Biography
From D23: In 1930, Roy Williams started his career at The Walt Disney Studios as an artist. He later became a storyman, until, after the advent of television, Walt Disney personally cast the “300 pounds of walking pixie” in a new role. As Roy later recalled, “Walt was in my office when suddenly, he looked up at me and said, ‘Say, you’re fat and funny looking. I’m going to put you on the Mickey Mouse Cluband call you the Big Mooseketeer!’” Roy, with his impish grin, became an instant favorite with children around the world. Born on July 30, 1907, in Colville, Washington, Roy grew up in Los Angeles. While attending Fremont High School, he learned to make people laugh with the outrageous cartoons he sketched. After high school he was offered a sports scholarship to the University of Southern California, but instead applied for a job at the up-and-coming Walt Disney Studios—and was personally hired by Walt. During those early years, Roy worked on nearly all of the animated shorts produced by the Studio; at the same time, he attended evening classes at Chouinard Art Institute. He moved to the story department after presenting a Donald Duck gag to Walt. In the gag, Donald swallowed a magnet and attracted every metal object imaginable. Walt was so impressed with Roy’s unbridled imagination that he tripled his salary. Roy E. Disney, former vice chairman of The Walt Disney Company, once recalled, “Roy was amazing. You’d ask him for gags for a situation and he’d give you literally hundreds of them.” As a story man, Roy contributed to such animated films as Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, and Make Mine Music, while, as an artist, he contributed to the Silly Symphonies The Night Before Christmas, The China Shop, and many others. During World War II, he designed more than 100 insignias for the armed forces, including the award-winning Flying Tigers insignia. Roy is best known, however, for the four seasons he played “Big Roy” on the Mickey Mouse Club. He is also credited with designing the trademark ears worn by the show’s cast. His fun-loving nature and immense talent made him a perfect publicity representative for the company. On numerous occasions, Roy traveled across the country to promote the re-release of such films as Cinderella; in 1959, he served as goodwill ambassador for The Walt Disney Studios. Later, he worked as a Disney comic strip artist, cartoonist at Disneyland, and consultant on the traveling arena show “Disney on Parade.” Roy Williams passed away on November 7, 1976, in Burbank, California.
Filmography
all 54
Movies 53
Writer 27
Director 2
Screenplay 1
TV Shows 1
self 1
Fast Girls (2012)
Chip 'n Dale: Trouble in a Tree (2005)
Chip 'n' Dale: Here Comes Trouble (2004)
A Cowboy Needs a Horse (1956)
Jack and Old Mac (1956)
3D Jamboree (1956)
Walt Disney's Where Do the Stories Come From? (1956)
The Mickey Mouse Club (1955)
Music Land (1955)
The Flying Squirrel (1954)
Dragon Around (1954)
Spare the Rod (1954)
Working for Peanuts (1953)
One Cab's Family (1952)
Magical Maestro (1952)
Car of Tomorrow (1951)
Trailer Horn (1950)
Crazy Over Daisy (1950)
Pluto's Heart Throb (1950)
Donald's Dream Voice (1948)
Donald's Dilemma (1947)
Sleepy Time Donald (1947)
Wet Paint (1946)
A Feather in His Collar (1946)
Make Mine Music (1946)
Donald's Double Trouble (1946)
Cured Duck (1945)
The Three Caballeros (1944)
Donald Duck and the Gorilla (1944)
Trombone Trouble (1944)
The Dover Boys at Pimento University or The Rivals of Roquefort Hall (1942)
Lake Titicaca (1942)
Saludos Amigos (1942)
Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip (1940)
Clock Cleaners (1937)
Donald and Pluto (1936)
Elmer Elephant (1936)
Broken Toys (1935)
Cock o' the Walk (1935)
Water Babies (1935)
The Band Concert (1935)
Two-Gun Mickey (1934)
Mickey Plays Papa (1934)
The Hot Choc-late Soldiers (1934)
Shanghaied (1934)
The China Shop (1934)
The Night Before Christmas (1933)
Lullaby Land (1933)
Old King Cole (1933)
Mickey's Mechanical Man (1933)
The Mail Pilot (1933)
Father Noah's Ark (1933)
Mickey's Mellerdrammer (1933)
The Klondike Kid (1932)
Ratings
Information
Known ForWriting
GenderMale
Birthday1907-07-30
Deathday1976-11-07 (69 years old)
Birth PlaceColville, United States of America
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
AwardsDisney Legends
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
- Roy Williams
- Filmography
- Information
- Related Persons