10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Dumbo (1941)
4. Dumbo Was Almost On The Cover Of TIME Magazine
Dumbo was such a huge sensation by the end of the movie, his success transferred over to real life.
In December 1941, the editors of TIME magazine were preparing to have Dumbo on the front cover as 'mammal of the year' with a black and white portrait of the cartoon elephant. It was intended to be an uplifting story, just in time for the Christmas holidays.
But when planning for publication, Japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbour and thus, Dumbo was bumped from the front cover of TIME for more pressing news.
However, the little flying elephant still got a 1400 word story in the magazine. Amidst a grim time for all the world, Dumbo was seen as a symbol of hope and distraction whilst the country was at war. The article explored the Disney creation and how he inspired an entire country.