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 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 the apples he gets on his apple trees. Later, Johnny discovers many pioneers marching to look for new land, but Johnny was pretending to be one and didn't search for new land along with the pioneers. A miracle suddenly happens when he discovers his angel where he talks to him to go out west just like the other pioneers. Johnny declines telling his angel that he is poor, 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 tells him about the apples done by early pioneers to make special foods made of apples.
After explaining to Johnny about the apples, his angel tells him to pack up and grow apples in the west to grow apples in which he explains to him that he does not have the required equipment used to make apples. The angel then packs his stuff for Johnny to head 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. Meanwhile, Johnny's angel suddenly arrives as he tells the angel version of himself to come with him. After the angel of Johnny himself says that he can't go with him because he wants to grow more apple trees, his angel explains to him that he needs him as he goes along with the angel.
Characters
- Johnny Appleseed (voiced by Dennis Day)
- Johnny's Angel (voiced by Dennis Day)
Gallery
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