Thaindian News

Disney legend and the voice of Mickey Mouse for over 25 years Wayne Allwine passed away on Monday, May 18. He was 62, and died of diabetes-related complications. He had also worked as the sounds effects editor at the Walt Disney Studios. He is survived by wife Russi Taylor, who was the voice of Minnie Mouse since 1986 in the famous Walt Disney cartoon. Wayne Allwine lent his voice to Mickey Mouse for the longest period, surpassing his predecessors Walt Disney and Jimmy McDonald in this.

Wayne received training in sound effects and as a foley artist by one of the legends in the field, Jimmy McDonald. Jimmy had taken over the voice of Mickey Mouse from the legendary Walt Disney himself and then trained Wayne in the work. Wayne’s first voice-over for Mickey Mouse in 1977 at The New Mickey Mouse Club and then in 1983, “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” featured Wayne’s voice in his first animated feature. In the film he also did the voice-overs for the old man on the street in the beginning of the film and the two weasels in the Christmas future scene. He also appeared in other Disney feature length animations such as The Black Cauldron and The Great Mouse Detective. As a sound effects director, Wayne’s works include Innerspace and Star Trek v: The Final Frontier.

In 2008 Walt Disney named Wayne and Russi Legends at a ceremony at the Disney Studios. Meanwhile Wayne had developed diabetes-related complications and was in need of a kidney transplant. He passed away before that, according to an official confirmation on his Disney Legend profile.