| Dumbo | |
|---|---|
 Illustration from the 1939 roll-a-book. | |
|
Real Name |
Dumbo |
|
First Appearance |
Dumbo, the Flying Elephant (1939) |
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Original Publisher |
Roll-A-Book Publishers Inc. |
|
Created by |
Helen Aberson-Mayer and Harold Pearl, with illustrations by Helen Durney |
Origin[]
Originally named "Jumbo" by his mother Ella, Dumbo is a baby elephant with oversized pink ears who lives in a circus. He was made the subject of ridicule by his fellow elephants due to his unusual ears, and an incident in which he accidentally spoiled the elephant act earned him his current name "Dumbo".
After running away from the circus, Dumbo befriends a robin named Red, who introduces Dumbo to an owl named Wise One. Over the following days, Wise One and Red teach Dumbo to fly with his ears.
Upon returning home to the circus, Dumbo performs a surprise flying act for the crowd, earning him admiration and respect, as well as the title of "The Eighth Wonder of the World".
Powers And Abilities[]
Dumbo has the power of flight, which he achieves with his oversized ears and training from his bird friends.
Public Domain Literary Appearances[]
- Dumbo, the Flying Elephant (1939)
Notes[]
- Despite being unpublished, On 17 April 1939, Dumbo, the Flying Elephant was registered for copyright (which was another requirement for unpublished works to gain a 95+ term or else 70+ years after the author's death, if the creator was not known it would be 120+ years after publication) and received registration number AA 296948, as recorded in the copyright office’s catalog. There was no record of renewal for the book.
- Illustrations from the Roll-a-Book has been scarce, with only a few illustrations and sketches resurfacing. Subsequent artwork created for the 1941 book and film are NOT in the public domain.
- The original text of the Roll-A-Book be read on the Digital collections website.
- "Dumbo" is still held as a trademark by the Walt Disney Company, this means that although Dumbo as he appeared in the 1939 book can legally be used within a work of fiction. It cannot be advertised in a way that Disney was involved or as a official Disney product.