It's Tough to Be a Bird

It's Tough to Be a Bird is a 1969 American animated educational short film directed by Ward Kimball and produced by Walt Disney Productions.^[1][2] The short won the Academy Award for Best Short Subject, Cartoons at the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970^[3][4] and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film in 1971.^[5] This was the last animated short film produced by Disney to win an Academy Award until Paperman (2012) and thus the final animated cartoon short released by Disney in the golden age of American animation.^[6]

It's Tough to Be a Bird
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ward Kimball
Story by	Ted Berman Ward Kimball
Produced by	Ward Kimball
Starring	Ruth Buzzi Richard Bakalyan John Emerson Jim Swain Ann Lord Hank Schloss Walter Perkins Rolf Darbo
Edited by	Lloyd L. Richardson
Music by	George Bruns
Animation by	Eric Larson Art Stevens
Layouts by	Joe Hale
Color process	Technicolor
Production company	Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by	Buena Vista Distribution
Release date	December 10, 1969 (1969-12-10)
Running time	21 minutes
Language	English

Summary

In the short, a red bird (voiced by Richard Bakalyan) explains how birds have contributed to human culture, even as people often try to kill them. He claims this may be because humans were jealous that birds can fly but people cannot, mentioning the legend of Icarus and featured films of early unsuccessful flying machines.

In Disney's D-TV in the 1980s, clips from this short were set to Bobby Day's cover of "Rockin' Robin".^[7]

Cast

• Ruth Buzzi as Soprano
• Richard Bakalyan as M.C. Bird
• John Emerson as Bird Fancier
• Jim Swain as Bird Fancier
• Ann Lord as Bird Fancier
• Hank Schloss as Bird Fancier
• Walter Perkins as Bird Fancier
• Rolf Darbo as Bird Fancier
• Ward Kimball as Bird Fancier (uncredited)

See also

• List of American films of 1969
• Birdwatching
• National Audubon Society - featured in the film
• Hinkley, Ohio - featured in the film
• Noah's Ark