The Jungle Book (Disney) (1967)

Mat JB 2-D (Standard 2 column width and coarse screen) © 1967 Walt Disney Productions “You have a dusty muzzle there, soldier, remember to keep that in battle condition,” stuffy Colonel Hathi reminds a recruit during inspection in Walt Disney’s all-cartoon comedy adventure, “The Jungle Book,” with the voice talents of Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima, George Sanders, Sterling Holloway, J. Pat O’Malley and Bruce Reitherman. Filmed in Technicolor, “The Jungle Book” was inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s “Mowgli” stories. Kipling’s “Jungle Book,” Inspiration For Animated Disney Feature, Written During Blizzard Rudyard Kipling’s ‘‘The Jungle Book,” the famous “Mowgli” stories set in the lush, steaming Indian Jungle, was actually written by the famous English storyteller and poet during a Vermont blizzard. Kipling, after a long term as a newspaperman in India, where he also gained world fame for his stories, had returned to England. There, in 1892, he met and married Caroline Balestier, the sister of an American friend. For a honeymoon Kipling took his bride on a trip around the world. On their arrival in Japan he received word that his savings were lost with the failure of an orient banking company. Cashing in the unused portion of their travel tickets, the couple reached Brattleboro, Vermont, where Mrs. Kipling’s family lived. Here they rented a workman’s cottage for ten dollars a month, and during a mean storm, in which the snow reached the window sills of their home, Kipling penned “The Jungle Book,” judged by critics as one of his finest works. The book has inspired Walt Disney’s latest animated musical comedy of the same title. His artist father, on a visit, illustrated the stories for publication in ‘St. Nicholas,” a popular magazine of the time. Two daughters were born to the Kiplings in Brattleboro, and as his financial situation improved, from royalties on his writings, he built a house there, but after a few years returned to England. During Kipling’s stay in the United States, he also wrote “Captains Courageous,” which was inspired by tales he had heard from seafaring men along the New England coast. Here, too, was nurtured the germ of the story for his greatest novel, “Kim.” Kipling’s continuous writing productivity earned him many honors, though he declined a knighthood. In 1907, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, the first writer of his nation to be so honored. “The Jungle Book” features the voice talents of Phil Harris as Baloo, the happy-go-lucky bear; Sebastian Cabot as Bagheera, the stern panther ; Louis Prima as King Louie the Most, an addled ape potentate; George Sanders as Shere Khan, a sophisticated tiger heavy; Sterling Holloway as Kaa, the sneaky snake; J. Pat O’Malley as the pompous elephant Colonel Hathi; and Bruce Reitherman as Mowgli, the mancub. In Technicolor, “The Jungle Book” was directed by Wolfgang Reitherman and was written for the screen by Larry Clemmons, Ralph Wright, Ken Anderson and Vance Gerry. The Oscar-winning songwriting team of Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman composed five songs for the picture and Terry Gilkyson has contributed an additional song. George Bruns composed the background score. Buena Vista releases. “The Jungle Book” is being screened locally on an all-Disney program with the animal-adventure film, “Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar.” Filmed in the breathtaking mountain country of the Pacific Northwest, “Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar” tells the story of a playful cougar kitten which is raised by a lumberman in a logging camp. Growing up in this environment, the cat learns to birl logs, and works side by side with the loggers on the world’s last major river drive. Problems begin for the cougar when, fully grown, he is considered too dangerous to be allowed to roam free at the lumber mill, and is returned to the wilds. His domesticity has dulled his instincts for survival and he is unable to fend for himself. Both pictures, in Technicolor, are being released by Buena Vista. Voice Of Vulture In Disney’s “Jungle Book”’ Suggests Versatility Of Singer Chad Stuart That Chad Stuart of Chad and Jeremy is not just another pop singer in the rock and roll movement is suggested by his providing the voice for one of the comic vultures in “Jungle Book,” the last animated feature to be personally supervised by Walt Disney. Chad, in fact, is anxious to escape his rock and roll image and to be accepted on the grounds of his other talents rather than on the freak record success that gave him and Jeremy Clyde their start. “Don’t get me wrong,’’ Chad explained, “I’m not knocking rock, but I believe that if you don’t have something new and entertaining and creative to offer, then you might as well forget this industry. In the pop field, Jeremy and I are just another group. We can’t last forever. We’ve got to show that we’re versatile and not just rock performers.” Before forming their act, Chad and Jeremy were active in other areas of entertainment. Chad composed and published songs for a London music house while Jeremy played parts in the English Theatre in ‘‘Hamlet,”’ “The Miser,” and others. When they began singing together as Chad and Jeremy in 1964, many of their records were Chad’s earlier compositions. Chad continued to write a good portion of their material as well as do all the arrangements and orchestrations for their recordings. “I always found time to write songs for other groups, too,” Chad added. “For the past year,” he continued, “I’ve been working on a modern sounding suite, called ‘Progress’ to be released by Columbia. It’s sort of an ironic look at the present, past and future through the eyes of a youngster. A kind of film score without the film. Everytime I see a movie, I compose a score in my mind.” Having learned to read music be Mat JB 2-E (Standard 2 column width and coarse screen) ~ © 196: Mat JB 1-E (Standard width and coarse screen) fore he could write, Chad plays nearly all instruments. He recently studied guitar interpretations with Indian composer-musician Ravi Shankar. The guitar is his favorite instrument because “‘it has a kind of soul.” In addition to singing, playing and composing, Chad has also produced records and sponsored new groups. He would like to do a book on his Englishman’s view of America in pictures. “T’m not the actor Jeremy is,” he confessed. ‘“‘The part has to be fitted to me. The part I played in ‘Jungle Book’ was a lot of fun and a partial fulfillment of a childhood ambition. As a youngster I wanted to come to America and work for Walt Disney drawing Mickey Mouse, no kidding. “Jeremy would have recorded one of the voices for the film, too, but he was in London doing a play.” In color by Technicolor, “The Jungle Book” was directed by Wolfgang Reitherman and was written for the screen by Larry Clemmons, Ralph Wright, Ken Anderson and Vance Gerry. The Oscar-winning, song-writing team of Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman composed five songs for the picture and Terry Gilkyson has contributed an additional song. George Bruns composed the background score. Buena Vista releases. © 1967 Walt Disney Productions Mother wolf and her pups come across a new kind of pet who they find deserted in the jungle in Walt Disney’s animated musical, “The Jungle Book,” with the voice talents of Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima, George Sanders, Sterling Holloway, J. Pat O’Malley and Bruce Reitherman. Filmed in Technicolor, “The Jungle Book” was inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s “Mowgli” stories. Page9