00:00 Walt Disney's Introduction to Hollywood
00:20 Tom Sito - Walt's Desire to be Taken Seriously in Hollywood
00:55 Walt's Dream of a Hollywood Premiere
01:15 The Skeleton Dance - The First Silly Symphony
01:56 The Premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
02:28 Ward Kimball - Talks about 'Disney's Folly'
03:16 Walt Produces an Extravagant Opening
04:34 Snow White Sneaks in to her Own Premiere
05:10 The First Audience - Reactions
05:40 Ken O'Connor - Reaction of Audience and John Barrymore to Artwork on Screen
06:11 Ward Kimball - Audience Reactions
07:00 Tom Sito - Walt's Direction for the Bier Scene and Audience Reaction
07:33 Ward Kimball - Audience Reaction to End of Film
08:06 Walt Disney's Opening Night Response to Theater Guests
08:27 Carthay Circle Theatre Replica at Disney's Hollywood Studios
08:53 Snow White Gets a Special Oscar at 1939 Academy Awards
09:42 Box Office Numbers for First Release of Snow White
10:16 End Credits

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When Walt Disney moved to California from Kansas City in 1923, he dove into the film industry, head first. He spent many of his days inside the film studios.

Walt had a dream that one day, all of Hollywood would show up for one of his films. But the problem was, Walt made cartoons, and cartoons were not taken seriously.

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Carthay Circle Theater would host the premiere of the world’s very first feature-length animated cartoon, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

December 21, 1937

Walt had put every ounce of his passion and every dollar he had into this film and this opening.

Celebrities that attended included: Marlene Dietrich, Shirley Temple, Charlie Chaplin with Paulette Goddard, Ed Sullivan, Clark Gable and Carol Lombard, Norma Shearer, Judy Garland, Jack Benny and Mary Livingstone, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Cary Grant, and many more.

It was such well-attended event that neither Adrianna Caselotti, who voiced Snow White, nor Harry Stockwell, who voiced Prince Charming, had a ticket. After being denied entry, Adrianna stated: “But, I'm Snow White and this is Prince Charming! But, no ticket, no entry. So, Snow White and Prince Charming waited, and snuck in when the ticket lady wasn't looking. They ran upstairs to one side of the balcony and stood there, watching themselves on the screen.

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As the film began, the audience seemed a little anxious. Then they chuckled at the first little gags. Gradually, there was an energy, a buzz, a joy, that spread throughout the entire theater. They not only applauded the songs, they not only applauded the animation, they even applauded the background and layouts when no animation was on the screen.

In an interview Ward Kimball recalled that they were seated behind Clark Gable and Carol Lombard. And when Snow White was poisoned, Clark Gable, one of Hollywoods biggest manly-man celebrities, needed to borrow a handkerchief from Carol Lombard.

As the stars exited the theater, they searched their bags for dark glasses so photographers could not get photos of them after they had been crying.

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Snow White played at the Carthay Circle for four months. The final box office gross for the first release of Snow White was close to $8.5 million, making it the highest-grossing Hollywood film up to that time. This was when the average ticket price for adults was quarter and a dime for children.
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At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Once Upon a Time store is an homage to this landmark theater, that played the host to not only the first Silly Symphony, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but Disney’s Fantasia as well.

If you enter this replica of Carthay Circle Theater and walk to the back of the store, you will find photos from the premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

When the store was first opened, if you listened closely, you will hear the actual radio broadcast from the film premiere, being played throughout the store.

 @Disney   @DisneyParks   @waltdisneyimagineering8915   @disneyanimation   @themeparkreview   @Attractions360   @attractionsmagazine 

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RESOURCES:

Interview with Tom Sito
June 09, 2023

Attractions Magazine
Little Known Facts about the Carthay Circle Theater
www.attractionsmagazine.com

The Revised Vault of Walt by Jim Korkis
Chapter: Snow White Christmas Premiere
Theme Park Press (www.themeparkpress.com)

The Animation Guild
TAG Blog: The Ken O'Connor Interview
animationguildblog.blogspot.com

Filmic Light - Snow White Archive
"Dwarfland" at Snow White Premiere
filmic-light.blogspot.com

Animation Who and Where
Snow White at the Carthay
animationwhoandwhere.blogspot.com

Disney Parks Blog
Opening Night, 1937: ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ Premieres at Carthay Circle Theatre
by Erin Glover
disneyparks.disney.go.com