Guide Note

Released in 1955, Lady and the Tramp was Disney's 15th animated film and the very first animated feature to be filmed in Cinemascope. The film was based on a short story called Happy Dan, The Cynical Dog written by Ward Greene.

The story follows the adventures of and eventual love affair between well-to-do cocker spaniel Lady and the mutt Tramp, who by Lady's standards, hails from the wrong side of the tracks. The film contains what is considered to be one of Disney's most romantic scenes when Lady and Tramp share a plate of spaghetti as they are serenaded with the tune "Bella Notte."

Fast Facts

1. Running time: 75 minutes
2. Cost $4 million to make
3. After 2 re-releases, its box office total stands at over $93 million
4. Tramp was almost named Homer or Bozo
5. Spawned the direct-to-video sequel Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure

1. In an early version of the script, the character Trusty dies in an accident after he saves Tramp from a dogcatcher. Disney, however, did not want to repeat the controversy that ensued after killing Bambi's mother so Trusty is shown with a bandaged leg at the end of the film to assure audiences that he was merely injured and not killed.
2. Walt Disney, himself, acknowledged that Lady and the Tramp is the only Disney movie to have suggested a sex scene when Lady and Tramp wake up cuddling in the park together.