| The Aristocats | |
|---|---|
 Original theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Wolfgang Reitherman |
| Story by |
|
| Based on | "The Aristocats" by
|
| Produced by | Winston Hibler Wolfgang Reitherman |
| Starring | |
| Edited by | Tom Acosta |
| Music by | George Bruns |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Buena Vista Distribution |
Release dates |
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Running time | 79 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4 million[1] |
| Box office | $191 million[2] |
The Aristocats is a 1970 American animated comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution. It is directed by Wolfgang Reitherman and written by Ken Anderson, Larry Clemmons, Eric Cleworth, Vance Gerry, Julius Svendsen, Frank Thomas and Ralph Wright. It is the final Disney animated film made with the involvement of Walt Disney Productions' co-founder Roy O. Disney before his death on December 20, 1971. The film is based on a story by Tom McGowan and Tom Rowe, and revolves around a family of aristocratic cats, and how an alley cat acquaintance helps them after a butler has kidnapped them to gain his mistress's fortune which was intended to go to them. The film features the voices of Phil Harris, Eva Gabor, Hermione Baddeley, Dean Clark, Sterling Holloway, Scatman Crothers, and Roddy Maude-Roxby.
In 1962, The Aristocats project began as an original script for a two-part live-action episode for Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, developed by writers Tom McGowan and Tom Rowe and producer Harry Tytle. Following two years of rewrites, Tytle suggested the project would be more suitable for an animated film, in which Disney temporarily shelved the project while The Jungle Book (1967) advanced into production. When The Jungle Book was nearly complete, Disney appointed Ken Anderson to develop preliminary work on The Aristocats, making it the last film project to be personally approved by Disney before his death.[3][4][5] Longtime Disney collaborators Robert and Richard Sherman composed multiple songs for the film, though only two made it in the finished product.
The Aristocats was released on December 24, 1970, to generally positive reviews from film critics. It was also a commercial success. A live-action remake is currently in development, with Questlove attached to direct.
- ^ Scott, Vernon (February 17, 1971). "News from Hollywood". The Logansport Press. p. 6. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 27, 2003). "Cartoon Coffers – Top-Grossing Disney Animated Features at the Worldwide B.O." Variety. p. 6. Archived from the original on November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2021 – via TheFreeLibrary.com.
- ^ Trimborn, Harry (1966-12-16). "Wizard of Fantasy Walt Disney Dies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
- ^ Cooke, Alistair (2011-12-16). "The death of Walt Disney — folk hero". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-11-03.
- ^ "Walt Disney, 65, Dies on Coast". The New York Times. 16 December 1966.
