On this day in 1941, Dumbo was released into theaters! Today the Disney classic turns 77 and I’m here to share ten things you probably didn’t know about this famous film.

Walt’s Favorite Disney Movie

Walt claimed that Dumbo would always hold a special place in his heart! That from the start Dumbo was a “happy picture.” Although Walt later loved this Disney classic, when it was first pitched to him he wasn’t interest in creating it. Joe Grant and Dick Huemer began leaving “crumbs” of the story on his desk hoping to entice him. After three months of this, Walt ran into the story department saying “This is great! What happens next?!”

The First Disney Movie Released on Video Cassette

In 1981 Dumbo was release to VHS for movie rentals only, but by the following year it was available for purchase as well. Before this, if you didn’t see a movie in theaters you had to wait for it to appear on television or you just missed it completely! The movie was also released to DVD in 2001 for the first time, but has since been released again in 2006 and 2011.

Shortest Disney Feature Ever

Dumbo‘s success was truly spectacular! At only 64 minutes long, it still holds the title of shortest Disney feature-film to date. Walt Disney was initially advised to extend the story to make it a little longer, but he resisted. He believed that the story could only be stretched so far and if it stretched past that it couldn’t be held together.

Dumbo Almost Made the Cover of Time Magazine

Due to the film’s great success, Time magazine had plans to honor Dumbo on the cover of their magazine as “Mammal of the Year.” When Pearl Harbor happened in December 1941, the animated elephant was replaced by the more serious cover story. Even with these changes, Dumbo was still named “Mammal of the Year” in an inside feature of the magazine.

His Real Name Isn’t Dumbo

Despite the famous title, the quiet little elephant’s name isn’t actually Dumbo. His real name is Jumbo, Jr. Stating his name is actually the only line his mother says all movie!

The First Disney Film Set in America

Dumbo is known for a lot of firsts in the Disney industry, but did you know it was the first Disney film they did set in America? While their other films took place in different locations, this one was set close to home. It was also the first Disney film set in modern day!

Disney’s Cheapest Feature Film

Dumbo cost less than $1 Million to create. The studio was on a strict budget for the film because of World War II. To keep costs down, watercolors were used to create the backgrounds of this movie. This method was rarely used in Disney films because it made the backgrounds significantly less detailed, but it was necessary to keep with their strict budget at the time!

The Quietest Lead Character

Dumbo doesn’t speak a word in his feature film, which makes him the only lead character in a Disney film who doesn’t speak! Considering his big, lovable personality it may seem surprising but this elephant stays silent all movie. The next quietest lead in a Disney movie would be Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, who only has 18 lines in the whole movie!

Created During the Golden Age of Disney Animation

It’s no wonder why Dumbo holds a special place in Walt’s heart. This film was created during one of the most iconic Disney Animation eras — the Golden Age. It was the fourth Disney film created and the second Disney film to make a profit! (I guess all of that serious budgeting really paid off.)

A Sequel Was in the Works

That’s right, Dumbo II almost happened. The idea for a direct-to-DVD film was in the works at Disney Animation when John Lasseter intervened. Dumbo was also his favorite Disney film, so when he became Chief Creative Officer of both Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Animation, he shot down the movie idea.

Dumbo is a Disney classic that we all grew up enjoying. Even with a tight budget and a short story, this timid little elephant spoke volumes in the movie industry! As we closer to another milestone anniversary of Dumbo’s release, it’s fun to look back on what this classic film achieved for Walt DIsney Animation. Tim Burton’s take on this Disney classic will be making its live-action debut in theaters in 2019! It will be fun to see this classic story in a new way.

Which Dumbo Fact Was Your Favorite?