Today in Disney History: 101 Dalmatians Premieres (2024)

On January 25th, 1961, Disney's 17th animated feature film, 101 Dalmatians, premieres. The story is based on the 1956 novel by Dodie Smith and is known for its charming tale and distinctive animation style.

The film follows the story of Pongo and Perdita, two Dalmatian dogs living in London with their human owners, Roger and Anita. Pongo and Perdita are a happy couple and soon become parents to a litter of 15 adorable puppies. Their joy turns to horror when the puppies are dognapped by the villainous Cruella De Vil, a former schoolmate of Anita. Cruella, obsessed with making a coat from Dalmatian fur, had hired two bumbling henchmen, Jasper and Horace, to steal the puppies.

The story reaches its climax in a suspenseful chase, where Pongo and Perdita, aided by other animals, manage to outwit Cruella and her henchmen, rescuing not only their own 15 puppies but also an additional 84 Dalmatian puppies that Cruella had collected for her nefarious scheme.

The film ends on a happy note, with Roger and Anita deciding to keep all 101 Dalmatians, moving to a larger house in the country where they can all live together. The story is celebrated for its heartwarming narrative, humor, and the depiction of Cruella De Vil as one of Disney's most memorable villains.

The film is one of the first Disney films to use the Xerox process on the complete film. The Xerox process was invented by Ub Iwerks, and first used for a scene in Sleeping Beauty. Using the Xerox process, a Xerox camera transfers animators' art directly to film cells, cutting out the inking step and saving the company time and money. According to Chuck Jones, a renowned cartoon director:

"They were able to bring in One Hundred and One Dalmatians for about half of what it would have cost if they'd had to animate all those dogs and all those spots" (Source).

101 Dalmatians fans can find many tributes to these lovable pups and their film in the Disney Parks and Resorts to this day.

Cruella de Vil is frequently available for meet and greets during special events.

At Disney's All-Star Movies Resort in Orlando, Florida, you will find larger-than-life versions of Pongo and Perdita, as one of the areas of the resort is themed to this animated feature! Other Dalmatians-inspired décor includes images of the puppies decorating the buildings' railings, a fire hydrant covering the outside stairwell, and paw prints and dog bones embedded in the walkways.

All-Star Movies is one of three All-Star Resorts on the Walt Disney World property. Considered a value category resort, these resorts often have accessible pricing. This resort is perfect for families, as it features 960 connecting rooms, larger-than-life décor, and a food court with a variety of options. All-Star Movies is themed to Disney movies of decades past, and has two large pools on the property. The main pool, the Fantasia Pool, features Sorcerer Mickey as its main water feature.