10 Facts about Dumbo
“Look out for Mr. Stork
He's got you on his list” - Look Out for Mr. Stork (Dumbo)
Originally, Dumbo’s sidekick wasn’t Timothy Mouse. In the original 1938 picture book that inspired the film, Dumbo’s companion was actually a red robin.
At just 1 hour and 4 minutes, Dumbo holds the record as the shortest Walt Disney animated feature film.
Dumbo nearly made the cover of TIME Magazine as “Mammal of the Year,” but plans changed after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was still featured in an inside story.
"Baby Mine" was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song but lost to "The Last Time I Saw Paris" from Lady Be Good. However, Dumbo won the Academy Award for Best Original Score.
The circus in the movie is named WDP Circus, a subtle nod to Walt Disney Productions.
A Dumbo sequel was once in development. Titled Dumbo II, the story would have picked up the day after the original ended, featuring Dumbo and friends lost in New York City and introducing Dumbo’s father. John Lasseter canceled the project when he took over Disney Animation. A sneak peek is available on the Dumbo 60th Anniversary DVD or on YouTube: Dumbo II (2001) - "Sneak Peek" Featurette (2K)
Verna Felton, a legendary Disney voice actress, voiced four different elephants in her career: two in Dumbo, one in the short Goliath II, and one in The Jungle Book.
The film was produced during an animators' strike. The clowns’ line “We’re gonna hit the big boss for a raise” is a cheeky nod to the real-life labor tensions at the time.
Dumbo was the first Disney animated feature released on home video, becoming available in 1981.
Budget constraints shaped the film’s production. Due to wartime limitations, it was made for less than half the cost of earlier Disney films. Backgrounds were painted in watercolor to reduce expenses.
