Amos the mouse, character design by Bill Peet for Ben and Me (1953)
Walt Disney Productions · Short Film

Ben and Me

Story Adaptation · 21 min · Dir. Hamilton Luske

An animated featurette adapting Robert Lawson's book, which tells American history with a twist: Amos, a poor church mouse, is secretly the brains behind Benjamin Franklin's famous accomplishments. Bill Peet adapted the story for the screen.

IN THE FAMILY'S WORDS

Bill adapted Robert Lawson's story of Amos Mouse for the screen. According to the story, Amos was the brains behind Ben Franklin's remarkable accomplishments.

His contribution

Bill handled the story adaptation, translating Lawson's gently subversive conceit, that a mouse quietly steered one of America's founding fathers, into Disney animation. The pairing of a small, overlooked hero with a larger-than-life partner gave Bill the kind of character relationship he most enjoyed staging.

Story sketches

Amos the mouse, character design by Bill Peet, c.1952
Amos the mouse, character design by Bill Peet, c.1952
Ben and Me, story sketch by Bill Peet, c.1952
Ben and Me, story sketch by Bill Peet, c.1952
Ben and Me, story sketch by Bill Peet, c.1952
Ben and Me, story sketch by Bill Peet, c.1952
FILM FACTS
RELEASED
November 10, 1953
DIRECTOR
Hamilton Luske
BASED ON
Ben and Me by Robert Lawson (1939)
BILL'S ROLE
Story Adaptation
RUNTIME
21 min