Toon Talk Special: The 101 Greatest Disney Voice Artists - Part 2 of 2
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Thurl Ravenscroft
The bass of the Mellomen, Ravenscroft was heard with that popular singing group as a Card Painter in Alice in Wonderland, a Dog Pound Mutt in Lady & the Tramp and in Disneyland as the pillaging Pirates of the Caribbean and as the Grim Grinning Ghosts who come out to socialize in the Haunted Mansion. (His bust in the graveyard scene is often mistaken for Walt Disney.)
On his own, he can be heard as the title character in the short Paul Bunyan, Captain the horse in 101 Dalmatians, the Father in the short Donald & the Wheel, a Knight in The Sword in the Stone, the singing voice of Shere Khan in The Jungle Book, the Russian Cat in The Aristocats and Kirby the vacuum cleaner (no jokes, please) in The Brave Little Toaster video and it's two sequels.
Outside of Disney, Ravenscroft is best known as the man who sang "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" in the classic holiday program Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas and as the voice of Tony the Tiger in dozens of television commercials for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes.
Clarence Nash
(c) Disney
The man who launched a thousand "quack attacks", not to mention thousands of audience members' laughter (if not quizzical looks as if saying "what did he say?"). Clarence "Ducky" Nash was the voice behind Donald Duck from his debut in The Wise Little Hen in 1934 to the 1961 short Donald and the Wheel, returning in 1983 for Mickey's Christmas Carol.
His feature appearances as Donald include The Reluctant Dragon (where he can be seen singing a duet with Florence Gill, a.k.a. Clara Cluck), Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, Fun & Fancy Free and Mickey's Christmas Carol.
Nash never voiced any other character but Donald except for Donna Duck in the short Don Donald. In subsequent appearances she was voiced by others and went by the more familiar name Daisy Duck.
Paul Frees
Forever remembered as Professor Ludwig Von Drake in several television appearances (beginning on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color in 1961), Frees is immortalized by another role: as the Ghost Host in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. He also provided several additional voices for that attraction, as well as the Pirates of the Caribbean.
Frees also served as the Narrator of the feature The Shaggy Dog and the short Goofy's Freeway Troubles. He can also be heard in the shorts Donald in Mathmagic Land and Noah's Ark, as the Radio Announcer in The Absent-Minded Professor, and as Thunderbolt's nemesis, Dirty Dawson, in 101 Dalmatians.
Walt Disney
(c) Disney
The legend goes that when Walt was trying to explain how he wanted his new little mouse cartoon star named Mickey to sound, everyone agreed that he should just do it.
So, starting with Steamboat Willie in 1928 and continuing with every short up until 1947's Mickey's Delayed Date (with the features Fantasia and Fun & Fancy Free thrown in there as well), Walt really was the man behind the mouse.
Walt also voiced Minnie Mouse and the Parrot in Steamboat Willie, the only other characters he played.
Jim MacDonald
MacDonald was already a Disney veteran, providing sound effects for the studio since 1934, when in 1946 he was asked by Walt to take over the voice of Mickey, which he did until his retirement in 1976.
A man of many talents, he can also be heard as the Yodeling Man in Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, Chip in Private Pluto, the Dormouse in Alice in Wonderland, Humphrey the Bear in various shorts and on television, the Penguins in Mary Poppins, Evinrude the dragonfly in The Rescuers, and both Gus and Jacques, as well as Bruno the dog, in Cinderella.
Cliff Edwards
(c) Disney
Arguably no other performer is more associated with an animated character then Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards.
His Jiminy Cricket not only sung the official Disney anthem "When You Wish Upon a Star" in Pinocchio, he also appeared in the feature Fun & Fancy Free and in numerous educational segments (such as I'm No Fool)on the classic Mickey Mouse Club television program. Edwards can also be heard as Jim Crow, one of the crows who teaches Dumbo how to fly.
-- Kirby C. Holt
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-- Kirby C. Holt
Kirby is a lifelong Disney fan and film buff. A frequent contributer to the LaughingPlace.com Discussion Boards, he currently resides near one of the Happiest Places on Earth: Orlando, Florida.
Took Talk: Disney Film & Video Reviews by Kirby C. Holt is posted whenever there's something new to review.
The opinions expressed by our Kirby C. Holt, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future plans of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
-- Posted June 29, 2001