Movie Musings: Disney and More

Disney’s Connection to Classic 90’s Sit-Coms

While Broadway performers have usually gotten the roles in most of Disney’s movie-musicals, 90’s Sit-Coms stars have gotten the roles in non-musicals-many of them have several different times!

Kelsey Grammer, best known throughout the world for his role as Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers (1982-1993) and on Frasier (1993-2004) provided the voices of Stinky Pete the Prospector in Toy Story 2 (1999) and Dr. Ivan Krank in Teacher’s Pet (2004). David Hyde Pierce who played Frasier’s on-screen brother, Dr. Niles Crane voiced Slim the Walking Stick in A Bug’s Life (1998) and Dr. Doppler in Disney’s Treasure Planet (2002).

Laurie Metcalf-best remembered for portraying Roseanne’s sister, Jackie Harris on Roseanne (1988-1997)-was the voice of Andy’s Mom in all three Toy Story movies, and the voices of Jim Hawkins’s Mom in Treasure Planet (2002) and Lucille Krunklehorn in Meet the Robinsons (2007).

Brad Garrett, better known as Robert Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, a frequently used Disney voice-over artist, made his Disney debut as the voice of Dim in “A Bug’s Life,” (1998). Next, he voiced Tank in the direct-to-video sequel An Extremely Goofy Movie (2000). He also voiced Bloat the Puffer Fish in Finding Nemo (2003) and reprised that role for Finding Dory (2016). He lent his voice to Uto the Ape in the direct-to-video sequel, Tarzan 2 (2005), and played the voice of Gusteau the Chef in Ratatouille (2007). Other roles include those of the Hook Hand Thug in Tangled (2010) and Chug in Planes (2013) and it’s sequel Planes: Fire and Rescue (2014). In addition to all of these roles, plus several other various voice-over roles on Disney-produced television shows (i.e. Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000-2001), House of Mouse (2001-2002)), Garrett also played the evil Vice Principal Dwayne Murney in Disney’s live-action film, The Pacifier (2005) and he lent his voice to Disney’s live-action/CGI film, Underdog (2007). 

You more than likely remember Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, Wayne Knight, and Patrick Warburton for the characters that they played on Seinfeld (1989-1998). Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who played Elaine Benes on “Seinfeld” voiced Princess Atta in “A Bug’s Life,” and Rochelle in “Planes.” She also portrayed the Blue Fairy in the Disney/ABC made-for-television film Geppetto (2000). Jason Alexander, who played George Costanza on “Seinfeld,” was the voice of Hugo the Gargoyle in Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). He also lent his voice to the character of Lightning the Dog in the direct-to-video sequel 101 Dalmatians 2: Patch’s London Adventure (2003). Like Dreyfus, Alexander also acted in a made-for-television film produced by Disney/ABC, playing the role of Lionel, Prince Charming’s Butler/Valet in the third film adaptation of Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997). He also acted the part of Philip Stuckey in the classic romantic comedy Pretty Woman (1990).

Wayne Knight, who played Seinfeld’s narrow-minded enemy, Newman on “Seinfeld,” provided the voice of Demetrius the Pot Maker in Hercules (1997). He also voiced the Microwave in the direct-to-video sequel, The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998). The following year, in 1999, Newman voiced Tantor the Elephant in Tarzan (1999), Al the Toy Maker in Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 2 (1999) and Orthus in the direct-to-video sequel, Hercules: Zero to Hero (1999). He took over the role of the Evil Emperor Zurg for the direct-to-video movie, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000) and it’s following series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000-2001), succeeding Pixar writer/director Andrew Stanton in the role who had voiced the character in “Toy/2.”

Patrick Warburton, who played Elaine’s on-again-off-again boyfriend David Puddy on “Seinfeld,” made his Disney debut as the voice of Kronk in The Emperor’s New Groove (2000). He succeeded Tim Allen as the voice of Buzz Lightyear for “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command,” the series. Warburton was also the voice of Patrick the Horse in Home on the Range (2004), the Alien Cop in Chicken Little (2005) and reprised the role of Kronk for the direct-to-video sequel, Kronk’s New Groove (2005) and for the television series, The Emperor’s New School (2006-2008). He also lent his voice to the character of Royal Pain in the live-action film, Sky High (2005).

      Each of these actors is perhaps more memorable for their roles on television but their animated and live-action work for Disney was also part of their distinguished careers.