Wayne Allwine: A Celebration of Life
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The Michael Eisner Building with Russi Taylor (bottom right) in front
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On Monday, July 27th, 2009 at 6:30pm, a celebration of the life of Wayne Allwine was held at the Walt Disney Studios Legends Plaza. The area near the oversized sculpture of the Legends Award held the raised podium for the guest speakers to stand, as well as a lectern to hold their notes. There were rows of folding chairs side by side with an aisle in the middle that filled half the Plaza for invited guests to sit during the ceremony, where they could gaze upon the speakers with the Legends Award Sculpture spiraling behind and above the speakers' heads. In the background was the imposing Michael Eisner Building with the Dwarfs appearing to hold up the roof at the top. On both sides of the podium were screens for viewing photos and clips of Wayne. At the rear and also one side of the Plaza were buffet tables set up with food servers dispensing hamburgers and hot dogs, while there were platters of condiments, potato salad as well as other salads. On the other side at the rear were different choices of ice cream as well as an assortment of cookies, which could be combined into ice cream sandwiches or eaten alone. On both sides of the area were barrels of bottles of soft drinks and water packed in ice. In between, there were tables where invited guests and speakers could stand and visit with one another. A band, led by Ted Thomas (son of one of Walt�s Nine Old Men, Frank Thomas), played for the guests during the food portion which was held at the beginning of the event.
Moderator Don Hahn
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This was not a media event as in a film premiere. Instead it was a celebration of the life of a beloved friend and/or family member for those who were privileged enough to know and/or work with him. Amongst some of the prominent guests were Jeanette Thomas, mother of Ted Thomas and widow of Frank Thomas, Kathryn Beaumont Levine (Voice of Alice and Wendy) and her husband Allan, Eddie Carroll (Voice of Jiminy Cricket) and his wife Carolyn, as well as April Winchell (Voice of Clarabel Cow). More celebrities there included: Howard Green (VP of the Walt Disney Company) with his new bride Steinunn, Tony Baxter (VP of Walt Disney Imagineering), Andreas Deja (famed animator), Mark Henn (animator well known for his heroines), and Burny Mattinson (animator and director of such films as Mickey�s Christmas Carol.) Amongst some of the guests who were also speakers were: Roy Disney, accompanied by his wife Leslie, Bob Iger (CEO of the Walt Disney Company), Dave Smith (historian), Bill Farmer (Goofy), Tony Anselmo (Donald Duck) and moderator Don Hahn (director, producer and animator), as well as Leonard Maltin. The event continued into the evening, with the food portion being followed by speakers, interspersed with slides of Wayne and his wife Russi Taylor, film clips and interviews being shown on the two screens beside the podium, along with musical entertainment.