Lambert the Sheepish Lion

Lambert the Sheepish Lion is a Disney animated short film that was released in 1952. Lambert the Sheepish Lion was directed by Jack Hannah, and the voice of the narrator and the stork was provided by actor and Disney legend, Sterling Holloway.

Plot

A stork is making a delivery to a flock of sheep. All the ewes get lambs except for one, but a lion cub makes his way out of the stork's sack and bonds with the childless ewe. The stork sees the lion is destined for South Africa, but decides to let him remain with the flock when the ewe has taken in the cub and named him Lambert. Because Lambert is different, he is ostracized by the rest of the lambs, which continues after he matures into a full-grown lion. However, when a wolf attacks the flock, Lambert is only one powerful enough to confront him. After scaring off the wolf, Lambert is now carried around as the flock's hero. And as for the wolf, he's last seen clinging onto a bush on a cliff. The narrator assures us not to worry about him. He has a place to cling; he won't starve because that bush has berries...every spring.

Voice cast

Narrator - Sterling Holloway

Uncredited

June Foray - Mrs. Sheep
Stan Freberg - Lambert
Sterling Holloway - Mr. Stork
Jimmy MacDonald - Lambert (roaring), Wolf
Clarence Nash - Lambert (meowing)

Releases

Television

Disneyland, episode #3.2: "The Great Cat Family"
The Mouse Factory, episode #28: "Lions"
The New Mickey Mouse Club, May 6, 1977
Disney's Coyote Tales
Good Morning, Mickey, episode #30
Donald's Quack Attack, episode #56
Sing Me a Story with Belle: "Overcoming Fear"
The Ink and Paint Club, episode #1.16: "Escapees From the Ark"

Home video

VHS

Walt Disney Cartoon Classics: Limited Gold Editions - Disney's Best: The Fabulous '50s
Walt Disney Mini Classics: Willie the Operatic Whale
Walt Disney's Fables: Volume 5

DVD

Walt Disney Gold Classic Collection: Melody Time (bonus)
Walt Disney Treasures: Disney Rarities
The Fox and the Hound: 25th Anniversary Edition (bonus)
Walt Disney Animation Collection: Classic Short Films, Vol. 2: Three Little Pigs
Walt Disney's Fables: Volume 5

Trivia

The original print of the film was given as a gift to Emperor Hirohito of Japan because it was his favorite Disney cartoon.
In 1952, the film was nominated for an Academy Award in the category "Best Short Subject, Cartoons," but lost to The Two Mouseketeers, a Tom and Jerry cartoon.
Sterling Holloway was also the voice of Mr. Stork in Dumbo, in which he plays a similar role in the plot.
This short is also included in the film Other Disney Lions.
The Goofy holler is heard when the wolf gets bumped off the cliff.
The Netflix version of this cartoon as part of Walt Disney Animation Collection: Classic Short Films, Vol. 2: Three Little Pigs used the Silly Symphonies opening and closing titles instead of the "A Walt Disney Production" opening and closing titles, even though the cartoon was released 13 years after the Silly Symphonies ended in 1939.

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