Lightning Strikes Twice. Meeting a former Disney Animator

[disneyboy20022]

Hello everyone,

Many of you know of my make a wish trip, where I met Roy E. Disney and had a 3 hour tour of the Disney Studio lot, and saw the Disney Vault. My meeting with Roy was amazing, like I was seeing a Whole New World to the way I saw and came to love about Disney. I was getting behind the scenes info from Roy, personal stories about his Uncle Walt and his father.

Well, today at my local mall at Cil-Con, which is a horror type comic con. Let me stress this is an incredibly small mall with 18,00 people living in my town.

I learned a few months ago that a former Disney animator Philo Barnhart would be doing a panel at this Cil-Con. I was shock in shock and was so exited. Philo also worked on other animated stuff, such as The Secret of Nihm, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Rescuers Down Under, Pinocchio and The Emperor of the Night, Smurfs (tv not that live action movie) Happily Ever After. It turned out, only my dad and I were the only ones that showed up, so we talked for an hour and a half. One of the first conversations we had was I shared with him how much I loved Pinocchio and the Emperor's as a kid and he laughed and said, ooh so you're THE ONE. It was awesome. He specifically drew Ursula, but worked on other scenes. He told me about the big backstory of Triton being Ursula's sister and the reason it was cut out was because they felt Ursula would be so bitter when she lured Ariel in to first meeting her in her spooky lair. Of course I did ask him about that infamous banned VHS cover and he told me what had happened. The company was very frustrated that someone with no life spotted this, and there were four animators who worked on the cover. The company asked one of the four to step forward, but when no one did, they all got fired.

He shared with me other stories as well, for instance that Pat Carrol was not the first choice for Ursula, but Ellen Stritch was. The reason she left was because half the time she showed up drunk while trying to record Poor Unfortunate Souls. By the way, Philo was the artist who drew Ursula for the film, and he met Pat Carrol by chance before she began recording her lines. Thanks to this, he was able to draw the Ursula we all know and love to hate in the film we see today. He emulated the conversation he had between and Pat Carrol. That day was just so amazing. I also learned he was the one in charge of animating Gaston. It was just a surreal day, that once again in my life, I was able to have met and talked yet another person from inside the magic castle, only this time it was in my own back yard. He's gonna be back at the mall next year and can't wait to see him again. I consider myself one lucky Disney fan, and for the first time in forever, I feel blessed.

[Disney Duster]

WOW!!! That is all SO COOL!!!!!

You are so lucky! So, really, this is the first time in forever (hehe Frozen reference you made) that you feel blessed? No other times? Just wondering.

Anyway really interesting stuff. I can't believe they had Triton and Ursula not be siblings just because of that one scene, but whatever. I wonder what Disney meant when "someone with no life" spotted the VHS male anatomy (even though I don't think it was ever intended to look like male anatomy!).

I can't believe Elaine Stritch was the first choice for Ursula! And I can't believe she showed up DRUNK to her performances! Hahahaha!!! But that's so unprofessional! Makes me think she didn't take a "Disney movie" seriously.

[PatrickvD]

Very cool story. You're Lucky!

Regarding Elaine Stritch however, it was public knowledge that she was the third choice I think. After a few others turned the role down. And also that Ashman fired her after a disagreement. But showing up drunk is juicy new info. And not at allsurprising.

[disneyboy20022]

What I meant was things right now feel right in my life, I get to start college walking and not in a wheel chair, ended the progressive summer by meeting with a Disney Animator. Philo also said that the scene when Ursula telling Ariel to sing, and she has ariel has her hand on her throat, he drew that scenes, and it took him weeks to get Ursula walking like she did during Poor Unfortunate Souls, and possibly other scenes with Ursula, like on octopus.

Philo also worked on another Disney Animated Films such as The Black Cauldron, where I believe he worked on animating Princess Eilonwy, Gurgi and Fflewdur-Fflam. I know he at least worked on Gurgi, because he was selling drawings of Gurgi he had done. 3 for $20. Sadly I only had enough for 1 and I got Ursula. He also autographed a Secret of Nimh Storybook I had, and he drew the owl on it, and he signed my Little Mermaid VHS with the Banned Cover art on it. Like I said, it was awesome to be in the presence of a guy who worked at Disney, animating and being a part of how much hard work animators put in to make the movies we know and love, without hardly knowing many of them.

EDIT: Yeah, I had to google Elaine to get the correct spelling of her last name and that's when I found out that Ashman disagreed with her.

[Disney Duster]

Oh Elaine was third choice.

Well Michael, I'm sooo glad for you! Everything's so great! You had a magical moment and life is good!

[disneyboy20022]

Oh Elaine was third choice.

Well Michael, I'm sooo glad for you! Everything's so great! You had a magical moment and life is good!

I think she's the only one that actually got into the recording studio to record lines, where the other two simply said no, but I could be wrong about it.

And yep so am I. Later this week I'm gonna load a picture of Philo and myself online and share it with you, along with his artwork I recieved from him. He's gonna be back next year come cil-con. Actually he was there last year, but didn't have a panel.

One of the most funniest parts of the panel, was a guy dressed as Superman and Wookie said the costume contest was being held, so we wrapped stuff up. Philo asked if this is normal to see a wookie walking around the mall and we said, yeah, no not ever.

[Disney Duster]

Haha, ok.

And oh cool you can show us pictures!

But did you mean someone dressed like a Superman Wookie was there or someone dressed as Superman and someone else dressed as a Wookie were there?