When Walt Disney released “The Skeleton Dance” in August 1929, people were already in love with Mickey Mouse. Disney’s dancing animated skeletons were the first in a new series called Silly Symphony. But people were not amused when they learned about it.
“Why does Walt want to fool around with skeletons,” Disney says in a clip playing “The Skeleton Dance” cartoon at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. “Give us more mice.”
But “with the success of Mickey,” Walt was “determined to diversify.” He may not have known exactly where that little mouse and him were headed, but he wasn’t going to let anything or anyone —especially not naysayers— stand in his way.
That was one of the things that surprised me most at the museum. There were, of course, a lot of exhibits that shared Disney’s successes, but many were hard-fought victories. Including when he got the idea for Silly Symphonies in his head, which, as he put it, almost did “not get out of the graveyard.”
I wasn’t sure what to expect during a jaunt to the Walt Disney Family Museum, a short walk from the Yoda fountain in the Presidio. It wasn’t hearing Walt himself talking about “The Skeleton Dance,” that’s for sure. Nor was I expecting to discover just how pivotal that cartoon was in particular.
The Skeleton Dance: The First Silly Symphony (that almost wasn’t)
If Disney had just stayed with the mouse and hadn’t experimented, he may not have gone on to create the classics that still endure to this day. Or many of the animation techniques that broke new ground for their time. He was a true pioneer in both vision and spirit.
A placard near where the cartoon was playing wasn’t an exact transcript of what Disney had to say about its creation, but it was pretty close.
“By nature, I’m an experimenter. So, with the success of Mickey, I was determined to diversify. I had another idea —the Silly Symphonies—a series without a central character, which would give me latitude to develop the animated cartoon medium. The first was The Skeleton Dance. The reaction was, Why does Walt fool around with skeletons? Give us more mice. So, for a while, it looked like the first Silly Symphony would not get out of the graveyard. But once more, a showman came to the rescue. Fred Miller, who was managing director of the Cathay Circle Theater in Los Angeles, took a chance on the film. The Skeleton Dance got a wonderful reception and wonderful reviews. Thus was the series launched.”
In His Own Words
Here’s a Shorts I posted of a video I took of the cartoon playing while Disney talks about it.
The Skeleton Dance Cartoon
Thanks to the Walt Disney Animation Studios YouTube channel, you can watch the very first Silly Symphony cartoon. Maybe with a better appreciation of its significance?
For More Info
To plan a visit to the Walt Disney Family Museum, visit waltdisney.org.
You can also purchase tickets through Viator:
The Walt Disney Family Museum Admission Ticket in San Francisco
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Did you know “The Skeleton Dance” almost didn’t get out of the graveyard, or were you surprised to learn that too?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
I had no idea the dancing skeletons were controversial. Good for Walt for trying to grow and try new things.
I can blame Disney for the birth of my inner Goth!
It was really eye-opening to learn that he faced a lot of pushback in growing Disney. It makes it even more inspiring that he listened to his inner voice and stayed true to his authentic seld.
LOL! Yes you can, Maria. Walt must’ve had an inner Goth too to bring dancing skeletons to life and want to have a Haunted Mansion in his park. lol
There was an exhibition I wish I’d seen. This was the catalog for it:Once Upon a Time: Walt Disney: The Sources of Inspiration for the Disney Studios. Apparently, they pulled a lot from the spooky, Gothic aspects of the Romantic period in art, so the Skeleton Dance cartoon makes total sense, as does certain nightmarish qualities of Snow White – and Night on Bald Mountain in Fantasia.
Ooooo! I would’ve liked to see that exhibition too. I think it’s so interesting to learn where they draw their inspiration and ideas from. It’s what I like best about Disney really. Just the creativity they summon in general. Inspirational!
Speaking of creativity, Maria…I don’t know why I never clicked your link before. But I did recently and WOW! You are a great artist!!!!
Thanks. I also write fantasy novels. A couple of them were written because the Greek deities I was painting wouldn’t shut up.
Oh my goodness…I feel awful that I’m just now learning all this about you, but better late than never I guess? lol
Also, I can totally appreciate the “wouldn’t shut up” dilemma that led you to write a couple of your novels. I’ve been similarly haunted. lol