Rest in peace, Mickey Mouse. No, the little animated Disney icon isn’t being killed off – but Wayne Allwine, the man who gave him his voice for the last 32 years, died Monday of complications from diabetes. He was 62.
He
was only the third person to voice Mickey, the other two being Walt
Disney himself and Jimmy McDonald, who was Allwine’s mentor and chose
him to continue the tradition.
He can be heard on “Mickey Mouse
Clubhouse” daily on Disney Channel, along with his wife, Russi Taylor,
who is the voice of Minnie. Yes, Mickey and Minnie were married in real
life, for 20 years. Pretty much anything Mickey since 1977 had
Allwine’s voice behind it, including the theme parks, movies, and TV
shows.
According to the Associated Press, “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."
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