Category Archives: Interview

Golden Horseshoe Revue, Interview

Interview: Wally Boag (Golden Horseshoe Revue; Tiki Room; Absent-Minded Professor)

Wally Boag at home
Wally Boag at home

Wally Boag starred in Disneyland’s Golden Horseshoe Revue stage show from 1955 to 1982. During that time, some of his other contributions include appearing in some of Walt Disney’s movies, entertaining the troops in Iceland, performing in a Walt Disney stage show at Radio City Music Hall, writing Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room attraction and providing the voice of that show’s emcee macaw, Jose.

The original cast of the Golden Horseshoe Revue (Donald Novis, Judy Marsh, Wally Boag)
The original cast of the Golden Horseshoe Revue (Donald Novis, Judy Marsh, Wally Boag)
Wally receiving a Disney Legends Award at the Walt Disney Studios
Wally receiving a Disney Legends Award at the Walt Disney Studios
Fulton Burley and Wally Boag in the Golden Horseshoe Revue
Fulton Burley and Wally Boag in the Golden Horseshoe Revue
Wally (with mask) filling in as stuntman for Fred MacMurray in The Absent-Minded Professor
Wally (with mask) filling in as stuntman for Fred MacMurray in The Absent-Minded Professor
Publicity photo for tour with Wally Boag to promote the Walt Disney film, The Jungle Book
Publicity photo for tour with Wally Boag to promote the Walt Disney film, The Jungle Book

AUDIO INDEX

2:35 His start in showbiz

9:26 Donald Novis; Golden Horseshoe Revue audition for Walt Disney

11:59 Fulton Burley; writing Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room; under contract with MGM; bring Fulton to the Horseshoe

14:03 History of “spitting out teeth” as Pecos Bill

16:33 More about the Tiki Room and writing for WED (now known as Walt Disney Imagineering); the Tiki Room in Tokyo Disneyland; the barker bird in Disneyland; his involvement in the Haunted Mansion

19:43 Stunt double for Fred MacMurray in the Absent-Minded Professor

Interview

Interview: Marcia Miner Phillips (1967 Disneyland Ambassador to the World)

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Marcia hosting an episode of "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color," at the grand opening the "new Tomorrowland," and with Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie
Marcia hosting an episode of “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color,” at the grand opening the “new Tomorrowland,” and with Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie

 

Marcia Miner Phillips was a Disneyland tour guide, VIP hostess and the 1967 Disneyland Ambassador to the World.

AUDIO INDEX

2:03 Her start with Disney as a tour guide; memorizing the script; about the tours; a tour for a sight impaired Guest

6:35 Walt Disney; the grand opening of “it’s a small world”

8:43 A finalist for the 1965 Disneyland Ambassador, and that ceremony at Sleeping Beauty Castle; Walt Disney’s passing; Honorary Ambassador of Orange County

15:08 Re-release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs press tour

16:50 Her Ambassador year; Working at home without a Disney office

21:06 The opening of Pirates of the Caribbean and getting into photos; Roy O. Disney

23:49 Ambassador description; Walt Disney; Hedda Hopper; Peter Ustinov

27:08 “A day in the life of” the Ambassador; President of Turkey, Cevdet Suney; Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie

Interview

Interview: Kathryn Beaumont (Being a child actress and becoming a school teacher; “Alice” in later years)

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Kathryn Beaumont at the studio school
Kathryn Beaumont at the Disney Studios

Kathryn Beaumont was a child actress at MGM and went on to voice Alice and Wendy in Walt Disney’s animated versions of “Alice in Wonderland” and “Peter Pan” respectively

AUDIO INDEX

:55 Being a child actress; becoming a school teacher

2:35 The students’ awareness of Kathryn’s voice work and a funny related story

4:22 Performing the voice of Alice as an adult; Alice’s voice for Disneyland and Disney park shows

6:30 Remaining involved with Disney

8:00 Appearances for the original release of Alice in Wonderland

 

Interview

Interview: Kathryn Beaumont (A unique visit with Walt Disney; Live action reference for animators; Tea Party sequence)

Kathryn Beaumont interview
Kathryn Beaumont, performing live action reference for animators

Kathryn Beaumont was a child actress at MGM and went on to voice Alice and Wendy in Walt Disney’s animated versions of “Alice in Wonderland” and “Peter Pan” respectively

AUDIO INDEX

1:00 After recording the voice for the films, Kathryn filmed live action versions of the live action footage of the films for the artists’ reference, the live action reference process including lip syncing the voice

4:08 Filming the “tea party” sequence for Alice in Wonderland with Jerry Colona and Ed Wynn, and scheduling around Kathryn’s schooling

6:08 A unique visit with Walt Disney and some Japanese dignitaries, and Walt’s small train

Interview

Remembering Page Cavanaugh

Page CavanaughBorn on January 26, 1922, jazz pianist Page Cavanaugh was the special guest in a concert I went to at the Greek Theater back in the 1980s. They mentioned that he performs at a club in Burbank, and that began a wonderful friendship. Every week I would go see Page, listen to him play and talk with him about music, learning about the great composers and performers of American music.

Page worked with everybody! Frank Sinatra, Chico Marx, Louis Armstrong and on and on. I miss Page and I miss his stories.

I had known Page for awhile before I learned that he provided his musical talents for a Disney cartoon short entitled “The Truth About Mother Goose.”

Page Cavanaugh - The Truth About Mother Goose

This animated short, featured segments explaining the story behind Mother Goose stories. Page and his trio introduced each segment in song. Here’s a clip from the opening of the film:

Although “The Truth About Mother Goose” was the only animated film Page appeared in, he was in a number of other movies including “A Song is Born,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” and “Romance on the High Seas.” In the latter, he accompanied Doris Day on piano and in voice for the song, “Put ‘Em in a Box.”

In that same film, Doris Day also sang “It’s Magic,” written by Jule Styne, with lyrics by Sammy Cahn. That song was nominated for an Academy Award that year.

One of the last times I saw Page, I recorded him singing this parody, “It’s Tragic.”

Page Cavanaugh - Romance on the High Seas

 

Interview

Interview: Jack Lindquist (The opening ceremony for “it’s a small world”)

(Jack Lindquist on telephone at left) Grand opening of "it's a small world," as children pour water from their native lands, Walt Disney prepares to pour American water from Davy Crockett's canteen into the moat. Chuck Corson, whose interviews you can also hear on here, is in the background with the walkie-talkie.
(Jack Lindquist on telephone at left) Grand opening of “it’s a small world,” as children pour water from their native lands, Walt Disney prepares to pour American water from Davy Crockett’s canteen into the moat. Chuck Corson, whose interviews you can also hear on here, is in the background with the walkie-talkie.

Jack Lindquist came up with the idea for the opening ceremony for the classic “it’s a small world” attraction at Disneyland. He was also Disneyland’s first advertising manager, beginning in 1955. He continued with the company in marketing for Disneyland. Walt Disney World and international Disney resorts. His many accomplishments include the creation of the Disneyland Ambassador program, the creation of the Walt Disney Travel Company, the international waters ceremony for the opening of the it’s a small world attraction, Disney Dollars, and in 1990 Jack became the first president of Disneyland.

THE OPENING CEREMONY FOR IT’S A SMALL WORLD

AUDIO INDEX
1:23 Needed something special for the opening of the it’s a small world attraction at Disneyland; Jack came up with the idea of having Disney reps all over the world send water from their native countries to pour into the attraction moat; got kids representing those countries to pour the water

Disneyland Ambassador Ceremony, 1991, Suzanne Palmiter, Jack Lindquist, Jill Ornelas
Disneyland Ambassador Ceremony, 1991, Suzanne Palmiter, Jack Lindquist, Jill Ornelas
1967, Roy O. Disney, Jack Lindquist, and 1967 Disneyland Ambassador Marcia Miner stand by a model of the new Tomorrowland
1967, Roy O. Disney, Jack Lindquist, and 1967 Disneyland Ambassador Marcia Miner stand by a model of the new Tomorrowland
1992 "Pigskin Bash" for the Disneyland Pigskin Classic football game
1992 “Pigskin Bash” for the Disneyland Pigskin Classic football game
Former Disneyland presidents Matt Ouimet, Jack Lindquist and George Kalogridis
Former Disneyland presidents Matt Ouimet, Jack Lindquist and George Kalogridis

 

Interview

Interview: Kathryn Beaumont (How the Disney staff involved her in the film process; working with other voice actors)

 

Kathryn Beaumont interview
Kathryn Beaumont, with Alice in Wonderland co-stars Jerry Colonna and Ed Wynn 

Kathryn Beaumont was a child actress at MGM and went on to voice Alice and Wendy in Walt Disney’s animated versions of “Alice in Wonderland” and “Peter Pan” respectively

AUDIO INDEX

:56 Working for MGM and then Disney

1:39 Already familiar with Alice in Wonderland

2:34 The audition for Alice, getting a contract with Disney

3:25 Remembering Walt Disney, the atmosphere at the Walt Disney Studios

6:05 Storyboard conferences with artists, writers and Winston Hibler; Ink and Paint and other departments sharing the progress of the film

9:05 Involvement in Peter Pan vs. Alice in Wonderland

11:55 Working with other actors such as Hans Conreid

Interview

Interview: Stan Freese (Career overview)

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Stan Freese - Disneyland

Stan is the talent booking director for Disneyland and tuba soloist extraordinaire. He was the longtime conductor of the Disneyland band and the first full-time conductor of the Walt Disney World band.

AUDIO INDEX
1:43 Performing tuba solos on the TV series Hee Haw

4:40 His start with music and choosing the tuba

7:01 Entertaining for Lawrence Welk and performing on his show

Stan Freese meets President Nixon8:30 Tuba soloist for the government cultural exchange program including Soviet Union and Siberia; Command performance at the White House for President Nixon

9:25 Starting with Disney; the first leader of the Walt Disney World band; problems with the first band

12:45 Moving to Disneyland

14:11 Involvement with Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea

15:40 Auditions and benefits of entertaining at Disneyland; Disney entertainment; the Trash Can Trio and the Mariachi Divas

20:28 Big bands at Disneyland

Interview

Interview: Carole Tully (Miss Disneyland 1964; Tivoli Gardens tour guide exchange; Walt Disney)

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Carole Tully with Hanne Plath, Walt and Lillian Disney Carole Tully in Lappland as Miss Disneyland 1964

Carole was a ticket seller and tour guide at Disneyland, beginning in 1962, and was Miss Disneyland 1964, representing Disneyland and Walt Disney himself

AUDIO INDEX

:52 Her start with Disneyland; Donald Novis in Guest Relations; Becoming a Disney tour guide; Becoming Miss Disneyland, 1964

4:54 Miss Disneyland and the Tivoli Gardens tour guide exchange; Tivoli Gardens tour guide Hanne Plath; touring internationally as a goodwill ambassador

11:23 Visiting Lappland as Miss Disneyland

15:47 Walt Disney

Interview

Interview: Bill Farmer (The recording process for Goofy; other voices)

INTERVIEW-bill-farmer

Bill is a voice actor, whose most popular character is Goofy, for which he has provided the voice for countless movies, toys Disney theme park stage shows and more.

AUDIO INDEX
:44 Bill’s version of Goofy compared to the original, voiced by Pinto Colvig

1:25 Work besides just the animated films, including Disneyland and Disney World live shows, games, toys, etc.

2:00 When Bill began doing the voice of Pluto

2:15 The soundtrack recording process and sessions done solo vs. group ensembles, and the job of the voice director

4:45 Disney’s Character Voices department

6:15 Recording thousands of names for personalized CDs

8:01 The loop group, looping, background voices and other work, including Disney-Pixar Toy Story, Cars, Monster’s, Inc. Hunchback of Notre Dame and Beauty and the Beast as well as other characters such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck.

9:44 Bill’s work on the English-dubbed Japanese TV series Astro Boy, as well as redoing lines for Goofy

11:25 Bill as the original voice of Horace Horsecollar and his inspiration for that character

12:30 How Bill describes Goofy