Report: Cinderella's 50th Anniversary Royal Celebration
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Bill Justice's delightful comments were followed by a video clip of one of the Disney Company’s most colorful characters, Ward Kimball. Kimball was the lead animator on Lucifer the cat. Lucifer was based upon Ward’s cat Feetsie who had 6 toes on each foot. One day while Walt was visiting Feetsie came over and began rubbing against Walt’s leg. Walt exclaimed, “Hey Kimball, for gosh sakes, there’s your Lucifer right there.”

Ward Kimball

Next we were treated to a video of Frank Thomas who was the lead animator on Lady Tremaine, the stepmother. Thomas described his apprehension as he had previously done cute characters such as Thumper from Bambi but Walt assured him he would have fun. Frank spoke of how he’d jump whenever he looked at the moving sketches. Her eyes would be hard and set and then soften and then set again. This is most easily identified in the sequence where she sets out the chores Cinderella must accomplish before going to the Ball.

The voice of Anastasia, Lucille Bliss

Next up was Lucille Bliss, the voice for Anastasia, one of the stepsisters. O'Day asked how she got the part of Anastasia. Blissed explained that before Cinderella she was working in radio in San Francisco. She had been Charlie McCartney’s girlfriend but that show had been recently cancelled. She convinced her mother to let her go to Hollywood. A friend suggested she try the Disney auditions. When the cab arrived he asked her how much money she had and Bliss replied, “$7.50”. He said that’s amazing, that’s exactly what we need then drove her all around Hollywood. When she asked why the buildings looked alike he replied, “When Hollywood finds a good thing they repeat it” Arriving at the Disney Studios she was met with the sad news that the auditions had already been completed. Bliss - looking haggard and terribly disappointed - was asked if she could adlib. The gentleman let her record various voices for fifteen or twenty minutes and assured her he would make sure someone heard her audition. Three months later not having heard a thing Bliss called the Studio. The phone was answered by someone Bliss called “an impersonal voice”. Bliss asked about the Cinderella auditions and was told it “hasn’t been cast yet.” Three months later the “same impersonal voice” called to say the Studio needed Bliss to be in Hollywood the following week and where would she be staying. Bliss flustered and amazed by the call replied, “The Plaza” a well-known hotel of the day. She asked what part she had received and was told she would be the voice of a stepsister.

The voice of Drizella, Rhoda Williams

Rhoda Williams also worked in radio. She heard that Disney was casting for a fairy tale and recalls the audition at the Studio. Walt was out of town so all the girls had to be recorded since all talent decisions would be made by Walt himself. She described her time as a stepsister as great fun because they could be crazy brats. Anastasia, voiced by Bliss, was whiny and William’s character Drizella was nasty. Rhoda felt these two personalities balanced each other and that’s why they were loved so much.

Williams said Walt would pop into the studio often during the recording. She told one of story of him rushing in and declaring, “I have this great idea.” After he concluded his explanation of it the director explained that to follow Walt’s idea many other recordings would have to be changed and it would cost the studio time and money. She said Walt’s eyebrow rose to the top of his forehead and after a few moments he exclaimed, “That’s another great idea that went nowhere” and he left.