Welcome to Hollywood Graveyard, where we set
out to remember and celebrate the lives of those who lived to entertain us, by visiting
their final resting places. Today we stroll through the animated graveyards of Disney,
to pay homage to the talented artists, actors, musicians, and Imagineers who brought a little
magic to our lives. Join us, won't you? In our cemetery wanderings over the years
we've come across quite a few Disney Legends, both in the literal sense -- those named by
Disney as Disney Legends, Disney's own sort of Hall of Fame -- as well as those who, though
not official Disney legends, have contributed their immeasurable talents to create the magic
of Disney. Walt Disney's name may top the marquee, but it's taken hundreds, nay, thousands
of talented men and women to bring his visions to life. Animators, artists, ink and painters,
storytellers, actors, filmmakers, special effects artists, musicians, Imagineers, and
so on. Today we'll see just how many of these stars we can remember in one video. Spoiler
alert: it's a lot. So many, in fact, this will be our longest video to date. So, to
help you navigate and digest this video over time if necessary, we've broken out chapters
in the video description. We begin today with the man who started it
all, a man who needs no introduction, and whose name has become synonymous with wholesome
family entertainment. In a small family garden just outside the Freedom Mausoleum at Forest
Lawn Glendale is the final resting place of Walt Disney. Walt began drawing cartoons as
a youth in Kansas City, and in 1921 formed Laugh-O-Gram Studios to produce animated cartoons.
In 1923 Disney moved to Hollywood and formed with his brother Roy, Disney Brothers Studio.
Their first success was a series called the Alice Comedies, featuring a live action Alice
in an animated world. But it was the 1928 release of a cartoon with the novelty of synchronized
sound and music, and featuring a plucky little mouse named Mickey, that really put Disney
on the map. Mickey Mouse would become a hit, and an extension of Walt himself, who even
provided the voice for the character. Gosh, Pluto, a present from Australia! Oh
boy! Disney oversaw every aspect of production,
continually pushing the boundaries of innovation in animation and entertainment, first with
sound, then soon color, and eventually the first cel-animated feature film, Snow White
and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. Never one to rest on his laurels, Disney expanded into
live-action film, pioneered early television, and innovated the theme park industry with
Disneyland in 1955. He holds the record for the most Academy Awards earned by an individual:
26, including 4 honorary. Walt Disney died at age 65 in 1966, not living long enough
to see the completion of his grandest vision, Walt Disney World. Contrary to various urban
legends, Walt was not cryogenically frozen or buried at Disneyland. He was cremated,
and I'm told half of his ashes were scattered off of Pacific Palisades, the other half interred
here in this garden. Reporting on Walt's Death, CBS news said, quote, "What Walt Disney seemed
to know was that while there is very little grown-up in a child, there's a lot of child
in every grownup. To a child this weary world is brand new, gift wrapped, and Disney tried
to keep it that way for adults. Escapism from reality. He probably did more to heal, or
at least to soothe troubled human spirits, than all the psychiatrists in the world. Today
people are saying we'll never see his like again. We'd better."
In 1925 Walt married Lillian Bounds, who was working in the Ink and Paint department at
Disney. She was an ink artist for many of the Alice Comedies, as well as the first
produced Mickey Mouse short (though not first released), Plane Crazy. She is also credited
for suggesting the name of Mickey for Mickey Mouse, disapproving of Walt's first choice,
Mortimer. Lillian was named a Disney legend in 2003.
Also here is a marker to Disney's daughter, Sharon, whose ashes were scattered in Hawaii,
and her husband Robert B Brown. Walt Disney's right-hand man in those very
early days was his friend, uniquely named Ub Iwerks. This is the Columbarium of Remembrance
at Forest Lawn Hollywood where we find his niche. Walt and Ub met and began working together
in 1919 back in Kansas City. Iwerks would be the chief animator at Laugh-O-Gram, and
later moved out to Hollywood with Walt to be the first animator hired at the new Disney
Bros Studio, including for the new character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. When Disney lost
Oswald to Universal, Walt asked Ub to stay on and help him create a new character. What
they came up with was Mickey Mouse. Ub is considered the co-creator of Mickey Mouse,
having taken Walt's rough sketches, and refined them into the final character. By this time,
Walt had essentially ceased doing any animation, taking on the producer/storyteller role he
would be known for. It was Ub who almost single handedly drew the early Mickey Mouse cartoons;
he was renowned for his lightning speed. Ub was known not only for his animation genius,
but also technical wizardry as well, developing early versions of the multiplane camera, as
well as innovating special effects photographic processes, which would earn him two honorary
academy awards. He was named a Disney Legend in 1989.
While Ub was the principal animator in those early days, he would have help from some young
men who would grow to become greats in their own right. To find one of them we head to
Big Sandy, Tennessee, and Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. This is the final resting place of animator
Les Clark. He started working for Disney in 1927, and would work under Ub Iwerks as an
Inbetweener on Steamboat Willie, the inbetweener being the person who draws the frames inbetween
the key frames drawn by the lead animator. Les would continue to animate Mickey Mouse
in future productions, like Fantasia, and grow to become one of Disney's lead character
animators, including in Snow White, Pinocchio, and Cinderella. He was the first of what would
become known as Disney's Nine Old Men, nine of the most talented and trusted animators
at Disney, tasked with animating lead characters. He worked for Disney for some 48 years until
his retirement, and was named a Disney legend in 1989.
Another young talent who helped Steamboat Willie come together was Johnny Cannon. He
was not only an assistant animator on the film, he also was responsible for producing
the sound effects. Johnny would continue on as animator at Disney, working on Mickey and
Donald shorts, as well as a number of Silly Symphonies. He was just 39 when he died from
a heart attack, and rests here at Forest Lawn Glendale.
The name Rudolf Ising is often associated with Warner Bros Merry Melody and Looney Tunes
cartoons, but Ising actually met and began working with Disney back in Kansas City. He
and frequent collaborator Hugh Harman worked as animators at Laugh-O-Gram on the early
Alice Comedies, as well as the first Mickey, Plane Crazy. Harman and Ising left Disney
to helm Warner Bros Looney Tunes, which were an analogue of Disney's Silly Symphonies.
Ising rests here at Pacific View in Orange County.
Another Kansas City native to catch the animation bug was Friz Freleng. He too is more closely
associated with Warner Bros cartoons, but got his start with Disney in 1927, working
as an animator on the Alice Comedies, and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. He left Disney the
following year, and would go on to be a key figure at Warner Bros animation, directing
hundreds of cartoons, and introducing or developing characters like Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and
Yosemite Sam, as referenced right here on his crypt. He rests at Hillside Memorial Park
in Culver City. We ve mentioned the Alice Comedies a number
of times. That's because before Mickey Mouse, the star of Disney was a live-action little
girl named Alice, who was played by Virginia Davis. The one-reel comedies featured a live
girl in a cartoon world. These began at Laugh-O-Gram in Kansas City, but when Disney moved to Los
Angeles, he encouraged the Davis family to move as well, so they could continue making
the Alice comedies. Virginia would star in over a dozen of these comedies, between 1923
and 1925. She was named a Disney legend in 1998, and we find her niche here at Holy Cross
in Culver City. Every aspiring creative needs their first
big break, even Walt Disney. We find the woman who gave Walt his first big break in Hollywood
here at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. This is Margaret Winkler. She was head of her own
distribution company, Winkler Productions, which specialized in early animation. In 1923
Disney pitched the first Alice short, Alice's Wonderland, to Winkler, who signed him for
a distribution deal. Disney then formed Disney Bros Studio, which later became the Walt Disney
Company, to produce the Alice Comedies for Winkler. Margaret Winkler was the first female member
of the Producer's Guild, often hiding her gender by using just her initials, MJ Winkler.
If Disney movies have taught us anything, it's that every good narrative needs a villain
to set the hero out on their path to his or her destiny. Disney historians sometimes cast
this role of villain as Charles Mintz, Margaret Winkler's husband. He assumed control of Winkler
Productions after marrying Margaret. Unhappy with the Alice Comedies, Mintz requested a
new character. What Walt and Ub came up with was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. With the success
of Oswald, Mintz hired away nearly all of Disney's staff, and moved production of Oswald
to his own studio. Disney was crushed. But with the faithful Ub Iwerks by his side, Disney
vowed to never again sign away the rights to his creations, and worked to develop the
character that would give new birth to Disney: Mickey Mouse. So, vilify Mintz if you must,
but ask yourself, if he hadn't done what he'd done, would we have Mickey Mouse, or Snow
White, or Disneyland, or any of the Disney we know today?
Family was key to Disney's success. By his side from day 1 was older brother Roy, who
ran the business side of Disney. While Walt was a brilliant creative, he was a terrible
business man. As co-founder of The Walt Disney Company it was up to Walt's brother Roy to
manage the company's finances, and find the funding for Walt's more ambitious projects,
like the first feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Disneyland. After Walt Died,
Roy postponed his retirement to oversee the fulfillment of Walt's final dream, Walt Disney
World. May Walt Disney World bring joy and inspiration
and new knowledge to all who come to this happy place.
Roy died just months after the completion of Disney World. He rests here at Forest Lawn
Hollywood. And of course it goes without saying that
without Flora and Elias Disney, there would be no Walt. This is the Sanctuary of Truth
in the Great Mausoleum, where rest Walt Disney's Parents.
Flora Call married Elias Disney in 1888, and was a devoted and loving mother to her children.
Walt was very close to his mother. After the success of Snow White in 1937, Walt surprised
his parents by purchasing them a home in North Hollywood. Tragically, there were problems
with the furnace in the home, which leaked carbon monoxide. Flora died from asphyxiation
in 1938. Walt was devastated by this, blaming himself for her death. It would haunt him
for the rest of his life, and many believe was reflected in his movies, which often feature
characters losing or not having a mother. Next to Flora is Disney patriarch, Elias Disney.
He was a stern man, but Walt adored him, as he always pushed his children to be their
very best. He had a number of odd jobs in his life, including as a carpenter and contractor,
which Walt would reference in the window honoring his father at Disneyland. It's no coincidence that many of the Disney
legends we have visited, and will yet visit, rest at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills. It's
literally right across the street from Disney Studios -- in fact the view from many of the
animator's offices at Disney, may just be this very cemetery. In these grounds is a pioneer of
personality animation, Fred Moore. He was another major
figure in the development of Mickey Mouse. It was Fred Moore who gave Mickey Mouse the
redesign from the squash and stretch, black and white, pie-eye style of the early days,
to the design that we know today, first debuting in a major way in 1941's Fantasia. Fred Moore's style overall was partly responsible for the transition from the early Iwerks days,
to the standardized, iconic Disney look that we're all so familiar with. Other characters
he animated include The Three Little Pigs, the Dwarfs in Snow White, and Lampwick in
Pinocchio, which was a caricature of himself. My name s Lampwick, what's yours?
Pinocchio. He was just 41 when he died in a car accident,
and was named a Disney Legend in 1995. Not far from Moore, in the Courts of Remembrance,
we find the niche of Art Babbitt. He began working as an animator at Disney in the 30s,
his first big assignment being the animation of the Evil Queen in Snow White. Next he would
animate Gepetto in Pinocchio. Babbitt is also remembered for taking the minor character
known as Dippy Dog and developing him into Goofy. Babbitt was one of the truly great
animators in his day, and though his relationship with Disney was sometimes tumultuous, particularly
with the labor disputes of the 40s, he was named a Disney Legend in 2007.
Earlier we mentioned Disney's Nine Old Men, the first of which was Les Clark. We find
a few more of Disney's Nine Old Men right here at Forest Lawn Hollywood. This is Eric
Larson. He had a hand in every major Disney production from the 30s to the 80s. Among
the characters he animated are Figaro in Pinocchio, Thumper in Bambi, and Prince Charming in Cinderella,
among many others. He was named a Disney Legend in 1989.
Nearby is another of Disney's Nine Old Men, John Lounsbery. He joined Disney in 1935,
specializing in the Pluto shorts. He'd soon become a directing animator on feature films,
including the characters Honest John in Pinocchio, Timothy in Dumbo, and Tony in Lady and the
Tramp. He was also co-director of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and The Rescuers.
John was named a Disney Legend in 1989. The remainder of Disney's nine old men are
Marc Davis, Ollie Johnston, Frank Thomas, Milt Kahl, Ward Kimball, and Wolfgang Reitherman,
who we cannot visit because they were either cremated, or their resting place is unknown
at this time. For our next legend of Disney animation we
head to Saint John Ukranian Orthodox Cemetery in Connecticut. Here lies Vladimir Tytla, who
went by Bill. He was another who ranks among the greatest animators of all time, sometimes
called Animation's Michelangelo. He brought his skills to Disney in the mid-30s, beginning
with short films like The Cookie Carnival. Bill was soon tapped to work with Fred Moore
to animate the Dwarfs in Snow White. Among the characters he's best known for animating
are the Winged Devil in Fantasia, Stromboli in Pinocchio, and Dumbo. He was named a Disney
Legend in 1998. Our next stop brings us to Wisconsin, and
Forest Hill Cemetery. Here we find the grave of Grim Natwick. He's best known as the co-creator
and animator of Betty Boop at Fleischer Studios, but Grim spent a few years at Disney in the
30s. He animated for a number of silly symphonies and Mickey shorts, but his biggest contribution
was as one of the animators who brought Snow White to life in Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs. We re back at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood
Hills. While his time with Disney was brief, artist Tyrus Wong made a big impact while
he was there. The Chinese-born artist played a major role in making Bambi the beloved classic
that it is. It was Tyrus Wong's background and concept paintings that would define the
world of Bambi, a style that captured a more poetic feeling compared to other Disney
films. He was named a Disney Legend in 2001. And look at those dates; he lived to be 106!
Another Asian-American who made his mark on Disney was Iwao Takamoto, whose grave we find
here at Mount Sinai, next door to Forest Lawn Hollywood. He's perhaps best known today for
his work at Hanna-Barbera, designing characters like Scooby-Doo, but Takamoto got his start
at Disney in the 40s, studying under the Nine Old Men. He was an animator on several films
of the era, including Peter Pan, and Sleeping Beauty.
A lesser-known branch of Disney today was once a fairly significant one: comics. The
Mickey Mouse daily comic strip began in 1930, and played a major role in the global reach
of Mickey Mouse, and ipso facto, Disney. The man known for unflaggingly good cheer who
daily penned the Mickey Mouse comic strip was Floyd Gottfredson, who rests here at Forest
Lawn Hollywood. Floyd would continue to produce the Mickey Mouse comic strips for the next
45 years. He was named a Disney legend in 2003.
Mickey Mouse wasn't the only one to venture into comics. Not only did Donald Duck have
a comic strip, he would also headline a popular series of comic books. This is Hillcrest memorial
Park in Grants Pass, Oregon, where we find the final resting place of Carl Barks. Called
the duck man, he would become synonymous with Disney's ducks. He collaborated on many of
the early Donald Duck cartoons, and by the 40s had begun developing comic books for Donald
Duck, which he would produce for the next 25 years. These comics introduced us into
the expanded world of Duckburg. Perhaps the best-known of the characters Barks created
for this comic was Donald's Uncle, Scrooge McDuck. His work would be adapted on TV in
the 80s series, DuckTales. Carl Barks, the good duck artist, was named a Disney legend
in 1991. The personalities and voices of our favorite
animated Disney characters are owed to some very talented human beings. Walt was the original
official voice of Mickey Mouse, but when his schedule made it harder and harder to do voice
work, the role was handed over to veteran Disney actor, musician, and sound-effects
guru, Jimmy MacDonald, resting here at Forest Lawn Glendale. Hiya Pluto old pal! No no no, take it easy! He voiced the beloved character from 1946 to 1977, and was also the voice of Chip. In addition to voice work, Jimmy was
also a sound effects wizard, creating what was perhaps the most impressive sound-effects
library in motion pictures history, crafting sounds for hundreds of Disney short and feature
length films. Jimmy MacDonald was named a Disney legend in 1993. He would mentor the
man who would be the third to officially voice Mickey Mouse, alluded to right here on his
marker, Wayne Allwine. We're back at the Freedom Mausoleum of Forest
Lawn Glendale. It's a fitting resting place for the third man to voice Mickey Mouse, just
feet from Walt Disney. When Jimmy MacDonald passed the torch on to Wayne Allwine to voice
Mickey, he reminded him, Remember, Kid, you're only filling in for the boss. Wayne did
remember that, and did incredible work keeping the cartoon icon alive for some 32 years,
including in Mickey's Christmas Carol, And a bah humbug, I mean, a Merry Christmas
to you, sir! and Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Kinda dangerous, ain't it? Yeah, you could get killed. Wayne would voice Mickey until his death in 2009, and was named a Disney Legend in 2008.
I haven't been able to confirm this, but I believe the MM3 here stands for Mickey Mouse
#3. Did you know that Mickey Mouse and Minnie
Mouse were married in real life? Wayne was married to Russi Taylor, who was the voice
of Minnie Mouse for 33 years, beginning in 1986. The two even performed together as Mickey
& Minnie in a number of films, including Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas. Oh Mickey, I can't believe you gave up what means the most to you, for me.
Oh Minnie, you're all the music I'll ever need. Russi voiced Minnie until her death in 2019, including the new Mickey Mouse series featured
on the Disney channel. Other voices Russi is known for include Huey,
Dewey, and Louie on Duck Tales, and several voices on The Simpsons. I'm not sure what
the MMF stands for here Minnie Mouse Forever, perhaps? Russi Taylor was named a Disney Legend
in 2008. Before Russi Taylor, a number of other actresses
voiced Minnie Mouse. Technically, the first to voice Minnie was Walt himself when Minnie
made her debut in 1928's Steamboat Willie.The first to officially voice Minnie for an extended
period, the woman responsible for defining Minnie Mouse's voice and personality, was Marcellite
Garner, who Disney had recruited from Ink and Paint. Thelma Boardman then briefly took
over the role, followed by actress Ruth Clifford, who we find here at Holy Cross in Culver City.
Ruth voiced Minnie from 1946 to 1952, including in Mickey's Delayed Date. Oh, oh hello Minnie. Mickey Mouse, you're late for our date! I've
been waiting here for over half an hour! Late? Date? Ruth also voiced Daisy Duck in Donald's Dream Voice. One of Disney's most popular characters after Mickey and Minnie, and the one with perhaps
the most unique voice, is Donald Duck. We're at San Fernando Mission Cemetery to find
the man who concocted that iconic voice, Clarence "Ducky" Nash. He never set out to be the world's
most famous animated duck, once recounting, "I wanted to be a doctor, but instead became
the biggest quack in the world." He began at Disney in the 30s doing animal sounds when
he was cast as a talking duck in 1934's The Wise Little Hen, Donald Duck's debut. Little
did anyone know that this ancillary character would become one of Disney's most enduring
and beloved characters, owed in no small part to the incredibly unique voice and personality
given him by Clarence Nash. Oh boy! Ice cream! Raspberry! A voice that even Disney acknowledged was sometimes
a little difficult to understand. Send my voice in here.
Your voice? Oh, Clarence Nash. Yes, I ll send him right in. Hi Donald. Clarence Nash would voice Donald Duck in animated
shorts, features films, on television, and anywhere Donald could be seen or heard for
the span of 50 years. Clarence Nash died in 1985, and was named a Disney Legend in 1993.
Another favorite Disney character made his debut in the early 30s, and like Donald Duck,
the instantly recognizable voice and personality are owed to another Disney Legend, who rests
here at Holy Cross in Culver City. Vance DeBar Colvig, known as Pinto, was a living sound
effect machine, concocting an array of unique vocalizations for early Disney Shorts. In
1932 he voiced a character called Dippy Dawg in the short, Mickey's Revue. The character
would soon be renamed Goofy, the clumsy, dim-witted anthropomorphic dog who would complete the
buddy trio of Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. Oh the world owes me a livin'. Those with a keen ear will hear that unmistakable voice of Pinto all over early Disney. He also
voiced Pluto, Sleepy and Grumpy in Snow White, and several Silly Symphony characters, including
Practical Pig, The Grasshopper, and The Gingerbread Boy. Pinto would voice Goofy until his death
in 1967, and would later be named a Disney Legend in 1993. His grave had remained unmarked,
so Hollywood Graveyard teamed up with Pinto's descendants to have a marker placed. This
gravestone was designed by Pinto's Great-Granddaughter, Cortney. Before Donald and Goofy arrived on the scene, the best friends of Mickey and Minnie were
a horse and a cow named Horace and Clarabelle. This is the Iris Terrace of the Great Mausoleum,
where we find the niche of Elvia Allman, who was the voice of Clarabelle Cow. The anthropomorphic
cow first appeared as a fully-developed character in 1930's The Shindig, where she was voiced
by Marcellite Garner, the voice of Minnie Mouse. Clarabelle didn't always have spoken
or sung lines, but after that, when she did, Elvia Allman was the woman behind the cow. Ahhhh! Lady--
Ahhh! Look, your house is on--
Fresh! Your house is on-- She voiced the character a handful of times, beginning with Mickey's Mellerdrammer in 1933,
all the way to Elvia Allman's final role in 1990's The Prince and the Pauper.
In the mid-30s Disney set out on his most ambitious venture yet, a make or break project
many called Disney's Folly: the first cel-animated, sound-synched feature film, Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs. This film would introduce the very first of the canonical Disney Villains,
The Evil Queen. We're at Inglewood Park Cemetery now, to find the woman who voiced the Queen,
Lucille La Verne. It would be her final role. Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest
one of all? Lucille's grave remained unmarked until 2020
when fans helped fund a campaign led by Jessica Wahl of Silence is Platinum to have this marker
placed. The title character of Snow White was played
by Adriana Caselotti. She was cremated after her death so we can't visit her, but another
Snow White character is also here at Inglewood, not far from Lucille.
This is Scotty Mattraw, who played one of the seven dwarfs: Bashful. You're, you're Bashful! Oh, gosh! With the success of Snow White, Disney quickly began work on their next feature, Pinocchio.
The voice that would be central to that film, the narrator, who happens to also be a cricket
named Jiminy, was played by Cliff Edwards, known as Ukulele Ike. A conscience is that still, small voice that people won't listen to.
Are you my conscience? Who me? He would also sing what would become the unofficial theme of Disney, When You Wish Upon a Star.
Cliff would reprise the role of Jiminy in Fun and Fancy Free, and on Disney television
productions as well. He was named a Disney Legend in 2000.
We head now to Grand View Memorial Park in Glendale, where rests a vocal staple of early
Disney films, Verna Felton. Her first role at Disney was as Mrs. Jumbo in 1941's Dumbo.
She'd go on to voice a number of iconic characters, including the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella,
Just a wave of my stick, and to finish the trick, Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo.
the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, Off with their heads!
and Flora in Sleeping Beauty. Little Princess, my gift shall be the gift
of beauty. She can also be heard in Lady and the Tramp,
and in The Jungle Book. She hasn't been named a Disney Legend yet, but if anyone deserves
it, it would certainly be Verna Felton. During the war years, Disney struggled to
turn a profit. Producing animated films was just so costly. They began doing live-action,
animated hybrid films, the live action portions being much less costly to produce. Among these
was the 1946 film, Song of the South. We're in Crown hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, where
rests the actor fondly remembered for his portrayal of Uncle Remus in the film, James
Baskett, one of Disney's first live-action feature stars. Zip-a-Dee-Do-Dah, Zip-a-Dee-Ay... He was awarded an honorary Academy Award, for his able and heart-warming characterization
of Uncle Remus, friend and story teller to the children of the world. This would make
him the first black male actor to receive an Academy Award. Ironically, Baskett was
unable to attend the film's premier in Atlanta, because at that time, theaters in the south
were racially segregated, by law. Unfortunately, the role that was his crowning achievement
is virtually impossible to see today. Due to outdated racial stereotypes and offensive
depictions in the film, Song of the South has never been released by Disney in the home
video or streaming markets, and likely never will be. Two child actors that would become regulars in Disney productions got their start in Song
of the South. We're at Eternal Hills Memorial Park in Oceanside, where we find a monument
to Bobby Driscoll, the first actor to be put under personal contract at Disney, when he
signed on for the role of Johnny in Song of the South. But audiences remember him best
today as both the voice and model for Peter Pan. But Peter, how do we get to Neverland? Fly, of course.
Fly? It's easy! He also had a number of roles in Disney's live-action features, including as Jim Hawkins
in Treasure Island. Bobby was just 31 when he died, but he's not actually buried here.
His body was discovered in an abandoned tenement in New York. Having no identification on him,
he was buried in a potter's field on New York's Hart Island. This marker was later placed
here with his father. Another child star brought on for Song of
the South was Luana Patten, who played Ginny. She'd go on to be a regular in Disney's live-action
and hybrid films, like So Dear to My Heart, Melody Time, Fun and Fancy Free, and Johnny
Tremain. She was just 57 when she died of respiratory failure, and rests here at Forest
Lawn Long Beach. The inscription here is likely a reference to her film, So Dear To My Heart.
The next major animated feature in Disney's pipeline was Cinderella in 1950. And our
next stop is at Mount Sinai in Los Angeles, where we find the grave of a woman who would
become the quintessential Disney Villain in the 50s, Eleanor Audley. She was both the
model and voice of the stepmother in Cinderella. Oh yes, and the tapestries, and the draperies.
But I just finished-- Do them again! Just a few years later she would be both the voice and model of Maleficent, in Sleeping
Beauty. Before the sun sets on her 16th birthday,
she shall prick her finger, and die! And that iconic voice can be heard reverberating
in the halls of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, as Madame Leota.
Send us a message from somewhere beyond. Prince Charming also made his debut in Cinderella,
the archetypal fairy-tale leading-man. We're at Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake
Village, where rests William Phipps. He was the actor who provided the speaking voice
of Prince Charming. I haven't met the prince.
The prince? But didn t you know that Goodbye!
No wait! I don t even know your name! How will I find you? Voice-actress extraordinaire Lucille Bliss is perhaps best known as Smurfette, but
she also had a number of voice roles at Disney, including Anastasia in Cinderella. There, I knew it was my slipper! Exactly my size! You can also hear her as Daisy and Tulip in Alice in Wonderland, and a mermaid in Peter
Pan. She rests here at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Yet another legendary voice actress can be
heard in Cinderella, in a smaller role, as Lucifer the cat. We're at Westwood Village
memorial park, where we find the niche of June Foray. The actress known for characters
like Cindy Lou Who, and Rocky the Flying squirrel had additional roles at Disney as well, including
Lena Hyena in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and Grandmother Fa in Mulan. I should have prayed to the ancestors for luck. How lucky can they be? They're dead. Besides, I've got all the luck we'll need. Just one year after Cinderella, in 1951, came one of Disney's quirkiest and most artistically
unique movies to date, Alice in Wonderland. Two of the most memorable characters in the
film are the Mad Hatter and March Hare. The mad hatter was voiced by Hollywood's favorite
vaudevillian, Ed Wynn, whose niche we find here in the Great Mausoleum. Oh, this is the very best butter! What are you talking about?
Tea? Tea, oh I never thought of tea. Of course! Ed would go on to perform in several live-action Disney productions, including Babes in Toyland,
and as Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins. I was hoping you'd turn up! He was named a Disney Legend in 2013. Ed's son Keenan also rests here, an actor
who can be seen in a handful of Disney films, including Herbie Rides Again. Our next stop is San Fernando Mission cemetery, to find the constant companion of the Mad
Hatter, the March Hare, or at least, the man who voiced the March Hare. Here lies the great
mustachio, Jerry Colonna. An un-birthday, if you have a birthday, then
you... hehe, she doesn't know what an un-birthday is. After falling down the rabbit hole, in order to enter wonderland, Alice must first pass
through a small door. We're back at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, to find the man who voiced
the door knob, Joseph Kearns. I simply must get through.
Sorry, you're much to big. Simply impassible. You mean impossible.
No, impassible. Nothing's impossible! The first voice we hear in Alice in Wonderland
is that of Alice's older sister, voiced by actress Heather Angel. We find her niche here
at Santa Barbara Cemetery. She would also have a role in Disney's next animated feature,
Peter Pan, as Mrs Darling. But Mother, I don t want to grow up.
Now dear, don't worry about it any more tonight. In 1955 Disney released Lady and the Tramp.
The talents of Miss Peggy Lee were called on to voice a number of characters in the
movie, spoken and singing as well. She voiced Darling, the Siamese twins, and Peg, a character
inspired by her. He s a tramp, but they love him. We find this memorial bench to Peggy Lee at Westwood Village Memorial Park.
We're into the 60s now, and the last animated feature produced by Walt while he was still
alive, The Jungle Book. Another of Disney's instantly recognizable voices belonged to
Sebastian Cabot, also here at Westwood. He voiced Bagheera in Jungle Book. I've had it, Man-cub. From now on, you're on your own. He can also be heard in The Sword in the Stone, and perhaps most notably, as the narrator
of the Winnie the Pooh series. Now Pooh had some very unusual adventures,
and they all happened right here in the Hundred Acre Wood. When it came time to cast King Louie in The Jungle Book, Disney called on one of the great
jazz musicians of the big band era, Louis Prima, for the speaking and singing voice
of the king of the apes. [music] He rests here in his home of New Orleans, at Metairie Cemetery. In The Jungle Book we also hear the legendary Phil Harris, as the lovable bear, Baloo. All you ve gotta do is look for the bare necessities... You can also hear that deep resonant voice
in The Aristocats as O'Malley, and as Little John in Robin Hood. You know something, Robin, I was just wondering. Are we good guys or bad guys, you know, I
mean uh, our robbing the rich to feed the poor? Harris' dolphin-shaped urn rests here at Forest Lawn in Cathedral City. The next actor to play Baloo was Ed Gilbert, who we find here at Eternal Valley Memorial
Park in Santa Clarita. For 90s kids like me, we remember Gilbert as the voice of Baloo
in the 90s TV series, TaleSpin. We'll tell her we were attacked by air pirates!
Aw, Baloo, you used that one yesterday. There we were, outnumbered a jillion to one!
We were dodging and weaving... Rewinding back to the 70s, in 1973 Disney
made their adaptation of Robin Hood. We re in Alabama now, and Maxwell Chapel united
Methodist Church, where rests Maxwell Buttram, better known as Pat Buttram. The comedic actor
who would joke that his voice only made it half-way through puberty was perfect as the
loathsome Sheriff of Nottingham. If you shoot half as good as you blabber-mouth,
you're better than Robin Hood. He also voiced Napoleon in The Aristocats,
Chief in The Fox and the Hound, and Luke in The Rescuers. Back in SoCal, we re at San Fernando Mission Cemetery, where we find Candy Candido. His
was that unique deep gravel-voice you heard in a number of animated films of this era,
including as captain of the guard in Robin Hood. The tournament of the golden arrow will now begin. He was also the Indian chief in Peter Pan, Fidget in The Great Mouse Detective, and Brutus
and Nero in The Rescuers. Speaking of the rescuers, let's head back
to Westwood Village Memorial Park, to find the actress who voiced Miss Bianca in The
Rescuers. Eva Gabor, whose distinctive accent can also be heard as Lisa Douglas in Green
Acres, voiced Miss Bianca in both The Rescuers, and The Rescuers Downunder. Oh, I do that all the time, Dahling. Now come on, stop worrying. She was also the voice of Duchess in The Aristocats. One of Eva Gabor's co-stars in The Aristocats
can be found back at Forest Lawn Hollywood. Here lies Scatman Crothers, who was the voice
of the greatest cat of them all, Scat Cat. [music] Earlier we visited the narrator of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Here at Woodlawn
Cemetery in Santa Monica, in the mausoleum, we find the crypt of Hal Smith. The beloved
actor, known for playing Otis in The Andy Griffith Show, was the voice of Owl in Winnie
the Pooh. Someone has pasted Piglet on my window. Well
well, Pooh too! This is a surprise! We've reached the 90s now, and the era of
Disney's renaissance, and what is considered one of the greatest animated films ever, Beauty
and the Beast. At Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills we find Tony Jay, a man whose deep menacing
voice was perfect for villains like Monsieur D'Arque. Marry you? Oh that is despicable. I love it! Years later he would voice Frollo in The Hunchback
of Notre Dame. Beauty and the Beast took its stylistic cues
from Broadway musicals, and so who better to play a talking candelabra named Lumiere
than a leading man of the Broadway musical, Jerry Orbach. So, you fall in love with her, she falls in love with you, and poof! The spell is broken! He would reprise the role wherever Lumiere appeared until his death in 2004. Jerry Orbach
rests here in the mausoleum at Trinity Church Cemetery in New York. Carrie Fisher, she was our princess, loved by millions the world over for her role as
Leia in the Star Wars series of films. She was no damsel in distress or a shrinking violet;
her Princess Leia was strong, feisty, intelligent, and stood her own with the boys. She first
played the role in 1977's Star Wars, followed by the rest of the original trilogy, before
reprising the role some 30 years later in The Force Awakens. Rey, may the Force be with you. Tragically Carrie died just after finishing
filming her scenes for The Last Jedi. She rests here at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills
with her mother, actress Debbie Reynolds, who died one day later. Carrie was named a
Disney Legend in 2017. In the 1990s Disney teamed up with Pixar to
produce 3D computer animated films, the first of which was Toy Story in 1995. For the voice
of a cynical Mr. Potato Head, Disney-Pixar called on the acerbic talents of insult comic,
Mr Warmth, Don Rickles. Hey Ham, look, I'm Picasso!
Eh, I don't get it. You uncultured swine! He played Mr. Potato Head in all 4 Toy Story films, though having passed away in 2017 before
recording lines for Toy Story 4, filmmakers had to use archive recordings of Mr. Rickles.
He rests here at Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Los Angeles. Let's turn back the clock a bit and shift focus to Disney's live action and television
productions. Disney's first live action feature comedy would also feature its first Disney
Legend. Fred MacMurray starred in the 1959 film The Shaggy Dog.
Wilby, come on up now, it's getting late. Okay, Pop. Fred would appear in 7 Disney features in all, including The Absent-Minded Professor,
and Son of Flubber. He was the very first individual honored as a Disney Legend, in
1987, and rests here in the Mausoleum at Holy Cross in Culver City.
The biggest star of Disney television in the 50s can be found here at Santa Barbara Cemetery.
Here lies Fess Parker, better known to every kid in the 50s as Davy Crockett. He appeared
as the king of the wild frontier in The Magical World of Disney, beginning in 1954, becoming
an instant hit. No, how'd you kill that brute?
With my knife. I was figuring on grinning him to death, but
this here stumble-footed man of yours come along and busted up my concentrate. He even had a gold record in The Ballad of Davy Crockett. Other Disney productions Parker
starred in include Old Yeller. He was named a Disney Legend in 1991. The coonskin cap
that appears here on his marker was all the rage with kids in the 50s. If 50s kids weren't wearing their coonskin caps, they may well have been wearing Mickey
ears, thanks to the popular TV show, The Mickey Mouse Club, a variety show that first aired
in 1955. We're at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills where we find the head mouseketeer,
the adult host of the show, Jimmie Dodd. [music] Not only did he host as master of ceremonies, but Jimmie Dodd also wrote many of the songs
for the show, including the iconic opening theme. He was named a Disney Legend in 1992. At the top of the hill are the Courts of Remembrance here at Forest Lawn. Along this wall of crypts
we find a man lovingly known as The Big Mooseketeer. This is Roy Williams. He began at Disney as
an artist and gag man, but Disney felt his large stature and gentle demeanor would make
him perfect as an adult mouseketeer on The Mickey Mouse Club, bestowing on him the nickname
featured here on his crypt. Hey, what s going on here?
Fun for all and all for fun! We are the merry mouseketeers! Roy is also responsible for having designed the mouse ears that have become synonymous
with both The Mickey Mouse Club, and Disney theme parks. He was inspired after seeing
Mickey take his ears off like a cap in 1929's The Karnival Kid. Williams was named a Disney
legend in 1992. At Disney, many of the young artists would
rise in the ranks to eventually helm Disney projects as directors, writers, producers,
etc. Take Hamilton Luske, for example, who rests here in the Great Mausoleum of Forest
Lawn Glendale. His career began at Disney in the early 30s, becoming the first animator
cast by Disney for his ambitious new project, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. As supervising
animator, Luske was responsible for Snow White herself. After the success of Snow White,
Ham, as he was known, turned his career to directing. He would direct or co-direct many
of Disney's features to follow, including Pinocchio, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland,
Peter Pan, and more. And for his work directing the cartoon sequences of Mary Poppins, Ham
Luske earned an Oscar. He was named a Disney Legend in 1999.
Also here at Forest Lawn Glendale, in the Dawn of Tomorrow, we find Joe Grant. His early
work as an artist at Disney includes the design of the Evil Queen in Show White. Grant would
go on to become one of Disney's great story men, writing and developing movies like Fantasia,
Dumbo, and Lady and the Tramp. The character of Lady was inspired by his own English Spaniel
named Lady. Grant left the studio in 1949, but would return 40 years later, in 1989,
to contribute visual and story development for films like Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas,
Hercules, and more. He lived to be 96 and was named a Disney legend in 1992. Over now to Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, we find Jack Hannah. He's known for his work
on Disney's short films, first as writer, then as a director, including most of the
post-war Donald Duck cartoons. Hannah is often credited for helping create the personality
of the animated version of Donald Duck in this era. He also directed the fan-favorite,
Lambert the Sheepish Lion. Later he would move into television, writing and directing
for The Magical World of Disney. Jack Hannah was named a Disney Legend in 1992. Just up the road, in this same section, across the street from the red church we find Bill
Peet, whose grave features woodland creatures not unlike those seen in Bambi. He joined
Disney as an animator in the late 30s, but quickly developed as a leading story man.
He was a writer on classics like Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and Peter Pan. He would go on to be
the sole developer of 101 Dalmatians and The Sword in the Stone, which in addition to writing,
he also led character design and performance. Bill Peet was named a Disney Legend in 1996. Back to Forest Lawn Glendale, this is Winston Hibler, another of the great story men of
early Disney. He wrote for films including The Adventures of Ichabod Crane and Mr. Toad,
Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. When Disney began producing nature
films, Hib, as he was known, was cast as narrator, for his smooth voice. He was also a series
producer on television for The Magical World of Disney. Winston Hibler was named a Disney
Legend in 1992. Among those in the next generation of great
story-men at Disney is Vance Gerry, who rests here at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena.
He began as a storyboard and layout artist at Disney before moving into the story department,
writing for films like The Aristocats, Robin Hood, and The Great Mouse Detective. In later
years he went back to visual development, designing characters for films including Pocahontas,
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Tarzan. We're back just feet from where Walt Disney
is laid to rest. Here lies Bill Walsh. He was a producer who worked mainly on Disney's
live-action features. He wrote and produced Disney's first live-action comedy, the Shaggy
Dog in 1959, and on television he produced Davy Crockett, and The Mickey Mouse Club.
Walsh would receive two Oscar nominations in his career, for both co-writing and co-producing
Mary Poppins in 1964. Other films he produced include Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and The
Absent-Minded Professor. He was named a Disney Legend in 1991. An oft-overlooked aspect of film production is sound, but it was sound that made Disney
in those early years. We're at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, where rests William
Garity. He was an inventor and audio engineer who helped Disney record the sound for Steamboat
Willie in 1928. He would be instrumental in the following years in making Disney's cartoons
the most technically advanced, developing early sound for film, including stereo sound,
which they called Fantasound. He won an honorary Academy Award for Fantasia, for the outstanding
contribution to the use of sound in motion pictures. Bill Garity also developed the advanced
multi-plane camera for Disney, which gave animations a sense of depth through parallax,
first used in the 1937 short The Old Mill, and also seen in fly-through village sequences
in Pinocchio. He was named a Disney Legend in 1999. Disney exploded onto the scene in 1928 with
its release of Steamboat Willie, and as mentioned it was the novelty of synchronized music and
sound that made it so remarkable. Music would continue to play a central role in the rise
of early Disney animation, particularly with the Silly Symphonies -- short animations whimsically
set to music. And to this very day, music is often the emotional heart of Disney's productions. Not bad for a dead guy! You re not so bad yourself, Gordito. It's taken an incredible lineup of composers and songwriters, spanning multiple generations,
to pen the tunes that instantly transport us back to our childhoods. Let's meet a few
of them. This is the Abbey of the Palms at Hollywood
Forever Cemetery, where we find, high on the wall, the crypt of Carl Stalling. The prolific
composer of hundreds of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melody cartoons actually got his start with
Disney, meeting young Walt back in Kansas City. Walt would hire Carl Stalling to score
early Mickey Mouse cartoons like Plane Crazy and Gallopin Goucho, subsequently naming him
Disney's first Music Director. In addition to scoring Mickey shorts, Stalling would also
write music for Silly Symphonies, a series he devised with the idea of crafting music
before the animation, the first of which was the ever-popular Skeleton Dance. And here's a fun fact:
the very first words spoken by Mickey Mouse were not actually voiced by
Walt, but by Carl Stalling, in 1929's The Karnival Kid. And what were Mickey's first
words? Hot Dog. Hot dog! Hot dog! There's one tune that has become synonymous with Disney, its signature tune, the main
theme of Walt Disney Entertainment. We're at Valhalla Cemetery, in the Mausoleum of
the Resurrection. Here is the niche of Leigh Harline. The Salt Lake City-born composer
wrote the music for When You Wish Upon a Star. [music] The song was written for Pinocchio in 1940, and would be the first Disney song to win
an Oscar, which Harline shared with Lyricist Ned Washington. The score for Pinoccchio earned
Harline a second Oscar that year. The tune from When You Wish Upon a Star now opens just
about every Disney movie, playing over the castle logo. Harline also composed the
music for Snow White, and scored a number of Silly Symphonies, like The Grasshopper
and the Ants, and The Cookie Carnival. [music] Such a humble resting place for a man whose music is known and loved by likely billions
across the globe. Leigh Harline was named a Disney Legend in 2001.
Many of Disney's early films had multiple composers. We're in the Freedom Mausoleum
at Forest Lawn Glendale, where rests Paul J. Smith. Along with Leigh Harline and others,
Smith wrote music for Disney's early films, including Snow White, and Pinocchio, which
earned him an Oscar. Smith earned 7 Oscar nominations in addition to his win for his
Disney music, which also included The Three Caballeros, and Cinderella. Live action Disney
films would follow, like The Shaggy Dog, The Parent Trap, and Pollyanna, as well as Disney's
True-Life Adventures. After his death in 1985 Paul Smith was laid to rest here with
his mother, though his name is not on the niche. He was named a Disney Legend in 1994. We leave LA for Ellensburg, Washington, and visit the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
Cemetery, to find our next legendary Disney musician. This is where Oliver Wallace is
laid to rest. Oliver Wallace teamed up with Paul Smith to score Cinderella in 1950, which
would earn him an Oscar nomination. Before Cinderella Wallace had written Oscar-winning
music for Dumbo, including that acid-trip of a song, Pink Elephants on Parade. [music] Other feature animations include Alice in
Wonderland, Peter Pan, and Lady and the Tramp. Wallace's skills were also called upon for
films like The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, as well as Donald Duck's theme song
in the 40s. [music] Oliver Wallace was named a Disney Legend in 2008. Back in LA, we re at Forest Lawn Glendale. Here we find another of the great tunesmiths
of early Disney, Frank Churchill. Frank is perhaps best known for penning the music to
many of the songs that were featured in classic Disney films. He had a chart-topping hit with
the song Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, in 1933, written for the Silly Symphony, The
Three Little Pigs. Disney then brought Churchill on to his first animated feature, giving us
those classic tunes: Whistle While You Work, [music] Heigh-Ho, [music] and Someday My Prince Will Come. [music] Churchill would go on win an Oscar for penning music for the film Dumbo, which included the
song Baby Mine. [music] Frank Churchill was named a Disney Legend in 2001. This is Fir Hill Cemetery in Sandy, Oregon. In these grounds we find the final resting
place of George Bruns. He came to Disney in the 1950s, and found early success in Disney's
pioneering television work. He had a hit writing The Ballad of Davy Crockett, which
would help launch the Davy Crockett craze of the 50s. He earned 4 Oscar nominations
for his film work at Disney, for Babes in Toyland, Robin Hood, The Sword in the Stone,
and for adapting Sleeping Beauty. And if you find yourself at Disneyland or Disneyworld
singing Yo-Ho! Yo-Ho! a Pirate s Life for Me, you can thank George Bruns. He wrote the
Pirates song, with lyrics by X Atencio. George Bruns was named a Disney Legend in 2001. We find ourselves now at Indian Hill Cemetery in Middletown Connecticut. This is where Allie
Wrubel is laid to rest. He's remembered today for writing a song that is perhaps second
only to When You Wish Upon a Star in its association with Disney, a song that perfectly encapsulates
the buttery optimism of Disney, Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Da. [music] The song was written by Wrubel in 1946, with lyrics by Ray Gilbert, for the film Song of
the South. And though Song of the South is no longer shown, the song itself has endured,
even featured on the Disneyland ride, Splash Mountain. It won Wrubel and Gilbert the Oscar for best song, and was ranked #47 on AFI's list of
top 100 tunes of American Cinema. Many of the composers we've featured so far
would team up with great lyricists to put words to their songs. Among them was Ned Washington,
who rests here in the mausoleum at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. Ned Washington teamed
up with Leigh Harline to write the words to When You Wish Upon a Star. As mentioned, the
song won them the Oscar. He would also be nominated for writing the lyrics to Baby Mine
from Dumbo. Ned Washington was a member of the songwriters hall of fame, and was named a
Disney Legend in 2001. The next generation of great Disney songwriters
came to us in the form of two brothers. We're at Hillside Cemetery now, in Culver City,
where rests Robert Sherman. With younger Brother Richard, the Sherman Brothers are responsible
for some of the catchiest and most beloved tunes ever to come out of Disney. In the 1960s
they were the lyrical voice of Walt Disney. They're perhaps best remembered for their
work on Mary Poppins, including the songs: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, [music] Chim Chim Cher-ee, which won them the Oscar, [music] and Feed the Birds, which would become Walt
Disney s favorite song. [music] That same year they wrote the song It's a Small World After All, for the World's Fair,
the most performed, and most get stuck in your head, song of all time. Other productions
they wrote songs for include Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Jungle Book, and the Many
Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The Sherman Brothers were portrayed in the 2013 film,
Saving Mr. Banks, and became Disney Legends in 1990. We're back again at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills, in the Sheltering Hills section. Here
lies Buddy Baker. The Sherman Brothers wrote the songs for Winnie the Pooh, but another
Disney legend wrote the score for the Winnie the Pooh films, Buddy Baker. He arrived at
Disney in the 50s, helping write music for various television productions. Other of his
feature film work includes The Fox and the Hound in 1981. Later in life he became music
director for WED Enterprises, aka Disney Imagineering, crafting music for many of Disney Park's attractions.
Perhaps his most beloved tune from the Disney parks is Grim Grinning Ghosts from the Haunted
Mansion, with lyrics by X Atencio. [music] Baker spent his final years mentoring the next generation of film composers, and was
named a Disney Legend in 1998. The late 80s, early 90s, were known as a renaissance
era for Disney Animation, and much of that is owed to the brilliant work of our next
songwriter, Howard Ashman, who rests here at Oheb Shalom Memorial Park in Baltimore,
Maryland. Ashman was a lyricists, who collaborated with musician Alan Menken to write songs for
the movie that would turn around Disney's fortunes in 1989, The Little Mermaid. In an
era when Disney animation seemed to be on its last leg, The Little Mermaid splashed
onto the scene, pun intended, with stunning animation, and infectiously memorable music.
Howard Ashman wrote the lyrics for songs like Part of Your World, [music] and Under the Sea, which earned Ashman and
Menken an Oscar. [music] Next would come one of the most successful animated films of all time, Beauty and the
Beast, featuring songs that have become timeless, like Be Our Guest, [music] and Beauty and the Beast, which won Ashman
his second Oscar. [music] But this award would be posthumous as, tragically, Ashman died of AIDS-related complications
just months before Beauty and the Beast was released. After his death, some of his songs
were also used in Aladdin, including Friend Like Me. Howard Ashman was named a Disney
Legend in 2001, and was the title subject of the documentary, Howard.
Oh, that he had one more song to sing, one more song... If you've ever walked down main street at
Disneyland or Disney World, you may have noticed names painted on the windows. These names
aren't random, they are tributes to the men and women who made significant contributions
to the creation of magic at Disney parks. Walt Disney Imagineering, originally WED Enterprises,
was founded in 1952, when Walt's focus began to shift away from animation, to other forms
of entertainment. The purpose of this new enterprise? To design and build Disneyland.
For this final chapter of our tour, we'll remember some of the talented Imagineers,
artists, and performers who brought the magic of Disney off the screen and into the real
world at the Disney Parks. In 1952, Walt hired art director Richard Irvine
to act as a liaison between Disney and an architectural firm that would build Disneyland.
Irvine convinced Walt that his own artists were among the best to design the park -- Disneyland
would be made with a cinematic eye, rather than an industrial eye. Thus Walt formed WED
Enterprises, where Irvine would be a senior figure in the construction of Disneyland,
and later Disney World. Throughout his near 20-year career at Disney Imagineering, Irvine
would oversee the design and planning of all of the park's attractions, including Pirates
of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, and The Haunted Mansion. He rests here at Forest
Lawn in the Hollywood Hills, and was named a Disney Legend in 1990. Walt would call on some of his most talented artists to help bring his vision of Disneyland
to life. Among them was a man known as Disney's Renaissance artist, John Hench, who rests
here at Rose Hills Memorial Park. He was one of the original Imagineers, and his first
assignment at WED was to design attractions for the original Tomorrowland, eventually
including Space Mountain, and also designed portions of Adventureland. He would go on
to help master plan Walt Disney World, including Cinderella's Castle, and later helped develop
Disneyland. His work in film includes the special effects in 20,000 Leagues Under the
Sea, which won an Oscar. He was also the official portrait painter of Mickey Mouse. The world
is happier because of John Hench, who became a Disney Legend in 1990. This is the Columbarium of the Evening Star at Forest Lawn Glendale, where we find a number
of Disney Legends. Bill Cottrell was the first president of Disney Imagineering, then known
as WED Enterprises. Bill began as a story-man at Disney, writing for several of Disney's
early features, and even directing the Evil Queen and Wicked Witch sequences in Snow White.
In the 50s he brought his talents to WED. Walt would rely heavily on Bill's creativity
and insight during the planning and construction phase of Disneyland. He wrote storylines for
rides in Fantasyland, including Snow White's Adventures. He was named a Disney legend
in 1994. Bill was also Walt s brother-in-law, having married Lillian's sister.
Hazel Sewell was the first head of the Ink and Paint Department at Disney, making her
the first woman in the animation industry to serve as head of a division. The department
itself consisted entirely of women, the unsung heroes of Disney animation, who translated
the pencil sketches by the animators onto the final inked-and-painted cels that we see
on film. Hazel was also an Art Director on Snow White.
Also here is son-in-law Marvin Davis, who worked on the masterplan and layout of Disneyland,
including Main Street USA, and Sleeping Beauty Castle. Davis would also be the master site
planner for the Florida project: Walt Disney World. He was named a Disney Legend in 1994. We're at Mount Sinai Cemetery now, adjacent to Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, where rests
Marty Sklar. He joined Imagineering in 1961, where he would help design the Enchanted Tiki
Room and It's a Small World. By 1974 he became vice president of concepts and planning, guiding
the development of EPCOT, Walt's Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. He was a
dedicated torchbearer of Disney's philosophy throughout his career as principal creative
executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, supervising design and construction of Disney's global
park expansion, including Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disney. He
is the only imagineer to have attended the grand opening of all Disney parks. Marty Sklar
was named a Disney Legend in 1994. At Forest Lawn Glendale, not far from where
Walt rests, we find Claude Coats. As an artist he was known for his rich background paintings,
for films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Pinocchio. When Walt began work on Disneyland,
Coats was another of the artists he called upon to bring the magic of his artwork to
the park. He would paint the designs and environments for the sets that would become rides like
Pirates of the Caribbean, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and The Haunted Mansion. He would continue
to design rides at every extant Disney park throughout his life, and was named a Disney
legend in 1991. We're back at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood
Hills. Frank Wells was the President of the Walt Disney Company between 1984 and 1994.
During his tenure the Walt Disney Company saw unprecedented growth. With Michael Eisner
he was a key supporter of expanding Disney Parks, with rides like Star Tours, Splash
Mountain, and Indiana Jones. He was also instrumental in creating Disneyland Paris, and growing
the company's international presence. Tragically, Wells died in a helicopter crash in 1994.
A building at the Walt Disney Studio was named in his honor, and he became a Disney Legend
in 1994. Actors and performers aren't only seen on
the screen. Disney has called on the talents of many to entertain us right within the parks.
Take Thurl Ravenscroft for example, who we find here at Cathedral Memorial Gardens in
Orange County. He was perhaps the most famous bass voice of his generation, including as
Tony the Tiger, and the vocalist of You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch. He lent his voice
to Disney films like The Aristocats, and 101 Dalmatians, but you'll also hear the distinctive
voice of Ravenscroft throughout the Disney parks, including in the Enchanted Tiki Room,
Pirates of the Caribbean, Mark Twain Riverboat, and as one of the singing busts in the Haunted
Mansion. He was named a Disney Legend in 1995. Leaving LA behind a moment we visit Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park in Seattle Washington. Here
we find the final resting place of Betty Taylor, known to a generation of Disneyland visitors
as Slue Foot Sue. She performed as Slue Foot Sue in Disneyland's Golden Horseshoe Revue,
with partner Wally Boag, beginning in 1956, for an astounding 45,000 performances over
31 years. An estimated 10 million people watched her perform over the years. [music] She died one day after her performing partner,
Wally Boag, and they were both named Disney Legends in 1995. One of the great innovations that Disney brought to its parks from the 1964 World's Fair was
audio animatronics. Audiences were stunned when they saw a moving, talking Abraham Lincoln
in Great Moments with Mr Lincoln. We're at Los Angeles National Cemetery, where rests
Royal Dano, the man Disney had called on to provide the voice of Abraham Lincoln. The world has never had a good definition of the word Liberty. Dano had played Lincoln on TV a number of times, and was therefore the perfect choice. We're at Inglewood Park Cemetery now, southwest of LA. Here we find the final resting place
of Disneyland's first Tinker Bell, Tiny Kline. The diminutive star began her career
as a circus performer. In 1961 Walt began to look for a performer to wow crowds at Disneyland
as Tinker Bell, flying over the castle. At the age of 70, Tiny Kline was cast in the
role of Tinker Bell, flying over crowds on a wire from Sleeping Beautyss Castle to the
Matterhorn during the fireworks shows at night. She played the role until her death in 1964. We head north to Holy Cross Cemetery to find our next legend of Disney Parks: Xavier Atencio,
known as X Atencio. He began as an animator and story writer at Disney, including for
Fantasia and Winnie the Pooh. Disney recruited X to write stories and narrations for rides.
It was X who wrote the script for Pirates of the Caribbean.
They were having fun. They were just a bunch of fun-loving pirates. Not only that, he penned the lyrics for the song Yo-Ho! Yo-Ho! A Pirates Life for Me.
And you can hear the voice of X as the talking skull at the beginning of the ride. His next
major contribution to the park was writing the script for The Haunted Mansion, and the
lyrics for the Grim Grinning Ghosts song. He lived to be 98 and was named a Disney Legend
in 1996. And in addition to having a window, X is one of several Imagineers whose name
you'll see engraved on the tombstones at the Haunted Mansion. Our final stop on our tour through the animated graveyards of Disney brings us back to where
we started, at Forest Lawn Glendale. The millions of visitors to Disneyland may not know the
name of Leota Toombs, but they certainly know her face, as the character of Madame Leota
in the Haunted Mansion, also named for her. Leota began her career at Disney in the Ink
and Paint department, and would eventually take her skills as a craftswoman to WED, working
on attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. They needed a model
for the disembodied head of a gypsy woman in a crystal ball in the Haunted Mansion,
and Leota was chosen for her exotic look. Though, as mentioned earlier, the overdubbed
voice was Eleanor Audley. But the voice you hear at the end of the ride, Little Leota
urging you to hurry back, is the actual voice of Leota Toombs. Hurry baaaack. She was named a Disney Legend in 2009. Be sure to bring your death certificate. And that concludes our tour. What are some
of your favorite Disney memories? Share them in the comments below, and as Little Leota
said, hurry back, for more famous grave tours. Thanks for watching, we'll see you on the
next one. Here's some food for thought for all you Disney
lovers out there: What if the Forest Lawn deer, who daily graze among the graves of
all these Disney legends, are direct descendants of the very deer Disney used to animate Bambi?
