The Absent-Minded Professor bounced into theaters on this day in 1961 and introduced the world to “flubber.” Although Disney Legend Fred MacMurray played the lead role of Professor Ned Brainard, to fly high into the sky on the heels of flubber, another Disney Legend filled his shoes . . . and the rest of his clothes, too. Disney Legend Wally Boag, best known as José’s voice in Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room and the teeth-spitting comic in Disneyland’s Golden Horseshoe Revue, had a background in professional dance and was extremely limber. So when Professor Brainard was supposed to be bouncing in the sky, it was really Wally, wearing a custom-fitted Fred MacMurray mask, providing the comedic airborne stunts.
I did a rumba with her, and they would trap me up with a wire.
Wally told D23’s Scott Wolf, “I did most of the tricks, especially dancing around with the leading lady. I did a rumba with her, and they would trap me up with a wire. I was wearing his mask so I was Fred MacMurray for all those big leaps. I got a little excited one day when I thought of a new idea and when everybody went out to lunch I got on the huge trampoline and when they came back I was on the floor knocked out. I bruised the back of my head and I broke my wrist. They sent me to the hospital across the street and they fixed me up, so toward the end of filming I had a cast on, so I wasn’t out too long, I still did it.”
