Dumbo

Story

Jumbo Jr. is a small elephant, nicknamed Dumbo because of his huge ears. After defending him from bullies, Dumbo’s mum is locked in a cage. Sad and lonely, Dumbo befriends a mouse called Timothy, who promises to make him a star. Together, they discover Dumbo’s hidden talent.

Why we chose it

A Disney classic, Dumbo was the most successful Disney film of the 1940s.

Where it came from

In 1938, Disney’s head of merchandising stumbled across a prototype of a novelty toy called a “Roll-a-Book”. The book, by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl, was about a flying circus elephant called Dumbo. Disney loved the idea and bought the rights to the story in 1939. Dumbo was also inspired by a real life circus elephant called Jumbo, who was treated badly by his owners.

Where it went next

Dumbo won numerous awards, including an Academy Award, and was published as a children’s book in 1941. It hasn’t been out of print since, and a live-action adaptation of the film, directed by Tim Burton, was released in 2019.

Associated stories

Dumbo was Disney’s fourth feature film, following from Snow White (1937), Pinocchio (1940) and Fantasia (1940). Bambi was produced just after Dumbo, in 1942.