Ilene Woods 1929-2010

[pap64]

I found this interview over at Cartoon Brew:
http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuk ... opic/31966

The last question is very saddening, but at the same time uplifting.

[PeterPanfan]

That's awful news. Rest in peace, and prayers go out to her family and friends.

[supertalies]

I love the idea that after I'm gone, children will still be hearing my voice.

[bruno_wbt]

I love the idea that after I'm gone, children will still be hearing my voice.

That's so sweet and true.

She has an everlasting voice.

[JDCB1986]

Very sad news. My favourite Disney princess, her memory will live forever.

[Poody]

So sad She had such a beautiful voice. She also reminded me of my Grandma, who would sing "So This Is Love" all the time when I was little I've still been looking for her album also.

[carolinakid]

I met Ms Woods in 2000 when she was doing autograph signings at several collectibles stores in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the film's release. She was so sweet and charming and the definition of a real lady. She was thrilled when anyone told her how much Cinderella meant to them.

[BelleGirl]

I love the idea that after I'm gone, children will still be hearing my voice.

And they will! Along with a lot of grownups.

[Neal]

Being a Disney princess immortalizes you - even if people don't know the actress' name, they know her voice.

I'm glad to hear she was sweet and charming in real life. Too often people grow tired of a character they once played and become bitter at any mention of it "I've played other parts, too, you know!"

It's great she truly loved the Cinderella character.

[musicradio77]

Another Disney Princess has gone.

First, there was Adriana Caselotti, the original voice of Snow White where she died back in 1997, but 12 years later, another great talented voice of Cinderella, Ilene Woods has gone. The only surviving voice actress who are old is Mary Costa, the voice of Aurora of "Sleeping Beauty".

The other three voice actresses are still around are Jodi Benson as Ariel, Paige O'Hara as Belle and Lea Salonga as Jasmine. Those are the three Disney Princesses are voice talented and they're still around, except Snow White and Cinderella are both gone, and they both lived on forever.

RIP: Ilene Woods (1929-2010)

[pap64]

Don't forget the newest princess, Anika Noni Rose.

[DisneyJedi]

The other three voice actresses are still around are Jodi Benson as Ariel, Paige O'Hara as Belle and Lea Salonga as Jasmine. Those are the three Disney Princesses are voice talented and they're still around, except Snow White and Cinderella are both gone, and they both lived on forever.

Don't you mean Linda Larkin as Jasmine? Lea Salonga was only her singing voice.

[Margos]

How about Irene Bedard or Ming-Na? (Or Judy Kuhn, if you count singing voices, too)

[Disney Duster]

I have to get this out:
Aaahhhhhh! I can't believe she's gone!

But even though it's a sad thing for us, her leaving her suffering and going onto a better place is a happy thing for her.

Okay, now...

First, why didn't UltimateDisney/DVDDizzy's front page report this? Didn't they report Wayne Allwine and others' deaths?

Thanks for that interview, Pap. And what you said to me Margos.

Here's an obituary for her from the Los Angeles Times: Ilene Wood's Obituary

So she had Alzheimer's! And was in a nursing home! I can't believe it, that's sad! So it means if I did try to talk to her, she may not have been able to answer, at least not very well. I wanna cry. Well, just like Cinderella was taken from her suffering to the palace in the clouds, so has Ilene been.

Also, she said she didn't want any services held. I wonder why, but she seemed like a woman who didn't want a lot of flash around her.

So now, onto the weird, fate-like things...

Isn't it so weird how we were talking about Cinderella so much just before she died? I mean, her movie's thread was up, I was talking about her with Pap...

And a new live-action version of her film was just pitched to Disney this year! Okay, I could joke that's what made Ilene leave, but I just had to joke that. On a serious note, I wonder if the film will take a more reverent take on the story, more like the film, or with homages to it and Ilene, all because of her death now as it's being made.

And...even though my birthday was weeks ago, I had my party the day right after the night she died! And I had a Cinderella themed cake! It had figures of Cinderella in her pose right after transforming and her fairy godmother, some Disney dust icing around them, and a cut-out of the coach and horses. I even had the courage to tell them to write "Happy Birthday Michael" on it for me!

Cinderella was right about that fate stuff and certain things happening...

Well, now I feel like giving a visual commemoration, so...

You left us, Cinderella...



Ashes to ashes, Disney dust to Disney dust...



But you left something behind for us, which lasted past midnight and will last forever as your soul will...



Goodbye, Cinderella.





To the clouds in Heaven you go.

[pap64]

Duster: You are right! There WAS a lot of talk about Cinderella before Ilene Woods' death. There was the Nostalgia Chick's review of Ever After which also included a look at Disney's Cinderella (though as harsh as she was at times for comedic sakes I feel deep down the likes the movie but doesn't want to admit it ). Then I saw a video about the Nostalgia Critic listing his favorite Disney villains, and Lady Tremaine was at number 3 (complete with a hilarious sequence in which the Critic tries to shoot Lady Tremaine but she is so evil that the bullets just bounce off of her and instead kills the critic ).

Then we did have that long conversation about Cinderella, and how the character tends to be underrated because she is part of the "passive" princesses, even though when compared to Snow White and Aurora Cinderella is the most fascinating of the three.

[Escapay]

First, why didn't UltimateDisney/DVDDizzy's front page report this? Didn't they report Wayne Allwine and others' deaths?

UD didn't have a front page report on Wayne Allwine's death.

The front page also didn't report on:

Jiminy Cricket voice actor Eddie Carroll (April 2010)
Alice Comedies actor Virginia Davis (August 2009)
Frequent Disney director Ken Annakin (April 2009)
Dr. Syn/Scarecrow actor Patrick McGoohan (January 2009)
Yzma actor/singer Eartha Kitt (December 2008 )
Aladdin's singing Narrator voice actor Bruce Adler (July 2008 )
Disney animator Ollie Johnston (April 2008 )
Pixar artist Justin Wright (March 2008 )
Rocketeer creator Dave Stevens (March 2008 )
Frequent Disney actor Suzanne Pleshette (January 2008 )
Prince Charming voice actor Mike Douglas (August 2006)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea director Richard Fleischer (March 2006)
Buena Vista Distribution President Irving Ludwig (November 2005)
Piglet voice actor John Fiedler (June 2005)
Tigger voice actor Paul Winchell (June 2005)
Disney storyman Joe Grant (May 2005)
Disney animator Frank Thomas (September 2004)
The Black Cauldron composer Elmer Bernstein (August 2004)
Tennessee Steinmetz/Scuttle voice actor Buddy Hackett (July 2003)

But they did report on Roy E. Disney (December 2009), and Don Knotts and Darren McGavin (both February 2006).

albert

[Disney Duster]

That's who it was Roy E. Disney.

I guess I can see why they wouldn't report other deaths since it's supposed to be more about home video. It's just that they reported some deaths, so...and these character's voice deaths are related to the films getting put on home video.

[Disney's Divinity]

I know I'm way late, but...how sad. I honestly don't know much about Ilene Woods beyond Cinderella (of which her voice work is incredibly and irreplaceable; easily my favorite 'princess' voice aside from Jodi Benson), but it's still sad to see the end of a Disney legend. Noone has ever come close to matching her warmth and ability when they have Cinderella fill-ins. Very sad.

I just hate to think how I'll feel when someone like Pat Carroll (who's pretty up there in age herself) passes away. Especially when I think of the horrible replacements they'll have following her.

[pinkrenata]

Don't forget UD's interview with Ilene Woods back in 2005:

http://www.ultimatedisney.com/cinderella-interview.html

I feel very lucky to have been able to talk to her, even if just to ask a few questions.