CHIPS and DALES!

Who doesn't love Chip and Dale? Chip, with his "chocolate chip" nose, and Dale with his red probiscus... their comic antics are amusing and endearing.

So I was delighted to add several Chip and Dale cels to my collection in 2007.

When two particular pieces arrived, I noticed the oddest thing: these Disneyland Art Corner setups were Chip and Chip, and Dale and Dale, double setups of the same character! Unusual setups from the Art Corner are never a surprise, and these, while rather careless were far from the most bizarre. (More on that in a future installment.)


I went through all the Chip and Dale cartoons available on DVD to no avail. My cel images were not in any of the cartoons. Fortunately, Kay from "Chip-n-Dale Online" and animator Brian Mitchell came to my rescue. They confirmed that these images were from a 1959 episode of Disneyland's Sunday night TV show called "THE ADVENTURES OF CHIP AND DALE."

While not available on DVD, edited versions (without Walt Disney's personalized introduction) have been released on VHS and laserdisc versions. So I was able to obtain this obscure source material and finally see the original show!

Included is a snappy Chip-N-Dale theme song by Disney composer (and former theatre organist) Oliver Wallace. Thanks to YouTube, you can enjoy the toe-tapping tune.



Animator Bill Justice directed. (This clever use of moving "real world" props and animation predated his work in MARY POPPINS by several years.)

Here are the cels as seen on screen, flanking the original Art Corner setups. (Click on the images to enlarge.)



I have digitally re-created the Key Master backgrounds. This Holiday season has been crazy busy... so I haven't yet made a trip to the printer to have laserprint backgrounds made. When they are done, and the cel set-ups complete, I'll post them.

Fun, huh??!!!

Welcome To Cels and Setups!

Hello friends!

If you love traditional animation, there will be lots for you to enjoy in the coming year. I will simultaneously generate material for three animation blogs.

My career is in the entertainment world, as a professional musician.

However, my avocation is animation art, with a primary focus on vintage Disney productions. I've been collecting for more than a decade. And my interest is far from casual. I've read (and own) nearly every book on animation art. I continue to be amazed by the miracle of drawings that move.

I started digitally re-creating background art for cel setups for my animation art collection. I was enthralled with the style and charisma of the background art, and decided to share it via my ANIMATION BACKGROUNDS blog.

Recently, I've been considering how to best share research I've done, and images of my digital background re-creations as well as my final cel setups.

So here's what I've come up with!

ANIMATION BACKGROUNDS will continue to focus on classic animation background art. My goal is to post daily, as my time permits.

NAME THIS TOON began and will continue as the place I'll share unknown cels from my collection, with hopes of identifying them, with your help! My goal will be posts once or twice a week.

In particular, vintage cels sold at Disneyland's Art Corner around 1960 often have unusual combinations of familiar characters. Artwork from early Disney TV (Mickey Mouse Club, Wonderful World Of Color and educational shorts) are often the most difficult to identify.

Your assistance is MUCH appreciated! Your comments will help me catalog my artwork for future animation enthusiasts. Please comment... even an educated guess will be welcome.

Once research is completed, the final setups will be posted on a brand new blog: CELS AND SETUPS. Initially, my goal will be to post once a week.

This will be of special interest to animation art collectors. It is here that I will show the entire process of acquiring a cel, having it restored, researching and creating a master key background, and then the final finished setups (cels with their digitally re-created key master background).

I hope you'll enjoy my efforts. Animation art is a joy, a passion... and what is better than sharing that joy with others?

Happy New Year!