Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Tales of Friendship

***Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Tales of Friendship*** is a 1999 American direct-to-video live action/animated musical film produced by Walt Disney Television Animation as a prequel to *Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas*. It was also released to help promote the syndicated television series, *Sing Me a Story with Belle*, for which a live-action Belle tells stories from Disney cartoons such as *The Wise Little Hen*, *The Three Little Pigs*, *Morris the Midget Moose* and *Hansel and Gretel* with Belle narrating. The film stars Lynsey McLeod who continues portraying Belle in live-action form.[1][2]

It also stars Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, David Ogden Stiers, and Jerry Orbach who reprise their roles as Belle, Beast, Cogsworth, and Lumiere, respectfully, in the animated form, in the short film, *Mrs. Potts' Party*. The film was released on August 17, 1999.

## Synopsis

### Belle's narration

Belle owns and works at her music and bookstore in France. A group of children walk into the store eager to hear Belle's stories, as she is noted to be a great storyteller. Belle agrees to tell a story, but the gang also play games and learn some simple lessons about life. Belle narrates two Disney cartoons, *Morris the Midget Moose* and *Hansel and Gretel*, while the children help Belle clean the bookstore. She also reads *The Wise Little Hen* and *The Three Little Pigs*, but Shawn and Harmony will not help make chili for the group. Along the way, Belle adds music and interacts with the children.

### Mrs. Potts' Party

During the film, an episode planned for a *Beauty and the Beast* television show premiered at the end titled *Mrs. Pott's Party*. In animation, Belle is still living in the Beast's castle while the enchanted spell was still happening. One day, Mrs. Potts is feeling depressed due to dreadful weather, and Belle decides to cheer her up by throwing a surprise party for her. Belle has come to look at Mrs. Potts as a mother figure by this point. During preparations for the party, Belle and her friends have to avoid waking up the sleeping Beast. Beast spent the entire previous night fixing a leak in the roof and needs his sleep. However, Lumiere and Cogsworth's rivalry gets in the way. The two argue and compete over the tasks of composing music, choosing Mrs. Pott's favorite flowers, and choosing the flavors of the cake that will be served at the party. Two oven mits, Chaud (the red mit) and Tres (the blue mit), also take part in the argument, as they each side with one of the rivals. Eventually, Lumiere and Cogsworth's attempt to sabotage one another's decisions has consequences. The baking cake explodes and makes a complete mess in the kitchen. Lumiere and Cogsworth, after a scolding from Belle, decide to put their rivalry behind them for good and work together to make a small surprise for Mrs. Potts. The plan goes well, and Mrs. Potts is cured of her depression, and the sun finally shines again. Everyone learns the power of cooperation and compromises.

This animated short was released in 2003 as a part of *Belle's Magical World*. The episodes in that film were also from the same television show that was later scrapped.

## Cast

### Live-action

* Lynsey McLeod - Belle
* Shawn Pyfrom - Shawn
* Kirsten Storms - Kirsten
* Natalie Trott - Natalie
* Hampton Dixon - Hampton
* Jennefer Jesse - Jennefer
* Julie Vanlue - Julie
* Jim Cummings - Lewis (puppet)
* Christine Cavanaugh - Carroll (puppet)

### Animated

* Paige O'Hara - Belle
* Robby Benson - The Beast
* David Ogden Stiers - Cogsworth
* Jerry Orbach - Lumiere
* Gregory Grudt - Chip
* Anne Rogers - Mrs. Potts
* Jo Anne Worley - Armoire the Wardrobe
* Frank Welker - Sultan the Footstool
* Jim Cummings - Webster, Chef Bouche, Tubaloo, Big Book
* Jeff Bennett - Crane, Frappe
* Rob Paulsen - LePlume, Tres
* April Winchell - Chandeleria, Chaude, Concertina
* Jeff Conover - Harmony

**Television:** *Sing Me a Story with Belle* • *Belle's Tales of Friendship* • *A Poem Is...*
**Books:** *The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty's Prince* • *The New Adventures of Beauty and the Beast* • *Winter Wonderland* • *Sittin' Pretty!* • *Tale as Old as Time: The Art and Making of Beauty and the Beast* • *Disney Princess Beginnings* • *As Old as Time (A Twisted Tale)* • *Royal Weddings*
**Marvel Comics:** *A Chance For Romance* • *Wardrobe's Big Surprise* • *The Wishful Walk* • *Almost Amour!* • *Lyrical Love Part 1 and 2* • *Dove Tales Part 1 and 2*
**Video Games:** *Beauty and the Beast (video game)* • *Belle's Quest* • *Roar of the Beast* • *A Board Game Adventure* • *Disney INFINITY* • *Disney INFINITY: 2.0 Edition* • *Kingdom Hearts II* • *Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days* • *Kingdom Hearts χ* • *Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ/Union χ* • *Disney Enchanted Tales* • *Disney Emoji Blitz* • *Disney Crossy Road* • *Disney Heroes: Battle Mode*
**Music:** *Beauty and the Beast (soundtrack)* • *Beauty and the Beast (2017 soundtrack)* • *The Legacy Collection*

**Live action:** Disney Movie Magic • Disney Illuminations
**Entertainment:** A Table is Waiting • Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage • Cinderella's Surprise Celebration • Cinderellabration: Lights of Romance • Disney's Believe • Disney's Dreams: An Enchanted Classic • Disney Pirate or Princess: Make Your Choice • Enchanted Tales with Belle • Fantasmic! • Feel the Magic • Mickey's Magical Celebration • Mickey and the Magician • Once Upon a Mouse • Royal Princess Music Celebration • Royal Theatre • The Golden Mickeys
**Restaurants:** Be Our Guest Restaurant • Gaston's Tavern • Red Rose Taverne
**Shops:** Bonjour! Village Gifts
**Parade:** Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade • Disney's Dreams On Parade: Moving On • Disney's Magical Moments Parade • Disney Carnivale Parade • Disney Stars on Parade • Dreaming Up! • Festival of Fantasy Parade • Flights of Fantasy Parade • Happiness is Here Parade • Jubilation! • Mickey's Rainy Day Express • Move It! Shake It! Dance and Play It! Street Party • Mickey's Soundsational Parade • Mickey's WaterWorks • Paint The Night Parade • The Wonderful World of Disney Parade • Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade: DreamLights • Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams
**Firework:** Celebrate! Tokyo Disneyland • Disney Dreams! • Disney in the Stars • Magic, Music and Mayhem • The Magic, the Memories and You • Magical • Once Upon a Time • Wishes • Wonderful World of Animation • World of Color
**Halloween:** It's Good To Be Bad With The Disney Villains • Let’s Get Wicked • Maze of Madness: The Nightmare Experiment Continues • The Disney Villains Halloween Showtime
**Christmas:** Disney Christmas Stories

**Enchanted Christmas:** Angelique • Forte • Fife
**Belle's Magical World:** Webster • Crane • Le Plume • Witherspoon • Chandeleria
**Deleted Characters:** Clarice • Marguerite • Belle's Sisters • Belle's Suitors • Belle's mother
**Sing Me a Story with Belle:** Harmony • Big Book • Lewis and Carol
**Book Characters:** Countess de la Perle • Thunder • Love • Death
**Remake:** Cadenza • Jean Potts • The King • The Queen

**Broadway:** No Matter What • Me • Home • How Long Must This Go On? • If I Can't Love Her • Maison Des Lunes • A Change in Me
**Enchanted Christmas:** Stories • As Long As There's Christmas • Don't Fall in Love • A Cut Above the Rest
**Belle's Magical World:** A Little Thought • Listen With Our Hearts
**Live-Action Film:** Aria • How Does A Moment Last Forever • Days in the Sun • Evermore