10 things you didn't know about 'Cinderella'

Thursday, June 23, 2016

This story first appeared on OhMyDisney and is reprinted with permission.

10 things you didn't know about Cinderella

You know the songs, you know the characters, but how much do you really know about the 1950 classic, Cinderella? To honor one of our favorite films of all time, we've compiled some fun facts about the movie so you can impress your friends. Enjoy!

1. Lucifer is based on an animator's cat.

After searching for a cat that would look mean enough, animator Ward Kimball ended up using his own cat, Feetsy (who had 6 toes), as inspiration for Lucifer. The idea came to him during one of Walt Disney's visits to his home.

2. Ilene Woods (who voices Cinderella) didn't know she was auditioning for the role.

The role came to her by chance after she'd done a favor for Mack David and Jerry Livingston, who wrote the music and lyrics for the film. The songwriters asked the actress to record a demo of, "Sing Sweet Nightingale," "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo," and "So This is Love," which they then presented to Walt Disney. After hearing her voice, Disney knew she was a perfect fit.

3. The entire film was shot in live action before animators began drawing.

Filmmakers used this technique to get a better idea of how they wanted the characters to move around in the environment. Actress Helene Stanley, who was also used as a reference for Anita in 101 Dalmatians and Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, served as the live-action reference for Cinderella.

4. The film's ending was almost completely different.

One of the scenes that was cut from the film altered the ending. In it, the Grand Duke learned Cinderella's identity and brought her to the castle. After she was presented to him, the prince was surprised (though not disappointed) that she was a servant, not a princess. The Fairy Godmother then showed up and transformed her back into what she was wearing at the ball.

5. Ilene Woods was asked to sing harmony with herself.

While recording "Sing Sweet Nightingale" Walt Disney asked Woods if she'd be able to sing harmony with her her own voice. To achieve the effect (which happens as she scrubs the floor), they put headphones on her and instructed her to sing second-part harmony. That was then layered by Woods singing third-part harmony, thus creating the iconic scene.

6. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards.

In fact, all three nominations were in the music/sound department,which makes sense because it was so iconic. The categories were: Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Sound Recording, and Best Song, for "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo."

7. The earliest feature treatment was prepared by January 30, 1940.

It was prepared by studio inspirational artists Dana Coty and Bianca Majolie. In this version, Cinderella is accompanied by Bon Bon (a cat), Dusty (a mouse), and Clarissa (a turtle) at a place called Chteau de la Poche (which translates to Castle of the Pocket).

8. The songwriters for the film were members of Tin Pan Alley.

Al Hoffman, Mack David, and Jerry Livingston (who went on to write songs for Alice in Wonderland) were all members of the Tin Pan Alley group, which is the name given to a collection of New York City music publishers and songwriters. In fact, it was their song "Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba" (performed by Perry Como) that got Walt's attention in the first place. After hearing it on the radio, he decided it was the kind of song they needed for the Fairy Godmother.

9. Jaq, Gus, and Bruno were voiced by the same actor.

In fact, Jimmy MacDonald voiced several other iconic characters including: Mickey Mouse, Chip (from Chip 'n Dale), Dormouse (Alice in Wonderland), and Goofy.

10. An earlier version of the script gave Prince Charming more screen time.