Among the oddest movies by Louis de Rochemont is the animated version of George Orwell’s fable Animal Farm (1954). That’s right, a Portsmouth, NH film producer made a cartoon about totalitarianism in which no one talks. How de Rochemont came to make the film fills an entire book. The story involves Orwell’s widow, the CIA, and E. Howard Hunt, best known for the Watergate presidential scandal. But not time for all that now. Today we’re focused on a single footnote that is almost as strange.
I collect items related to the films of Louis de Rochemont in hopes, someday, of launching an exhibition and creating a filmography of our forgotten local movie mogul. Bidding on an Animal Farm movie poster, I met Chris Rushworth online. He lives in Australia. That was in 2010.
Watch the trailer for the Animal Farm film
Chris collects souvenirs from the 1954 cartoon version of Animal Farm which was created in England by a team of animators. His artifacts include original sketches, storyboards, and even toy models of the animal characters in the film. I interviewed Chris briefly by email about his unique obsession.
This is his reply:
“Here in Australia, it was mandatory to study the Orwell novel Animal Farm in the senior year of high school. So one week, our English teacher said an animated version of the novel would be on television Friday night, and we should watch it. I did and loved it from end to end.
I’ve always liked old things that interest me, and the Animal Farm animation was no exception. It was not Disney, but quite dark with serious content which appealed to me greatly. This was 1986. It wasn’t until 1998 whilst living/working in the UK that I acquired my first Animal Farm piece.
Christie’s has an animation art auction every year, and in 1998 I managed to secure a multi-cel production master setup from the movie It was a little damaged, which I had restored via an animation art shop in London.
Over time my collection grew, as did my interest in Animal Farm. As you see, I now have numerous animation cels, drawings, movie posters and figurines. I also have the Halas & Batchelor illustrated U.S. edition of Animal Farm signed by them. I’ve since stretched my book collection to various early illustrated editions from Argentina, Germany, Denmark, and an Italian comic book version, “La Fattoria Degli Animali.”
Making the Animal Farm animation on YouTube
Probably my most significant find animation-wise was the series of Old Major cels, around 80, where the pig says “Comrades……REVOLT!!” They came with the matching camera sheet or dope sheet. This was very exciting.
Eventually, I will post all my publications. I just need the time. I feel it is important to share my collection with the world and keep it all safe and sound in one secure place for future generations. My daughter loves watching the movie, she is now nine, and hopefully will continue my efforts in the future.
As you said, things are becoming expensive. As Animal Farm is not Disney, it is not as expensive [to collect], but still hard to come by. I too run out of funds at times, but I collect what I can when I can and love it.”
Postscript: While corresponding with Chris via email, he mentioned that another Louis de Rochemont artifact was available online. A copy of the screenplay Whistle at Eaton Falls shot here in the Seacoast (and starring Lloyd Bridges, Anne Frances and Earnest Borgnine) was on sale for $120. Too rich for my blood, I contacted Scott Campbell at the Newington Public Library. Newington is the site of de Rochemont’s home “Blueberry Hill”, now moved and adapted into a healthcare facility. Long story short, the library and historical society purchased the script for its expanding de Rochemont collection. — JDR
© 2010 by J. Dennis Robinson edited 2025, all rights reserved.
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