The Saga of Windwagon Smith

The Saga of Windwagon Smith
Directed by	C. August Nichols
Produced by	Walt Disney
Written by	Lance Nolley C. August Nichols
Starring	Rex Allen and the Sons of the Pioneers
Music by	George Bruns
Studio(s)	Walt Disney Productions
Distributor	Buena Vista Distribution
Released	March 16, 1961
Language	English

The Saga of Windwagon Smith is an animated Disney cartoon that was originally theatrically released on March 16, 1961.

Synopsis

Capt. Windwagon Smith blows into a Kansas town of Westport with a strange contraption: a Conestoga prairie wagon outfitted with a wind sail. The town fathers figure that since a small windwagon does so well, a big super windwagon must do better. They set out to build one (while Smith meets the mayor's daughter Molly and falls in love) and launch it on its maiden voyage to very unexpected results.

Voice cast

• Rex Allen - Narrator, Windwagon Smith
• Sons of the Pioneers - Singers

Uncredited

• Pat Brady, Tommy Doss, Hugh Farr, Lloyd Perryman - Band Members
• Karl Farr - Karl (Member Sons of the Pioneers)
• J. Pat O'Malley - Mayor Crum
• Dallas McKennon - Jake Schaffer, Male voices

Trivia

• Several scenes were deleted from this short before it was re-released: Indians in the crowd running out into the prairie in fright; the mayor's daughter christening the ship with white lightning; the Indian figurehead on the ship that changes color when whacked with the jug and then breaks out into a huge, silly grin; and Asian stereotypes with buck teeth.
• In the 1970s, there was a proposal to create an expansion of Frontierland at Disneyland called "Land of Legends" to connect Bear Country to the proposed Discovery Bay area that included a dark ride based on Windwagon Smith alongside Western River Expedition and a dark ride based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. When the Discovery Bay project was scrapped, this expansion went with it. The space is now occupied by Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.
• Jasper and Horace from One Hundred and One Dalmatians make a cameo appearance as inhabitants of the town.
• A picture of Windwagon Smith is stuck onto the mirror of the Clip Joint Barbershop facade in Mickey Avenue at Shanghai Disneyland.

Releases

Television

• Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, episode #9.14: "Three Tall Tales"
• The New Mickey Mouse Club, November 15, 1977

VHS

• Walt Disney Cartoon Classics: Disney's Tall Tales
• Walt Disney Cartoon Classics - Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore (non-U.S. release)

DVD

• Walt Disney Treasures: Disney Rarities
• Walt Disney Animation Collection: Classic Short Films, Vol. 4: The Tortoise and the Hare

Gallery

Jasper and Horace's cameo.