Trivia

He frequently dubbed the singing voices of non-singing actors, and his daughter Diana Lee also worked in this field.

Performed as part of The Anita Kerr Singers.

Sang the theme song to Bat Masterson.

Lee provided the singing voice for Christopher Plummer in The Sound of Music, for John Kerr in South Pacific, and John Gavin in Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Much of Lee's best-known work is as part of the popular singing quartet known as The Mellomen, founded by Thurl Ravenscroft. It was Lee, rather than Ravenscroft, who provided Shere Khan's sung line during "That's What Friends Are For" in The Jungle Book. Richard M. Sherman confirmed this fact on the audio commentary on its 2007 DVD release. Though George Sanders, Shere Khan's voice actor, was an accomplished singer, he was not available during the finalized recording of the song.

His initial musical focus was as a trombone player, but after singing in several college vocal groups, he decided to concentrate on his voice.

At the Disney theme parks, he is the voice of Melvin the moose in Country Bear Jamboree.

He has appeared as Goofy in the 1965 LP Children's Riddles and Game Songs.

He sang the lead role in a 1953 Gordon Jenkins made-for-record musical entitled Seven Dreams.

The bulk of Lee's income consisted of singing commercials for radio and television, much of which Lee felt was "silly" but he appreciated the financial independence this work gave him.

Lee has done some solo work as well. While acting in productions, such as State Fair, The Alvin Show, Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!, Tom and Jerry, and 1965's Cinderella, he gained work as a ghost singer for actors, like Tom Drake (Words and Music), Matt Mattox (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers), John Kerr (South Pacific) and Edson Stroll (Snow White and the Three Stooges).

For the million-selling second-cast Disneyland album of Mary Poppins, Lee performs as Bert and Mr. Banks. In the film itself, Lee sang as one of the barnyard menagerie in "Jolly Holiday".

Lee performed prolifically for The Walt Disney Company. Initially his Disney efforts were as part of The Mellomen, but he was later given many solos on Disneyland Records.

Bill Lee was an American playback singer who provided a voice or singing voice in many films, for actors in musicals and for many Disney characters.

He served as an ensign in the United States Navy during World War II, then moved to Hollywood upon discharge.