Q : My wife’s father was stationed at Fort Riley during WWII and had the opportunity to meet a good friend during their service days there. It was Fred Rice, who I understand was a Disney artist. We actually have a hand-drawn sketch of Mickey Mouse he gave to my father-in-law back in 1943. I was wondering if you could tell me anything about him and what he might have done while at Disney. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Robert, Hazelton, Pennsylvania
A: The only information that the Walt Disney Archives has on Frederick H. Rice is that he was employed in the animation effects department at the Disney Studio from February 1940 to September 1941.
Q : In the new Mickey Mouse cartoons on Disney Channel and Disney.com (produced by Paul Rudish) why is Mickey’s voice provided by Chris Diamantopoulos, and not the official voice of Mickey (since 2009), Brett Iwan? This is very curious to me, especially since the other characters in these cartoons (Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy) are all voiced by their current voice actors, Russi Taylor, Tony Anselmo, Tress MacNeille, and Bill Farmer, respectively.
Fred, Placentia, California
A: The producers of the new cartoons were looking for a retro voice to match the vintage look of the cartoons.
Q : I was too shy to say this the last time I asked you a question, which was also the first time I ever did so, but I just want to say that I’m one of the biggest Disney fans on earth and I have quite advanced knowledge of Disney, too—and you are most certainly one of the many sources I give credit to for it! As for the next question I have, you know how all the animated Disney films were given an era, like the Disney Golden Age and the Disney Renaissance? Well I keep trying to find the names of the other Disney eras, but most available sources all keep saying different things, so I was wondering, what are the real official names of all the Disney eras, and what years did they begin and end in?
Emily, Selden, New York
A: Thanks for your kind comments. There are no official names of the eras. From time to time for particular promotions, or DVD releases, a designation might be assigned. But for later promotions the name might change.
Television still of Gertie the Dinosaur which appeared on Disneyland Television
Q : I’m writing a book about Robert McCay, Winsor McCay’s son. In 1955, Robert McCay recreated his father’s original Gertie the Dinosaur vaudeville performance for the Disneyland television series, on a program called The Story of the Animated Drawing, which aired on November 30 [of that year]. Disney writer/animator Richard Huemer had witnessed Winsor McCay’s act forty years earlier and, with Robert McCay as a consultant, they were able to reproduce—for the actor who plays Winsor McCay—the artist’s dialogue and movements (cracking a whip, tossing a pumpkin, and so forth). The performance is contained on the Walt Disney Treasures, Behind the Scenes at the Walt Disney Studio DVD. I wanted to ask if you have any correspondence from—or to— Robert McCay regarding the preparation of this feature, [as well as] other documents regarding Robert McCay, like letters, photographs, etc. Any information will be highly appreciated.
Ulrich, Hohenstein-Ernsttha, Germany
A: Yes, the Archives has materials relating to Robert McCay. You can inquire about them at disney.archives@disney.com
Q : I’ve been contracted to help the Los Angeles Public Library catalog their menu collection. In a recent donation from Lord Publishing Company, we have two proofs from the “Walt Disney’s Studio Restaurant” in Burbank. One is for the restaurant, as a whole; the other for “Counter Service.” Since they are only covers with no menu or inner content information, there is no date attached. I was hoping you could help me pin down a date (or range) for our records.
Stacy (Menu Archivist Los Angeles Public Library), Los Angeles, California
A: The two menus you have are probably from the 1940s. Unfortunately, they are undated.
Q : I know that Goofy was originally called Dippy Dawg before he went from being a minor player in Mickey Mouse shorts to a star in his own right. My question is how the change came about? Why did they decide to rename him? How exactly did he go from being an obnoxious laugh in the crowd to sharing the spotlight with Mickey and Donald?
Templeton, Louisville, Kentucky
A: After the first appearance of Dippy Dawg in Mickey’s Revue (1932), the staff at the Disney Studio felt that he would be a good character to develop. As he was used in more cartoons, he became popular with movie audiences. It was not just the character that was notable, but the distinctive laugh and voice provided by Pinto Colvig. I do not recall ever seeing anything on the reasons for the name change, which evolved from Dippy Dawg to Dippy the Goof, then Goofy.
Q : I have a sketch of Mickey on my wall that was given to me around 1979. It was drawn and addressed to me by a Disney artist at the Burlington Mall in Massachusetts on some sort of early Mall Tour. It is signed “from Mickey and Russell.” Do you have any idea who this artist was and maybe what the circumstances of the tour may have been? Thanks for all you do!
Steven, Brandon, Florida
A: This would have been Russell Schroeder, who was a character artist at Walt Disney World. I inquired of him, and he recalls being in Boston doing drawings in the late 1970s, but at a department store downtown, not the Burlington Mall. This was a promotional tour to bring a bit of Disney to people around the country, but as a side effect to encourage them to visit Walt Disney World.
Q : I have just graduated with my master’s degree in history. I, like every other kid who has grown up in Florida, adore and am inspired by everything Disney. I would love to combine my Disney and history passion, but I am having a hard time locating any history options on employment sites. I believe there may be opportunities here for me in Florida. Hollywood Studios has a very nice exhibit, for example. Do you have any advice on how a Disney kid can become a Disney historian? Thanks so much.
Sara, Fort Myers, Florida
A: Though some departments at Walt Disney World have libraries, most Disney historians are at the Walt Disney Archives in Burbank, California. The staff is small, but when jobs are available they are posted on the Disney careers website.