Baldy, Deafy and Burpy... the dwarfs that Disney rejected
theY sound like taunts rather than names of Disney characters.
But dwarfs called tubby, Baldy and Deafy were sketched as options for Snow White’s famous seven.
Walt Disney himself decided not to use them for the 1937 film, along with Shorty, Wheezy, Burpy and Lazy.
he chose the final line-up – Grumpy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey, Bashful, happy and Doc – two years before the film’s release, rejecting other names including Jumpy, Dizzy, nifty and Puffy.
the early character sketches were among 32 pieces of artwork for the animated film that have come to light as part of an auction sale.
Dr catherine Williamson, of Bonhams auction house, which sold the pieces at its new York branch, said: ‘I think the guys at Disney will be relieved the dwarfs were changed.
‘I’m sure they wouldn’t have offended sensibilities back in the 1930s but it would be a different story today.
‘the original ones aren’t as good as what they eventually came up with. the great thing about the names they used is that they’re not just physical references, they’re emotional. It’s good they made it more about personality.’
the sketches for the film, which was based on the Grimm Brothers fairytale in which the dwarfs are nameless, were part of a mass sale of 400 original drawings for classic animations including Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and Pinocchio, which sold for a total of nearly £500,000. a selection of Snow White pieces including the dwarf drawings fetched £80,000.
the lots also included a sketch of Snow White surrounded by her animal friends and one of the seven dwarfs during the famous ‘heighho’ scene, both of which sold for £4,350.
a picture of the wicked witch tempting Snow White with the poisoned apple sold for £6,090 while the biggest seller of the day was a celluloid drawing of the evil Queen, sketched by legendary animator art Babbitt, which fetched £11,165.
Most of the 400 lots were sold by ted hopkins, a retired fighter pilot, and his wife Dawn, from arizona, who are both in their 70s and built up their collection over 30 years.