NETCOT.com

Welcome to this week’s installment of Disney’s Magic Makers where we’re taking a look at the third voice of Mickey Mouse: Wayne Allwine.

Wayne Allwine was born on February 7, 1947, in Glendale, California. He started performing at an early age with his first televised appearance at age 7 on Art Linkletter’s “House Party” show. During his teenage years, Allwine formed “The International Singers”, an acoustic group, which performed in venues throughout California. He continued his musical career, which culminated in being a member of The Arrows (which was put together by Mike Curb). Wanting to have a normal life, Allwine decided to take a job opening in the mail room at the Walt Disney Studios in 1966, quickly moving up through the ranks (Mail room to Wardrobe to Audio Post Production to Sound Effects) until he became Jimmy Macdonald’s apprentice. 

In 1977, he decided to go to an open audition Disney was having to find the next voice for Mickey Mouse and Allwine walked away with the part. His debut as the Mouse came with the premiere of “The New Mickey Mouse Club” and provided Mickey’s voice until his death (the longest voice of the Mouse in Disney history), working on such titles as The Prince and the Pauper, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, The Three Musketeers, House of Mouse, Mickey’s Mouse Works, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

In the 1980s, Allwine worked on sound effects for Splash, Three Men and a Baby; as well as on movies for other studios (Innerspace, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier). He earned an Emmy and a Golden Reel for his work on Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories as well as another Golden Reel for his contributions to The Great Mouse Detective.

Allwine married Russi Taylor (voice of Minnie Mouse) in 1991 and share four children from separate marriages as well as a production company: Taylor-Allwine Associates.

Wayne Allwine, a Disney Legend since 2008, passed away on May 18, 2009 at the age of 62.