Autumn | 1930 | Animated Short

Title: Autumn | 1930 | Animated Short Director: Burt Gillett Studio: Walt Disney Productions Starring: (animated characters; no credited cast) Based on: Original animated Silly Symphony concept Release Date: October 30 1930 Runtime: Approximately 7 minutes Format: Black and white animated short with synchronized sound Country: United States Language: English Genres: Animation Music Comedy --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Leaves begin to fall and animals awaken 00:01:30 Squirrels gather and dance 00:03:00 Frogs and toads leap in rhythm 00:04:30 Caterpillars and insects join musical motion 00:06:00 Harvest time celebration --- Summary: Autumn is a 1930 animated short in Walt Disney’s Silly Symphony series that celebrates the season’s transitions through synchronized musical animation. Leafy landscapes, scurrying animals, and playful insects respond to an orchestral score with rhythmic choreography. Squirrels, frogs, caterpillars, and other creatures contribute to a lively depiction of autumnal activity, blending visual humor with the era’s evolving technique of pairing movement and music in animated storytelling. The narrative emphasizes seasonal charm and musical expression rather than traditional dialogue or plot, reflecting the Silly Symphonies’ focus on creative combination of imagery and sound. --- Background: Produced by Walt Disney Productions and directed by Burt Gillett, Autumn was released as part of the 1930 Silly Symphony cycle that included *Summer*, *Springtime*, and *Winter*. These shorts connected seasonal themes with animated dance and song, helping establish musical animation as a hallmark of Disney’s early sound era work. --- Trivia: Autumn features lively choreography of insects and small animals that reflect visual rhythm and seasonal motifs. The short uses instrumentation and pacing to evoke natural cycles typical of the Silly Symphony series. It was one of several seasonal entries in 1930 exploring thematic animation outside of the Mickey Mouse canon. Release prints often used tinted sequences to enhance visual atmosphere. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: October 30 1930 Original Studio / Distributor: Walt Disney Productions / Columbia Pictures Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Not applicable --- Hashtags: #Autumn1930 #SillySymphonies #DisneyAnimation #ClassicCartoon #PublicDomain