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App Theatre Goes to the Dogs! – Free Screening of “Lady and the Tramp” Set for Saturday, August 13

BOONE, NC – Grab your flea collars and head to the Appalachian Theatre on Saturday, August 13 when the much-loved Disney animated classic “Lady and the Tramp” will be screened for the first time in over fifty years as part of the inaugural Saturday Morning Family Film Series.

Due to a generous sponsorship by Allen Wealth Management, “Lady and the Tramp” is being offered free of charge to the general public at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 13, 2022. The film follows the upcoming screening of “Mary Poppins” the prior week on Saturday, August 6.

This is the fifth of six family-friendly movie classics being presented during the summer months on select Saturday mornings through August 27. “Lady and the Tramp” was first shown at the Appalachian Theatre in September 1955 and was brought back by popular demand in both 1962 and 1972, but was last seen over half a century ago. It was the first animated movie to be filmed in the CinemaScope widescreen film process, as well as Disney’s first animated film to be distributed by their then-new Buena Vista division. The film runs one hour and fifteen minutes in duration.

The free screening begins at 10 a.m. and is followed by a tour of the newly-renovated and restored 1938 vaudeville theatre and cinema. Please note that attendees under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. And, despite the film’s title, no pets are allowed inside the theatre. Family-appropriate concessions will be available for purchase, including popcorn, candy, bottled water, and soft drinks, among other items. Free popcorn is being provided by Magic Bound Travel to audience members who stop by their information table in the lobby.

“Lady and the Tramp” is an animated musical romance film produced by Walt Disney and released by Buena Vista Film Distribution. The 15th Disney animated feature film, it was directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske, and features the voices of Barbara Luddy, Larry Roberts, Bill Thompson, Bill Baucom, Verna Felton, and Peggy Lee.

Based on the 1945 Cosmopolitan magazine story “Happy Dan, The Cynical Dog” by Ward Greene, “Lady and the Tramp” tells the story of a female American Cocker Spaniel named Lady, who lives with a refined, upper-middle-class family, and a male stray mutt called Tramp. When the two dogs meet, they embark on many romantic adventures and fall in love.

A number of fun facts about the film will provide context for audience members. Walt Disney didn’t want to include the “Bella Note” spaghetti-eating scene, now one of the most iconic moments in the entire Disney canon. In earlier script versions, Tramp was first called Homer, then Rags, and Bozo. It was thought in the 1950s that the term “tramp” would not be acceptable, but Walt Disney himself approved of the choice. The gift of a puppy in a hatbox from the film was based on a true story in which Walt Disney gave a puppy to his wife, Lillian.

The remaining film on the inaugural Saturday Morning Family Film Series is the classic “Heidi” with Shirley Temple in the title role; it will be screened on August 27. For a complete performance schedule and of all upcoming events, please visit the Appalachian Theatre’s website at www.apptheatre.org.