unknown dwarfs cut from the movie Snow White (3)

Rheumy – The oldest of the dwarfs, Rheumy had difficulty standing for long periods of time and could only move very slowly.  If you look closely at some of his cut scenes it is possible to detect where the Disney artists skillfully painted over the walker he was forced to use.  It was one of the earliest examples of what would eventually become CGI and illustrates just how advanced the Disney studio was.  However, they were not nearly as forward-looking in their attitudes regarding senior citizens and providing working environments that accommodated their infirmities.  Were the picture to be made today, they would certainly have been in violation of several articles of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Most difficult for Rheumy was the underground trail that led from the main mine area back up to the surface.  With no compliant ramps or handrails for support, the arduous trek at the end of every day took a considerable toll on his health.  That, coupled with the requirement that he swing a 50-pound sledgehammer for up to 10 hours at a time most certainly spelled Rheumy's doom.  During the second month of filming he suffered a fatal heart attack and had to be removed from the mine by Dopey and Doc using only a bucket and ball-peen hammer.  While not listed in the credits, Rheumy actually appears in the film several times, being used as Snow White’s stand-in (lay-in?) for the scenes where she is asleep under the witch’s spell.  Because of Rheumy’s extinguished state heavy makeup was required.

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