Many of the shorts can be viewed on Disney+, but you need to search by title of the film, and not “Silly Symphony.”

Are you a fan of the Silly Symphony Series? Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comment section below!