John Grant: Encyclopedia of Walt Disney's Animated Characters - From Mickey Mouse to Aladdin (hardbound, Hyperion 1993)

Foreword to the First Edition by David R. Smith
Foreword to the Revised Edition by Roy E. Disney

384-page inventory of Disney characters up to 1994. Hardbound. Acetate dust jacket.

»Who is your favorite Walt Disney character? Mickey Mouse? Sneezy? Cruella De Vil? Goofy? Pinocchio? Tinker Bell? Eeyore? Ariel? Belle? Hundreds of beloved animated characters were born of the genius of Walt Disney and the studio that bears his name, and now, in this completely updated and revised edition [1994], readers will find the definitive reference book for Disney animation fans—the who's who of characters-up to and including Disney's most recent feature film, Aladdin.

From Mickey Mouse to the Genie, Roger Rabbit to Lumiere, and Aladdin to Sebastian -whether famous, infamous, or obscure - every character of the Disney honor roll of animated creations is present and accounted for in this readable and entertaining book. Divided into three sections-shorts, television series, and feature films-the Encyclopedia lovingly spotlights each of the hundreds of delightful Disney denizens in entertaining, informative profiles and vivid, full-color pictures.

Each section of the book is organized chronologically. The first section, on short films, profiles not only the major characters such as Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, but also a full range of lesser known but no less appealing characters such as Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (Walt Disney's very first named character), Huey, Dewey, and Louie (Donald's nephews), Figaro (the fiery kitten), and the Archbishop (from The Prince and the Pauper).

Part two, a completely new section, covers the television series. Far from a glancing look at classic Disney television shows such as The Wuzzles and Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears, Grant provides in-depth coverage of the explosion of Disney television series for children, including DuckTales; The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh; Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers; Darkwing Duck, and many more.

The third and final section covers the animated feature films. The characters great and small - from the Raven in Snow White and Fidget in The Great Mouse Detective, to Dumbo and Monstro, the whale in Pinocchio - are described and the roles in the plot assessed. Compilation movies with animated sequences are also included, with the unforgettable Brer Rabbit and Aracuan Bird rubbing shoulders with the fox from Mary Poppins. Recent Disney feature film releases are also described in detail, including favorites The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and the current Aladdin. Credits are given for each feature film, together with the date of its release and the running time.

Thoroughly researched in the Walt Disney Archives in Burbank, this Encyclopedia is illustrated throughout with stills from the films, many of which have not been published before. Comprehensive indexes enable any named character or film to be found swiftly.«