Stolen Drawings Returned in Gift Wrap : Disney Tale Has Happy Ending

Without the benefit of Tinker Bell or fairy dust, Snow White, Peter Pan, Dumbo and Bambi reappeared at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank on Tuesday. The happy ending was even gift-wrapped.

Thirteen original drawings of those characters and others from classic Disney animated features, stolen Thursday from a glass display case, were found in an office hallway, wrapped in Christmas paper along with an apology from the apparent culprit, a Disney official said.

“I’m sorry,” said the typed note, which contained no signature but bore five red lipstick prints. “I didn’t think they had any value.”

Value Estimated at $65,000

The total value of the artwork, referred to as “cels” by film technicians, had been estimated at $65,000, although Disney officials said they consider the drawings to be irreplaceable and priceless. The cels--original drawings and paintings on acetate--had been used in such films as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Fantasia” and “Bambi.”

The wrapped package was addressed to Erwin Okun, vice president of corporate communications, and was delivered to him by a secretary about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Okun said. The secretary had discovered the package in one of the studios’ buildings, he said.

“We’re not certain where they came from, but I guess you could call this a late Christmas present,” Okun said. “We’re just happy and surprised to get them back.”

Okun credited the reappearence of the cels to widespread news reports of the theft.

Placed in Vault

He said the stolen cels were especially valuable because they also contained background scenes along with the ink-and-paint drawings of the characters. Just minutes after they were found they were placed in a vault, although they almost certainly will be put back on display, he said.

The company had offered a $2,500 reward for the return of the cels, plus a larger unspecified reward for the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the theft. Police and Disney security officials said they had no suspects.

Okun said he was not sure whether the investigation would continue.

But as for the safe return of Snow White and friends, Disney would have been proud.