Since the film itself had only a title card, the names of the Disney artists who made the film were printed in this program. Designed by famed illustrator Gyo Fujikawa, the Fantasia theatre brochure was given to audiences attending the roadshow engagements. So when Walt and Stokowski bumped into each other at a Hollywood hangout - ChasenвЂ™s in Beverly Hills - a meeting of Maestro and Mouse-tro, filmmaking history would soon be made. The charismatic orchestra leader was a natural for the silver screen, and the Maestro starred in the 1937 hits The Big Broadcast of 1937 (in which he conducts BachвЂ™s вЂњToccata & Fugue in D,вЂќ also used in Fantasia) and One Hundred Men and a Girl (the вЂњone hundred menвЂќ being StokowskiвЂ™s Philadelphia Orchestra). (StokowskiвЂ™s second Time cover appearance was on the Novemissue, as the conductor of Fantasia.) With his intense countenance, commanding stature and wild mane of hair (вЂњHe looks like Harpo Marx,вЂќ commented Walt as he watched Stokowski conduct the Fantasia score), Stokowski was the very image of what many people envisioned when they thought of a вЂњlonghairвЂќ conductor.

The Maestro was famed for his masterful recordings and radio appearances from the late 1910s onward, but even those who seldom listened to classical music knew the name вЂњStokowski.вЂќ His fame was such that he was featured on the Apcover of Time magazine. Stokowski, you see, was more than a famous conductor - he was a superstar. In the history of art and entertainment, few have reached the point where one name says it all. Even more interesting is that the great conductorвЂ™s billing is not вЂњLeopold StokowskiвЂќ - instead, itвЂ™s simply that one mighty name.

The original 1940 theatrical poster reads вЂњWalt DisneyвЂ™s Fantasia with Stokowski.вЂќ Aside from distributors and the like, other people rarely shared billing with Walt on a Disney productionвЂ™s poster. As veteran Disney director Ben Sharpsteen simply said decades later, вЂњMickey Mouse was, when you come right down to itвЂ¦ a good choice.вЂќ Of course Mickey does portray the Apprentice (wearing a costume similar to DopeyвЂ™s) in what has been acclaimed as one of his most brilliant animated performances. This is merely a suggestionвЂ¦ discard immediately if it does not interest you.вЂќ Walt in fact did have strong reasons to star Mickey, not the least of which was that Mickey does represent вЂњyou and meвЂќ as a kind of вЂњeverymanвЂќ (or вЂњeverymouseвЂќ). I feel that if you create a new personality which represents every one of us, it might be a valuable factor in the years to come, and enlarge the scope. Stokowski proposed another route: вЂњWhat would you think of creating an entirely new personality for this film instead of using Mickey? A personality that could represent you and me You may have strong reasons for wishing Mickey to be the heroвЂ¦. However, as Walt began developing an animated film based on DukasвЂ™s symphonic piece with Leopold Stokowski in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was on the verge of becoming a blockbuster, and it was suggested Dopey play the Apprentice instead of Mickey. Walt wanted to star Mickey in an animated version of The SorcererвЂ™s Apprentice, and Fantasia evolved from that miniature musical. Dopey Might Have Been the SorcererвЂ™s Apprentice

So join in D23вЂ™s celebration of Fantasia by conducting yourself through these fascinating facts about phenomenal Fantasia.ДЎ. As one of the most elaborate and lavishly produced animated features ever created, Fantasia has a symphony of behind-the-scenes stories swirling around it. With вЂњmusic you can see and pictures you can hear,вЂќ Walt DisneyвЂ™s Fantasia (1940) has been fascinating audiences for many years. Walt listens to the Fantasia score being recorded at PhiladelphiaвЂ™s Academy of Music in 1939, where nine вЂњsound camerasвЂќ captured Stokowski and the Philadelphia OrchestraвЂ™s magnificent performanes for DisneyвЂ™s award-winning Fantasound sound syste

Fantasia when i see you again