Wayne Allwine, former Disney sound effects editor, and the voice of Mickey Mouse for the last 32 years, passed away Monday due to complications with diabetes:
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090520/ap_ … _allwine_2
When I first heard about this this morning (you’d think I’d know sooner than this), I was deeply saddened and devastatingly shocked. I grew up on Wayne’s voicing Mickey, and it’s hard for me to imagine anyone else in the role, much less that he’s actually gone.
“Wayne dedicated his entire professional life to Disney,” chief executive Robert Iger said in a statement Wednesday. “Over the last 32 years, (he) gave so much joy, happiness and comfort to so many around the world by giving voice to our most beloved, iconic character, Mickey Mouse.”
Allwine was the third man behind Mickey’s voice. The first was Disney himself, then Jimmy MacDonald, who became Allwine’s mentor and passed him the reins after voicing the mouse for 30 years.
“He said, ‘Just remember kid, you’re only filling in for the boss,’” Allwine once recalled. “And that’s the way he treated doing Mickey for years and years.”
“Mickey’s the real star,” Allwine continued. “You know you just have to love the little guy while you have him, because he won’t be yours forever.”
Roy E. Disney, director emeritus for The Walt Disney Co., said Allwine did more than give Mickey a voice. He “gave him a heart and soul as well.”
“He did an incredible job of bringing emotion, humor and appeal to the character, and superbly carried on the tradition originated by my Uncle Walt, and later by sound-effects wizard Jimmy Macdonald.”
He is survived by his now widow Russi Taylor (the current voice of Minnie Mouse, and who was by his side at the time of his death) and four children from a previous marriage, Erin, Peter, Christopher, and Joshua.
I can strongly speak on behalf of everyone here at Pixar Planet that we give our condolences to Russi, Erin, Peter, Christopher, Joshua, and everyone at The Walt Disney Company. This is in every sense of the term, “the end of an era” and a tremendous loss to the studio and the art of animation. There is no one in the wings that will ever take his place. I greatly thank Wayne for leaving a lasting impact and legacy at Disney, and giving us, but me especially, 32 years of endless enjoyment as the voice of “the mouse”.
Wayne, we will never forget you.
- Bill
