Cinderella is a 1950 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. Based on Charles Perrault's 1697 fairy tale of the same title, it is the 12th Disney animated feature film. The film was directed by Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, and Clyde Geronimi. It features the voices of Ilene Woods, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Rhoda Williams, James MacDonald, Luis van Rooten and Don Barclay with Helene Stanley and Claire Du Brey each serving as the live model for Cinderella and Fairy Godmother respectively.
During the early 1940s, Walt Disney Productions had suffered financially after losing connections to the European film markets due to the outbreak of World War II. Because of this, the studio endured box office bombs such as Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940), and Bambi (1942), all of which would later become more successful with several re-releases in theaters and on home video. By 1947, the studio was over $4 million in debt and was on the verge of bankruptcy. Walt Disney and his animators returned to feature film production in 1948 after producing a string of package films with the idea of adapting Charles Perrault's Cendrillon into an animated film.
Cast[]
- Ilene Woods as Cinderella, a humble, kind-hearted and hard-working young woman who is forced to become a maidservant due to abuse by her stepmother and stepsisters. Around 380 applicants auditioned for the role until it was announced in March 1948 that Woods had been cast.
- Helene Stanley served as the live model for the character.
- Eleanor Audley as Lady Tremaine, Cinderella's cruel and abusive stepmother, who despises her stepdaughter for being more charming and beautiful than her own daughters.
- Verna Felton as the Fairy Godmother, a kind-hearted and slightly absent-minded sorceress who helps Cinderella get to the ball and meet the Prince.
- Claire DuBrey served as the live model for the character.
- Rhoda Williams as Drizella Tremaine, Lady Tremaine's elder daughter and Cinderella's stepsister.
- Lucille Bliss as Anastasia Tremaine, Lady Tremaine's younger daughter and Cinderella's stepsister. (uncredited)
- James MacDonald as Jaq, Gus and Bruno, Cinderella's animal friends.
- Luis van Rooten as The King, the Prince's short-tempered father who wants his son to get married and have children.
- Van Rooten also provides the voice of the Grand Duke, the King's fussy majordomo and confidant.
- Don Barclay as the Doorman
- William Edward Phipps as Prince Charming, the King's son, who falls in love with Cinderella. (uncredited)
- Mike Douglas provided the uncredited singing voice for Prince Charming.
- June Foray as Lucifer, Lady Tremaine's mean-spirited cat who attempts to hunt down Jaq and Gus. (uncredited)
- Betty Lou Gerson as the Narrator (uncredited)