Melody Time 1948

Pecos Bill

(from "Melody Time" aka "Sing About Something")

RKO RADIO PICTURES, INC. / WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS
Release Date: 1948 07 31

Running time for the complete "Melody Time": 75 minutes

Running Time for "Pecos Bill": 22 minutes

Key book (production) number: MT

"Melody Time" is a 75-minute animated feature film composed of 7 sequences set to music: "Once Upon a Wintertime", "Bumble Boogie", "The Legend of Johnny Appleseed", "Little Toot", "Trees", "Blame it on the Samba" and, best of all, "Pecos Bill". "Pecos Bill" takes just over 22 minutes to tell about the legendary Texas superhero, his horse, Widowmaker and his sweetheart, Slue Foot Sue. Bob Nolan is credited with his work on the Pecos Bill cues and has a few lines of dialogue. "Melody Time" is still widely available wherever Disney DVDs are sold.

• Cast

• Songs

• Plot Summary

• Production and Publicity Stills

• Posters

• Recordings & Videos

• Books

• Gift to Bob Nolan from Walt Disney

Cast:

Roy Rogers as himself, Bobby Driscoll and Luana Patten

The Sons of the Pioneers (Bob Nolan, Pat Brady, Lloyd Perryman and Hugh Farr

Left: Slue Foot Sue, Pecos Bill & Widowmaker

Right: Pecos Bill & Widowmaker

Songs:

• Blue Shadows on the Trail (J. Lange / E. Daniel)

• Pecos Bill

Plot:

"Melody Time" opens on a campfire lighting the purple shadows of the evening. Roy and the Pioneers sing "Blue Shadows on the Trail".

Then Roy and Pioneers in song and story introduce the enthralled children to the legend of Pecos Bill, a legendary cowpoke, his trusty mount Widowmaker and his sweetheart Slue Foot Sue. The tale follows the birth of Pecos Bill, his fall from the back of the pioneer wagon and his adoption by the wolves. Pecos grows up to be tough and free. He rescues Widowmaker, a horse who adores him, and they go through many adventures, all exciting. Then Bill falls in love with a pretty lady named Slue Foot Sue. Widowmaker is jealous, so jealous that he makes it impossible for Bill and Sue to ever marry. Slue Foot Sue intends to be mounted on Widowmaker on her wedding day but Widowmaker has other ideas. He throws her and she falls on her bustle which has so much spring that she keeps bouncing higher and higher. Pecos Bill manages to lasso her but Widowmaker "accidentally" loses the end of the lariat and Sue flies heavenward to be lost forever.

Production and Publicity Stills: