The Legend of Johnny Appleseed is an animated short from the film Melody Time. It was reissued as a stand-alone short on December 25, 1955. It can also be found on the home video release of Disney's American Legends along with The Brave Engineer, Paul Bunyan, and John Henry.
Synopsis[]
A retelling of the story of John Chapman, who spent his life roaming America and planting apple trees, thus earning his nickname.
Plot[]
Set in the year 1806, a young man named "John Chapman" (better known as "Johnny Appleseed") harvests apples at his apple tree as he thanks the Lord for his blessings. Moments later, Johnny sees a crowd of pioneers marching to look for new land in the midwest. He fantasizes about joining them, but thinks himself too weak to make the journey. A miracle suddenly happens when his guardian angel appears in the form of a backwoodsman. The Angel encourages Johnny to join the pioneers, but Johnny declines telling his angel that he does not have the strength, but his angel tells him that he has "faith, courage, and a level head". He then explains to him that all he knows about is apple trees, in which his angel reminds him of the many uses apples have.
Johnny is still reluctant, since that he does not have the required equipment to survive the wilderness. The angel assures him that all he needs are his bible, his bag of seeds and a cooking pot, which he wears on his head. Convinced, Johnny begins his journey out west to grow apple trees on the great unknown. Marching his way to the great unknown, Johnny found some soil for him to grow apple trees. The animals (including a grizzly bear and a skunk) then witness Johnny digging to grow apple trees in the great unknown. After accidentally knocking a stick down on the skunk, it prepares to repel Johnny with its ability to spray at its enemies, but it manages to be friendly with Johnny. The animals then witness Johnny making friends with the skunk along with all the other animals, especially with a puma. Johnny befriends the animals and as the seasons pass, the apple trees begin growing across the great unknown.
Days later, more pioneers arrive across the new land thanks to John Chapman's growing of apple trees across the great unknown as the pioneers spend time enjoying this new land. Johnny (now with a beard) gives all the pioneers a big heap of happiness as he plans to walk across the whole frontier for forty years as he plants more apple trees across the great unknown. After forty years of walking and planting, Johnny spread his shadow across the whole frontier. Sometime later, Johnny dies in peace as he sleeps.
One morning, Johnny's angel suddenly arrives and awakens him, asking him to come along. As Johnny's spirit notices his sleeping body, he becomes frightened and says that he can't go with him because he wants to grow more apple trees. However, the angel explains to Johnny that Heaven needs him to plant more apple trees in the afterlife, wherein the latter agrees and and follows the angel to Heaven.
Characters[]
- Johnny Appleseed (voiced by Dennis Day)
- Johnny's Angel (voiced by Dennis Day)
Releases (standalone)[]
Film[]
- Walt Disney's Festival of Folk Heroes (1971)
Television[]
- Disneyland, episode #4.2: "Four Fabulous Characters" (1957)
- The Mouse Factory, episode #1.15: "Back To Nature" (1972)
- The Ink and Paint Club, #1.57: "From Zero to Hero" (1998)
Home Video[]
- American Legends (VHS/DVD)
Gallery[]
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