I remember watching 'Lambert the Sheepish Lion' on the Disney channel years and years ago. It was my favourite Disney short. In summary, Lambert is a lion cub who is mistakenly given to a sheep. Lambert is ridiculed by the other sheep until there is trouble and he must save the sheep from danger. By doing this, he gains his courage. The theme tune to this little short is very catchy, and it's just a feel-good story with the ironic little twist and the feeling of success that Lambert has become a hero now instead of being bullied. Out of all these years, I have never forgotten this little short, and I can vaguely remember the tune.
17 Reviews
Perhaps this should have won the Oscar
planktonrules22 September 2009
Warning: Spoilers
LAMBERT was nominated for the Best Animated Short Oscar but lost to THE TWO MOUSEKETEERS--a rather cutesy cartoon featuring Jerry the Mouse and his little slightly annoying sidekick, Tuffy. The MGM short isn't bad, but compared to Disney's LAMBERT is sure seems inconsequential. As for the only other nominated film, I'll try to be nice and only say that ROOTY, TOOT, TOOT was severely lacking....okay, fine, it was a horrible film, there I said it.
So why did I like LAMBERT THE SHEEPISH LION so much that I wished they'd given this cartoon the Oscar instead? Well, the quality of the animation was a bit better--as MGM had recently began drawing their Tom and Jerry cartoons with a much simpler and cheaper style. Also, the story of Lambert is just charming and cute--but not cloying or too cute for viewing by diabetics. It's just a very nice and rather original take on the classic tale of "The Ugly Duckling".
The film begins with Lambert (who is a lion) accidentally being delivered to a flock of sheep instead of his real mother. Poor Lambert actually thinks he's a sheep and is just as docile and harmless as a lamb. That is, until his flock is attacked and something primal within Lambert is released. No, he does NOT eat his flock-mates--just see the film for yourself to see how it all ends.
Lovely story, lovely animation and a lot of fun.
So why did I like LAMBERT THE SHEEPISH LION so much that I wished they'd given this cartoon the Oscar instead? Well, the quality of the animation was a bit better--as MGM had recently began drawing their Tom and Jerry cartoons with a much simpler and cheaper style. Also, the story of Lambert is just charming and cute--but not cloying or too cute for viewing by diabetics. It's just a very nice and rather original take on the classic tale of "The Ugly Duckling".
The film begins with Lambert (who is a lion) accidentally being delivered to a flock of sheep instead of his real mother. Poor Lambert actually thinks he's a sheep and is just as docile and harmless as a lamb. That is, until his flock is attacked and something primal within Lambert is released. No, he does NOT eat his flock-mates--just see the film for yourself to see how it all ends.
Lovely story, lovely animation and a lot of fun.
You're Lion
CuriosityKilledShawn27 September 2013
The stork from Dumbo delivers a flock of baby lambs to some sheep on a quiet grass plain (as this is how you explain procreation to children), only a lion cub has gotten mixed in with the rest of them. The cub immediately cuddles up to a lonely ewe and grows up believing that it is a sheep, but finally becoming a lion when the flock is threatened by wolf.
As most of the short is set at night there is a lot of nice, dark animation and background which are quite atmospheric, especially with the glowing full moon beaming down. This short was edited together with The Old Mill (1937) to create a Blueberry Hill music video for the Disney Channel back in the 90s, which is where I was first introduced to it.
Definitely one of my fave Disney toons.
As most of the short is set at night there is a lot of nice, dark animation and background which are quite atmospheric, especially with the glowing full moon beaming down. This short was edited together with The Old Mill (1937) to create a Blueberry Hill music video for the Disney Channel back in the 90s, which is where I was first introduced to it.
Definitely one of my fave Disney toons.
A sparkling underrated jewel!
TheLittleSongbird24 June 2009
I loved this when I was a kid, and as you have already guessed, I adore Disney and all the Silly Symphonies and shorts they did. Lambert the Sheepish Lion is narrated excellently by Sterling Holloway who also narrated the 1946 classic Peter and the Wolf. The short features an amusing title song, has beautiful animation and tells an Ugly Duckling-like story of a lion who can't fit in with his sheep family, as they tease him for being different. The short also has a wolf, who is very similarly designed to the wolf in Peter and the Wolf, and while not as terrifying, has a roar that made my hair stand up. Thank goodness Lambert saves the day and finally gets accepted. Overall, a wonderful jewel, that deserves a 10/10. Bethany Cox.
irresistible Ugly Duckling variant
Spleen21 March 2002
In Australia (probably elsewhere, too) this short cartoon was screened just before "The Lion King". For a brief moment I sensed a new golden age, with hand-animated features basking in critical praise and paying their way at the box office, and classic short cartoons once again seeing the light of day (that is to say, the darkness of cinemas). The dream didn't last long, did it? "Lambert" turned out to be the last hand-animated short I ever saw in a cinema; today, Disney doesn't even bother to re-release its old FEATURES any more, and its animation department, which has maintained continuous production for something like seventy-five years and still has the best animators in the world, is fighting for its life in the face of general indifference. We are living in evil times.
I was particularly glad to see this cartoon in the dark, just before "The Lion King": it always brought tears to my eyes, which I managed to keep secret. I gather it was based on a children's book, or was at one point going to be a children's book, or some such, but unless the prose was as perfectly crafted as Hans Christian Andersen's, this is surely the better form. It's a departure for Jack Hannah, who doesn't try to be funny; he just tells a sweet, warm-hearted story as clearly as possible. How can you not love it?
I was particularly glad to see this cartoon in the dark, just before "The Lion King": it always brought tears to my eyes, which I managed to keep secret. I gather it was based on a children's book, or was at one point going to be a children's book, or some such, but unless the prose was as perfectly crafted as Hans Christian Andersen's, this is surely the better form. It's a departure for Jack Hannah, who doesn't try to be funny; he just tells a sweet, warm-hearted story as clearly as possible. How can you not love it?
A classic Disney short!
llltdesq29 May 2001
This short is one of the more successful Disney produced in the 1950s. Nominated for an Oscar in 1951, it has one of the more memorable one-shot characters Disney created in Lambert. Some of the visual gags, particularly toward the end of the cartoon are hilarious! Toward the end of the 1940s, Disney slipped behind UPA and MGM and even Warner Brothers in terms of shorts. The quality was still there, but the energy seemed to fade a bit. Cartoons like Lambert show that Disney could still more than hold its own. Highly recommended
"Laa-aa-aammmbert..."
Polaris_DiB27 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Three words: Hooray for DVD! DVD has allowed us to have access to things that were previously forgotten in remarkable ways. I ended up seeing this fun little Disney short as an extra on the Fox and the Hound DVD (by the way, The Fox and the Hound is one of my favorite Disney movies, but that's for a different review).
This short tells the tale of Lambert, the sheepish lion... the lion that's sheepish cowardly, and lives with a family of sheep, so is sheepish. Get it? It's actually pretty funny, as Lambert tries to fit in only to learn that he has a stronger ability on his side, eventually to earn the admiration of the flock.
It's like an ugly duckling story with a twist, one where the duckling rejoins the flock and is appreciated for his difference. Such shorts are always useful to children as they learn to appreciate uniqueness in individuality. This short's presence on The Fox and the Hound is complimentary because it helps reinforce the theme of accepting difference and removing prejudice.
--PolarisDiB
This short tells the tale of Lambert, the sheepish lion... the lion that's sheepish cowardly, and lives with a family of sheep, so is sheepish. Get it? It's actually pretty funny, as Lambert tries to fit in only to learn that he has a stronger ability on his side, eventually to earn the admiration of the flock.
It's like an ugly duckling story with a twist, one where the duckling rejoins the flock and is appreciated for his difference. Such shorts are always useful to children as they learn to appreciate uniqueness in individuality. This short's presence on The Fox and the Hound is complimentary because it helps reinforce the theme of accepting difference and removing prejudice.
--PolarisDiB
Disney's Wild & Wooly Tale
Ron Oliver22 October 2000
Raised by sheep, LAMBERT THE SHEEPISH LION wants to live a life of gentle peace & quiet. Then one night, a wicked wolf carries off his foster mother...
Winner of the 1952 Oscar for Best Animation, this is a very enjoyable little film. Bill Peet, eventually a popular children's author in his own right, was one of the writers here. The title tune is infectious, and Sterling Holloway is perfect as the Narrator.
Winner of the 1952 Oscar for Best Animation, this is a very enjoyable little film. Bill Peet, eventually a popular children's author in his own right, was one of the writers here. The title tune is infectious, and Sterling Holloway is perfect as the Narrator.
From Bleating Failure To Roaring Success
redryan645 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
WE ARE ONCE again reminded of the old adage that there are only so many basic plots. All stories are derivative of these and are only variations; however well and fancifully disguised they may be.
THEREFORE, WE WISH to publish our assertion that this, today's honored reviewee. LAMBERT THE SHEEPISH LION (Walt Disney Productions, 1952) is in fact a variation on the story of The Ugly Duckling. The story is also a natural for audiences; being that it brings into play the most elemental struggle between two symbolic opposites. The polar antagonists were the Lamb and the Lion, here displayed in the same venue.
INSTEAD OF HAVING a protagonist that is a miscast swan in a duck family, we are treated to the story of a Lion Cub's being raised by a mother ewe as her own little lamb. Of course the little feline, Panthera leo (scientific name), finds it a very difficult way to go. His physical attributes were designed for predatory existence on the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa and not to grazing on grass in Western North America.
THE STORY IS cleverly done and tends to give one not only a fine helping of laughs; but also does a good job in warming the old heart. The metamorphosis of the timid misfit lion cub/lamb to the ferocious and fully maned male big cat is done in a way that keeps us on the edge of our seats throughout its running time.
IN AN OUTSTANDING move to underscore not only the story's action, but also the mood of the picture is its original musical score. In addition to the incidental music and musical queues, We have the original song, "Lambert The Sheepish Lion"; being sung in a sort of bleating sheep's style.
STARTING OFF THE action is a case of a misdirected delivery. Reprising his voice characterization of the stork in DUMBO (Walt Disney Prod., 1942), we have Sterling Holloway. The Stork character was a real scene stealer and kit is no surprise that he would be used again. Our only question would be: How come he wasn't used much more?
THEREFORE, WE WISH to publish our assertion that this, today's honored reviewee. LAMBERT THE SHEEPISH LION (Walt Disney Productions, 1952) is in fact a variation on the story of The Ugly Duckling. The story is also a natural for audiences; being that it brings into play the most elemental struggle between two symbolic opposites. The polar antagonists were the Lamb and the Lion, here displayed in the same venue.
INSTEAD OF HAVING a protagonist that is a miscast swan in a duck family, we are treated to the story of a Lion Cub's being raised by a mother ewe as her own little lamb. Of course the little feline, Panthera leo (scientific name), finds it a very difficult way to go. His physical attributes were designed for predatory existence on the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa and not to grazing on grass in Western North America.
THE STORY IS cleverly done and tends to give one not only a fine helping of laughs; but also does a good job in warming the old heart. The metamorphosis of the timid misfit lion cub/lamb to the ferocious and fully maned male big cat is done in a way that keeps us on the edge of our seats throughout its running time.
IN AN OUTSTANDING move to underscore not only the story's action, but also the mood of the picture is its original musical score. In addition to the incidental music and musical queues, We have the original song, "Lambert The Sheepish Lion"; being sung in a sort of bleating sheep's style.
STARTING OFF THE action is a case of a misdirected delivery. Reprising his voice characterization of the stork in DUMBO (Walt Disney Prod., 1942), we have Sterling Holloway. The Stork character was a real scene stealer and kit is no surprise that he would be used again. Our only question would be: How come he wasn't used much more?
You're All Wrong.
Raviv52 March 2007
Warning: Spoilers
It's Not The Same Stork as in Dumbo, It's A different one, voiced by the same actor. They're not the same, Disney said it himself. and there are other things here too. This short is not boring and is pretty interesting. Lambert should get A 10/10. Very Clever, I saw it in preschool. we were always watching Disney films, and shorts. this short really got me laughing or crying, the lion finally gaining strength, and fighting the wolf, pushing him off a cliff (This cliff resembles Pride Rock, from The Lion King, so for all those who still Think The Lion King is A Huge Total Rip-Off of Osama Tezukiu's Kimba The White Lion Cub, here's another thing similar in the defense} when i remember that day now, I always imagine it for some reason to be played with the Indiana Jones Music. This Short touched my heart This short is one of the best shorts ever made. Really, You're all wrong about The Croen (I mean everything,only more advanced). The Croen
excellent short Disney piece
didi-52 May 2004
One of the award-winning shorts produced by Disney in the studio's heyday, this charming cartoon is the tale of a lion who is accidentally placed by the stork (shades of Mr Stork from 'Dumbo' here) with a flock of sheep along with the new lambs. He grows up to be a figure of fun for his sheep cousins who tease him for being unable to baa like them and for not being either a lamb or a lion.
Of course, Lambert saves the day by being a real lion when he has to be and becomes the hero of his flock. The baby Lambert is a little cute thing who grows up to be a slightly dumb looking lion, always hiding behind his 'mother'. The piece is narrated by Sterling Holloway, who had the perfect voice for this kind of thing, and has a catchy little title tune which recurs throughout.
Of course, Lambert saves the day by being a real lion when he has to be and becomes the hero of his flock. The baby Lambert is a little cute thing who grows up to be a slightly dumb looking lion, always hiding behind his 'mother'. The piece is narrated by Sterling Holloway, who had the perfect voice for this kind of thing, and has a catchy little title tune which recurs throughout.
The lamb that roared
gizmomogwai8 February 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Simba wasn't the first lion Disney made heroic... and cute. I had half-forgotten the little gem that is Lambert the Sheepish Lion until the other day, but it is a part of my childhood. The 1952 short tells of a lion cub mistakenly delivered by a stork to a flock of sheep, one of whom becomes attached to the kitten. Lambert grows up into a big lion, but instead of inspiring awe among the sheep, he inspires ridicule. He lacks the qualities of a sheep, but of course, he has qualities of his own, a nice little message.
Of course, that message is familiar. Others have brought up comparisons to the Ugly Duckling- it also bears parallels to Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer. A retelling of the story should have its own qualities, and here Disney succeeds. The animation is quality- it's from 1952, but could have come from a later decade. The song is nice, the humour is there (the wolf's goofy holler as he falls off the cliff is irresistible). The wolf is scary, but the cartoon isn't mean- spirited, as the bad guy gets to live. The big unsolved question is what exactly Lambert was eating while growing up; then again, if in Disney's universe a wolf can avoid starvation by eating berries, surely a lion can survive on a sheep's diet.
Of course, that message is familiar. Others have brought up comparisons to the Ugly Duckling- it also bears parallels to Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer. A retelling of the story should have its own qualities, and here Disney succeeds. The animation is quality- it's from 1952, but could have come from a later decade. The song is nice, the humour is there (the wolf's goofy holler as he falls off the cliff is irresistible). The wolf is scary, but the cartoon isn't mean- spirited, as the bad guy gets to live. The big unsolved question is what exactly Lambert was eating while growing up; then again, if in Disney's universe a wolf can avoid starvation by eating berries, surely a lion can survive on a sheep's diet.
A triumph
Horst_In_Translation2 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This 8-minute cartoon from over 60 years ago is a definite contender for my favorite cartoon film from the 1950s. I will elaborate a bit on my favorite scenes. First of all, the crying mother early on is pretty moving. She wanted her own lamb so bad. Next, the mix-up with lamb and Lambert is actually fairly hilarious. And it is interesting to see the reference that storks deliver babies. So this one already existed back in the 1950s. Pixar just took it up a while ago as well in their short movie "Partly Cloudy". Okay next: the wolf. He looked exactly like he should have. First, he is a raging monster and in the end he is so full of fear. Nice animation. He is also a good example on how this short film was primarily for children. Of course he did not die in the end. It's all good, even if the narrator made a joke about him possibly starving. Oh yeah, the narrator. It's obviously the same voice as from the stork: Sterling Holloway and he was perfect for the part. The way he narrates Lambert's transformation at the end is a true thing of beauty just like the whole scene. One of my favorite moments in animation of all time.
Lambert was so cute as a cub and the moment we saw him as a grown-up lion was maybe the funniest of the film because of his priceless face expression. I just hoped that early on, they did not accidentally deliver a sheep to Lambert's parents. Oh and finally I would like to add that maybe the charm to the character of Lambert is also because his character only appears in this one short film. They did not make more cartoons. No feature film, no television series, he is just in here and that's fine. It#s a bit of a shame that the excellent work by everybody involved with this project was not awarded with an Oscar. I mean Tom and Jerry are fun as well, but Hannah, Peet, Wright, Banta, Holloway and Foray would so so deserved this honor. Excellent 8 minutes. Great music, great story, great cartoon. Highly recommended.
Lambert was so cute as a cub and the moment we saw him as a grown-up lion was maybe the funniest of the film because of his priceless face expression. I just hoped that early on, they did not accidentally deliver a sheep to Lambert's parents. Oh and finally I would like to add that maybe the charm to the character of Lambert is also because his character only appears in this one short film. They did not make more cartoons. No feature film, no television series, he is just in here and that's fine. It#s a bit of a shame that the excellent work by everybody involved with this project was not awarded with an Oscar. I mean Tom and Jerry are fun as well, but Hannah, Peet, Wright, Banta, Holloway and Foray would so so deserved this honor. Excellent 8 minutes. Great music, great story, great cartoon. Highly recommended.
This cartoon is just too cute for words . . .
cricket3031 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
. . . but you're not allowed to review it unless you supply AT LEAST one thousand words--under the theory that a picture is worth a minimum of ten hundred syllables. Neither LAMBERT THE SHEEPISH LION nor the actual sheep in his flock can shoot the predatory critter dragging Lambert's foster mom toward a cliff, because they ALL lack the opposable thumbs necessary to properly balance a trigger finger. So after enjoying this cartoon, be sure to use YOUR opposable thumbs--and trigger finger--to generously support your local chapter of BANGS--Broke Americans Need Gun Stamps.
Nice little lion tale.
OllieSuave-00712 June 2018
This is a nice little lion tale, where the delivery stork from the movie "Dumbo" mistakenly delivers a lion cub to a flock of sheep. As a result, the mother sheep raises the cub on her own.
It's a cleverly written and interesting story, and an exciting turn-of-events come when the mother sheep is chased by a wolf and the lion, though cowardly, has to think how to act.
Grade A
It's a cleverly written and interesting story, and an exciting turn-of-events come when the mother sheep is chased by a wolf and the lion, though cowardly, has to think how to act.
Grade A
Predictable but Cute
Hitchcoc17 July 2019
When the stork delivers a crop of lambs, one of the ewes is left out. But there is a lion cub who is named Lambert. He was apparently mismarked. So he is inadvertently given to the mother. She decide to keep him and chases the stork away. Of course, the lion cub is rejected by the others, not recognizing his being for what it is. The conclusion is predictable. Still, it is well worth seeing and the song is very memorable.
Classic Short from Disney
Michael_Elliott23 June 2015
Lambert the Sheepish Lion (1952)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Delightful Disney short has a stork accidentally dropping off a lion cub to a group of sheep. At first the sheep laugh at the lion who they name Lambert but soon they come to need him when a hungry wolf shows up. This Disney short is probably one of the best remembered films that the studio ever did because from the time it was released to today, it seems like it's been all over the place. I remember watching it at least twice a week when I was a kid and it appears everyone knows the tale of the lion who got dropped off to the sheep. As you'd expect, the animation is extremely good and there's no doubt that the story itself is quite clever. I think one thing that fails to get enough attention is the vocal work of Sterling Holloway who is simply wonderful and adds a lot to the material.
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Delightful Disney short has a stork accidentally dropping off a lion cub to a group of sheep. At first the sheep laugh at the lion who they name Lambert but soon they come to need him when a hungry wolf shows up. This Disney short is probably one of the best remembered films that the studio ever did because from the time it was released to today, it seems like it's been all over the place. I remember watching it at least twice a week when I was a kid and it appears everyone knows the tale of the lion who got dropped off to the sheep. As you'd expect, the animation is extremely good and there's no doubt that the story itself is quite clever. I think one thing that fails to get enough attention is the vocal work of Sterling Holloway who is simply wonderful and adds a lot to the material.
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