Willie Comes to Life

See how Willie the white elephant is brought to life in an animation studio for a National Savings ad

Don’t worry this is safe for work, honest! Willie the White Elephant was the star of a post WWII National Savings poster - “If you don't need it - don't buy it!” – which was then brought to life in a Technicolor cartoon Willie Does His stuff (also on the Player). This short looks behind the scenes at the production of the animation at Julius Pinschewer’s studio. Only the end title “Finis” is a clue that the majority of the work actually took place in Switzerland, bar British animator Harold Mack who is seen animating alone in London.