Disney Archives


lthough Pinocchio promises the Blue Fairy he'll be good, temptation can be a powerful force for any boy -- even one made of wood. Curious and naive, Geppetto's "little woodenhead" has got a solid thirst for adventure but a shaky sense of what's right and wrong, despite the persistent advice of his "official" conscience, Jiminy Cricket. An easy mark for the practiced con-men of the world at large, Pinocchio must beat temptation and learn to become brave, truthful, and, most of all, unselfish. Only when he proves himself deserving of the Blue Fairy's trust, and his father's love, will he become a real boy.

Even before his transformation at the end of the film, Walt Disney's "Pinocchio" is more like a human boy than the selfish and naughty marionette created by Italian author Carlo Collodi in 1880. Initially adhering closely to Collodi's original portrayal, Disney's animators were unsatisfied with the results, and six months of production footage was scrapped to recast their lead in a more appealing light. A full-sized wooden puppet was sculpted by artist and former puppeteer Wah Ming Chang to assist the animators in the challenging task of portraying a character who was wooden yet fully alive.

Film: "Pinocchio" (1940)
Voice Artist: Dickie Jones

Learn more about Pinocchio at the Walt Disney Family Museum.

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