Broken Toys

Silly Symphony: "Broken Toys"
Walt Disney animation
released December 14, 1935
Synopsis: A discarded toy soldier tossed onto a junk pile rallies the spirits of his fellow cast-offs and founds an ersatz hospital to repair them.
Director : Ben Sharpsteen
Animation: Grim Natwick

For information about this cartoon, see the online Encyclopedia of Disney Animated Shorts. Evidently the cartoon used caricatures of Hollywood personalities and also racial stereotypes, and reportedly the scenes of "black and Chinese dolls" were cut from later editions. Probably the Japanese doll shown in the illustrations below is the "Chinese" doll so identified.
"Broken Toys" was not included in the recent DVD release of some of the Silly Symphonies, and it seems never to have been included in US releases of the Silly Symphonies on VHS either.

Preliminary pencil sketch for the character of the Japanese doll which is among the toys at the dump in "Broken Toys." This sketch is far more evocative of real Japanese dolls than the ones in the colored images published to advertise the film, below. Note the thin flowered kimono, the obi, the pattern of the hair (some of which often came off on the actual dolls), and the sandals.
However, his expression is not like any Japanese doll I have ever seen. He has a belligerent crosseyed look--it's hard to imagine him smiling! He looks as if he is marching rather mechanically, evoking ideas about the Japanese as "fighting machines."
Below: closeup of foot with original label, "Jap Sandal." Note: This drawing came into my possession for a while, but the dealer had removed the word "Jap". He claimed that it was not really part of the drawing. However, it seems clear that the written indications are meant to guide the artists, and that it did form part of the original.

Illustrations from the full-page "article" on "Broken Toys" in the December, 1935 Good Housekeeping magazine (p. 37).
In the first illustration, we see the toys at the dump, including the rag-doll (who probably had a Zazu Pitts voice), a fat black Dinah doll, a nurse doll, and a soldier. The Japanese doll is seen from the back.

In this illustration, the repaired toys are marching off to an orphanage where the children will be glad to get them. The Japanese doll hangs onto Dinah as they ride a patchwork elephant. In this picture, the Japanese doll does look Chinese, particularly his shoes, which are not the "Jap Sandal" specified in the drawing above!

	Preliminary pencil sketch for the character of the Japanese doll which is among the toys at the dump in "Broken Toys." This sketch is far more evocative of real Japanese dolls than the ones in the colored images published to advertise the film, below. Note the thin flowered kimono, the obi, the pattern of the hair (some of which often came off on the actual dolls), and the sandals. However, his expression is not like any Japanese doll I have ever seen. He has a belligerent crosseyed look--it's hard to imagine him smiling! He looks as if he is marching rather mechanically, evoking ideas about the Japanese as "fighting machines." Below: closeup of foot with original label, "Jap Sandal." Note: This drawing came into my possession for a while, but the dealer had removed the word "Jap". He claimed that it was not really part of the drawing. However, it seems clear that the written indications are meant to guide the artists, and that it did form part of the original.
	Illustrations from the full-page "article" on "Broken Toys" in the December, 1935 Good Housekeeping magazine (p. 37). In the first illustration, we see the toys at the dump, including the rag-doll (who probably had a Zazu Pitts voice), a fat black Dinah doll, a nurse doll, and a soldier. The Japanese doll is seen from the back.
	In this illustration, the repaired toys are marching off to an orphanage where the children will be glad to get them. The Japanese doll hangs onto Dinah as they ride a patchwork elephant. In this picture, the Japanese doll does look Chinese, particularly his shoes, which are not the "Jap Sandal" specified in the drawing above!