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Writer's picture Untitled Art Gallery

Original Production Animation Drawing of Dodo and Bill The Lizard from "Alice In Wonderland," 1951


Original Production Animation Drawing of Dodo and Bill The Lizard from "Alice In Wonderland," 1951
Original Production Animation Drawing of Dodo and Bill The Lizard from "Alice In Wonderland," 1951

Original production animation drawing of Dodo and Bill The Lizard in graphite, brown, red, and blue pencils from "Alice In Wonderland," 1951, Walt Disney Studios; Numbered 225 lower right; Size - Dodo & Bill The Lizard: 7 1/4 x 8 1/4", Sheet 10 1/2 x 15 1/2"; Unframed.


"Here, my lad?? Have you ever been down a chimney?" - Dodo

"Why governor. I've been down more chimneys..." - Bill the Lizard

"Excellent, excellent. You just pop down the chimney, and haul that monster out of there." - Dodo


"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" (commonly shortened to "Alice in Wonderland"), is a 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson who wrote under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. Disney reworked the story to fit with both a younger audience and a time frame suitable for an animated film (it's run time is only 75 minutes).


Kathryn Beaumont, who was born in London England, was just 10 years old when she was chosen for the voice of Alice. Walt Disney personally cast Beaumont after seeing her in the film "On an Island with You," in which the child actress had a small role. Disney was so impressed by her that she was also chosen to be the model for Alice, and would also go on to provide the voice for Wendy in "Peter Pan," 1953. Beaumont has also reprised her voice acting role as Alice in two episodes of the animated series, Disney's "House of Mouse," and as both Alice and Wendy in the video game "Kingdom Hearts." She did not retire as the voice of Alice and Wendy until 2005, when her role for these two characters was taken over by Hynden Walch.


Close up of the original production animation drawing of Dodo and Bill The Lizard.
Close up of the original production animation drawing of Dodo and Bill The Lizard.

Dodo was brilliantly animated by Milt Kahl and Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman. and the character was voiced by Bill Thompson. The following paragraph is from master Walt Disney animator Andreas Deja:


"This character (Dodo) from "Alice In Wonderland" is beautifully designed, sometime gorgeously animated, but with a completely underdeveloped personality. There is way too little screen footage of him to get any real sense of who he is and why he would be important to the story. The Dodo is a very handsome design though, and it's fun to trace back his visual development.... It's the character's unique proportions that make him stand out. A huge lower body with a relatively small chest."


Bill the Lizard was animated by Wolfgang Reitherman and voiced by Larry Grey. His appearance in the film is short, but the character is seen again in "The Great Mouse Detective," 1986 as one of Professor Ratigan's henchman. His likeness, clothes, and cockney accent are the same as the character in "Alice" the only difference is that he does not wear his black coat. Bill also makes a cameo appearance at the beginning of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" 1988 when Eddie Valiant looks outside the window before Dumbo appears, Bill can be spotted helping someone out with a ladder.


This drawing is from the scene when Bill The lizard is walking by with a ladder, and is asked by Dodo and the White Rabbit to get rid of the monster (Alice who has grown large due to eating a cookie) inside of the White Rabbit's house. Dodo asks Bill if he has ever been down a chimney before and Bill says that he has been down more chimneys... so Dodo interrupts him and says "Excellent, excellent. You just pop down the chimney, and haul that monster out of there." Dodo pushes Bill down the chimney, causing soot to enter the room, which makes Alice sneeze, and that blasts a soot covered Bill out through the chimney high into the sky. Dodo says, "Well, there goes Bill..." followed by Alice sadly saying "Poor Bill..." The fate of Bill afterward is unknown. This is a masterly rendered drawing of both Dodo and Bill The Lizard, an absolutely beautiful piece of vintage Walt Disney animation art, and a great addition to any animation collection!



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