Walt Disney's The Great Locomotive Chase

One of the few films to tell the story of an actual incident of Civil War history, and to do it with few deviations, was Walt Disney's The Great Locomotive Chase, released in 1956. The movie, much like Buster Keaton's The General, was based on the daring exploits of James J. Andrews and his band of volunteers. Disney's film, however, was a straight forward drama, told from the viewpoint of one of the survivors, William Pittenger. Disney planned an elaborate production that would tell the whole story of the raid, even up to its tragic conclusion.

The award ceremony became the opening and closing sequence of The Great Locomotive Chase, which is told by Pittenger in flashback. The lead role of Andrews was played by Disney's newest star Fess Parker, fresh out of the coonskin cap role of Davy Crockett. The role of Fuller was capably handled by young Jeffrey Hunter. Disney assembled a first-rate cast of familiar character actors in other roles in the picture, including John Lupton as Pittenger, Jeff York, Harry Carey Jr., Claude Jarmin Jr., Dick Sergeant, Slim Pickins, Morgan Woodard, and Kenneth Tobey.

The film portrays civilian raider William Campbell as a large hotheaded Yankee who, at various times, is in danger of blowing the whole scheme because of his propensity for fighting. The film follows Pittenger's book closely, and offers an exciting adventure full of intrigue and suspense. The chase itself occupies more than half the screen time giving railroad lovers a feast of steam, smoke, whistles, and bells.

Fess Parker, as James J. Andrews, and his Raiders watch for pursers in The Great Locomotive Chase. Among those playing volunteers are: Eddie Firestone, Don Megowan, Lennie Greer, Claude Jarmin, Jr., John Lupton, Marc Hamilton, John Wiley, Dick Sergeant, and Jeff York.

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Bored of unexciting picket duty, William Pittenger (John Lupton) asks the mysterious Union spy Andrews to remember him if ever he needs help on a secret mission.

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Disguised as loyal Kentuckians heading to Atlanta to join the Confederate Army, Andrews' men come under suspicion when a Confederate corporal (Morgan Woodward) discovers a Union Army issue revolver on Bill Campbell (Jeff York).

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Once on board the train they intend to steal, Andrews meets the conductor, William A. Fuller (Jeffrey Hunter) who has noticed the fact that so many men have boarded the train at the little town of Marietta and seemingly don't know each other.

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Stan Jones, George Robothom, Fess Parker, and Lennie Greer prepare to steal the General from the station stop at Big Shanty, in full view of a Confederate encampment. Jones' resemblance to Ulysses S. Grant, the role he played in The Horse Soldiers, is evident in this view.

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A surprised William Fuller discovers that his train has been stolen while stopped at Big Shanty. On the left is veteran actor Kenneth Tobey, playing Anthony Murphy, foreman of Machinery and Motive Power on the Western & Atlantic Railroad who joins the pursuit.

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Fuller has commandeered a small switch engine locomotive, the Yonah, and arrives in Kingston just seconds after Andrews and his men have departed.

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Destroying the rails of the Western & Atlantic Railroad was one of the main objectives of Andrews' plan. Here Fuller and Murphy survey the damage before proceeding on foot to stop an oncoming train.

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Fuller and Murphy flag down Pete Bracken's (Slim Pickens) express train, pulled by the Texas, and explains the situation. Bracken will run the Texas in reverse at full speed in order to capture Andrews and his men.

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Fuller's dogged pursuit gave Andrews and his men no time to stop and fuel the General, and it finally rolled to a stop with the Raiders running for the woods, where they were soon captured. Here, Fuller, Murphy, and Haney survey the locomotive and satisfy themselves that it hasn't been damaged.

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Secretary of War Stanton (Roy Gorden) pins the Medal of Honor on Claude Jarmin Jr., during the final moments of The Great Locomotive Chase. George Robotham, Eddie Firestone, and John Lupton stand at attention, awaiting their turn.

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