Tim Hollis
Member
We just received news this morning that Sam Edwards passed away last night at the age of 89. He had a long and distinguished career in radio, movies, and television but found a second (or third or fourth) life on Disneyland Records from the early 1960s (THE ABSENT MINDED PROFESSOR, supporting Sterling Holloway's narration) all the way into the 1970s (he played the grouchy father in THE ORANGE BIRD). In between, he was probably best known for his several Pooh LP's in which he played both Owl and Tigger, and his rendition of "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers" was included in more compilations than anyone could count. He was also the Tin Woodman and Cowardly Lion in the series of Disneyland LP's based on the Oz books. Sam, Dal McKennon and Robie Lester all did such a fine job in the LP version of THE BOATNIKS that the movie itself pales by compariosn. His final work for Disney was in the 1977 read-along remakes, in which he was brought back to perform Tigger and Rabbit.
And of course, let us not forget that he was also the owl who shared narration chores with Burl Ives in AMERICA SINGS, and was the voice of the grown-up Thumper in BAMBI. Sam's final public appearance was on June 26 & 27 at the annual old-time radio convention in Seattle. He will be missed by fans of all types of media, but his Disney records work was probably his least documented or noticed.
And of course, let us not forget that he was also the owl who shared narration chores with Burl Ives in AMERICA SINGS, and was the voice of the grown-up Thumper in BAMBI. Sam's final public appearance was on June 26 & 27 at the annual old-time radio convention in Seattle. He will be missed by fans of all types of media, but his Disney records work was probably his least documented or noticed.