James MacDonald

Biography

James MacDonald was an English-born American sound effects artist and voice actor who worked for Disney. Born in Crewe, Cheshire, he moved to America as a baby. He started out playing music on Dollar Steam Ship Lines vessels, and in 1934 that work led to a recording session for a Disney cartoon and then a permanent contract heading the studio's sound department. He created effects for Dumbo (1941) and The Rescuers (1977). As a voice actor he did yodeling tests and Dopey's sounds for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), voiced Evinrude the dragonfly in The Rescuers, the Dormouse in Alice in Wonderland (1951), Jaq and Gus in Cinderella (1950), and the original voice of Chip. From 1947 to 1976 he was the second voice of Mickey Mouse, and he returned for the Academy Awards ceremony in 1978 and the Star Tours opening at Disneyland in 1987. He drummed for the jazz group Firehouse Five Plus Two.

84years old at death

Born May 19, 1906Crewe
Died February 1, 1991Glendale
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
John James MacDonald (birth name)Also credited as Jim Macdonald

Movie Career

Films: 18
Career span: 86 years1936 to 2022

Genres

Animation89%, 16 films
Comedy56%, 10 films
Family50%, 9 films
Adventure28%, 5 films
Fantasy22%, 4 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A first
MacDonald voiced Mickey Mouse until he retired in 1976. Wayne Allwine, his sound-effects protégée, then replaced him for The New Mickey Mouse Club.
A change of course
As a young man, MacDonald worked as a musician for the Dollar Steam Ship Lines. In 1934 this brought him the chance to record music for a Disney cartoon, and he later got a permanent Disney contract as head of the sound department.
Getting ready for a role
MacDonald created the sound effects for Dragon Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (1959) and Tick Tock the crocodile in Peter Pan (1953) by using castanets.
First role
For Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), MacDonald performed the first test yodeling for the dwarfs before professional yodelers were hired, and he also made some of Dopey's sounds, including hiccuping and sobbing.
Beyond film
MacDonald was the drummer for the Firehouse Five Plus Two jazz band, performing with the group intermittently from its start until it disbanded in the early 1970s.

James MacDonald movies on Netflix

Mickey: The Story of a Mouse2022IMDb rating 6.9as Himself
The Fox and the Hound1981IMDb rating 7.2as Bear (Growling) (voice)
The Rescuers1977IMDb rating 6.9as Evinrude (voice)
Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree1966IMDb rating 8.0as Bees
The Sword in the Stone1963IMDb rating 7.1as The Wolf / Pike / Tiger Mim (voice)
Lambert the Sheepish Lion1952IMDb rating 7.6as Wolf
Pluto's Christmas Tree1952IMDb rating 7.5as Chip
Alice in Wonderland1951IMDb rating 7.3as Dormouse (voice)
Cinderella1950IMDb rating 7.3as Gus / Jaq (voice)
Winter Storage1949IMDb rating 7.1as Chip (voice)
Mickey and the Seal1948IMDb rating 6.9as Mickey Mouse
Chip an' Dale1947IMDb rating 7.2as Chip
Fun and Fancy Free1947IMDb rating 6.3as Lumpjaw (voice)
Dumbo1941IMDb rating 7.2as Roaring Lion (voice)
Donald's Cousin Gus1939IMDb rating 6.7as Gus Goose (voice)
Clock Cleaners1937IMDb rating 7.4as Spring
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs1937IMDb rating 7.6as Yodeling (voice)
Thru the Mirror1936IMDb rating 7.5as King of Hearts (voice)

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Cinderella1950 Animation, Family, Fantasy, Romanceas Gus / Jaqvoice
IMDb rating 7.3189K votes
The Sword in the Stone1963 Adventure, Animation, Comedyas The Wolf / Pike / Tiger Mimvoice
IMDb rating 7.1116K votes
Pluto's Christmas Tree1952as Chip
IMDb rating 7.54.1K votes
Alice in Wonderland1951as Dormousevoice
IMDb rating 7.3169K votes
The Rescuers1977as Evinrudevoice
IMDb rating 6.976K votes
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs1937as Yodelingvoice
IMDb rating 7.6240K votes
The Fox and the Hound1981as Bear (Growling)voice
IMDb rating 7.2112K votes
Mickey and the Seal1948as Mickey Mouse
IMDb rating 6.91.6K votes

Most often with

Clyde Geronimi directed four of these films, Jack Hannah four and Hamilton Luske three. Clarence Nash appears in nine of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Clarence Nash

Pinto Colvig

Sterling Holloway

Walt Disney

June Foray

Thurl RavenscroftClyde GeronimiDirector, 4 films Jack HannahDirector, 4 films Hamilton LuskeDirector, 3 films

Films together

Clarence Nash9 films together, 1936 to 1952
Clarence Nash's page
- Lambert the Sheepish Lion1952IMDb rating 7.6MacDonald as WolfNash as Lambert's Meows
- Pluto's Christmas Tree1952IMDb rating 7.5MacDonald as ChipNash as Donald Duck
- Winter Storage1949IMDb rating 7.1MacDonald as ChipvoiceNash as Donald Duckvoice
- Chip an' Dale1947IMDb rating 7.2MacDonald as ChipNash as Donald Duck
- Fun and Fancy Free1947IMDb rating 6.3MacDonald as LumpjawvoiceNash as Donald Duck / Catvoice
- Donald's Cousin Gus1939IMDb rating 6.7MacDonald as Gus GoosevoiceNash as Donald Duckvoice
- Clock Cleaners1937IMDb rating 7.4MacDonald as SpringNash as Donald Duck
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs1937IMDb rating 7.6MacDonald as YodelingvoiceNash as Birds
- Thru the Mirror1936IMDb rating 7.5MacDonald as King of HeartsvoiceNash as Nutcracker Toolvoice
Pinto Colvig7 films together, 1936 to 1952
Pinto Colvig's page
- Pluto's Christmas Tree1952IMDb rating 7.5MacDonald as ChipColvig as Pluto
- Mickey and the Seal1948IMDb rating 6.9MacDonald as Mickey MouseColvig as Pluto
- Fun and Fancy Free1947IMDb rating 6.3MacDonald as LumpjawvoiceColvig as Goofyvoice
- Donald's Cousin Gus1939IMDb rating 6.7MacDonald as Gus GoosevoiceColvig as Barking Hot Dogvoice
- Clock Cleaners1937IMDb rating 7.4MacDonald as SpringColvig as Goofy
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs1937IMDb rating 7.6MacDonald as YodelingvoiceColvig as Sleepy / Grumpy / Dopey (hiccups)voice
- Thru the Mirror1936IMDb rating 7.5MacDonald as King of HeartsvoiceColvig as Radio Hiccupvoice
Sterling Holloway4 films together, 1941 to 1966
Sterling Holloway's page
- Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree1966IMDb rating 8.0MacDonald as BeesHolloway as Winnie the Pooh
- Lambert the Sheepish Lion1952IMDb rating 7.6MacDonald as WolfHolloway as Narrator
- Alice in Wonderland1951IMDb rating 7.3MacDonald as DormousevoiceHolloway as Cheshire Catvoice
- Dumbo1941IMDb rating 7.2MacDonald as Roaring LionvoiceHolloway as Mr. Storkvoice
Walt Disney4 films together, 1936 to 2022
Walt Disney's page
- Mickey: The Story of a Mouse2022IMDb rating 6.9MacDonald as HimselfDisney as Himself
- Fun and Fancy Free1947IMDb rating 6.3MacDonald as LumpjawvoiceDisney as Mickey Mousevoice
- Clock Cleaners1937IMDb rating 7.4MacDonald as SpringDisney as Mickey Mouse
- Thru the Mirror1936IMDb rating 7.5MacDonald as King of HeartsvoiceDisney as Mickey Mousevoice
June Foray3 films together, 1937 to 1952
June Foray's page
- Lambert the Sheepish Lion1952IMDb rating 7.6MacDonald as WolfForay as Mrs. Sheep
- Cinderella1950IMDb rating 7.3MacDonald as Gus / JaqvoiceForay as Lucifervoice
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs1937IMDb rating 7.6MacDonald as YodelingvoiceForay as Squirrels
Thurl Ravenscroft3 films together, 1950 to 1963
Thurl Ravenscroft's page
- The Sword in the Stone1963IMDb rating 7.1MacDonald as The Wolf / Pike / Tiger MimvoiceRavenscroft as Black Bartvoice
- Alice in Wonderland1951IMDb rating 7.3MacDonald as DormousevoiceRavenscroft as Card Paintervoice
- Cinderella1950IMDb rating 7.3MacDonald as Gus / Jaqvoice
Clyde GeronimiDirector, 4 films, 1950 to 1963
All films by Clyde Geronimi
- The Sword in the Stone1963IMDb rating 7.1MacDonald as The Wolf / Pike / Tiger Mimvoice
- Lambert the Sheepish Lion1952IMDb rating 7.6MacDonald as Wolf
- Alice in Wonderland1951IMDb rating 7.3MacDonald as Dormousevoice
- Cinderella1950IMDb rating 7.3MacDonald as Gus / Jaqvoice
Jack HannahDirector, 4 films, 1947 to 1952
All films by Jack Hannah
- Lambert the Sheepish Lion1952IMDb rating 7.6MacDonald as Wolf
- Pluto's Christmas Tree1952IMDb rating 7.5MacDonald as Chip
- Winter Storage1949IMDb rating 7.1MacDonald as Chipvoice
- Chip an' Dale1947IMDb rating 7.2MacDonald as Chip
Hamilton LuskeDirector, 3 films, 1947 to 1951
All films by Hamilton Luske
- Alice in Wonderland1951IMDb rating 7.3MacDonald as Dormousevoice
- Cinderella1950IMDb rating 7.3MacDonald as Gus / Jaqvoice
- Fun and Fancy Free1947IMDb rating 6.3MacDonald as Lumpjawvoice
Also three films together2 more actors
- Verna FeltonAlice in Wonderland (1951), Cinderella (1950) and Dumbo (1941)
- Dessie FlynnPluto's Christmas Tree (1952), Winter Storage (1949) and Chip an' Dale (1947)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What James MacDonald's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$728 million

7 of the 18 films have a worldwide figure.

7Worldwide figure
1Never in cinemas
10Figure not found

Top grosser

Cinderella1950Gus / Jaq$264 million

Highest grossing

The seven biggest films earned 100% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Cinderella1950as Gus / Jaq (voice)
$264M36.2% of the total
2
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs1937as Yodeling (voice)
$185M25.4% of the total
3
The Rescuers1977as Evinrude (voice)
$169M23.2% of the total
4
Alice in Wonderland1951as Dormouse (voice)
$57M7.9% of the total
5
The Fox and the Hound1981as Bear (Growling) (voice)
$30M4.1% of the total
6
The Sword in the Stone1963as The Wolf / Pike / Tiger Mim (voice)
$22M3.0% of the total
7
Dumbo1941as Roaring Lion (voice)
$1.6M0.2% of the total