Synopsis
Set in a small fishing village on the west coast of Denmark (the Disney version says Norway), Per Brask (Disney version: Paul Brask) must learn to deal with the harsh reality of survival after his father is killed. Complicating his struggle is a group of strangers who have come into the village and are competing with the local residents. Per and his young friends must catch enough fish for their families to survive while battling the outsiders and a storm at sea.
Episode Guide
| Episode | Orig Air Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Battle at the Old Mill | Apr 15, 1957 | |
| The Mysterious Strangers | Apr 16, 1957 | |
| Fisherman's Luck | Apr 17, 1957 | |
| The Sea Raiders | Apr 18, 1957 | |
| The Smuggler's Hideout | Apr 19, 1957 | |
| Trouble on the Breakwater | Apr 22, 1957 | |
| The Captive | Apr 23, 1957 | |
| Trouble at Sea | Apr 24, 1957 | |
| The Storm | Apr 25, 1957 |
Notes
This was a Danish production from 1950 called Vesterhavsdrenge. The chief cinematographer was an American, Arthur J. Ornitz, who later worked at the Disney Studio while the Mickey Mouse Club was in production. He apparently owned the North American rights to the film, which he had received in lieu of full salary while making it. Ornitz brought it to the attention of Bill Walsh, when the latter requested suggestions for films which could be bought cheaply and run as serials on the show.
The film ran 91 minutes in its original theatrical showing. The picture was made in Denmark, with a Danish crew and cast, and a story set near Nymindegab, Denmark. It was produced and distributed by Nordisk Films Kompagni, a Danish film company in existance since the early 20th Century. So why did the Disney Studio say this was a Norwegian film set in Norway? Who knows!
The story is usually credited to a book called Klit-Per by Anders Christian Westergaard (1888-1951). Westergaard wrote a series of five Klit-Per books, from 1923 thru 1951. He also wrote a book called Vesterhavsdrenge: Fiskerliv ved Nymindegab in 1930. Wife and husband team Astrid and Bjarne Henning-Jensen, who both adapted the screenplay and directed, seem to have drawn on several of these books for the film's story. They cast their young son Lars in the role of "Mads".
Credits
Cast credits are complicated by Disney renaming some of the characters, turning other uncredited extra parts into named parts, and using the same voice actors for multiple roles.
| Role (Disney Role) | Film Actor | Disney Voice Credit | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per Brask (Paul) | Kjeld Bentzen | Richard Beymer | ||
| Else | Anne Grete Hilding | Mary Lee Hobb | ||
| Mads | Lars Henning-Jensen | Kevin Corcoran | ||
| Birgit (Bridget) | Nette Høj Hansen | Cheryl Holdridge | ||
| Jørgen (Gordon) | Jens Konge Rasmussen | Bob Ellis | ||
| Tine | Bente Kaas Hvalsøe | |||
| Værle (Carl) | Preben Lerdorff Rye | Paul Frees | ||
| Kræ Brejning (Brenner) | Ejner Federspiel | Billy Bletcher | ||
| Frederik (Frederick) | Niels Jensen | Parley Baer | ||
| "Pelikanen" (Pelican) | Kai Holm | Billy Bletcher | ||
| Sognefogeden (Sheriff) | Karl Stegger | Paul Frees | ||
| Mor Karen (Mother Karen) | Marie Niedermann | Gail Bonney | ||
| Købmand (Grocer) | Poul Juhl | Parley Baer | ||
| Formand (Foreman) | Karl Jørgensen | Herbert Vigran | ||
| Extra (Man) | William Knoblauch | Bob Jackman | ||
| Extra (Man) | Valsø Holm | Herbert Vigran | ||
| Extra (Man) | Jørgen Kunz | Billy Bletcher | ||
| Extra (Andy) | ? | Tommy Kirk | ||
| Extra (Frank) | ? | David Stollery | ||
| Extra (Boy) | ? | Bobby Burgess | ||
| Extra (Boy) | ? | Tommy Cole |
