Running Time 16:55

Synopsis

A retelling of the classic Canadian / American tall tale of the enormous lumberjack and his loyal companion, an equally huge blue ox.

Characters

Paul Bunyan

Babe the Big, Blue Ox

Cal McNab

Chris Crosshaul

Shot Gunderson

Joe Muffaw

Credits

Director : Les Clark

Animators

John Sibley		Fred Kopietz
Rob Youngquist		Jerry Hathcock
George Nicholas		George Goepper
Ken Hultgren		Jack Paar

Effects Animation : Jack Boyd

Color Stylist : Eyvind Earle

Character Stylist : Tom Oreb

Layout

Homer Jonas

Jack Huber

Background : Walt Peregoy

Music : George Bruns

Lyrics : Tom Adair

Vocalists : The Mellomen

Voices : Thurl Ravenscroft (Paul Bunyan)

Awards

Nominated for an Academy Award (Short Subjects - Cartoons)

Videos

United States

American Heroes

Favorite Stories : Paul Bunyan

Germany

Donald Macht nie Pause

Italy

Paperino Pippo Pluto e ...

Laserdiscs

United States

Paul Bunyan / The Three Little Pigs

Japan

Disney Cartoon Festival 6

DVD

Region 1 : United States

Walt Disney Animation Collection : Classic Short Films : Volume 4 : The Tortoise and the Hare

Disney Legends

Disney Treasures : Disney Rarities: Celebrated Shorts, 1920s - 1960s

Television

The Ink and Paint Club : #57 : From Zero to Hero

Donald's Quack Attack : Episode #25

Technical Specifications

Color Type : Technicolor

Animation type : Standard animation

Sound mix : Mono

Aspect ration : 1.37 : 1

Negative format : 35mm

Print format : 35mm

Cinematographic process : Spherical

Original language : English

Released by Buena Vista Pictures, Inc.

Comments

From Max Honeycutt : I remember when my teacher showed this cartoon to us in 2nd grade on a 16mm film. I thought it was so awesome that I would shush anyone who was talking during it. Well now I'm 19 years old and I still love this cartoon. I still have the video of it that I got for my 10th birthday.

From Ben : I love shorts that remind us of the grand old pioneering days of this wonderful country. Heroes of all kinds shaped the frontier and were conglomerated into the icon of Paul Bunyan, the Big Man, who tamed the wilderness and brought prosperity to the fledgling west. Paul Bunyan represents a piece of the country we have lost in the last century. There are no more frontiers, no place to venture into the great wide open and pit one man's skill against the stark reality of the land around us. We may have conquered the west, but we lost a piece of ourselves in the process. The pioneering spirit that made this country great is waning. We have to find new frontiers and challenge them everyday. This beautiful country I call my home has never been satisfied with the status quo. We must always strive to be the best, be a world example of freedom and strength, and live up to the legend of Paul Bunyan.

From Ryan : This is basically the retelling of the old Canadian legend. Although the background art is limited, I feel that it still gives the cartoon good quality. I like how the Northern lights had been done.

From Baruch Weiss : Another nicely done classic short.

From Billy Joe : In my opinion, this is a very enjoyable version of the Paul Bunyan legend. It's great for families and Disney fans alike. The background art and character designed made me think of this being a fully animated Hanna-Barbera cartoon. I also love the song, and like Ryan, the Alaskan sky was wicked (how did Disney do that in the fifties?) The almost cried when Paul Bunyan was beaten by a machine. Overall, it's a great Disney cartoon.

Picture Gallery
Click on thumnail for full-sized picture

Paul Bunyan	Babe, the Big Blue Ox

Preliminary background sketches for "Paul Bunyan"

Sketches courtesy of The Van Eaton Gallery

Lyrics to "The Ballad of Paul Bunyan"

(Introduction)
North America was a great big land
With a great, big job to be done
A job that needed a great, big man
Paul Bunyan was the one.
Hey, Paul
Paul Bunyan

He's sixty three axe handles high
With his feet on the ground and his head in the sky
Hey, Paul
Paul Bunyan

(Paul as a child)
Good night
Paul Bunyan
You're only ten axe handles high
But you'll get bigger by and by
Good night
Paul Bunyan

The boys would head for the swimmin' hole
Just as soon as the citing had ceased
Even though young Paul was sometimes last
He surely never was least
Hey, Paul (here he comes!)
Paul Bunyan

He loved to swim, what a time he had
But a problem, me oh my,
When his front was in the water hole
His back was high and dry
Hey, Paul
Paul Bunyan

(Paul as a adult)
With my double-blade axe and my hobnail boots
I go where the timber's tall
When there's work to be done don't mess around
Just sing right out for Paul.
Hey, Paul (I'm comin' boys!)
Paul Bunyan

He's sixty three axe handles high
With his feet on the ground and his head in the sky
Hey, Paul
Paul Bunyan

Well he picked up his axe and he chopped a tree
Clean down with a forward swing
Got him another when the axe swung back
That timber cuttin' thing
He kept on choppin' the live-long day
And then when it was night
He walked back over the stumps he'd cut
And stomped them out of sight.
Hey, Paul (Why, it's nothing!)
Paul Bunyan

(While pulling a river straight)
Well Paul and Babe they heaved and hauled
And the job was quickly done
They pulled that crooked river out
As straight as the barrel of a gun
Hey, Paul (They're on their way!)
Paul Bunyan

He's sixty three axe handles high
With his feet on the ground and his head in the sky
Hey, Paul
Paul Bunyan

(During the timber cutting contest)
Hey, Paul (Keep swingin', Paul!)
Paul Bunyan
Cut that timber, show him now
Beat that city slicker now
Hey, Paul (Get up, Paul!)
Paul Bunyan

(After the timber cutting contest)
Poor Paul
Paul Bunyan
He's sixty three axe handles high
With his feet on the ground and his head in the sky
Hey, Paul
Paul Bunyan

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