Voice Legends of Animation

Robin Williams as the Genie in "Aladdin" - Whoopi Goldberg also did this character, but Robin Williams is the gold standard. He re-ignited the trend of getting A-List figures in Hollywood to voice animated characters during Disney's Renaissance of the 1990s.

There are so many top voice talents that have voiced memorable animation characters - many of them long forgotten except by fans - that it is almost an injustice to try to list the top ones. However, it is nice to know who voiced some of the more popular characters in animated feature film history.

Off the top of our head, did you know that Bing Crosby ("The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad"), Jerry Seinfield ("Bee Movie"), Vincent Price ("The Great Mouse Detective"), Bob Newhart ("The Rescuers" and "The Rescuers Down Under"), James Woods ("Hercules") and Walt Disney himself (he did Mickey Mouse for many years and even appeared as himself in "Saludos Amigos") voiced popular animated characters? And many, many more famous names, way too many to list.

Because there is no point in honoring only the top celebrities - they get enough homage as it is anyway - we will include some of the lesser known characters and the actors who brought them to life.

So, without slighting anybody, and all omissions being without malice, let's go through a few.

Snow White

For a decade Walt Disney insisted that the identities of the actors and singers providing the voices for his characters were kept secret. He believed that if audiences knew who was providing the voice the magic would be ruined. As a result, the entire cast of Disney's first feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs went uncredited – along with the several other movies that followed. The title role was played by Adriana Caselotti, an 18-year-old Italian who was trained by her father to be an opera singer. Disney personally chose her for the role and she was placed under a contract which forbade her from appearing in film and other media. However, she continued to take part in publicity for Snow White until well into her later years.

Adriana Caselotti was up in her bedroom and heard her father, one of Walt Disney's cronies, talking about finding just the right girl to voice Snow White in Disney's upcoming ground-breaking animated feature film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." She came down and wowed Walt, who loved her voice and style and quickly cast her. Adriana suffered from the system at the time - that essentially was her only role of any note - but she goes down in history as the first true voice star of animation.

Aurora

Mary Costa was already a successful opera singer when she auditioned for the role of Aurora for Sleeping Beauty in 1952. Hours later Walt called her personally to offer her the role. To this day she continues to do promotional appearances for Disney.

Mary Costa is one of the unsung heroes of animation. "Sleeping Beauty" was a financial disaster upon release - it just seemed a little too like every other Walt Disney animated feature film - but in hindsight, it has become hugely popular, spawned a live-action remake/retelling focusing on villainess Maleficent starring Angelina Jolie, and generally been acknowledged by virtually everyone as a high point in the entire history of animation.

Maleficent and Lady Tremaine

Eleanor Audley was a well-known face on classic American television and would regularly appear on shows such as Green Acres, I Love Lucy and The Dick Van Dyke Show. She provided the voices for two of Disney's nastiest female characters, Lady Tremaine in Cinderella and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty, and served as a physical model for both characters.

Since we are on the subject of "Sleeping Beauty," there is no point in slighting the wonderful Eleanor Audley in the key role of villainess Maleficent. She was the first to don the horns, and while she did not portray the character on screen herself, she had no problem dressing up as the character to help the animators track her characters movements for the film. If there ever is a Hall of Fame of voice actors, Eleanor Audley needs to be in there.

Eleanor Audley as Maleficent

Oh, and if you're true fan of animation legends, you had to know that I wouldn't skip the fact that Eleanor voiced Lady Tremaine in "Cinderella," too! Talk about being in two of the top classic animated feature films of all time!

Alice in Wonderland and Wendy Darling

Alice in Wonderland (1951) and Peter Pan (1953) Wendy/Alice — Kathryn Beaumont At just 10 years old Kathryn Beaumont was both the voice and model for Alice in Disney’s original 1951 animated "Alice in Wonderland." She went on to be the voice for Wendy in "Peter Pan," and today continues voice work reprising her famous roles. The 75-year-old Beaumont also worked as a schoolteacher where she was known to delight her students by performing her Wendy and Alice voices.

Anyone who does not include Kathryn Beaumont, who voiced Alice in "Alice in Wonderland," in their "Legends of Voice-overs" list needs to sent down the rabbit hole! Kathryn Beaumont has one of the most incredible stories in Hollywood history. She had a slight British accent because she was a native of Great Britain, and Walt Disney loved that fact - along with her girlish ten-year-old personality and bright, blue eyes She was the Honey Boo Boo of her day! Kathryn was still kind of hanging around the studio afterward completing "Alice," so Walt decided to use her again - in the little role of Wendy Darling in "Peter Pan."

That doesn't happen too often in Hollywood.

The best part about Kathryn's story, though, is that she successfully evaded the curse of child actors that struck down so many of her peers. Never one to get airs, she voiced two of the most famous characters in film - not just animation - history, and then just casually went back to school after her intern job at Disney completed when summer vacation was over one year. That is precisely how it went down, no more acting and no more voice work. She studied hard and became a schoolteacher, never looking back at former fame or riches. This girl was raised right. Many, many years later Kathryn came back to Disney and voiced her old characters again, long after everyone had forgotten who she was, recapturing the magic and no doubt making her former pupils honored to know they had had a brush with true Disney greatness.

That is an awesome, magical story all in itself.

Baloo the Bear, O'Malley and Little John

Phil Harris had an illustrious entertainment career, appearing as an actor and comedian on radio and as a singer, musician and band leader. In 1967 and 1973 he voiced two very similar-looking bears for Disney. The first was as cuddly Baloo in The Jungle Book, the second as cuddly Little John in Robin Hood.

Phil Harris was quite successful in the 1950s onward as a recording star and lounge singer, and some still remember him as the perennial host of a golf tournament throughout the 1970s. However, Harris also voiced, not one, not two, but three of the enduring characters in animated feature film history.

He began his string with Baloo the Bear in "The Jungle Book," one of the most memorable Disney films of all time (and one that is being re-made as a live-action film at the time of this writing, too). It was the last animated feature film that Walt Disney himself oversaw, and he bestowed his blessing on Harris as Baloo, a role that helped turn "The Jungle Book" into the most successful Disney animated feature film since "Peter Pan."

Harris then voiced O'Malley in "Aristocats" a couple of years later. In the advertising for this second film, Disney even slipped in images of Harris' character Baloo from "The Jungle Book" - despite the fact that Baloo was not in "Aristocats"! If that isn't the ultimate accolade for an unknown voice actor making an impression on audiences, well, there can't be too many better ones.

The third character was as "Little John" in "Robin Hood" a few years later. By that time, Disney was falling on hard times in its animation department, and Harris had done his thing. He was a game trooper, though, and came back to try and voice Baloo again some twenty years later for a television series, but by that time his voice was gone and it just wasn't right.

Harris remains virtually alone at the top of the heap by voicing key voices in three separate and unrelated Disney animated feature film classics.

King of the Apes

Probably the bigger voice star of The Jungle Book was Louis Prima, the lively musician who had reinvented his style through the decades – beginning with a jazz band in the Twenties, then moving on to swing in the Thirties, big band in the Forties, becoming a Vegas lounge act in the Fifties and forming a pop rock band in the Sixties. His performance as orang-utan King Louie and the song I Wanna Be Like You will always be remembered as one of Disney’s finest.

"The King of the Apes" was not supposed to be a major character in "The Jungle Book," but Louis Prima was so captivating in his performance that Disney expanded the role to suit him. It was a brilliant decision, as most fans of the film will acknowledge that Louis Prima, aside perhaps from Harris as Baloo, was the best thing about "The Jungle Book."

King Richard and Prince John

Two big stars – and big personalities – came together for 1973’s Robin Hood. British acting heavyweight Peter Ustinov voiced the role of evil Prince John – the man, well, lion, occupying the throne while his brother King Richard (also voiced by Ustinov) was on a crusade. Known for playing cads and toffs, comic actor Terry-Thomas played Sir Hiss.

Terry-Thomas was one of the funniest men in the world, with his gap-toothed trademark grin, and he carried his talent over into the animation world with his portrayal of "Sir Hiss" in "Robin Hood." No, Sir Hiss was not in the original legend, and yes, it was a completely unnecessary addition that contributed to the feeling that Disney animation was descending to the level of television Saturday morning cartoons that were all the rage then. However, it is undeniable that Terry-Thomas lightened things up in what otherwise might have become a ponderous re-recitation of a story that everybody knows by heart.

And let's not forget Peter Ustinov, esteemed Academy Award winner who pitched in to voice two characters in Robin Hood!

Jessica Rabbit

Kathleen Turner helped confuse sexually frustrated teenage boys the world over when she provided her sultry tones to Jessica Rabbit (talking only, Amy Irving provided the singing), possibly Disney’s most overtly sexy character. Turner was uncredited for the role in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).

"Who Framed Roger Rabbit" was an early Touchstone Films example of mixing live action and animation, something that Hollywood - which rarely invents anything new - is going back to with a vengeance these days in films like "The Smurfs." Kathleen Turner had a sultry voice that fit the voluptuous character of the Hollywood starlet. The character has become a staple of women's Halloween costumes ever since.

Ariel the Little Mermaid

Jodi Benson has voiced many Disney characters – including Thumbelina and Barbie in Toy Story – but her biggest role is as Ariel in the hugely successful 1989 film The Little Mermaid. Away from the big screen, she’s also a Tony Award-winning stage actress.

Jodi Benson has been in so many Disney animated projects that it is difficult to keep track. However, her most famous role was as Ariel in "The Little Mermaid," a role she reprised to great effect in the sequels.

Lumiere

Jerry Orbach, famous for his roles as Lennie Briscoe in Law & Order and Baby’s father in Dirty Dancing, provided the voice of the enchanted candelabra, Lumiere, in Beauty and the Beast.

There is a special place in animation history for actors who take a small, insignificant role and make it their own. Jerry Orbach, star of "Dirty Dancing" and various television cop shows, did that with the role of Lumiere in "Beauty and the Beast."

Mrs. Potts

Angela Lansbury, so well known for appearing as Jessica Fletcher in Murder, She Wrote, was the voice of charming teapot Mrs Potts in Beauty and the Beast.

Angela Lansbury was one of show business' legends when she took on the role of Mrs. Potts in "Beauty and the Beast," but she stepped up to the plate one more time and created a legendary character in one of Disney's most successful films of the Disney Renaissance.

The Mad Hatter and Uncle Albert

Ed Wynn is a familiar face best known for playing laughing Uncle Albert in 1964’s Mary Poppins and he also provided the voice for the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland (1951). He was a successful vaudeville and comedy performer in the 30s before turning his hand to serious roles later in life – and earned an Oscar nomination for his part in The Diary of Anne Frank (1959). He was also originally offered the role of the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz but turned it down claiming it “too small”. He died in 1966, aged 79, and his epitaph reads "Dear God, Thanks... Ed Wynn".

Ed Wynn was a popular character actor who performed his best role as Uncle Albert in "Mary Poppins," a fantastic fantasy role for which he was ideally suited. He also was The Mad Hatter in "Alice in Wonderland." That is perhaps the best combination of roles for a character actor in all of animation history.

Kaa

Sterling Holloway was an actor that Disney turned to time and time again. Those born in the first half of the 20th century may remember him as Uncle Oscar in the TV series the Adventures of Superman, however it is his voice that is best loved as that of Winnie the Pooh, Kaa in The Jungle Book, Mr Stork in Dumbo and the Cheshire Cat in Alice and Wonderland.

Sterling Holloway played a number of characters where you instantly recognize the voice, but not the name. Heck, you may not even remember the name of the snake in "The Jungle Book," but if you've seen the film, you remember both the character and the voice. Well, the name is Sterling Holloway, and he was one of the great talents in the voice business.

Simba

By the Nineties, the Disney juggernaut was at full strength and casting serious Hollywood actors became commonplace. In 1994’s The Lion King, Matthew Broderick (best known for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and being married to Sarah Jessica Parker) was brought in to be the talking voice of adult Simba. (Jonathan Taylor-Thomas of the sitcom Home Improvement was the voice of young Simba.) Broderick’s stardom, however, was nothing compared to who they cast as Scar…

Matthew Broderick was famous as his signature character Ferris Bueller, but he created another legend by voicing Simba in "The Lion King," perhaps the most popular animated feature film before "Frozen" - and possibly after "Frozen," too.

Uncle Scar

Gravelly voiced Jeremy Irons made a genuinely scary Uncle Scar in The Lion King. Among the other famous voices in the film were Rowan Atkinson as Zazu, Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi, Cheech Marin as Banzai, Nathan Lane as Timon and James Earl Jones as Mufasa.

Jeremy Irons isn't usually thought of as a voice actor, but he made a deep impression as Uncle Scar in "The Lion King." Along with the other legendary characters in the film, Irons was a key part of an ensemble that still resonates with viewers today.

Cinderella

Illene Woods began her starry career early, with her own radio show on the ABC network aged just 14. She also performed as part of the United States Air Force Orchestra during the Second World War and sang for two US Presidents – Franklin D Roosevelt and Harry S Truman. After performing "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo", "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes", and "So This is Love" for her songwriter friends Mack David and Jerry Livingston, she was invited by Walt Disney to voice the leading role in Cinderella in 1950. By this time Disney had actually begun crediting its voice stars rather than keeping their identities a secret.

Illene Woods only voiced the one role of Cinderella - but what a role it was!

The Fairy Godmother

Comedian Verna Felton was one of the true stars of Disney. She was already a regular film, television and radio actress when she was cast in her first Disney film as Mrs Jumbo in Dumbo (top right). She went on to play the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland (bottom right), Flora in Sleeping Beauty (top left), Winifred the Elephant in The Jungle Book and mean Siamese cat-owning Aunt Sarah in Lady and the Tramp (bottom left). Late on December 14, 1966 she died of a stroke, aged 76. Just hours later Walt Disney himself passed away.

You may not know who voiced her - but I can pretty much guarantee that if you have seen the original "Cinderella" that you remember the role of the Fairy Godmother. Well, Verna Felton voiced that and many other wonderful characters for Walt Disney.

The Evil Queen

Lucille La Verne had had an extensive stage career before she was cast as the voice of the evil queen in Snow White. She was also a model for the artists creating the old crone – who the queen turns into to trick Snow White into biting into the apple. She retired immediately afterwards and opened a successful nightclub before dying of cancer in 1945.

The Evil Queen in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" may have been evil, but she remains one of the enduring figures in animated film history. She was voiced by Lucille La Verne, who was cool with not getting any official credit and used her fifteen minutes of fame to leave the business entirely and open a nightclub. It may have been the smartest career choice of anyone on this list.

Too Many to List

Mel Blanc, active until his untimely passing in 1989

Mel Blanc is not only the voice of Bugs Bunny but also of Barney Rubble (and other characters in "The Flintstones" such as Dino), Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester the Cat, Tweety Bird, Foghorn Leghorn and Yosemite Sam. Late in his life, he was the little robot Twiki in "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century." He did the car sounds in the Jack Benny radio show, and was highly insulted when the producers suggested that they simply tape the effects since it was the same sound every single week for years. "Don't you think I can do it?" he asked. He could - and he did. Not only that, he made the sound different every single time.

There's nothing I can add to that. It speaks for itself. Nothing I could possibly write would do this bona fide legend justice.

Mickey

The character that is still, to this day, synonymous with Disney. Mickey Mouse’s high falsetto voice was provided by Walt Disney himself for almost 20 years, including classic "Fantasia." However by 1946 he had become too busy to continue – and rumour has it his smoker’s voice was no longer up to hitting the high notes – so the role passed to Jimmy MacDonald.

Awww, you did not really think we were going to give the master himself, Walt Disney, such short shrift, did you?





2014

Peter Pan (1953) - Disney Animation's Peak

Peter Pan: Anyone Else Think Tinker Bell is Hot?

Walt Disney had a group of nine animators who formed the core of his studio. They were Lee Clark, Marc Davis, Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, Eric Larson, John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman and Frank Thomas. They had worked on every animated feature film from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs onward. Reitherman went on to direct Disney's animated feature films in the 60's and '70s, including successes such as The Sword in the Stone and The Jungle Book. This was their last film together as a group, so, in a sense, it is the end of classic Disney. Their departures may partly explain why the studio lost its way in the animation field between 1959's Sleeping Beauty and The Little Mermaid in 1989.

Disney keeps this very up-to-date, in the US and abroad.

They still were at work here for "Peter Pan" (1953), based on J.M. Barrie's 1904 play and 1911 novel, and the quality shows. In fact, it was basically the same crew from "Alice in Wonderland," with Mary Blair again handling the color and styling and Wilfred Jackson, Clyde Geronimi and Hamilton Luske directing. Walt Disney had put this on his list back in the 1930s, but he had trouble getting the rights. When he finally had them, World War II was in progress and this was one of the projects that he shelved in order to focus on war propaganda films. It took years after the war ended for the studio to recover, but when it did, Disney, put this back on the schedule.

I can fly!

The setting is Edwardian London. George (Hans Conried) and Mary (Heather Angel) Darling have two young boys, John (Paul Collins) and Michael (Tommy Luske), and an eldest daughter, Wendy (Kathryn Beaumont). Wendy has been telling them stories that make them act up, so George bans her from the nursery and tells her it is time she sleeps alone in her own room. George and Mary then leave for a party.

Flying 'round Big Ben.

With the parents gone, the three children have two unusual visitors: Peter Pan (Bobby Driscoll), a boy with magical powers who never wants to grow up, and Tinker Bell (Margaret Kerry was the model, and Tinker never speaks), his cute little pixie sidekick, who Peter secretly loves. Peter visits because he knows the children believe in him and made him the hero of their nursery games. He takes them flying, then on a visit to a remote island called "Never Land." There, they see Captain Hook (Conried) and his timid, down-to-earth mate, Mr. Smee (Bill Thompson).

Tinker Bell through the key hole!

Hook lost his hand to a crocodile and blames Peter Pan, whom he plots to destroy. Peter Pan and the children visit the six "Lost Boys" (Robert Ellis, Jeffrey Silver, Jonny McGovern as twins, Stuffy Singer, and Tony Butala), who wear pajamas and follow Peter Pan. Tinker Bell turns out to be jealous of Wendy and tries to get the Lost Boys to shoot her down while flying, but Peter saves and then banishes Tinker for "high treason" until she redeems herself later.

"You're so cute!"

Hook has captured the local Indian chief's daughter, Tiger Lily (Corinne Orr), who he thinks knows the location of Peter Pan's hideout. John and Michael go with the Lost Boys to talk with "Big Chief" (Candy Candido), but instead Big Chief captures them, thinking they took his daughter. Big Chief gives Peter Pan until nightfall to return his daughter or he says he will burn his hostages at the stake.

Captain Hook, at your service.

Peter Pan and Wendy visit the local mermaids (June Foray, Connie Hilton, Margaret Kerry and Karen Kester), who love Peter but are jealous of Wendy and playfully try to drown her. Hook, arrives, though, and the mermaids are scared away. Peter Pan and Wendy see Tiger Lily being held captive, and they free her, making Big Chief happy.

Tink's tirade.

Hook finds Tinker Bell and tries to convince her to reveal Peter Pan's hideout, but Tinker Bell makes him promise not to hurt Peter Pan. He promises, but then proves his treachery by locking Tinker Bell inside a lantern.

Peter giving Tinker a good shake.

The Darling children decide to return home and invite Peter to join them, but Peter refuses to grow up. Hook captures the children and the Lost Boys as they try to leave, and try to blow Peter up with a bomb. Tinker Bell, though, escapes and saves Peter just in time.

A lovely mermaid at rest.

Peter and Tinker Bell then confront Hook and manage to free the children before Hook makes them walk the plank. Peter chases off the pirates and flies everyone back to London on the pirate ship. When their parents come home, the children have a tremendous story to tell, but will George and Mary believe them?

Watch out for that... wall.

This is a rousing story, with some great songs such as "The Second Star to the Right" and "You Can Fly" by Sammy Cahn and Sammy Fain, and "A Pirate's Life" by Ed Penner and Oliver Wallace. The animation is wonderful, with distinctive drawings of each of the characters that made them iconic. Hook, for instance, is drawn with a 5 o'clock shadow which helps define his character at first glance, and few animated characters are as distinctive as Peter Pan and Tinker Bell.

Walt Disney visits with the child voice actors.

Live-action footage was used as guides, but not templates, for the characters. The animation of the characters flying is spectacular and seldom matched since, while the sword fight between Peter and Cook becomes a way to show how playful Peter can be and how ineffective Cook really is. Tinker Bell's pique at Peter's attentions to Wendy is among the best in animation history.

En garde!

It is a sparkling production. Some small changes were made to the story mostly for technical reasons, but not enough really to notice. This has become the "accepted" version, and anyone who wants to read the novel to get the "real story" is always free to do so. Each of the Lost Boys gets a distinctive personality and is a treat, though the Native Americans are raw stereotypes, which may offend. In defense of the portrayal of the Native Americans, they were obvious caricatures played for laughs and as a comical threat, just as Hook and the Lost Boys were hyper versions of reality with prejudices against the Native Americans and girls and, well, just about everyone but themselves. As Big Chief notes, "Sometimes you win, sometimes we win," and Tiger Lily is portrayed as disdainful of these mere commoners and refuses to talk, so at least their honor and dignity is intact. If you want to be offended about something, there are a lot more important things to latch on to in life than this film.

Peter reviews the Lost Boys

Cook is one of the iconic villains of film, reminiscent of Charles Laughton in Captain Kidd and the previous year's Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd. Peter Pan is invariably represented by his animated character in this film and is the prototypical mischievous little rascal. Wendy and Tinker Bell are terrific, human figures who finally learn to assert themselves through their adventures with Peter Pan. Tinker remains a favorite of many viewers even though she says nothing. The story is enchanting. What more do you want from one animated film?

Tink checking herself out

The Disney crew really was one big happy family at the time. Delightful schoolgirl Kathryn Beaumont from "Alice in Wonderland" the previous year was back again, and the reliable old crew was keeping things on track. Within a few years, Beaumont would be grown up and off to teach school as a career, and the nine animators would start peeling off in their own separate directions. "Peter Pan" thus is a high point in the history of animation, and remains a favorite of children everywhere. It is the definitive version of the tale, with all due respect to Tim Burton. It is superior in every regard, and bears repeat viewings.

The Diamond Edition DVD release (60th anniversary) was on February 5, 2012. Below is the "You can fly!" clip from the Diamond Edition DVD of "Peter Pan."

2014

Alice in Wonderland (1951) - Culmination of a Dream

Alice In Wonderland: Reject All Inferior Imitations! This is the Real Deal!

Walt, a promising young graphics artist, was struggling. His animation business in Kansas City just wasn't making it. He tried everything he could think of with short cartoons, but the public just didn't like them. Times were tough, but he wasn't choosy - live action or animation, it didn't matter, he just needed to eat. He gave it one last try, using an unknown local child who had been useful on some of his earlier shoots, Virginia Davis. The last-ditch project would be a combination of live action and animation based on English author Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland." He filmed it and was pleased: excellent work, if he did say so himself.

Alice has the standard look of beauty for the time

Nobody cared.

The White Rabbit. Jefferson Airplane must have loved this film.

Discouraged, Walt gave it all up and headed to Hollywood, desperate enough to give up animation completely and just try to become a regular film director. He knew this would work, it was his ticket to the Promised Land: a film job.

Walt banged on doors, he begged, he pleaded: just hire me. I will direct anything.

We're twice the fun!

Nobody hired him. Walt became desperate.

Alice talking to Cheshire Cat. "I prefer the short-cut."

His older brother Roy believed in Walt, so together they scrounged up some cash, opened shop with the pretentious title "Disney Brothers Studio," and pulled the old "Alice" reel out of Walt's trunk. They showed it to M. J. Winkler, a local distributor.

You may have noticed, I'm not all there!

He liked it.

Alice at the tea party

Elated, the brothers called all their old animation buddies from Kansas City and told them to head west. There was work in Hollywood! They wouldn't have to do anything that they hadn't been doing all along, somebody finally appreciated their work. They packed up and joined Walt.

Queen of Hearts playing croquet

Over the next few years, the brothers and their friends put together over 50 silent shorts they called "Alice Comedies." Later, Walt came up with the idea of a talking mouse who did crazy things, and the public loved it.

Aren't those the bluest eyes?

Walt's success grew, and soon he was one of the biggest movers and shakers in the film industry. "Alice in Wonderland," though, stayed on his mind. It was practically his baby: he knew it inside and out, knew just how to film it, and had the people in place with the experience to do it. it was a sure thing, like drawing to an inside straight. But he was being tugged every which way by what was going on in Hollywood at the time.

Bread and butterflies

He almost got it going in 1933, actually doing a screen test with star Mary Pickford, but then his biggest nightmare happened: Paramount did a live-action version starring the biggest stars of the day, including Gary Cooper, Cary Grant and W.C. Fields. Trying to put on his own little animated feature featuring unknowns in the face of all that talent would be sheer poison.

Hmmm, I don't know about that....

Walt reluctantly turned to other projects. After the boys in the back room gave him a hit with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, he felt the time was right. Once he finished off a few more pictures already in the pipeline, it would be ready to go.

Walt was frustrated at the fact that he had to follow the story so closely

He even had the name registered - all he needed was a year to put behind it. But Pinocchio, Fantasia and Bambi all bombed, and while Dumbo succeeded, it didn't give him much breathing room for long. What to do? Which way to go? Walt was lost, and the way ahead was unclear.

Being lost is never fun

Worse, World War II had broken out. European and Asian markets were shut down for the duration. Walt was forced to turn his focus to smaller projects and bide his time until he could justify larger projects which depended upon foreign revenues.

Times are tough. One lump, or two?

The war finally ended, and Walt excitedly came back to the Alice project, as he liked to call it. Ginger Rogers was available, and it wasn't often he got to work with an Oscar-winning actress, but animation took time, and she had to move on to other projects. His people brought him proposals, but he turned them all down. This was his baby, and it was going to be special.

No, Alice! Don't go through there!

Finally, Walt ran out of patience, as he wasn't getting any younger. He told his people to just do it. Rather than get cute, he wanted some of his usual reliable directors - Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson and Hamilton Luke - to play it straight and do it as they did all the other animation features. It was to be all animated, none of this fancy live-action/animation stuff, and heavy on the comedy and upbeat tunes. Once Cinderella was out of the way, it finally was time. The feature had his steady crew voicing it, including Sterling Holloway as the Cheshire Cat, Verna Felton as the Queen of Hearts, and Bill Thompson as the White Rabbit.

Ed Wynn is prominently credited on the original poster - above everyone else

To that stellar foundation of a cast, he had been able to add Ed Wynn, an old-time comic whose son Keenan was a rising star, as the Mad Hatter; famous comedian Jerry Colonna as the March Hare; and cute young unknown Kathryn Beaumont as blue-skirted Alice. Kathryn had just the right upper-class British accent, and surely that would charm the British into making the film a hit there.

Alice, eat the mushroom!

Not taking any chances, he made sure high quality songs were included in the project. He received more song submissions, in fact, than he could possibly use, and put some aside for the planned "Peter Pan" and other future projects. He skimmed off the cream and indulgently used sprightly tunes for just a few seconds each.

Original posters are collectors items - "The all-cartoon Musical Wonderfilm!"

The art direction by Mary Blair was a bit crazy, he admitted to himself, especially that scene at the end where she runs to the door in slow motion, but he still liked the look. With everything in place, he went to the premiere full of confidence. However, the film - fine as it was - wasn't what he really wanted. Upon the release of "Lady and the Tramp" several years later, he had this to say:

“That was the trouble with ‘Alice in Wonderland’. There we had a classic we couldn’t tamper with. The picture was filled with weird characters you couldn’t get with. Even Alice wasn’t very sympathetic. I wanted to make the White Knight a romantic figure and have him always popping up through the story saying ‘What Ho!’ Alice could have tried to help him out. But I was talked out of it.”

Everyone thinks of Walt Disney as this staid, conservative character - which he was in many ways. Very straight-laced, which was completely at odds with many of his employees. However, in his animation, Walt Disney was as wild and creative as anyone. He was kind of like the quarterback who goes to church and reads the bible each week, but on the field is a daring, inventive scrambler. If he had his way, "Alice in Wonderland" would have been even wackier - and likely better. But it was the 1950s, and his advisers were correct: it just wasn't the right time to get all freaky with Alice.

The caterpillar. Whooooooo are you?

The film's plot did follow the original book fairly closely, though with a few typical Disney alterations. A young girl named Alice daydreams and tells her cat, Dinah, that she is bored with studying and wishes she could live in a different world. She then spots a formally dressed rabbit who runs by claiming to be late for an appointment. She follows him down a rabbit hole and engages in a series of bizarre adventures, always chasing the rabbit but never quite catching up with him. It is a completely different world, as she had desired, but it's not what she had expected at all.

Wonderland is a very odd world, full of strange creatures and sights

She is surrounded by madness, with a Mad Hatter, a March Hare, and a Dormouse drinking tea of all things. When she tries to run away, she runs into the Queen of Hearts, who puts her on trial and orders her execution. Alice runs away, chased by everyone she has met.

Some parts of "Alice in Wonderland" just defy description

Upon release, the critics hated the film, but Walt didn't care. He had made this film for the fans, and he was sure they would love this project over which he had obsessed for over thirty years. He was in for a surprise.

The 1950s version of Beavis and Butt-head

The fans didn't really like it. After all he had been though with the project, though, Walt wasn't too surprised. The British in particular claimed he had "Americanized" the sacred text, while others complained that the film seemed disjointed and that the Alice character wasn't sympathetic. Box office receipts were bad, very bad, but fortunately Walt had some cash set aside from the smash success of "Cinderella."

Such a good girl!

Dejected, Walt refused to give up. He recalled that he had a new outlet for his studio, a weekly television show. "Alice" would - after some minor cuts - fit right in there and get bonanza ratings! He used "Alice" in the second episode, cut down to match the time slot. Reaction was positive, ratings were good, and it got the new tv series off to a great start. After that, Walt shelved "Alice" until the times changed. He had experience there, as re-releases of earlier animated films - even the duds such as "Pinocchio" - already were turning into a major money-maker for the studio.

Quite a court! Notice the cards are all Hearts. Alice on Trial.

Times did change, but unfortunately the desperate genius from Kansas City didn't live to see them. Only a couple of years after Walt Disney had passed away, the world finally caught up with "Alice in Wonderland" (1951). The counter-culture pot-heads and acid freaks of the early '70s loved the twisted and bizarre visuals by Mary Blair, and college campuses around the country started screening it. It is simply accepted that such a classic as "Alice in Wonderland" must have been a huge hit from the moment it hit the big screen. It wasn't. But now, it is one of Disney's biggest hits of all.

This illustrated book/record release emphasized the psychedelic aspects of "Alice in Wonderland"

Another re-release followed in 1974, which also was successful and led to later releases in theaters and on home video. The counterculture movement that had spawned in the 1960s grew steadily in the early '70s and embraced Disney's wild and wacky "Alice in Wonderland." In fact, it became so highly thought of that Disney made it one of the very first titles available for VCR rental in the 1980s. It has been on store shelves ever since. Finally, the picture was making money, good money. And it has ever since.

Now this is kind of crazy....

Costumed versions of "Alice" characters are mainstays at all of Disney's theme parks. One of the rides is the "Mad Tea Party," a teacups ride for children. Disney indirectly owns the theatrical rights, and the play is staged regularly at high schools and colleges. Beyonce Knowles posed as Alice for the Disney Portraits series. There's even a video game for Nintendo Game Boy. The only thing bigger than Alice these days in the Disney Universe is "Frozen" and the Queen of them all, "Cinderella." Nobody will ever touch "Cinderella" in terms of popularity, that just cannot be.

You can see why the '60s college kids thought this was trippy. Applaud the Queen!

Today, "Alice" is seen as one of Disney's classic films. Its latest release was on February 6, 2011 on Blu-ray to celebrate its 60th anniversary - which Walt tacitly would have crossed out and put down as its 88th anniversary, from the time he put together that first short with Virginia Davis.

"Don't worry, Peter, your turn is coming next!"

There was a 2010 live-action version with Johnny Depp and Anne Hathaway, and it made a billion dollars - a billion dollars! - but it still didn't touch Disney's animated version in terms of telling the basic, original story the way people want it to be. "Alice in Wonderland" may go in and out of style, but if you like classic Disney, you'll love this film. Below are both the original theatrical trailer and the entire film.

The 60th Anniversary DVD release

Below is the original trailer from "Alice in Wonderland."




2014