Rotoscopers
  • News
  • Podcasts
    • Animation Addicts Podcast
    • Every Episode Ever
  • Reviews
    • Animated Movies
    • Art Books
    • Blu-ray/DVD
    • Live Action
  • Interviews
  • Opinions
  • Studios
    • Aardman
    • Blue Sky Studios
    • Disney
    • Don Bluth
    • DreamWorks
    • Fox Animation Studios
    • Illumination Entertainment
    • LAIKA
    • Lucasfilm Animation
    • Paramount Animation
    • Pixar
    • Sony Pictures Animation
    • Reel FX
    • Studio Ghibli
    • Warner Animation
  • Animation Calendar
No Result
View All Result
Rotoscopers
  • News
  • Podcasts
    • Animation Addicts Podcast
    • Every Episode Ever
  • Reviews
    • Animated Movies
    • Art Books
    • Blu-ray/DVD
    • Live Action
  • Interviews
  • Opinions
  • Studios
    • Aardman
    • Blue Sky Studios
    • Disney
    • Don Bluth
    • DreamWorks
    • Fox Animation Studios
    • Illumination Entertainment
    • LAIKA
    • Lucasfilm Animation
    • Paramount Animation
    • Pixar
    • Sony Pictures Animation
    • Reel FX
    • Studio Ghibli
    • Warner Animation
  • Animation Calendar
No Result
View All Result
Rotoscopers
No Result
View All Result
Home Studios Disney

Disney’s Voice-Acting Veterans in ‘Robin Hood’

Blake Taylor by Blake Taylor
June 17, 2013
in Disney, Opinions, The Latest Animation News
5 min read
0

Robin-Hood-CastA tradition that has transcended generations of filmmakers is using familiar talent. A specific director or studio will turn to actors who already have experience with them to cast in new roles. This not only helps add some momentum to publicity (the voice of “_____” is now voicing “_____”), but also allows the filmmakers to use what they already know about working with that person to make their new character even better.

From Hayley Mills being Walt Disney’s go-to gal in the ’60s to Pixar employing John Ratzenberger in every feature, re-using successful talent and establishing actors as veteran performers associated with a particular brand—across live-action and animation old and new—has been seen time and time again.

This Friday’s episode of The Animation Addicts podcast will have the Rotoscopers discussing Disney’s 1973 feature, Robin Hood. In preparation for the episode, all week long here on the blog we’ll be celebrating the film. Let’s kick things off with a look at how Robin Hood serves as a prime example of re-using successful and familiar voice talent.

Robin Hood was created as Disney Animation experienced a difficult state of change. Walt Disney had passed away in 1966, and the studio still struggled to make masterpieces like they once had. That’s not to say Robin Hood doesn’t hold up; it does. But I think we can all agree it’s not at the caliber of brilliance and wonder that audiences were used to from a Disney animated film during Walt’s time. It’s a different mold of a Disney movie, and that’s ok.

While I don’t have any official proof to back it up, it seems only logical that Disney would turn to actors they already knew to work with them again as they continued to find their bearings following Walt’s death. It made one less hurdle to jump through in figuring out the animation process.

And a visit to Disney Wiki makes it clear of just how much the studio wanted to stay with voices they were familiar with. Almost all of Robin Hood‘s cast is comprised of voices that can be heard elsewhere in the Disney universe. Here they are, compiled for your convenience:

Maid Marian is played by Monica Evans, fresh after her voicing Abigail the goose in the preceding Disney feature, 1970’s The Aristocats.

Maid-MarianAristocats-Geese-Abigail-and-Amelia

Abigail’s goose sister, Amelia, was voiced by Carole Shelley, who played Lady Kluck in Robin Hood. Over 25 years later, she would return to Disney to voice one of the Fates in Hercules.

Hercules-Fates

Phil Harris provided the voice of Little John, making three consecutive Disney Animation films he had a role in, following Baloo in 1967’s The Jungle Book and Thomas O’Malley in The Aristocats.

Little-JohnBaloo

Yet another Aristocats alumni is found in Robin Hood with Pat Buttram as the Sheriff of Nottingham. Buttram voiced Napoleon the dog in Aristocats, and Disney went on to use him again as Luke the mouse in 1977’s The Rescuers, Chief the dog in 1981’s The Fox and the Hound, one of Eddie Valiant’s bullets in 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and an employee at Lester’s Possum Park in 1995’s A Goofy Movie. Phew!

Sheriff-of-NottinghamAristocats-Napoleon-and-Lafayette

Trigger the vulture is none other than George Lindsey, best known for Goober on The Andy Griffith Show. Lindsey’s other Disney voice work included Napoleon’s sidekick Lafayette in The Aristocats (I know, shocker) and Deadeye the rabbit in The Rescuers.

Robin-Hood-Vultures

Otto the dog was voiced by J. Pat O’Malley, someone with a long and storied history with Disney. His credits include Toad’s horse in 1949’s The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, voices in the “Walrus and the Carpenter” scene of 1951’s Alice in Wonderland, Jasper in 1961’s 101 Dalmatians, and Colonel Hathi in 1967’s The Jungle Book. He also held a role on the 1950s Disney TV show Spin and Marty.

Otto-the-Dog-Robin-HoodColonel-Hathi-Jungle-Book

The mice in Robin Hood were played by true Disney veterans. Sexton Mouse’s voice is John Fiedler, best known for voicing Piglet for nearly 40 years until his death in 2005. Fiedler also did voice work for The Rescuers, The Fox and the Hound, and, years later, The Emperor’s New Groove. (“Beware the groove…”)

Sexton-Mouse-Robin-HoodPiglet

Little Sister the mouse was performed by Barbara Luddy, a Disney leading lady (see what I did there) who previously played Lady in 1955’s Lady and the Tramp, Merryweather in 1959’s Sleeping Beauty, and Kanga in the Winnie the Pooh featurettes of the 1960s.

Little-Sister-Mouse-Robin-HoodLady

That’s quite a roster! It leaves very few characters left in the cast (including Robin himself) who were not part of Disney’s existing, well-established stable of go-to actors. What do you think of Disney’s decision to use so many returning voices in Robin Hood? Do you like when studios use recurring performers?

 

Tags: robin hoodvoice actors
Previous Post

Happy Father's Day from 'Despicable Me 2'

Next Post

First Official Stills from Disney's 'Frozen' Surface - 5 Total!

Blake Taylor

Blake Taylor

Blake is a scriptwriter at Elevation Church, where he develops documentary shorts and creative elements as part of the film team. He graduated Appalachian State University studying Electronic Media Production and is an alumni of the Disney College Program. Blake’s favorite films are Mary Poppins, The Lion King, and Toy Story 3. You can find him on Twitter (@blake_242) and visit his blog at blakeonline.com.

Related Posts

the-princess-and-the-frog
Disney

[OPINION] 4 Reasons Why ‘The Princess and the Frog’ Deserves More Love

December 3, 2019
bruni-Salamander-Plush-shop-Disney
Disney

Ultimate ‘Frozen 2’ Holiday Gift Guide

December 3, 2019
47th Annie Award Noms: Netflix Storms Through
The Latest Animation News

47th Annie Award Noms: Netflix Storms Through

December 2, 2019
Abominable
The Latest Animation News

[EXCLUSIVE CLIP] ‘Abominable’ – A Hit of Something New

December 2, 2019
Load More
Next Post

First Official Stills from Disney's 'Frozen' Surface - 5 Total!

Discussion about this post

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
the-princess-and-the-frog

[OPINION] 4 Reasons Why ‘The Princess and the Frog’ Deserves More Love

December 3, 2019
bruni-Salamander-Plush-shop-Disney

Ultimate ‘Frozen 2’ Holiday Gift Guide

December 3, 2019
47th Annie Award Noms: Netflix Storms Through

47th Annie Award Noms: Netflix Storms Through

December 2, 2019
Abominable

[EXCLUSIVE CLIP] ‘Abominable’ – A Hit of Something New

December 2, 2019
    • 11.6k Fans
    • 12.5k Followers
    • 1.8k Followers
    • 3.3k Followers

    Recently Added

    the-princess-and-the-frog

    [OPINION] 4 Reasons Why ‘The Princess and the Frog’ Deserves More Love

    December 3, 2019
    bruni-Salamander-Plush-shop-Disney

    Ultimate ‘Frozen 2’ Holiday Gift Guide

    December 3, 2019
    47th Annie Award Noms: Netflix Storms Through

    47th Annie Award Noms: Netflix Storms Through

    December 2, 2019
    Abominable

    [EXCLUSIVE CLIP] ‘Abominable’ – A Hit of Something New

    December 2, 2019
    animation-addicts-website-art-174-frozen-2-podcast

    Animation Addicts Podcast #174: ‘Frozen 2’ – Scandinavian Coaster Ride

    December 2, 2019
    Rotoscopers

    © 2019 Rotoscopers

    Important Links

    • About
    • Support
    • Contact
    • Store
    • Privacy Policy
    • User Posts

    Follow Us

    No Result
    View All Result
    • News
    • Podcasts
      • Animation Addicts Podcast
      • Every Episode Ever
    • Reviews
      • Animated Movies
      • Art Books
      • Blu-ray/DVD
      • Live Action
    • Interviews
    • Opinions
    • Studios
      • Aardman
      • Blue Sky Studios
      • Disney
      • Don Bluth
      • DreamWorks
      • Fox Animation Studios
      • Illumination Entertainment
      • LAIKA
      • Lucasfilm Animation
      • Paramount Animation
      • Pixar
      • Sony Pictures Animation
      • Reel FX
      • Studio Ghibli
      • Warner Animation
    • Animation Calendar

    © 2019 Rotoscopers

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.

    Necessary Always Enabled

    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

    Non-necessary

    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.