Walt Disney Erased From Historical Photo By The New York Times

Walt Disney was actually “erased” from a historical image with renowned Russian composer and conductor Igor Stravinsky.

While looking through some old images of Igor Stravinsky, Jeff Roth, a “caretaker” at the New York Times archives, discovered an image of Stravinsky where he was holding open music to show someone. However, the other half of the image was painted over with a ” thick layer of gray, water-based paint.”

Walt Disney was “canceled” from the image.

The back of the image indicated that the New York Times had run the photo on three stories, once in 1948, once in 1953, and once in 1955. It also had the words “Walt Disney & Igor Stravinsky” written on it.

Walt Disney’s name caught Roth’s attention, and he carefully removed as much of the gray paint as he could and the full image was revealed to be Stravinsky showing Disney sheet music, assumed to be from “Fantasia.”

When was the Photo of Walt Disney and Stravinksy taken?

According to the New York Times, the image was taken when Igor Stravinsky visited Disney Studios sometime before “Fantasia” was released in late 1940. In the film Disney used a “version of Stravinsky’s ballet “The Rite of Spring.”  At the time, he was the only living composer of music used in “Fantasia.”

Why did they remove Walt Disney from the photo?

We don’t know for sure, but The Times said they think it may have been because Stravinsky reportedly regretted working with Disney on the film, much like P.L. Travers reportedly regretted working with Walt on Mary Poppins. Both are said to have disliked how Disney changed their work to fit his vision.

The Times said that in a 1939 autobiography written by Robert Craft, a year before the film was released, the composer said this of his work in “Fantasia,”

“The order of the pieces had been shuffled, and the most difficult of them eliminated — though this did not save the musical performance, which was execrable.”

It seems that Stravinsky did not want to be pictured with Disney. To preserve the photograph, the Times erased Disney from it.

That is the working theory, anyway.

What a fascinating piece of history. Now I wonder how many other photographs exist that were treated the same way.

I’m glad Jeff Roth discovered the photo and that the New York Times chose to showcase the full image and set the record straight.

What do you think? Comment and let us know!

Source: The New York Times.