- In 1946 Disney animators did not have enough material for a full-length version of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,so it was decided they must couple it with another short story, The Wind in the Willows. The result was a film entitled The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.
- Bing Crosby, in his one and only partnership with Disney,narrated the The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. It became a Halloween staple for many fans.
- Animator Andreas Dejahas was influenced by Katrina Van Tassel’s burly suitor, Brom Bones, when she created the character of Gaston in Beauty and the Beast.
- Thurl Ravenscroft, the voice of Tony the Tiger and “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” was first slated to sing the “Headless Horseman” song. Before Bing Crosby signed on, Ravenscroft actually did record a version that was later released on Walt Disney Records Archive Collection, Vol. 1.
- In 1955 the two short films,The Adventures of Ichabod and then Mr. Toad, were separated and debuted on the Disneyland TV show with a 14 minute animated segment about the life of Washington Irving, the author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
- Modern-day fans may not know that in Washington Irving’s novel the ending is more elusive than what we may think. After Ichabod’s disappearance in the novel, an old farmer, returning from a trip to New York, tells everyone that Ichabod is alive and well and is a lawyer and a judge on the Ten Pound Court. The Dutch women in the village still insist he’s been carried off by the Headless Horseman.
- In his novel, Irving implicates Brom Bones in Ichabod’s disappearance a little more directly than we care to believe. “Brom Bones, too, who, shortly after his rival’s disappearance conducted the blooming Katrina in triumph to the altar, was observed to look exceedingly knowing whenever the story of Ichabod was related, and always burst into a hearty laugh at the mention of the pumpkin; which led some to suspect that he knew more about the matter than he chose to tell.”
- Disney’s legendary animators, affectionately called the “Nine Old Men,” all worked to bring Ichabod to life. These same animators gave us films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and the Rescuers
- Composer Oliver Wallace worked for Disney for 27 years and contributed to over 100 projects. For this score, however, he recorded himself whistling in order to show how Ichabod was trying to stay calm in the forest.
- UbIwerks, co-creator of Mickey Mouse, split with longtime friend and collaborator Walt Disney. While estranged, he created his own short version of The Headless Horseman (1934). He later reunited with Disney and worked on The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.
- While princesses and castles might be Disney’s forte at the Magic Kingdom, Sleepy Hollow has its place there as well. Next to Cinderella’s castle there is a refreshment stand called Sleepy Hollow Refreshments. The building was actually designed to look like Sunnyside, Washington Irving’s residence in Tarrytown, New York (also known as Sleepy Hollow).
Soon it will be time to attend Acting Out Theatre Company’s interpretation of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow! Don’t lose your head and forget to get your tickets!
(Credit: http://mentalfloss.com/article/87938/11-hair-raising-facts-about-disneys-legend-sleepy-hollow)