Original hand painted production animation cel of Professor Ratigan set on a hand painted non-production watercolor background from "The Great Mouse Detective," 1986, Walt Disney Studios; Numbered 47 in ink & Walt Disney Company 1986 Copyright stamp lower right; Walt Disney seal lower right; Size - Professor Ratigan: 8 1/4" x 10"; Image: 11 1/4" x 15"; Unframed.
"Oh I love it when I'm nasty." - Professor Ratigan
Eve Titus wrote a series of stories about Basil of Baker Street; a mouse that lived next door to Sherlock Holmes and who shared many of his skills and traits. Walt Disney Studios adapted the Titus stories into a wonderful feature film that was still able to maintain the Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes characters, even though they were transformed into a mouse world. The resulting film "The Great Mouse Detective" was directed by Ron Clements, music by Henry Mancini, and was released on July 2, 1986. Although the script took about four years to develop, the animation only took a year with an estimated total budget of $14 million.
Ratigan was designed and animated by Walt Disney master animator, Glen Keane. The inspiration for the character was Professor James Moriarty, the nemesis to Sherlock Holmes in the series of stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Ratigan was voiced by veteran Hollywood actor Vincent Price, who stated it was his favorite role because he had two songs written for him, "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind," and "Goodbye, So Soon."
In the following paragraph Ratigan explains his scheme to his henchmen:
"My friends, we are about to embark on the most odious, the most evil, the most diabolical scheme of my illustrious career. A crime to top all crimes. A crime that will live in infamy! Tomorrow evening, our beloved monarch celebrates her Diamond Jubilee and, with the enthusiastic help of our good friend, Mr. Flaversham, it promises to be a night she will never forget! Her last night, and my first, as supreme leader of all Mousedom!"
This is a wonderful very large, eyes, and mouth open full figure original production cel of Professor Ratigan from the 1986 full length animated Walt Disney feature film "The Great Mouse Detective." The evil Professor Ratigan is holding his cape up getting ready to reveal to Hiram Flaversham his kidnapped daughter, Olivia. "Allow me to present your charming daughter," Ratigan says. A great addition to any animation art collection.