They're Off

Director Jack Hannah and his crew really appear to have enjoyed themselves when making the 1948 Goofy cartoon short They're Off. Similar to elements in prior cartoons such as The Nifty Nineties and Hockey Homicide, a racing form makes reference to the short's own makers as well as other Disney Studio personnel.

Horse owners include Hannah, Campbell Grant, Riley Thomson, Al Bertino, Yale Gracey, John Hench, John Sibley, Art Babbit, Ken Anderson, Charles Phillippi and Andy Engman. Among the jockeys are Bill Berg, Volus Jones and Hugh Hennesy.

Hannah, Gracey and background artist Howard Dunn are also alluded to on a page of scrawled notes and formulas.


Still mysteries to me are the following names: M. Satterwhite, B. Selk, Toby, M. Greenberg, B. Newman, Bobby N., F. Bresson, R. Carlson, D. Link, T. Witmer and A. Scott. I am hoping that some of the ever so resourceful readers here can help identify any or all of these equestrian notables. I will update the post accordingly.

Edit-From Hans Perk:

Around this time (more precise in July 1946), Jack Hannah shared his room 2C-6 with his assistant director Bee Selck. Mary Satterwhite was in 2C-7, and in 2C-5 we find M. Greenberg, Yale Gracey and Thelma Witmer (bg painter) - next door to Howard Dunn, Don Griffith and Eustace Lycett in 2C-4. Frank Bresson in 3D-14, Robert Carlson (animator) in 1F-3 (with Russ Dyson), Dorothy Link in 2F-7 (with Jack Bruner and Chuck Wheeler), Art Scott in 2A-3, Toby Toblemann (ass. dir.) in 2A-7. No Newman at that time...

Also of note is a wonderful background pan near the beginning of the short that features numerous books on horses and racing. Funny bits include authors Pickham and Weep and titles Mother Hubbard's Selections and Know Your Nags.

Images © Walt Disney Company