Disney Toys

In April last year I mentioned a live-action project produced by Carl Fallberg and Lars Calonius and featuring several Disney artists, called Grizzly Gulch. I just realized that more info could be found abou that project in Robert Tieman's book The Disney Keepsakes.

In the issue of the Studio�s internal newsletter, The Bulletin, from April 4, 1941, repdoduced in the book, we find the following article by John Hubley:

�Grizzly Gulch. Produced by Carl Fallberg and Lars Calonius. Directed by Lars Calonius. Ass�st. direct: Andy Engman. Photography: Lars Calonius. Cast of players: Carl Fallberg, Homer Amos, Andy Engman, Dan Noonan, Tee Hee, Lou MacManus, Dan MacManus, Cornett Wood, Ted Baker, Mel Shaw, Jack Atwood, Bill Keil, Thelma Futch, Joe Gayek, George Roether, Bob Youngquist, Cecil Beard, Bob Vogel, Larry Lansburgh, Andy Engman Sr., Paul Fitzpatrick, horses, trains, Ward Kimball, etc. Production shot on 16mm film. Shooting commenced May 1939; shooting completed December 1940. Locations used: Idlewild, Kernville, Hyperion. Entire cast composed of Disney personnel. Running time: 1 hour, 15 minutes. General release: next week.
The long awaited premiere of �Grizzly Gulch� rewarded its audience with a thoroughly entertaining, well-produced western melodrama. Picture is materially rich, tales a simple direct tale of murder and crime detection in the 1870s.Careful attention was paid to correct historical settings and costumes, achieving a remarkably professional result. Few flaws are apparent. Humor is somewhat hampered by slow telling, allowing audience anticipation to get ahead of the story; the musical score (via phonograph recordings) lacks dramatic build-up. But largely, this reviewer has never witnessed a more successful and less amateur production.�