What is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , released in 1937, is an American animated musical film that cemented Walt Disney's reputation as an innovative filmmaker. The film, loosely based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, revolves around the wicked queen's plot to kill Snow White, her escape into the forest, and her encounter with seven dwarfs who offer her shelter. Upon release, the film was a box-office hit, lauded by critics, and honored with a special Academy Award for its groundbreaking innovation. The superb animation, voiceover work, and production quality set a high standard for subsequent Disney animated films. This version of the classic tale provided names for the dwarfs and introduced key components to the story, which has now virtually superseded all others in the popular imagination. The cast included Adriana Caselotti as Snow White, Lucille La Verne as the Queen/Witch, and Roy Atwell as Doc.

Who made the animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , released in 1937, is an American animated musical film that cemented Walt Disney 's reputation as an innovative and creative filmmaker. Based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, the film revolves around a wicked queen's plot to murder her stepdaughter, Snow White, due to her beauty. Snow White escapes and finds refuge with seven dwarfs, only to be poisoned by the queen. Ultimately, a prince revives her with a kiss. Hundreds of technicians worked on the expensive production. Upon release, the film was a box-office hit. In 1939, it received a special Academy Award for screen innovation.

What is the main story or plot of the film?

Driven by envy, a wicked queen discovers her stepdaughter, Snow White, is the fairest in the land. The queen orders a huntsman to kill Snow White, but he instead urges her to flee. Snow White finds refuge in a cottage with seven dwarfs, who offer her shelter if she cooks and cleans for them. The queen learns of Snow White's whereabouts and, disguised as an old woman, poisons her with an apple. The dwarfs are heartbroken and guard her. A prince awakens Snow White with a kiss, breaking the spell.

Who are the main characters in the movie?

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , released in 1937, tells the story of a beautiful young girl named Snow White who is envied by her stepmother, the Queen, who is wicked and vain. After learning that Snow White is the fairest in the land, the Queen orders a huntsman to kill her. The huntsman cannot bring himself to do it and instead urges Snow White to flee. In the forest, Snow White comes across a cottage inhabited by seven dwarfs, who welcome her into their home. Eventually, the Queen discovers Snow White's location and poisons her with a tainted apple. The dwarfs are heartbroken and guard her body until a handsome prince awakens her with a kiss. The main characters are: * Snow White , voiced by Adriana Caselotti * The Queen/Witch , voiced by Lucille La Verne * The Prince , voiced by Harry Stockwell * The Seven Dwarfs : Doc, Dopey, Sleepy, Grumpy, Sneezy, Bashful, and Happy, voiced by Roy Atwell, Eddie Collins, Pinto Colvig, Billy Gilbert, Scotty Mattraw, and Otis Harlan

Why is this film considered important in animation history?

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) holds a significant place in animation history for several reasons:

How did Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs influence later movies or the film industry?

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , released in 1937, significantly impacted both animation and the broader film industry. It demonstrated animation's effectiveness for feature-length stories, contrasting with the anarchic style of other studios by advocating a more realistic approach. Walt Disney's gamble on the first full-length animated feature from an American studio paid off, revolutionizing the industry. The film's superb animation, voiceover work, and production value set a high standard for future Disney films. Snow White was honored with a special Academy Award in 1939, recognizing its screen innovation that "pioneered a great new entertainment field". The film's success encouraged Disney to create more full-length animated films, such as Pinocchio and Bambi .

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

animated film [1937]

Written by

Lee Pfeiffer

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Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 14, 2026 •History

Top Questions

What is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937, is an American animated musical film that cemented Walt Disney's reputation as an innovative filmmaker. The film, loosely based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, revolves around the wicked queen's plot to kill Snow White, her escape into the forest, and her encounter with seven dwarfs who offer her shelter.

Upon release, the film was a box-office hit, lauded by critics, and honored with a special Academy Award for its groundbreaking innovation. The superb animation, voiceover work, and production quality set a high standard for subsequent Disney animated films. This version of the classic tale provided names for the dwarfs and introduced key components to the story, which has now virtually superseded all others in the popular imagination.

The cast included Adriana Caselotti as Snow White, Lucille La Verne as the Queen/Witch, and Roy Atwell as Doc.
2 Britannica Sources
1. animation: Top Questions
2. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Who made the animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937, is an American animated musical film that cemented Walt Disney's reputation as an innovative and creative filmmaker.

Based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, the film revolves around a wicked queen's plot to murder her stepdaughter, Snow White, due to her beauty. Snow White escapes and finds refuge with seven dwarfs, only to be poisoned by the queen. Ultimately, a prince revives her with a kiss.

Hundreds of technicians worked on the expensive production. Upon release, the film was a box-office hit. In 1939, it received a special Academy Award for screen innovation.
1 Britannica Source
1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What is the main story or plot of the film?
Driven by envy, a wicked queen discovers her stepdaughter, Snow White, is the fairest in the land. The queen orders a huntsman to kill Snow White, but he instead urges her to flee. Snow White finds refuge in a cottage with seven dwarfs, who offer her shelter if she cooks and cleans for them.

The queen learns of Snow White's whereabouts and, disguised as an old woman, poisons her with an apple. The dwarfs are heartbroken and guard her. A prince awakens Snow White with a kiss, breaking the spell.
1 Britannica Source
1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Who are the main characters in the movie?
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937, tells the story of a beautiful young girl named Snow White who is envied by her stepmother, the Queen, who is wicked and vain. After learning that Snow White is the fairest in the land, the Queen orders a huntsman to kill her. The huntsman cannot bring himself to do it and instead urges Snow White to flee.

In the forest, Snow White comes across a cottage inhabited by seven dwarfs, who welcome her into their home. Eventually, the Queen discovers Snow White's location and poisons her with a tainted apple. The dwarfs are heartbroken and guard her body until a handsome prince awakens her with a kiss.

The main characters are:
* Snow White, voiced by Adriana Caselotti
* The Queen/Witch, voiced by Lucille La Verne
* The Prince, voiced by Harry Stockwell
* The Seven Dwarfs: Doc, Dopey, Sleepy, Grumpy, Sneezy, Bashful, and Happy, voiced by Roy Atwell, Eddie Collins, Pinto Colvig, Billy Gilbert, Scotty Mattraw, and Otis Harlan
1 Britannica Source
1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why is this film considered important in animation history?
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) holds a significant place in animation history for several reasons:
- First full-length animated feature: It was the first full-length animated film from an American studio and the first to gain widespread release and publicity, demonstrating animation's effectiveness for feature-length stories.
- Innovative techniques: The film employed up-to-the-minute animation techniques and pioneered a great new entertainment field for motion pictures.
- High standards: Its superb animation, voiceover work, and production values set the standard for future Disney animated films.
- Realistic approach: Disney advocated a realistic approach to the medium, influencing subsequent animation.
- Cultural impact: This version of the classic tale has virtually superseded all others in the popular imagination.
- Critical Acclaim: Upon release, the film was an immediate box-office sensation and earned praise from the groundbreaking Russian director Sergey Eisenstein, who called it the greatest movie ever made.
3 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How did Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs influence later movies or the film industry?
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, released in 1937, significantly impacted both animation and the broader film industry. It demonstrated animation's effectiveness for feature-length stories, contrasting with the anarchic style of other studios by advocating a more realistic approach.

Walt Disney's gamble on the first full-length animated feature from an American studio paid off, revolutionizing the industry. The film's superb animation, voiceover work, and production value set a high standard for future Disney films. Snow White was honored with a special Academy Award in 1939, recognizing its screen innovation that "pioneered a great new entertainment field". The film's success encouraged Disney to create more full-length animated films, such as Pinocchio and Bambi.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, American animated musical film, released in 1937, that established Walt Disney as one of the world’s most innovative and creative moviemakers. Along with Pinocchio (1940), it is widely considered to be Disney’s greatest film achievement.

Loosely based on the famous fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, the plot is set into motion when a vain, wicked queen consults her magical mirror and learns that her beautiful stepdaughter, Snow White, is now the “fairest in the land.” Instantly resentful, the queen enlists a woodsman to murder Snow White, but he cannot commit the act and exhorts the young girl to escape. In the forest Snow White discovers a cottage inhabited by seven eccentric dwarfs, who warmly welcome her into their home after she offers to cook and clean for them. The queen eventually learns of Snow White’s whereabouts and, disguising herself as an old hag, fatally poisons her stepdaughter with a tainted apple. The heartbroken dwarfs stand guard over the girl’s body until a handsome prince restores her to life with a kiss.

Walt Disney was already a respected name in the film business when he undertook his biggest gamble to date: to produce the first full-length animated feature film from an American studio. Disney had been determined to bring the legend of Snow White to the screen ever since he saw a silent-film version of the famed fable in 1917. Literally hundreds of technicians labored on the expensive production to the extent that it became known as “Disney’s Folly.” Upon its release, however, the film was an immediate box-office sensation and earned praise from no less than the groundbreaking Russian director Sergey Eisenstein, who called it the greatest movie ever made. In 1939 the film was honored with a special Academy Award, recognizing it as a “significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field for the motion picture.” Indeed, the superb animation, voiceover work, and production values set the standard for all future Disney animated films. Furthermore, this version of the classic tale—which provided names for the dwarfs and introduced other key components to the story—has now virtually superseded all others in the popular imagination.

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In 2025 the Disney Company released Snow White, a live-action remake starring Rachel Zegler as the title character and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen.

Production notes and credits

Studio: RKO Radio Pictures
Directors: David Hand (supervising director); Perce Pearce, Larry Morey, William Cottrell, Wilfred Jackson, and Ben Sharpsteen (sequence directors)
Producer: Walt Disney
Writers: Ted Sears, Richard Creedon, Otto Englander, Dick Rickard, Earl Hurd, Merrill De Maris, Dorothy Ann Blank, and Webb Smith
Music: Frank Churchill, Leigh Harline, and Paul Smith
Running time: 83 minutes

Cast

Adriana Caselotti (Snow White)
Lucille La Verne (Queen/Witch)
Roy Atwell (Doc)
Eddie Collins (Dopey)
Pinto Colvig (Sleepy/Grumpy)
Billy Gilbert (Sneezy)
Scotty Mattraw (Bashful)
Otis Harlan (Happy)
Harry Stockwell (Prince)

Academy Award nominations

Score

Lee Pfeiffer

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

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Production notes and credits

Cast

Academy Award nominations