Bob Welbaum: About Mickey and Magic
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About Mickey and Magic
What is the key to Disney magic?
Many would say it is the Disney characters. Walt himself said “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.�? Visit a Disney theme park – any theme park – and you will see firsthand the joy Mickey and all the other characters can bring to happy, healthy children.
I say “healthy�? for a reason. For there is another, more serious side to the characters you may not be aware of. I first learned about this at the 1992 NFFC Convention (www.nffc.org) during a presentation by Wayne Allwine, the official voice of Mickey Mouse, and Russi Taylor, the official voice of Minnie Mouse. Wayne and Russi are dear friends of the NFFC, having appeared at the club’s conventions many times. Their 1992 appearance was even more special -- not only had they recently been married, but they gave us real insight into how they approach their jobs, and especially what they do for ill children.
Wayne provided the first inkling when he said this early in their talk:
Wayne: We would’ve been here sooner this morning, but we got called by the Disney Company yesterday to come into the offices this morning and make a phone call for a little girl who’s dying with AIDS over in New Zealand. And it’s a real interesting story. Apparently she is like the Ryan White* of that particular area. She’s ten years old and from Australia. Apparently the Australians gave her a terrible time and her family had to leave the country it was so bad. They were sort of adopted by the folks over in New Zealand, and they’re pulling out all the stops now to really give her a fine time. They didn’t think she would live to see her 10th birthday, and today is her 10th birthday. So … she’s having a birthday party wearing a wedding dress because she’ll never get married. And she wanted to talk to Mickey and Minnie. So that’s part of why we’re late.
At this point, Wayne and Russi’s presentation moved on to other topics (including freeway traffic). Then later, someone in the audience predictably asked about that little girl. This was their reply:
Wayne: “…she, like a lot of the kids we talk to, once a year Russi, myself, Bill [Farmer, the official voice of Goofy and Pluto], and a lot of the voice-over talent in town – Nancy Cartwright [voice of Bart Simpson and Rufus on “Kim Possible�?], David Faustino from “Married with Children�?; athletes , Magic Johnson, baseball players, you name it – all get together with this group called Famous Fone Friends.
[To Russi] I think like December 15th, around in there?
We all go downtown in a big, huge building, office building that donated an office to us that day. We make phone calls to children around the country who are dying. Or will not be able to be home for Christmas. We usually talk with little ones anywhere from age three up to 13. They’re usually terminal, or they have had a brain operation, or they’re now in remission but kind of iffy. And the social workers that are assigned to the various cases will apply to Famous Fone Friends and let us know who they want to talk to.
Russi: … And too we get emergency calls periodically…. There was a wonderful phone call that happened a long time ago when Hal Smith was doing Pooh, when he got an emergency phone call and the boy was expected to die that night. And they knew that he loved Winnie, and tried to get a hold of him, and finally did. He got through after hours and he talked to him for about an hour. And the little boy died right afterwards with a smile on his face.
Wayne: …The little girl on the phone was responsive. She sounded tired. We were told she’s a bag of bones. Probably doesn’t have much in the way of hair.
Russi: And she was telling us all about she was going have this wedding, and there would be songs, and she didn’t know who the groom was going to be yet, and he said, [turning to Wayne and touching his arm], say it.
Wayne [In Mickey’s voice]: “Gosh, I wish I could be the lucky fella!�?
Russi: She just loved that. And we sang “Happy Birthday.�? It was really … it made me cry.
Wayne: We did [unintelligible] time, both of us last night so we could work today. You gotta get rid of the emotion so you could get the job done. But it’s hard. This is one of the hardest called we’ve had. To talk to a child who is terminal.
We came up with a couple kids that were terminal that just went on and on, and on and on and on. And finally we thought, well, if we continue to call, at this point [shrugs shoulders.] …And then they start saying [cartoony child’s voice] “I sure would like to come to Hollywood and get an agent. Can you get me some work?�? [Cartoony adult voice] “I thought you were sick.�? This happened! We had a little girl …who was supposedly very ill. She got very well. And she got so well, it was like…
Russi: I’m glad she did. I hope she gets a job in “The Biz.�?
Wayne: Yea, really. But this was a little one that was a definite loss. And most of the kids that we talk to that are [unintelligible] as terminal really are. And I think the best use, possible use, of the character is to put a smile on a kid’s face.
Thank you, Wayne and Russi. I couldn’t have said it better myself!
* Ryan White was a hemophiliac who was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984 at age 13. At a time of much fear and ignorance about this disease, his attempts to lead a normal life were met with such community resistance that his family moved to another community. Ryan became a symbol of the fight against AIDS and its accompanying prejudices, and was befriended by a number of prominent people. Ryan died in 1990, but his legacy continues today. For the complete story, visit www.ryanwhite.com.
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-- Bob Welbaum
Bob Welbaum is a longtime Disneyana fan and NFFC member from the Dayton, Ohio area.
-- February 16, 2007