Unless you’re a true Disney nerd or you were alive in 1971 when Bedknobs and Broomsticks was released, you might not be familiar with this OG classic.
Like Mary Poppins, the movie mixes live-action and animation into a whimsical musical.
As you can probably imagine, making a half-animated and half-live-action film in the 1970s required a lot of ingenuity, and the behind-the-scenes stories are fascinating.
So here are 19 behind-the-scenes fun facts about the making of Bedknobs and Broomsticks:
1.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks isn’t based on one book; it’s actually based on two.
2.
Initially, Walt Disney acquired the rights to Bedknobs and Broomsticks, because he didn’t think Mary Poppins would ever happen.
3.
Angela Lansbury’s witch, Miss Eglantine Price, is loosely based on a real person.
5.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks, however, would eventually become the last Disney film that Walt, himself, greenlit.
8.
Many members of the cast and crew were linked to World War II.
9.
The opening credits are based on a famous tapestry that dates back to 1066 A.D.
10.
Angela Lansbury did not enjoy filming a movie with so many special effects.
11.
The sodium-screen vapor process was used to create the animated sequences.
12.
Cardboard stand-ins were used for the animated characters.
14.
The beach scenes were filmed on a beach in California, not Britain.
15.
“The Beautiful Briny” was initially written for Mary Poppins.
I am an editor for Grazia British, focusing on business and entrepreneurship. I love uncovering emerging trends and crafting stories that inspire and inform readers about innovative ventures and industry insights.
