The Guy Behind The Voice on Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Looks Exactly Like You Imagined
After all these years, I can finally put a face with the voice of the old country prospector on Disneyland’s classic ride Big Thunder Mountain. His name is Dallas “Dal” McKennon and he looks exactly like I imagined the character looked.
Mckennon passed away over a decade ago at the age of 89, but some video footage of an interview with him recently surfaced on Twitter via Attractions Magazine. In the video, he shares his story of recording the the dialogue and he also reads those classic prospector lines again.
McKennon also provided the voice of Gumby in several animated shorts, as well as Archie Andrews in several cartoons based on the classic Archie comics. He was also the voice of Buzz Buzzard in many of the old Woody Woodpecker shorts.
In the 1950s he worked on Disney films such as Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Mary Poppins, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. He also voices the hyena in It’s a Small World, took part in the Country Bear Jamboree, and was also voice of the deaf old man in the Haunted Mansion.
I thought this was pretty cool and I;’m sure other Disney fans will get a kick out of it.