The Sword in the Stone (movie) facts for kids

The Sword in the Stone is a fun animated fantasy movie from 1963. It was made by Walt Disney Productions. The movie first came out in theaters on December 25, 1963. It was the last Disney animated movie released before Walt Disney passed away.

This film is based on a famous book with the same name. The book was first published in 1938. Later, it became the first of four books in a series called The Once and Future King by T. H. White.

About the Movie

This movie tells the story of a young boy named Arthur, also known as Wart. He dreams of becoming a knight. The story is set in England during medieval times. Wart lives with his foster father, Sir Ector, and his foster brother, Sir Kay. His life changes when he meets a powerful wizard named Merlin.

Merlin decides to teach Wart many important lessons. He uses magic to turn Wart into different animals. This helps Wart learn about the world and himself. These adventures prepare him for a very special destiny.

Who's Who in the Story?

The movie has many memorable characters. Here are some of the main ones:

Wart (Arthur)

• Voiced by Rickie Sorenson, Richard Reitherman, and Robert Reitherman.
• Wart is a young orphan boy. He is training to be a squire for his foster brother.
• He is actually the long-lost son of King Uther Pendragon. He is destined to become the legendary King Arthur.

Merlin the Wizard

• Voiced by Karl Swenson.
• Merlin is a very old and wise wizard. He lives with his talking owl, Archimedes.
• He becomes Wart's teacher and friend. He uses his magic to help Wart learn important life lessons.

Madam Mim

• Voiced by Martha Wentworth.
• Madam Mim is a tricky and powerful black witch. She is Merlin's enemy.
• She loves to play magical duels, where wizards change into different animals.

Archimedes the Owl

• Voiced by Junius Matthews.
• Archimedes is Merlin's smart and grumpy pet owl.
• He can talk and often helps Merlin teach Wart. He also keeps Merlin in check!

Sir Ector

• Voiced by Sebastian Cabot.
• Sir Ector is the ruler of King Uther Pendragon's castle.
• He is Wart's foster father and can be strict but cares for him.

Sir Kay

• Voiced by Norman Alden.
• Sir Kay is Wart's older foster brother.
• He is often bossy and not very kind to Wart.

Other Characters

• Alan Napier as Sir Pellinore, a friend of Sir Ector. He announces the big tournament where Arthur's destiny is revealed.
• Thurl Ravenscroft as Black Bart, also known as the Black Knight. He is one of the first people to see the sword Arthur pulls from the stone.
• James MacDonald as The Wolf. This unnamed wolf tries to eat Wart during his adventures.
• Ginny Tyler as The Little Girl Squirrel. She is a young female squirrel who meets Wart when he is turned into a squirrel. She quickly falls in love with him.

Did You Know?

The Sword in the Stone was nominated for a special award! It was nominated for an Academy Award in 1963. This was for "Best Score—Adaptation or Treatment," which means the music in the movie. However, it did not win the award that year.

Images for kids

• 

  Madam Mim