Babes In Toyland

Babes in Toyland
Released 1961
Directed By Jack Donohue
Music By Victor Herbert

Happy Holidays Disney Fans!!  Christmas time is here and that means the bustle of gift buying, holiday parties, and celebrating in every corner of the earth is now happening.  I’ve always loved this time of year.  From as far back as I can remember December was the month of family, food, friends, playing with my cousins, anticipating Christmas morning, and the whirlwind of activity from Christmas Eve until New Years.  You see, not only did Christmas time mean opening presents with my family Christmas morning (normally with me, my sister, my parents, and my grandfather), having a special breakfast my mom made, normally cinnamon rolls, or a cinnamon pull apart, and sometimes a delicious cheddar sausage quiche, then cleaning up and relaxing for a few hours afterwards, and later dressing up and meeting my family.  And we’re talking my WHOLE extended family of cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great aunts and uncles and … well you get the idea.  December was probably the most magical month out of the year, right behind June (my birthday month) and October (Halloween of course!). 

As I got older, I began singing in choruses from the community.  Christmas time meant learning all manner of music from around the world and performing in the early weeks of December.  This is a yearly occasion that would start from the age of nine up until the age of 31 (with maybe one year in that time frame that I didn’t sing in a chorus of some sort).  When music became a central force in my life, December meant a time to celebrate in song all the traditions of the seasons, from soloing in multiple performances of Handel’s Messiah to pops concerts, church cantata’s and even a world premiere composition with the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus (if you’re curious look up “Christmas By The Hearth” on YouTube).

Music being a corner stone in my life led up to many wonderful engagements during the “Christmas Cantata season.”  I’m sure many of you music scholars out there are not only familiar with Handel’s Messiah, but also the many works composed by other classical composers, such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Camille Saints-Saens Christmas Oratorio, Glorias  of John Rutter and Antonio Vivaldi just to name a few.  There are also many stage works that give a nod to Christmas as well.  Works such as Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian-Carlo Menotti, and from the Broadway stage Annie, Mame, and even the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast has a Christmas scene.  On the Disney front at home, two movies played constantly on our tape players; a collection of Disney animated shorts simply titled A Disney Christmas Gift and this month’s movie Babes in Toyland.

Movie poster from the premiere

Adapted from the Victor Hugo operetta of the same name, Babes in Toyland takes us to Mother Goose Village where all your favorite nursery rhyme characters such as Little Boy Blue, Bo Peep, Wee Willie Winkie, and the two main characters Tom the Piper’s Son and Mary Quite Contrary.  As you would expect in every Disney film, casting of the perfect actors for each part shows itself here.  With the talents of Tommy Sands, Annette Funicello (who recorded the theme song for another movie in the works at the same time: The Parent Trap) as the leads, the villains Barnabas played by Ray Bolger and his two henchmen played by Henry Calvin and Gene Sheldon, the kooky Head Toymaker of Toyland of Ed Wynn, and his zany yet accident prone assistant Grumio played by Tommy Kirk.  Mary’s wards are played by the brothers Kevin and Brian Corcoran, Ann Jillian as Bo Peep (who would later go on to play in Gypsy, Mr. Mom, and the TV miniseries Alice In Wonderland).  Many of these characters would go on to play more with Disney from the small screen to the big screen. 

Ann Jillian as Bo Peep and Kevin Corcoran as Little Boy Blue

As mentioned before, Babes in Toyland held a special place in the month of December along with A Disney Christmas Gift.  Both movies heralded in the Christmas season with song and dance, playing constantly throughout the month.  Not only did we have a Christmas at home with the family, but often times my family would travel for New Year's Celebration, including many trips to Disneyland for my parent's anniversary (where they spent their honeymoon).  Which brings me to some exciting news!  Next year I will be traveling out to spend Christmas and New Year's with my family in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, meaning I'm sure there will be a trip to Disneyland and California Adventure parks!!  If any of you are out that way, leave a comment on my blog and I'll be sure to take multiple pictures to post!!!  

Title: Babes In Toyland 

Perfect For: The entire family at Christmas Time!!

Most likely character you’ll see in the parks: The magical Toy Soldiers during Christmas parades at the parks.  

Well everyone this year is about to close out with another bang.  I’ll be keeping you posted on my adventures in Disney films (Two more just came in today!!) and I hope you and your family have a 

Happy Holiday Season and an incredible New Year!!

Have a Magical Christmas!  -Pat A