Swiss Family Robinson (1960)

Director:

Ken Annakin

Writers:

Lowell S. Hawley (screenplay)
Johann David Wyss (novel)

Release Date:

21 December 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family

Tagline:

THE ADVENTURE OF ADVENTURES! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

A Swiss settler family are shipwrecked on a desert island.

Plot Keywords:

Island | Pirate | Survival | Treehouse | Desert Island

Cast

John Mills	...	Father Robinson
Dorothy McGuire	...	Mother Robinson
James MacArthur	...	Fritz Robinson
Janet Munro	...	Roberta 'Bertie'
Sessue Hayakawa	...	Kuala, Pirate Chief
Tommy Kirk	...	Ernst Robinson
Kevin Corcoran	...	Francis Robinson
Cecil Parker	...	Captain Moreland
Andy Ho	...	Auban
Milton Reid	...	Big Pirate
Larry Taylor	...	Pirate

Directed by
Ken Annakin

Writing credits
Lowell S. Hawley		(screenplay)
Johann David Wyss		(novel) (as Johann Wyss)

Produced by
Bill Anderson	....	producer
Basil Keys	....	associate producer
Walt Disney	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
William Alwyn

Cinematography by
Harry Waxman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter Boita

Production Design by
John Howell

Set Decoration by
Jack Stephens

Costume Design by
Julie Harris

Makeup Department
Eileen Bates	....	hair stylist
Bill Lodge	....	makeup artist
Charles Nash	....	makeup artist

Production Management
William Hill	....	production manager (as Bill Hill)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yakima Canutt	....	second unit director
René Dupont	....	assistant director

Art Department
John Hoesli	....	assistant art director
John L. Jensen	....	sketch artist
Peter Murton	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
John Dennis	....	sound recordist (as John S. Dennis)
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound recordist
Les Wiggins	....	sound editor (as Leslie Wiggins)

Special Effects by
Danny Lee	....	special effects (as Dan Lee)
Walter Stones	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Peter Ellenshaw	....	matte artist

Stunts
Ken Buckle	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Courtney	....	stunts (uncredited)
Evelyn Finley	....	stunts (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fez Reynolds	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Stader	....	stunts (uncredited)
Arnim Tardieu	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Beeson	....	additional photographer

Music Department
Muir Mathieson	....	conductor
Buddy Baker	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Paul J. Smith	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Walt Disney	....	presenter
Fez Reynolds	....	animal trainer: zebra (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• RKO (1961) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Distribution Company (1968) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Buena Vista Pictures (1968) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• Walt Disney Home Video (1988) (UK) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (1999) (UK) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Walt Disney Company (UK)

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo | Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:G (re-rating) (1968) | Norway:7 (original rating) (cut version) | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | UK:U | West Germany:6 | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Bacolet Beach, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago

Company:

Walt Disney Productions

Trivia:

Among the Robinson's pets are: Duke and Turk the dogs, Rocky the elephant, Lightning the donkey, Clementine the ostrich, and Duchess the Zebra.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Ernst is riding the ostrich Clementine during the race it begins to circle the pylon half way through. The rope holding the ostrich to the pylon is clearly visible.

Quotes:

[trying to think of a way to get off the ship-wrecked boat]
Ernst Robinson: Why don't we put up a distress flag?
Father Robinson: Don't you think we look distressed enough? Ernst, anyone who sees a ship stuck on the rocks might possibly guess it's in trouble.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Walt Disney Comedy and Magic Revue (1985) (V)

Soundtrack:

MY HEART WAS AN ISLAND

Adventure, suspense, island paradise...

I wanted to live on this island with the Robinsons! I love their house they built, I love the jungle and the animals, and the 3 sons, I love the 2 dogs they saved off the boat. I wish the Robinsons were my family... As for the movie - I love it! Great for the whole family. We own it on video. I loved the book as a kid, and I try to get my kids to read it now. (They've seem the movie, so it's hard to get them to read the book - if possible read the book 1'st.) Don't you wish you had a waterfall slide to play on? Pirates, romance, and a shipwreck on a beautiful island - a classic.