Who Killed Cock Robin? is a Silly Symphony animated short that was released on June 26, 1935.
Synopsis[]
A new twist on an old nursery rhyme as the criminal bird court attempts to determine who killed Cock Robin as he wooed his love, Jenny Wren. The suspects were a Harpo Marx-like cuckoo, an Edward G. Robinson-inspired sparrow, and a Stepin Fetchit-based Blackbird. In the end however, Robin turned out to not be dead, but merely wounded by Cupid's arrow.
Plot[]
While Cock Robin is serenading Jenny Wren, an unseen archer shoots an arrow into Cock Robin's heart. Then he falls to the ground, giving the other birds in the tree an impression that he has been shot and killed. The police arrive at the scene and apprehend a cuckoo, a sparrow, and a blackbird as suspects.
The next day, a trial is held over the identity of Cock Robin's murderer, with an owl serving as the judge and a parrot serving as the prosecutor. They interrogate the suspects and show Cock Robin's body as evidence. The blackbird confesses that he hasn't done, seen, or known anything about it. The sparrow refuses to say anything. The cuckoo doesn't know either, but he continuously points to the judge, the prosecutor, and even himself, showing that he is indeed "cuckoo". Everybody is ashamed, because nobody knows who killed Cock Robin.
At that moment, Jenny Wren arrives and demands that she see justice be done for Cock Robin. Eventually, the judge declares that all three suspects shall be hung, because he doesn't know which one of them is guilty. Suddenly, another arrow strikes the judge's hat, and its owner is revealed to be Cupid. Cupid explains that although he did it, Cock Robin isn't dead after all. He just simply fell for Jenny Wren and was currently unconscious from landing on his head, because the arrow that he was shot with was in his armpit. Jenny Wren revives Cock Robin, and they both kiss to the excitement of the jury.
Trivia[]
- The cuckoo bird would later reappear in Toby Tortoise Returns helping Max Hare.
- Some of the bird characters in the animated short are based on Hollywood celebrities of that time: Bing Crosby, Stepin Fetchit, Edward G. Robinson, Harpo Marx, Mae West, and Joe Penner.
Voices[]
- Billy Bletcher - Oliver Owl
- Don Brodie - Prosecutor Parrot
- Bill Roberts - Cock Robin
- Purv Pullen - Cock Robin's whistling
- Nick Stewart - Blackbird Suspect
- Martha Wentworth - Jenny Wren
- Charlie Lung - Dan Cupid
- Leo Cleary - Irish Cop
- Cuckoo
- Gary Mix - Additional Voices
- Jack Dale - Additional Voices
- Lou Debney - Additional Voices
- John Reed - Additional Voices
Releases[]
Television[]
- Disneyland, episode #3.23: "More About the Silly Symphonies"
- The Ink and Paint Club, episode #1.58: "Silly Symphonies Go to the Birds"
Home Video[]
DVD
- Walt Disney Treasures: Silly Symphonies
Gallery[]
