Lea Salonga, Jodi Benson, Paige O'Hara, and Anika Noni Rose named 2011 Disney Legends!- Page 2

[augustine73]

Posted: 6/22/11 at 9:25am

I am very excited for Lea Salonga. Mulan is my favorite Disney movie next to Lion King.

I still remember when she performed "A Whole New Wold" at the Oscar and the song won the academy. Both Alladin and Mulan made money and considered Disney classics. She also performs "Relection" and "A whole New World" in most of her international concerts. She's the only 2-time Disney Princess.

As of Anika Nonie Rose... isnt it too early for her to get an award? I dont consider that movie a disney classic yet and theres no hit song in that movie.

With Judy kuhn... i hope she gets one soon. I thought she did a good job as the singing voice of Pocahontas. "Color of the Wind" was such a hit song too...

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 6/27/11 at 1:28pm

"She's the only 2-time Disney Princess."

I am still surprised to this day that the company considers Mulan a princess when she didn't marry a prince or had royal blood. In her sequel she almost marries a prince, but instead marries a general of an army. Snow White, Aurora, Ariel, Jasmine, and Rapunzel all are born with royal blood and Ariel also marries a prince on land. Cinderella, Belle, and Tiana all marry a prince. Pocahontas is an Indian Princess and that does count. I guess when Disney created this franchise they thought "Disney Princess" sounded better than something like "Disney Girls" or "Disney Heroines"

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/27/11 at 1:46pm

Does Jodi Benson think the reason she is becoming a Disney Legend is because Jesus wanted her to be?

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/27/11 at 2:54pm

"She's the only 2-time Disney Princess."

Salonga didn't do the speaking voice for either character, though.

Maybe two halves equal a whole.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 6/27/11 at 4:17pm

"And, honestly, I would rather see Felton, Barbara Jo Allen and Barbara Luddy honored for voicing the three fairies than Mary Costa for voicing Princess Aurora. But I'm biased because I love that movie to death and the three fairies are way more interesting than Aurora.)"

Luddy should be a Disney Legend because not only did she voice Merriweather in "Sleeping Beauty" she also voiced Lady in "Lady and the Tramp" as well as Kanga in all of the original "Winnie the Pooh" cartoons.
Updated On: 10/20/11 at 04:17 PM

[Moneyspider]

Posted: 6/27/11 at 6:26pm

1. An European princess isn't necessarily the daughter of a king or wife of a future king- her family could simply have a claim to a foreign throne or hold enough land to count as a principality. In short, I think Belle may have well married an aristocrat rather than a dauphin.

2. Mulan earned her status through her own efforts rather than birth or marriage.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/27/11 at 6:45pm

Absolutely agree about Barbara Luddy, beautywickedlover. She's right up there with Eleanor Audley and Verna Felton.

I'm assuming Eva Gabor is already in there, right? She was a "big star." But she also voiced two Disney leading ladies in The Aristocats and the Rescuer movies.

And on the male side, I sure hope Cliff Edwards and Phil Harris are in there. Or is it only people like Brad Kane and Donny Osmond?

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 6/27/11 at 8:19pm

"In short, I think Belle may have well married an aristocrat rather than a dauphin."

Aren't you forgetting the opening line of "Beauty and the Beast." "Once upon a time in a far away land, a young PRINCE lived in a shinning castle."

[augustine73]

Posted: 6/30/11 at 11:04pm

"Salonga didn't do the speaking voice for either character, though.
Maybe two halves equal a whole." - fair, hehe!

But i really wish Judy Kuhn is included instead of Anika Noni Rose.

Guess Mulan beat up Pocahontas with her Karate!

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 7/1/11 at 6:48pm

I've seen Benson in several productions in Los Angeles and I know Paige O'Hara: she has headlined in Las Vegas or toured in her own show ever since "Beauty and the Beast" came out. It isn't true to say either woman "has done nothing" since their films were first released.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 7/2/11 at 11:11am

"With Judy kuhn... i hope she gets one soon. I thought she did a good job as the singing voice of Pocahontas. "Color of the Wind" was such a hit song too..."

I also loved her "Just Around the River Bend."

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/2/11 at 11:51am

With Judy kuhn... i hope she gets one soon. I thought she did a good job as the singing voice of Pocahontas. "Color of the Wind" was such a hit song too...

Colors of the Wind is my favorite Disney song, and Judy Kuhn's rendition of it is far and away the best.

However, let's be fair. Her version of the song was not a hit. It was the Vanessa Williams version that was played on the radio and became very popular.

[Moneyspider]

Posted: 7/3/11 at 10:53am

A young prince with a chateau was not necessarily a member of the French royal family.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/3/11 at 11:54am

Once again, you're mentioning one-half of the character voice of Pocahontas. Irene Bedard was the speaking voice. A very good actress, by the way. One should not be honored without the other.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 7/5/11 at 12:34pm

"A young prince with a chateau was not necessarily a member of the French royal family."

I'm going to conclude the subject here. Then, why are Belle and the Prince wearing crowns in the stain glass window in the final scene of the film? (4:53 in this video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh8Fg6g2KoM&feature=related



Updated On: 7/5/11 at 12:34 PM

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 8/11/11 at 4:35am

The prince in BATB would probably be related to the royal family, but even if he weren't, a prince's wife becomes a princess, at least in fairy tales.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 8/17/11 at 4:59pm

Despite having very little screen time Mary Costa's voice as Princess Aurora has apparently made an impact on some people. She said on a talk show that she met little children years ago and now they are grown, and have their own children, and they still come back to see her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-dWlixhPRE

Next year, someone who I think deserves an award posthumously is Helene Stanley who was the model for Cinderella, Princess Aurora, and Anita in "101 Dalmatians."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XapboZWVt2g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj3hLSP1vFo

Marge Champion, the model for Snow White received this honor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjt13WdEkZc

Updated On: 8/17/11 at 04:59 PM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 8/17/11 at 5:03pm

Is this actual news? Disney Legends? I find this a joke. Disney is ridiculous.

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 8/17/11 at 5:07pm

"Is this actual news? Disney Legends?"

Broadwayworld has even counted it as news:



Lea Salonga, Anika Noni Rose, Paige O'Hara et al. Set for Disney Expo, 8/19 Updated On: 8/17/11 at 05:07 PM

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 8/17/11 at 6:53pm

I don't think the Legends honor is news that will rock anyone's world. But it's a nice acknowledgement to people who have contributed to the company and the Disney world. (And like it or not, there is a world of people out there who are as loyal to Disney as Trekkies are to the Star Trek franchise.)

I know Paige O'Hara has never really stopped working for Disney. In addition to the three BATB films and their CDs, she has made countless appearances at the parks and on Disney cruises. Just a few years ago, Disney sent her and a symphony orchestra on a very successful tour of Japan. (They do love their animation in Japan!) She did a video as a bonus feature for the Peter Pan DVD. The paintings she has painted, inspired by BATB and other subjects, are major sellers for the Disney Fine Arts Department.

And that doesn't count charity work, which Paige doesn't brag about, so neither will I.

I don't know Jody Benson or Lea Salonga, but I assume they have done many of the same things (maybe not including painting). Rose is new to the princess world, of course, but I'm sure she'll have her opportunities as well.

So what's so awful about the company recognizing these contributions? Maybe the question should be why don't other companies do the same for their employees?

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 8/17/11 at 7:05pm

^ I agree I don't see why someone should think this is awful. These women have left their mark in the world of animation as well as well as on young children, families, and people who grew up listening to them like me. It's a special honor to acknowledge the work they have done for the company.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 8/17/11 at 7:14pm

^^^^

And they continue to do so every year as new children discover their movies...

...and video games! I forgot about the games because I don't play them.

But my 7-year-old granddaughter sure does.

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 8/20/11 at 5:14am

I got to attend this event this morning as a guest of Paige O'Hara.

There were numerous honorees, including Regis Philbin and Jim Henson (whose kids performed a classic routine of his from 1955), but I assume the singing princesses are of the greatest interest here, because all come from Broadway backgrounds.

Paige, Benson, Rose and Salonga were the first third or more of the show: all gave gracious and deeply personal speeches. (The statue is pretty much indescribable, so I won't try.) Then they sang and the audience went wild!

Paige's challenge is always that Belle doesn't have a big "I want" song in the original film and the number named for Belle is mostly a chorus song about her. That's why Paige often sings the title song (particularly since Lansbury doesn't perform it much if ever). Today, Paige opened the singing with a medley of "Belle", "Beauty and the Beast" and "Be Our Guest." She's belting these days rather than singing like a teenage soubrette, which only makes the BATB songs sound richer and more mature.

Rose may be 20 years younger than the other women, but her "Almost There" was delightful--even better than in the film. I think Salonga sang something from Mulan ("Reflection" maybe?); it sounded familiar, but wasn't something I knew like "Whole New World"; I don't know what to say about her that hasn't been said in other threads here: suffice it to say she has by no means "declined". Benson sang "Part of that World" exactly as she sang it for the film 22 years ago, i.e., very, very well, indeed.

Then the four joined together on "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes."

And the crowd of 3 to 4 thousand went nuts, especially for Paige and Benson. The other two women have Tony Awards, but Belle and Ariel are the most iconic of the Disney princesses, I think. And today was a Disney day.

***

In answer to the poster above, yes, Jodi Benson thanked God at the beginning of her remarks and ended by citing John 5:15; at one point she referred to her Disney work as her "ministry." But what the hell? It was her time and the references to her faith were sincere without being judgmental or condescending.

***

I met all of the women at the luncheon while getting them to autograph a program for my granddaughter, Emma. They could not have been nicer or more gracious, despite all the competition for their attention.

***

A big personal treat for me was getting to meet Richard Sherman of the famed "Sherman Brothers" (who wrote the score for "Mary Poppins," et al.) and a Disney Legend from years ago, of course. He was just as kind and gracious as he appeared in the recent documentary about the brothers. Example: after coming over to the table to congratulate Paige, Richard then proceeded to introduce himself one-at-a-time to each of her friends and family members.

(ETA Somebody told me at the luncheon that Robert Sherman (the brother not in attendance) had died. Thanks to Best12bars for pointing out the error, so I could fix it here. And thank God I didn't mention Robert's "death" to his brother!)

I'm not normally big on meeting celebrities, but this was a day when I genuinely enjoyed every one I met.

***

So there it is. Disney clearly takes the Legends very seriously and spared no expense.

I know this would be a more interesting post if I had better gossip. But these honors aren't competitive like the Tonys, so the mood is consistently celebratory. There are no "losers" and thus no bitchiness to share here.


Updated On: 8/20/11 at 05:14 AM

[beautywickedlover]

Posted: 8/20/11 at 12:21pm

"I think Salonga sang something from Mulan ("Reflection" maybe?); it sounded familiar"

I found Lea's performance on Youtube. She sang an extended version of "Reflection" from "Mulan" that was cut from the film apparently because it slowed the movie down.

Here's what the extended version would've looked like in the film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OonU6Ei0mxM

Updated On: 8/7/12 at 12:21 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/20/11 at 12:32pm

"A big personal treat for me was getting to meet Richard, the surviving Sherman brother ("Mary Poppins," et al.) and a Disney Legend from years ago, of course."

His brother Robert isn't dead, Gaveston2. I don't think he's in particularly good health these days, and he doesn't travel or make personal appearances much anymore. Richard has been the "spokesman" for the two of them for several years now. But Robert was always the quieter of the two, regardless of age or health issues.

Aside from that, thanks very much for sharing your account of the ceremony! I really enjoyed reading it, and I'm glad you had a good time.

Updated On: 8/20/11 at 12:32 PM