Mickey Loses His Voice

[plutoboy]

I apologize if this has already been posted but I heard from my sister that works for Disney Corporate in Burbank that Wayne Allwine passed away May 18th from complications with diabetes.

For those who do not know Wayne was the voice of Mickey Mouse and only the 3rd person in history to voice our favorite mouse. His wife, Russi Taylor, voices Minnie Mouse.

I had the pleasure of meeting both when I was with WDW Entertainment and they both were very kind & genuine!!!

Thoughts and sympathy go out to Russi and the entire family!!!!

[brownie]

Our sympathy for the family.

There was a blog that reported Disney has been looking for a replacement for several months and Allwine was actively involved in the process.

[JPL]

A very sad day

Thoughts and prayers for his family

[Melanie]

Here's Wayne's bio from the Disney Legends page:

Wayne Allwine (Voice)
Inducted 2008

Wayne Allwine has been providing the voice of Disney's top animated star since 1977, when he officially took over for his mentor, Disney Legend Jimmy Macdonald. Allwine humbly reflects, "It's a great honor to keep alive what Walt loved so dearly and what Jimmy kept alive so well."

Born in 1947 in Glendale, California, Allwine has been active on stage and screen most of his life, making his first television appearance at age seven as one of the children interviewed by Art Linkletter on his "House Party" program. While still in high school, he formed his own acoustic music group, The International Singers, which performed in clubs and colleges all over the state. He went on to record with such singers as Dobie Gray and Bobby Vinton, and was a member of The Arrows, a musical group put together by Mike Curb.

In 1966, Allwine opted for a "normal" lifestyle and took a job in the mail room at The Walt Disney Studios. From there, he worked briefly in Wardrobe, then moved to Audio Post Production and began a seven-and-a-half year stint under Macdonald, the Studio's resident sound effects wizard.

Allwine worked in sound effects editing on Disney films and television shows including Splash (1984) and Three Men and a Baby (1987); as well as Innerspace (1987), Alien Nation (1988), and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) for other studios.

He received the Emmy® Award and the Golden Reel Award for his contributions to Steven Speilberg's "Amazing Stories," which he worked on for two years, and a second Golden Reel for his work on The Great Mouse Detective (1986).

In 1977, Allwine went to an open audition for the voice of Mickey Mouse and walked away with the part. He made his debut on "The New Mickey Mouse Club" (1977-1978), and has since provided Mickey's voice for Disney theme parks, movies, TV specials, records, and video games. In the role of Mickey, he has starred in films such as Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983), The Prince and the Pauper (1990), and Mickey, Donald, and Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004), and the TV series "Mickey's Mouse Works" (1999-2000), "House of Mouse" (2001-2002), and "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" (2006-2008). "In time, you actually realize all of the characteristics that this character has in yourself," Allwine says of his prolific performances as Mickey. "I've got all his naïve qualities, and all of his optimistic qualities." Allwine is married to Russi Taylor, the voice of Minnie Mouse and many other popular characters. They head their own production company, Taylor-Allwine Associates, and share four children?including three who think they sound like Mickey, too.

Which is only fitting, given the admonition that Allwine's mentor gave him decades ago: "Just remember, kid," Jimmy Macdonald said, "you're only filling in for the boss." Allwine has never forgotten that. "Mickey is Walt's," Allwine readily admits. "I get to take this wonderful American icon and keep it alive until the next Mickey comes along, and it will one day. It's holding him close enough to really love him, but not so close that when he leaves, it's gonna kill me."

"But it will," Russi Taylor adds with a loving laugh.

Wayne Allwine passed away on May 18, 2009 at the age of 62.

[GrumpyFan]

Sad day indeed. Prayers and sympathy to Russi and the rest of the family.

[NotaGeek]

TOTALLY sad. Got a tear in my eye reading this.

[DisneyBabies]

Our prayers and thoughts go out to Mr. Allwine's family during this sad time. Thank you for helping to give my children more mouse adventures to enjoy.

[Ed]

The drawing below was published shortly after the passing of Walt Disney on December 15, 1966.

I believe the sentiment expressed is also very appropriate to mark the passing of Wayne Allwine.

[Melanie]

From Yahoo! News:

Allwine, voice of Mickey Mouse for 32 years, dies

LOS ANGELES – Wayne Allwine, the actor who voiced Mickey Mouse for more than 30 years, has died.

The Walt Disney Co. says Allwine died Monday of complications from diabetes, with Russi Taylor, his wife of 20 years and the voice of Minnie Mouse, by his side. He was 62.

"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."

A Southern California native, Allwine joined Disney in 1966 when he took a job in the mail room. He went on to work in the sound effects department and began voicing the company's main mouse in 1977.

His falsetto can be heard in 1983's "Mickey's Christmas Carol," 1988's "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and at Disney theme parks around the world. He won an Emmy Award in 1986 for his sound editing on the NBC series "Amazing Stories."

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."

Besides Taylor, Allwine is survived by five children from a previous marriage: Erin, Alison, Peter, Christopher and Joshua.

[Melanie]

I believe the sentiment expressed is also very appropriate to mark the passing of Wayne Allwine.

Yes, perfect sentiment Ed.

[Laughin' place]

I learned with great sadness today that the voice of our beloved Mouse, Mr Wayne Allwine, passed away. Many do not know that he was married to the voice of Minnie. Mr Allwine was only the third to voice the Mouse, and did so for 30 years.
I am truly grateful for the fun and magic he brought to me and mine. I am deeply saddened for his widow, and I hope she knows how much she and her husband's work meant to SO many.
My deepest thanks and condolences. Our community has suffered a great loss.

[EPCOT84]

The drawing below was published shortly after the passing of Walt Disney on December 15, 1966.

I believe the sentiment expressed is also very appropriate to mark the passing of Wayne Allwine.

So saddened to read about the passing of Mr. Allwine, the voice of Mickey. Thank you TiggTigg5 for an appropriate homage.

[magicofdisney]

This is just so sad to me. I saw a couple of interviews with him and his wife on YouTube and it's very sobering. He LOVED his job so much and he said it saddened him to think that he's number 3 but a number 4 will come along some day. That day is now...

[Boost]

Very sad news...our thoughts and prayers are with the family...