Tony Anselmo

Tony Anselmo is an American voice actor and animator, who has worked at Walt Disney Animation Studios since 1980.

Anselmo attended Marian A. Peterson High School. As a student, Anselmo used to imitate his teachers, giving an impetus to another interest he had. To materialize his dream, Anselmo began drawing and experimenting in traditional animation with a Super 8 camera. He cultivated his talent with night art classes at local colleges and was in constant communication with the artists who animated Walt Disney’s films, including Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Eric Larson, Jack Hannah, and Milt Kahl. Anselmo says, “Ollie wrote a lot and sent me drawings, advising me to learn quick sketch, life drawing, acting, and design.”

With the support and encouragement of his Disney Animation correspondents, Anselmo attended the California Institute of the Arts on a full scholarship from the Disney Family. Anselmo says, “The Disney family’s support meant so much to me. If it hadn't been for them my dream would have died then and there.”

He began his studies in the Character Animation Department at CalArts in fall 1978. The department head was Jack Hannah, who was the director of the Donald Duck unit under Walt Disney.

After his second year, Anselmo was asked to report for work at Disney's Feature Animation department in Burbank, California. Anselmo says, “Ron Miller had just set up a program called "The Disney School of Animation" on the lot with Don Hahn to train new artists in carrying on Walt’s traditions in character animation. We weren’t even in production. We were paid to animate tests under Eric Larson, studying life drawing with Walt Stanchfield, and learning even more than we had at CalArts. It was an immersion in Disney character animation. That hasn’t happened since. I was honored to be a part of that.”

In subsequent years, Tony Anselmo contributed to the animation of over 20 Disney animated features, including The Black Cauldron (1985), The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1994), Tarzan (1999), and The Emperor's New Groove (2000).

One of the Disney stalwarts that Anselmo frequently encountered was Clarence Nash, the original voice of Donald Duck. Nash initially developed the voice as that of a nervous baby goat before Walt Disney decided it sounded like a duck. Anselmo’s friendship with Nash began casually. Anselmo says, "I was really just curious about it, because I could do voices, and that was one voice I couldn't do." Anselmo asked Nash about his technique. "It took me a long time to learn that. It took Clarence a while to perfect that as well,". The two continued their informal "training" in performing Donald's dialogue, "I think, in hindsight, one of the reasons Clarence spent so much time working with me on Donald's voice and personality before mentioning his plans for succession is that he wanted to make absolutely sure I would do that legacy justice before telling me." Anselmo was unaware that Nash had leukemia.

Nash passed away in 1985 after celebrating Donald Duck’s 50 Birthday. And Anselmo inherited the role of Donald Duck just as Nash had wished. Anselmo's first performance as Donald was on a television special titled DTV Valentine (1986). His first film was Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). Since then, Anselmo has voiced Donald in thousands of projects, including television, feature films, theme parks, video games, Disney cruise lines, and consumer products.

Certain things have remained. "I still use the original ribbon mic Clarence used,” Anselmo says. "It has a much warmer sound." Anselmo continued to consult Jack Hannah as well with 'Donald questions' until his passing in June 1994.

During an interview, Anselmo revealed, “Most people believe Donald's voice is created by squeezing air through the cheek. I can’t tell you how it’s actually done, but it is definitely not by squeezing air through your cheek. The Hanna Barbara character 'Yakky Doodle' is done that way. Donald Duck is not"

He also voiced Daisy and Huey, Dewey, and Louie (whom he would later also voice in Mickey Mouse Works, House of Mouse, and Have a Laugh!) in Down and Out with Donald Duck in 1987 and animated the Wardrobe in Beauty and the Beast.

He also supplied additional voices for the Phineas and Ferb episode "Road Trip".

In September 2009, Anselmo was officially named a Disney Legend. He is also known for his comprehensive collection of original Disney posters which culminated into an art book The Disney Poster Book featuring the Collection of Tony Anselmo. Anselmo's extensive collection was used in many exhibits at The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco during Diane Disney Millers time there, in gratitude for his benefactors scholarship to CalArts.

Trivia

 * Anselmo is the first actor in the reboot to reprise his role from the original Ducktales, followed by Corey Burton.

Tony Anselmo Tony Anselmo Тони Ансельмо