Known for Sound
“I was born in New England, but somehow escaped a Puritanical conscience. Came to Los Angeles at the tender age of four and am still hanging around. Started as a plumber at the age of twelve until I read in a magazine where some one guaranteed piano playing in twenty lessons. After receiving my diploma from the post office I immediately went to work at $16 a week in a Main Street picture palace. I’m still up in the dough. At present I’m trying to write musical scores for cartoons.” -published in the June 20, 1931 edition of The Motion Picture Daily Churchill began his career playing piano in silent cinemas at the age of 15 before becoming an accompanist at KNX in 1924. Churchill then joined Walt Disney Studios in 1930, where he became a staple composer, penning "The Three Little Pigs" as well as "Hi-Ho". Churchill was found dead at his piano with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1942.
Born
October 20, 1901
Died
May 14, 1942 (age 40)
Birthplace
Rumford, Maine, USA
Filmography
62 films


Sky Trooper
1942 · 7m
country: United States
Donald is stuck on KP at an air training base. Sergeant Pete gives him a huge pile of potatoes to peel first, then gives him some tests: close your eyes and touch fingers, pin the tail on the airplane. He finally gets sent aloft, only to discover it's a parachute jump. Eventually, both Donald and Pete end up falling with no chutes and a bomb.


Bambi
1942 · 1h 10m
country: United States
Bambi's tale unfolds from season to season as the young prince of the forest learns about life, love, and friends.


Dumbo
1941 · 1h 4m
country: United States
Dumbo is a baby elephant born with over-sized ears and a supreme lack of confidence. But thanks to his even more diminutive buddy Timothy the Mouse, the pint-sized pachyderm learns to surmount all obstacles.


The Reluctant Dragon
1941 · 1h 14m
country: United States
Humorist Robert Benchley attempts to find Walt Disney to ask him to adapt a short story about a gentle dragon who would rather recite poetry than be ferocious. Along the way, he is given a tour of Walt Disney Studios, and learns about the animation process.


Bone Trouble
1940 · 9m
country: United States
Pluto is on the run after stealing a bone from Butch the bulldog and finds refuge in a carnival Hall of Mirrors.


Hollywood Bowl
1938 · 7m
country: United States
The stars come out to the Hollywood Bowl for a night of musical fun.


Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
1938 · 1h 23m
country: United States
A beautiful girl, Snow White, takes refuge in the forest in the house of seven dwarfs to hide from her stepmother, the wicked Queen. The Queen is jealous because she wants to be known as "the fairest in the land," and Snow White's beauty surpasses her own.


More Kittens
1936 · 8m
country: United States
Thrown out of the house into the backyard, the three kittens are sheltered by a giant Saint Bernard and are tormented by a turtle and a bluebird.


Donald and Pluto
1936 · 8m
country: United States
Plumber Donald is using a large magnet in his work. When he drops it, it causes trouble for Pluto, especially after Pluto swallows it. Things begin clinging to him, especially his metal dog dish.


Three Little Wolves
1936 · 9m
country: United States
Two little pigs cry wolf on their brother and then an actual wolf comes.


Cock o' the Walk
1935 · 8m
country: United States
The title character comes to town, complete with portable boxing ring. He grabs a local chicken and dances with her, inspiring several other barnyard animals to dance. But her rooster takes offense, and enters the ring to do battle.


Three Orphan Kittens
1935 · 9m
country: United States
Three orphan kittens are entering a society house in winter and ruin the furniture. But when they're caught by the maid, the young daughter of the house "rescues" them from the cold outside.


Who Killed Cock Robin?
1935 · 8m
country: United States
A robin is shot so the woodland community holds a trial to investigate.


Funny Little Bunnies
1934 · 7m
country: United States
We see bunny rabbits preparing for Easter, by making chocolate eggs and rabbits, decorating eggs, and weaving and filling baskets.


Lullaby Land
1933 · 7m
country: United States
A baby is transported to Lullaby Land, where pacifiers grow on trees, diapers, bottles, and potty chairs march on parade, and the gingham dog comes to life. He wanders into the "keep out" cave, full of things like scissors, knives, and fountain pens that are not for baby and begins smashing watches with hammers and playing with giant matches. The matches chase after him; baby escapes by riding a bar of soap across a pond, but the smoke from the matches turns into boogey-men. The benevolent sandman, dressed as a wizard, spots baby hiding and works his magic, bringing us back to the real nursery.


Old King Cole
1933 · 7m
country: United States
Old King Cole throws party and invites all of the Mother Goose characters. He warns them that they must leave at midnight. Another collection of characters puts on a stage show. The Ten Little Indian Boys get everyone dancing along. The Hickory Dickory Dock mice announce midnight, and everyone leaves, back into their books.


Ye Olden Days
1933 · 8m
country: United States
The princess is to wed the Prince against her wishes. When she refuses, the king locks her in the tower. Minstrel Mickey sees her and rescues her, making a rope from the clothes of lady-in-waiting Clarabell. The king spots them and prepares to chop off Mickey's head until Minnie intercedes. The king calls for a joust. Mickey wins and they live happily ever after.


Birds in the Spring
1933 · 7m
country: United States
Two birds rejoice over the hatching of their three eggs; as they grow, the hatchlings are taught to sing and fly. One falls from the nest and has adventures with a rattlesnake and a beehive before finding his way home.


The Bears and the Bees
1932 · 6m
country: United States
Two bear cubs tussle harmlessly, then start to munch on a berry bush, until a bigger, meaner bear chases them off. They nibble some flowers and find a bee, which they follow to the hive, which they then proceed to raid. The big bear chases them off, but unknown to him, a bee spotted the raid and has summoned the attack squad. The bees run him off, and the cubs dig in.


The Musical Farmer
1932 · 8m
country: United States
Mickey performs all his chores while whistling or singing. The big excitement is when Fanny the hen, who hasn't laid an egg in some time, lays a super-giant egg.


The Fox Hunt
1931 · 6m
country: United States
It's morning in the English countryside and time for the gentry to participate in their favorite sport: the fox hunt. The eccentric gentlemen come in all shapes and sizes, the fat ones putting the greatest strain on the horses. The craziest things happen to the monocled hunters. One even gets knocked off his horse when it jumps over a brick wall. He shoots straight up into the air and, thanks to a parachute hidden in his clothes, makes a gentle landing. But instead of the ground, he lands on a cow. Upset by her unwanted passenger, she takes off at top speed, finally dumping him in a mud puddle, where he lands on a pig and continues his wacky ride. Meanwhile, the poor fox finally gets trapped in a hollow log. Dogs to the left of him, dogs to the right! Luckily, the beleaguered creature gets help from a certain powerful, and pungent, friend.


The Spider and the Fly
1931 · 7m
country: United States
A kitchen is filled with houseflies. A spider wakes up and plays his web like a harp, attracting a pair of them; the female is trapped, and the male summons the cavalry, which arrives riding horseflies, riding dragonflies to drop pepper bombs, firing champagne bottles, and ultimately setting the web on fire and catching the spider on flypaper when he falls.


The Clock Store
1931 · 7m
country: United States
The various clocks and watches in a clock store dance, ring alarms musically, and otherwise entertain us in an after hours presentation.


The Chain Gang
1930 · 8m
country: United States
Mickey Mouse and several other characters are on a prison chain gang, guarded by Pegleg Pete. They break rocks for a while, then Mickey breaks out a harmonica and everyone starts making music and/or dancing. Soon there's a jail-break, and Mickey's on the run, tracked by bloodhounds (including his future pet, Pluto, in his first appearance). He falls off a cliff and right into a jail cell.