101 Dalmatians Fun Facts (1961)

My husband and I are continuing our quest to watch all the Disney Classic animated movies in order. We are up to 101 Dalmatians. It is one of my favorite Disney Dog-themed movies, right after Lady & The Tramp. Here are 8 fun facts about 101 Dalmatians.

101 Dalmatians Fun Facts

1. A Joke is the Basis for the Movie. Dodie Smith, the author of the book on which 101 Dalmatians was based, was a successful playwright and novelist who had nine Dalmatians of her own, including one named Pongo. She got the idea for the book when a friend who was at her house saw all the dogs together and remarked, “Those dogs would make a lovely fur coat;”

2. How Many Spots? Someone counted all black spots in the movie, frame-by-frame, and reached a total of 6,469,952.

3. When did 101 Dalmatians Take Place? When the Baduns are talking on the phone to Cruella, they are holding a newspaper. The only headline on the front page (apart from the dognapping) is CARLSEN SPEAKS, and a picture of a capsized ship. This helps us to date the story since the Carlsen in question is Henrik Kurt Carlsen, captain of the freighter Flying Enterprise, which sank after a prolonged struggle in the Atlantic. This was the media event of the year in 1952.

3. Can you find the Hidden Mickeys? on almost all the Dalmatians there are hidden Mickeys. Some people claim there are hidden Mickeys in the wedding scene but I just think they are part of the window design since they are too repetitive.

5. Lady & the Tramp Cameo. During the “Twilight Bark” scene, characters from Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp” are clearly visible — and Lady and Tramp themselves even make an appearance.

6. Donald Duck Barks. Clarence Nash (best known as the voice of Donald Duck) did the dog barks for this film.

7. Let’s Paint! 800 gallons of paint were used in producing the animation cells and backgrounds – that’s enough to cover 15 football fields.

8. Cinderella’s Stepsister Sings in the Movie. Lucille Bliss, the voice of Anastasia in “Cinderella”, sings the Kanine Krunchies theme song in the original 101 Dalmatians.

9. The First Modern Disney Movie. All previous Disney animated movies took place in the past. 101 Dalmatians takes place in modern day.

10. Watching a Disney Cartoon in a Disney Movie. During the scene with Horace, Jasper, and the kidnapped puppies, Disney’s black and white film “Springtime” can be seen playing on the TV. “Springtime” was originally released in 1929 and celebrates the coming of spring after a storm.

11. A Live-Action Remake. Since the original release of the film, Disney has taken the property in various directions. The earliest of these endeavors was the 1996 live-action remake, 101 Dalmatians, which starred Glenn Close as Cruella De Vil. Unlike the original film, none of the animals had speaking voices in this version. Its success in theaters led to 102 Dalmatians, released on November 22, 2000. In 2021, Disney released a live-action movie called Cruella.

12. How to Tell Boy Dogs From Girl Ones. Boy dogs wore blue collars like their father, Pongo. Girl dogs wore red like their mother Perdita.

13. Lucky’s Horseshoe. In the scene in 101 Dalmatians where the puppies are watching TV, you can see that the spots on Lucky’s back form a horseshoe. A horseshoe can be seen as a symbol of good luck.

14. Tony the Tiger, the Grinch, and Captain the Horse. Captain the Horse (the equine friend of Tibbs the Cat and Colonel the Sheepdog) is voiced by Thurl Ravenscroft. You might know Thurl as the voice of Tony the Tiger, and as the uncredited singer of ‘You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.

I hope you enjoyed these fun facts. I love learning Disney trivia as it helps me appreciate the history of the company and its growth. What fun fact do you find most interesting?

You May Also Like:

• 101 Dalmatians Inspired Brownies
• Fun Facts about Goofy

Thank You for Spreading the Pixie Dust!