Rare 1940 Disney FANTASIA Roadshow Program W/ 1942 RKO Letter Ned Depinet 5920 For Sale

Rare 1940 Walt Disney's Fantasia Roadshow Program & Historic 1942 RKO Promotional Letter (Ned Depinet)Up for sale is an incredible piece of cinematic and Disney animation history: an original 1940 Walt Disney Presents Fantasia souvenir program, paired with an exceptionally rare 1942 promotional letter from RKO Radio Pictures executive Ned Depinet.This is not just a standard theater souvenir; this artifact represents a crucial turning point in Fantasia's distribution history when RKO took over the film’s release during WWII.Item Breakdown:1. Original 1940 Fantasia Souvenir Program

• Edition: First Edition / Original Roadshow Printing (Features internal tracking code: "Certificate No. 5920" and "Copyright 1940").
• Size/Pages: Oversized format (approx. 10" x 12.5"), fully illustrated with stunning multi-color concept art plates, animator credits, and a breakdown of the legendary "Fantasound" audio system.
• Condition Notes: Overall in good vintage condition with tight binding. The original owner neatly wrote her name in ink on the top right corner of the front cover. This adds wonderful provenance, anchoring the program to its original era of use. (Please see photos for edge and spine condition).

2. Rare Historical Document: 1942 RKO Promotional Letter

• Date: February 27th, 1942.
• Sender: Ned E. Depinet (High-ranking RKO Radio Pictures distribution executive, who went on to become President of RKO later that year).
• Recipient: Public School Supervisor of Music.
• Historical Significance: In early 1942, RKO took over Fantasia's distribution, stripping the costly "Fantasound" track to release a mono version to neighborhood theaters. Depinet spearheaded a campaign targeting music educators to bring school groups to the film. This exact letter accompanied the 1940 program as an elite promotional toolkit.
• Signature: Boldly signed at the bottom in blue ink. (Please see macro photos to evaluate the signature).

Why This Package is Special:
Finding a genuine 1940 program is an excellent find for any Disneyana collector, but finding it preserved alongside its original 1942 RKO corporate correspondence is incredibly rare. It tells the complete story of Fantasia's journey from a high-art roadshow failure to its wartime redistribution.