Copyright means new names for Snow White's dwarfs
2:30pm Tuesday 2nd December 2008 in News By Cherry Thomas
THEY are the much-loved dwarfs popularly known as Doc, Dopey, Sleepy, Grumpy, Happy, Bashful and Sneezy.
But the characters in Bolton’s Christmas panto version are having to be renamed — because of Disney copyright.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs hit the stage at The Albert Halls on Friday but only Sneezy remains from the original dwarfs.
The other six have alternative names due to copyright law, which could have seen the production sued by Walt Disney if the famous names were used.
Doc, Dopey, Sleepy, Grumpy, Happy and Bashful have become Goody, Loopy, Lazy, Growler, Noisy and Shabby for the show, which runs until January 11.
The original story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was written by the Brothers Grimm but it was not until 1937 when Disney released the animated film version that the dwarfs were given names.
Duggie Chapman, producer of The Albert Halls’ production, confirmed the move was due to Walt Disney’s copyright of the dwarfs’ names.
