Film record

The Fox and the Hound

1981Animation83 minVerification: Verified

The Fox and the Hound (1981), directed by Ted Berman, Richard Rich, and Art Stevens, begins with a friendship between a fox and a hound that faces the expectations of its surroundings.

Production countries
United States
Languages
English
Genres
drama film · family film · buddy film · coming-of-age film · comedy drama
Spoiler-free guideUpdated 23 Oct 2026
The starting point

Spoiler-free synopsis

Tod, a small fox, is taken in by a farm family and befriends Toby, a puppy destined to become a hound. The difference between their natures and the world around them raises the initial conflict of their bond.

Before you press play

What to know before watching

Origin of the story

The film is based, in a loose manner, on the novel of the same name by Daniel P. Mannix.

References:wikipedia.org

Title by country

In Spain, it is known as Tod y Toby; in Latin America, as El zorro y el sabueso.

References:wikipedia.org
Understanding the reception

What people think

A synthesis of the referenced review and comment excerpts. It represents the consulted sources, not a consensus of all critics or viewers.

What critics highlight

Appreciated aspects

Friendship and social behavior

Roger Ebert highlights that the film is not limited to animal adventure: it also proposes thinking about how society influences behavior.

References:rogerebert.com

Sources for this guide

Prepared with AI assistance and automated evidence and spoiler checks. This is not a first-hand viewing review or a numerical rating. Internal quotations are not reproduced; references provide the original context.

  1. wikipedia.orgDocumentary excerpt
  2. letterboxd.comSearch excerpt
  3. rogerebert.comSearch excerpt

Credits

Art department

Don Griffith — Art direction

Cinematography

Peter Anderson — Cinematography

Direction

Ted Berman — Directing
Richard Rich — Directing
Art Stevens — Directing

Editing

James Melton — Editing
James Koford — Editing

Music

Buddy Baker — Music composition
Richard O. Johnston — Music composition
Jim Stafford — Music composition
Richard Rich — Music composition

Cast

Mickey Rooney — Voice acting
Kurt Russell — Voice acting
Pearl Bailey — Voice acting
Jack Albertson — Voice acting
Jeanette Nolan — Voice acting
Sandy Duncan — Voice acting
Paul Winchell — Voice acting
Pat Buttram — Voice acting
Keith Coogan — Voice acting
Corey Feldman — Voice acting
John Fiedler — Voice acting
John McIntire — Voice acting
Richard Bakalyan — Voice acting
Clarence Nash — Voice acting
Candy Candido — Voice acting
Jack Angel — Voice acting

Production

Wolfgang Reitherman — Production
Ron W. Miller — Executive production
Art Stevens — Production
Mel Shaw — Executive production
Ron Miller — Production
Edward Hansen — Executive production
Don Duckwall — Executive production

Writing

Ted Berman — Screenwriting
Vance Gerry — Screenwriting
Steve Hulett — Screenwriting
Burny Mattinson — Screenwriting
Larry Clemmons — Screenwriting
Pete Young — Screenwriting
David Michener — Screenwriting
Earl Kress — Screenwriting
Documented participation

Film companies and organizations

Each relationship distinguishes role, territory, medium and period.

Distribution

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

International
Verified
Distribution

Disney+

International
Verified
Production

The Walt Disney Company

International
Verified

Versions and cuts

No versions have been documented yet.

Releases by territory

United States · Original release
10 Jul 1981Checked 16 Sep 2026
Film historyNo spoilers

Cinema in the 1980s

A decade organizes a period, not a single aesthetic. Films, industries and exhibition circuits can change at different rates; one case cannot alone represent all the cinema of those years.

Film connections

Connected films

Non-personalised suggestions built from visible relationships, not popularity.

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