Mouse Clubhouse Interviews

Blaine Gibson began his Disney career in animation in 1939, and worked on some of Disney’s early classic features, animated shorts and even military films during World War II. Eventually Blaine began sculpting for Disney, creating the pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean, ghosts in the Haunted Mansion, Abraham Lincoln for Great Moments with Mr. … Continue reading Interview: Blaine Gibson (Disney animation starting in 1939) →

  Barry Lane worked at Disneyland in the 1960s, when Walt Disney would still wander the parks, and was a tour guide there, one of the last male tour guides for many years to follow. Barry also was a skipper on the Jungle Cruise and worked in Disneyland’s historic Golden Horseshoe Revue! AUDIO INDEX :59 Barry Lane’s … Continue reading Interview: Barry Lane (1960s Disneyland tour guide and Jungle Cruise skipper) →

Here’s two interviews tangled together in one… Zachary Levi, the voice of Flynn Rider, and Mandy Moore, the voice of Rapunzel. Enjoy the photos below and as always, see the Audio Index. AUDIO INDEX 1:49 Zachary Levi explains if Flynn Rider’s look was modeled after him 2:37 Working with Mandy on music and dialogue; Working … Continue reading Interview: Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi (Voice actors in Tangled) →

Connie Swanson Lane worked at Disneyland in the 1960s as a tour guide, VIP hostess, and she was the 1966 Disneyland Ambassador to the World. As Ambassador, Connie traveled both locally and abroad, bringing brought the joy of Disneyland around the world. She was involved in many historic Disneyland events, such as the grand openings … Continue reading Interview: Connie Swanson Lane (The 1966 Disneyland Ambassador to the World) →

Don Dorsey is a musician, director, producer, and audio engineer whose work for Disney includes everything from musical performances and arrangements to sound design to complete show design and direction for several Disney parks. Don started his long-lasting relationship with Disney in 1975 and for the first 17 years served as the main audio recording … Continue reading Interview: Don Dorsey (IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot) →

Scott Weinger is a television actor and writer, probably best known for his role as Steve Hale on the TV series “Full House.” Although he wasn’t seen onscreen, another of his most famous roles was providing the voice of the title character in Disney’s animated feature, “Aladdin.” AUDIO INDEX: 2:13 Working on the Disney Studios … Continue reading Interview: Scott Weinger (Voice of Aladdin) →

Alan Menken is an Academy Award winning composer who has written the music for films including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and Tangled, amongst many others. AUDIO INDEX 1:03 Working on Tangled 3:32 Working with different lyricists; Aladdin stage version with outtake songs; the original intent of the Aladdin movie 5:40 Alan’s … Continue reading Interview: Alan Menken (Tangled; Beauty and the Beast; Aladdin) →

I hope you enjoy these excerpts from interviews I did with people who were at Disneyland on its opening day on July 17, 1955. Don’t miss any of my interviews. Send an email and let me know you want to be on my email list! AUDIO INDEX 1:26 Harriet Burns, of the Imagineering model shop, … Continue reading Interview: Disneyland’s Opening Day →

by Scott Wolf Blaine Gibson began his Disney career as an inbetweener on a Pluto cartoon short film “Bone Trouble,” and then on “Fantasia” and “Pinocchio” and as an assistant animator on“Bambi.” Blaine eventually began sculpting for Disney, creating the pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean, ghosts in the Haunted Mansion, Abraham Lincoln for Great Moments with … Continue reading Interview: Blaine Gibson (Haunted Mansion; Pirates; If You Had Wings) →

Jeff Hoffman’s began his Disney career selling merchandise at Disneyland shop and ultimately becoming vice president of Disney Worldwide Outreach. He was largely responsible for the Disney Legends Awards for more than two decades. (See below for more photos and audio index) AUDIO INDEX 1:15 The start of the Disney Legends Awards; the first Disney Legend … Continue reading Interview: Jeff Hoffman (The Disney Legends Awards) →

Jack Gladish worked as an engineer, responsible for submarines, dinosaurs, railroad locomotives and much more. Attractions include the “Carousel of Progress,” “Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room” and much more.  During his career he headed the plastics and fiberglass shops at the MAPO department of Walt Disney Imagineering. AUDIO INDEX :56 How he got his start … Continue reading Interview: Jack Gladish (His career; Walt Disney; Disneyland and World’s Fair attractions) →

Wally Boag starred in Disneyland’s Golden Horseshoe Revue stage show from 1955 to 1982. During that time, some of his other contributions include appearing in some of Walt Disney’s movies, entertaining the troops in Iceland, performing in a Walt Disney stage show at Radio City Music Hall, writing Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room attraction and … Continue reading Interview: Wally Boag (Golden Horseshoe Revue; Tiki Room; Absent-Minded Professor) →

  Marcia Miner Phillips was a Disneyland tour guide, VIP hostess and the 1967 Disneyland Ambassador to the World. AUDIO INDEX 2:03 Her start with Disney as a tour guide; memorizing the script; about the tours; a tour for a sight impaired Guest 6:35 Walt Disney; the grand opening of “it’s a small world” 8:43 … Continue reading Interview: Marcia Miner Phillips (1967 Disneyland Ambassador to the World) →

  Kathryn Beaumont was a child actress at MGM and went on to voice Alice and Wendy in Walt Disney’s animated versions of “Alice in Wonderland” and “Peter Pan” respectively AUDIO INDEX :55 Being a child actress; becoming a school teacher 2:35 The students’ awareness of Kathryn’s voice work and a funny related story 4:22 … Continue reading Interview: Kathryn Beaumont (Being a child actress and becoming a school teacher; “Alice” in later years) →

Kathryn Beaumont was a child actress at MGM and went on to voice Alice and Wendy in Walt Disney’s animated versions of “Alice in Wonderland” and “Peter Pan” respectively AUDIO INDEX 1:00 After recording the voice for the films, Kathryn filmed live action versions of the live action footage of the films for the artists’ … Continue reading Interview: Kathryn Beaumont (A unique visit with Walt Disney; Live action reference for animators; Tea Party sequence) →

Born on January 26, 1922, jazz pianist Page Cavanaugh was the special guest in a concert I went to at the Greek Theater back in the 1980s. They mentioned that he performs at a club in Burbank, and that began a wonderful friendship. Every week I would go see Page, listen to him play and talk … Continue reading Remembering Page Cavanaugh →

Jack Lindquist came up with the idea for the opening ceremony for the classic “it’s a small world” attraction at Disneyland. He was also Disneyland’s first advertising manager, beginning in 1955. He continued with the company in marketing for Disneyland. Walt Disney World and international Disney resorts. His many accomplishments include the creation of the … Continue reading Interview: Jack Lindquist (The opening ceremony for “it’s a small world”) →

  Kathryn Beaumont was a child actress at MGM and went on to voice Alice and Wendy in Walt Disney’s animated versions of “Alice in Wonderland” and “Peter Pan” respectively AUDIO INDEX :56 Working for MGM and then Disney 1:39 Already familiar with Alice in Wonderland 2:34 The audition for Alice, getting a contract with … Continue reading Interview: Kathryn Beaumont (How the Disney staff involved her in the film process; working with other voice actors) →

Stan is the talent booking director for Disneyland and tuba soloist extraordinaire. He was the longtime conductor of the Disneyland band and the first full-time conductor of the Walt Disney World band. AUDIO INDEX 1:43 Performing tuba solos on the TV series Hee Haw 4:40 His start with music and choosing the tuba 7:01 Entertaining … Continue reading Interview: Stan Freese (Career overview) →

Carole was a ticket seller and tour guide at Disneyland, beginning in 1962, and was Miss Disneyland 1964, representing Disneyland and Walt Disney himself AUDIO INDEX :52 Her start with Disneyland; Donald Novis in Guest Relations; Becoming a Disney tour guide; Becoming Miss Disneyland, 1964 4:54 Miss Disneyland and the Tivoli Gardens tour guide exchange; … Continue reading Interview: Carole Tully (Miss Disneyland 1964; Tivoli Gardens tour guide exchange; Walt Disney) →