At first, it was just one Dalmatian, given to British writer Dodie Smith by her husband. But in that mysterious place where writers get their ideas, one dog blossomed into 101, and a classic was born. The story of Pongo, Missus, Perdita and their pups–in battle with the evil Cruella de Vil, who wants to make a coat from the pups’ fur–was Smith’s best-selling book. The film rights went to Disney, a studio that needed a hit after the disappointment of Sleeping Beauty the previous year. The animation proved difficult, but worth the effort when the film was released to enormous popularity. It was the top-grossing film of 1961, and its sequels, both animated and live action, have been popular ever since.