On this day July 10, 1981, The Fox and the Hound premiered in theaters as the twenty fourth animated feature from Walt Disney Productions. Directed by Ted Berman, Richard Rich, and Art Stevens, the film told the emotional story of an unlikely friendship between Tod, a young fox, and Copper, a hunting dog. The story follows their bond as it is tested by the expectations of the world around them.
Voiced by Mickey Rooney and Kurt Russell, the film explored themes of loyalty, change, and growing apart—making it one of Disney’s more introspective and bittersweet releases of the era. It is also notable for being the first Disney animated film to use computer graphics, featured during the scene where Amos Slade traps Tod and Vixey inside the burrow. The Fox and the Hound marked a transitional moment between Disney’s older animators and a new generation who would go on to shape the company’s future.
Revisit the movie in our The Fox and the Hound thread.
80s insight: The Fox and the Hound blended heartfelt storytelling with technical innovation, signaling a quiet turning point in Disney animation.
Voiced by Mickey Rooney and Kurt Russell, the film explored themes of loyalty, change, and growing apart—making it one of Disney’s more introspective and bittersweet releases of the era. It is also notable for being the first Disney animated film to use computer graphics, featured during the scene where Amos Slade traps Tod and Vixey inside the burrow. The Fox and the Hound marked a transitional moment between Disney’s older animators and a new generation who would go on to shape the company’s future.
Revisit the movie in our The Fox and the Hound thread.
80s insight: The Fox and the Hound blended heartfelt storytelling with technical innovation, signaling a quiet turning point in Disney animation.
