Marion Darlington

Biography

Marion Darlington was an American voice actress who built a career on whistling and animal sound effects. Born in Monrovia, she came to attention through radio, where her whistling was heard with the Harmony Trio. That work led film companies to seek her out for sound effects. She provided birdsong for early Disney shorts, including the Academy Award-winning Flowers and Trees (1932), and for Warner Brothers cartoons. For Disney features, she whistled the little bird's call-and-response with Snow White in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and supplied every group of bird songs. She also whistled the song Give a Little Whistle in Pinocchio, and her feature credits included Cinderella and Bambi (1942). Her sounds covered crickets, bees, bluejays, grouse, peacocks, parrots, penguins, and hyenas, plus Cheetah's voice in Tarzan films. She whistled for actors such as Audrey Hepburn, could perform duets and trios with herself, and was called the Bird Voice of the Movies.

80years old at death

Born November 7, 1910Monrovia
Died March 17, 1991Sedona
Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21

Movie Career

Films: 4
Career span: 16 years1932 to 1948

Every film, newest first

1948So Dear to My HeartIMDb rating 6.6
1942BambiIMDb rating 7.3
1937Snow White and the Seven DwarfsIMDb rating 7.6
1932Flowers and TreesIMDb rating 7.2

Genres

Did you know?!

Own stunts
Darlington could whistle duets and trios with herself, voicing every part of multiple characters, and worked from a repertoire of 5000 bird calls.
Getting ready for a role
Darlington whistled the solo bird part that trades a call-and-response with Snow White on the tune Whistle While You Work, and also whistled all the groups of bird songs in the film.
Big break
Darlington's whistling skill got her radio work, including performances with Herbert Nixon in 1929 and the Harmony Trio in 1930, plus Raymond Paige's orchestra. Film companies and radio shows then sought her for sound effects.