This was the first animated Disney feature film done by a single storyman. Bill Peet not only did all of the story boards, but he also wrote the script, and designed the characters. The author of 101 Dalmatians, Dodie Smith, complimented him on his treatment and thought he had improved on the story (see below).
In the credits, Bill Peet's name, his signature, is animated; a unique and unprecedented honor. (below is his signature in mid-animation). He received a second credit for character design, also below.
Bill Peet did all of the story boards and character design for The Sword and the Stone also, and was the only storyman working on Jungle Book, when he retired from Disney's.
"I liked to tease the hxxl out of him (Walt), though; I couldn't resist it. I remember on Dalmatians, I'd worked out the board when these puppies are all watching television, this Rin Tin Tin-type thing, and they're all cheering and reacting to the thing. After I tell the board, Walt says 'When kids are watching television, they don't react at all, they freeze. You know, I was over to my daughter Dianne's house last weekend, and my grandson was watching television, and I walked in and he didn't even look at me.' I said, 'Well maybe he didn't know who you were.' There was this silence, with a giggle or two. It was tough on the guys, because they had to stifle their laughter. No, he didn't like that one damned bit." Bill Peet in an interview with Mike Barrier, 1978
Excerpts from 1961 letters to Walt Disney from Dodie Smith, author of 101 Dalmatians:
"This is to tell you how very, very much my husband and I enjoyed ‘101 Dal’ at the private viewing....After a couple of minutes, I stopped worrying and sat back and enjoyed everything, particularly some of the new material, much of which is very funny..... And what a good storyline you achieved, very funny and very exciting and the humor never interferes with the suspense..... I am more and more struck by the freshness of the film’s new funny material which, to me, is exactly right."