Idea for a Disney documentary

[wdwdawg]

While listening to many of the Disney attraction sound tracks and watching Disney animated movies, I think it would be neat to see a story about those kids who are adults now, or any adults then and who are much older adults now, who provided the voices. I would like for them to get together as many as they could, like the kids that sang for Small World and talk with them about their experiences. Or the men that provided the voices for Pirates of the Carribean. Or the Country Bear Jamboree. Or the voices of some of the older Disney animated movies, whoever is still living. Maybe something like this has already been done. If so, please let me know. If not maybe one day it will happen.

wdwdawg

 

[Robo]

While listening to many of the Disney attraction sound tracks and watching Disney animated movies, I think it would be neat to see a story about those kids who are adults now, or any adults then and who are much older adults now, who provided the voices. I would like for them to get together as many as they could, like the kids that sang for Small World and talk with them about their experiences. Or the men that provided the voices for Pirates of the Carribean. Or the Country Bear Jamboree. Or the voices of some of the older Disney animated movies, whoever is still living. Maybe something like this has already been done. If so, please let me know. If not maybe one day it will happen.

wdwdawg

Many of the principal voices starring in Pirates, Country Bears, HM, and Tiki Room are, sadly, passed away.

Tex Ritter voices Big ("Blood on the Saddle") Al in Country Bears.
Tex was the father of the late John Ritter (Three'a Company, et al) and Tex actually wrote and recorded (even before the Country Bears were created) the song "Blood on the Saddle." Tex died many years ago.

Thurl Ravenscroft voices Buff the Buffalo on the wall in Country Bears.
Mr. Ravenscroft is best-remembered as the voice of Tony the Tiger of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes commercials.

Paul Frees, Thurl Ravenscroft, Eleanor Audley, are the main voices in HM.
Mr. Frees, the "Ghost Host" in HM also voiced Ludwig on Drake (amoung others) for Disney and was the long-time voice of the Pillsbury Dough Boy.

Ms. Audley was also the voice of Cinderella's Stepmother and the voice of the evil Maleficent in "Sleeping Beauty". She is the voice of the "head" inside the crystal ball (Madame Leota) in the Haunted Mansion attraction.

Paul Frees, and Thurl Ravenscroft are the main voices in Pirates.

Thurl Ravenscroft voices Fritz, the German-accented macaw in Tiki Room.
Mr. Frees, Mr.Ravenscroft and Ms. Audley are no longer with us.

Ernie Newton voices Pierre, the French-accented macaw in Tiki Room.
Fulton Burley voices Micheal, the Irish-accented macaw in Tiki Room.
And I don't have any information about these two fellows,

but Wally Boag who voiced Jose the Spanish-accented "MC" macaw in the Tiki Room, is still with us.

 

[krismas29]

wwwdawg, thanks for your great idea and Robo, thanks for the great post. I have wondered about the voices a time or two myself and I appreciate the knowledgeable response. I'll have a bit of trivia to share with my family next time we are in those attractions!

I remember reading that if the HM movie had grossed above a certain amount, that Disney had promised Jennifer Tilley that her head and voice would be put in the crystal ball in the HM attraction. This is probably just a Disney rumor, but I must say I am glad that Ms. Audley is still there. I love her voice!

"Goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween ... waken the spirits with your tambourine!"

 

[BTown]

You should check out The Extinct Attractions Club. Run a google search on them. They make a lot of documentaries on Disney attractions, interviewing the people involved and what not. They are generally pretty good. I bring this up because I know for a fact they have one about Thurl Ravenscroft, filmed just before he passed away, where she shares all of his experiences working with Disney, and the videos are cleverly edited with rare archive footage. Would be worth your time to check out I think. I also believe they have a few more videos such as this with other Disney voice actors, but cant recall off the top of my head.

 

[wdwdawg]

I guess when you start thinking about it, with Disney opening up back in '71, there was a good chance, sadly though, that a lot of those who provided those voices are now gone. Thanks Robo for all of that info and BTown I will take a look at that web site.

wdwdawg