On this night before Christmas in the year 2020, I thought we’d flash back 87 years to the Walt Disney Studio’s 1933 Silly Symphony, The Night Before Christmas.
For each cartoon, the story department distributed an outline of the film to studio employees for the purpose of requesting gag submissions — this is how important and integral gags were in the Disney story system.
Cash rewards were paid for accepted gags, and even the janitor got in on the action now and then (it was open to anyone).
I’m attaching The Night Before Christmas‘ original outline directly below (a very rare document, click on the image to download):
I’m also posting 8 publicity stills that were released with the film and 7 photos of an associated Disney board-book that was also released with the film (A+ for marketing):
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! — Sky Danley
This is a little out of season, but I wanted to thank you for this informative post. I only just found it and I’d never seen some of these images or the original story outline before.
Is that board book your own personal copy? If so, I wonder if you could please tell me what Junior receives in his present and how the book ends? I’m curious because in the commonly seen version of the film, Junior receives a puppy, but it’s likely that in the very original 1933 prints of film he received a chamber pot!
Hi Adam. Yes, I do have a personal copy. As a Christmas present to all, I will scan the book and post its entirety, this coming Christmas, 2022. Until then, I will tell you this, Junior was disappointed with his present. I also believe I have the original 1933 print of the film, and I’ll try to locate that, too.
Thank you so much, that’d be brilliant! I haven’t seen it for myself, but I’ve since learned that an original print is also preserved at the Library of Congress. I won’t spoil anything and look forward to your Christmas post.
Heh – you’ve got me looking forward to Christmas already! Until then I’ll enjoy the rest of your blog. I only discovered it last month and you’re sharing some true rarities, thank you 🙂