D23 Presents Destination D: 75 Years of Disney Animated Features - Day 2
Page 4 of 6

HEARING VOICES: A SALUTE TO DISNEY VOICE ARTISTS

Following an afternoon break, the final two seminars of the weekend were offered. Moderated by Disney author and historian Tim O’Day, Hearing Voices featured six actors, each of whom has given voice to a memorable Disney character. First up was Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy. He spoke warmly of Pinto Colvig, who created the role. Farmer won the role in a 1986 audition. He shared stories about his work with the rest of the “Fab Five,” recalling his close friendship with the late Wayne Allwine (Mickey Mouse). Farmer also mentioned that his favorite project was The Goofy Movie. 

Lisa Davis was next. Her charming performance as Anita in One Hundred and One Dalmatians almost didn’t come about. She had been called to the studio to audition for the part of Cruella de Vill. It seems that Disney had learned that she could do a great impersonation of Zsa Zsa Gabor, whom she had met while working on a low-budget movie, The Queen of Outer Space. Davis told of her unhappiness, as she read Cruella’s lines opposite Walt Disney himself, who was reading for Anita. Finally, mustering up her courage, she asked if they could switch. When Walt realized she was more Anita than Cruella, the part was hers.

Next up on the panel was David Frankham, who played the voice of Sargeant Tibbs, in One Hundred and One Dalmatians. A performer in England (“Jukebox Jury”), he made the contact through Lisa Davis; brother-in-law. After meeting director Woolie Reitherman and studying his own pet cats, Frankham landed the role of the officious Sargeant Tibbs.

Crowd favorite Kathryn Beaumont was next. Moderator Tim O’Day recalled a short subject, “On an Island With You,” made at MGM with Jimmy Durante, filmed while Beaumont was quite young.  For her part, Beaumont spoke of playing two roles for Disney, Alice in Wonderland and Wendy in Peter Pan. She also mentioned her live appearance in Disney’s first television special, One Hour in Wonderland. His concern at missing his lines made Walt ill at ease, she said.

Chris Sanders next talked about Stitich, the feisty little alien he not only voiced, but also created. Asked by O’Day, which came first, the character or the voice, Sanders explained that originally Stitch was not going to speak at all, in the manner of Dumbo. As they began working with the script, they realized Stitch would need a voice. Sanders provided a scratch track, using a voice he had created “to annoy people.” Co-director Dean DeBlois, along with Disney executive Tom Schumaker urged him to actually play the role.

After noting that announced guest Dickie Jones, the voice of Pinocchio, was unable to attend, O’Day then turned to the final member of the panel, Bruce Reitherman. The son of legendary Disney animator and director Woolie Reitherman, Bruce freely stated that he was cast in the role around the family dinner table. He had worked at the studio already as Christopher Robin in Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree. When the actor who was playing Mowgli in The Jungle Book had to drop out (his voice changed), Reitherman inherited the role.