- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJoseph Roy Williams
- Roy Williams, best known as "Roy" on Le Club Mickey (1955), was born Joseph Roy Williams in Colville, Washington, on July 30, 1907. His family moved to Los Angeles in 1920 after his father died and lived with his grandmother. In 1925 he was hired by the animation studio Hyperion Studios, which began his lifelong association with the legendary Walt Disney. Disney sent him to the prestigious Choinnard Art Institute, and after graduation hired him as an artist. He worked his way up into the Art Department, eventually becoming an animator.
In the 1950s Disney moved him out of the Art Department and assigned him as a storyboard artist for its upcoming childrens show "The Mickey Mouse Club". Walt Disney himself picked Roy to be co-host, with Jimmie Dodd, of the show because, even though he was big and heavy, he was warm and gentle and very good with children, who took to him right away.
In addition to his co-hosting duties, Roy was also one of those who picked the children who would appear on the show after they were screened by the casting directors (for the first season, anyway; in the later seasons he wasn't). His skill as a sketch artist was incorporated into the show, and was used in many of the show's story lines.
When the series was finally canceled, all of the cast members were let go except Roy. He appeared on-camera occasionally in Disney specials and showed up at various Disneyland parades, but health issues cut down on those appearances. He finally retired in the 1970s, after almost 50 years with the Disney organization.
He died on November 7, 1976.- IMDb mini biography by: frankfob2@yahoo.com
- SpouseEthel Bernice Clark(February 10, 1937 - November 7, 1976) (his death, 1 child)
- ChildrenMaureen Williams
- ParentsDavid W WilliamsIda May Smith
- He was known to the public as the huge Mouseketeer on Le Club Mickey (1955). By the time he had first put on the Mouse Ears, he had been an employee of Walt Disney for almost a quarter-century. An artist, he started in the Animation Department as an in-betweener and then moved up to animator and then story and gag man.
- He is credited with creating the mouse-eared beanie worn by the Mouseketeers (including himself) on "The Mickey Mouse Club" (1955). It became a big seller to the public.
- He attended Los Angeles Fremont High School with future Disney colleagues Jack Kinney and Dick Kinney.
- With some help from Disney engineers, he turned his backyard into a Polynesian paradise, complete with a miniature working volcano (which eventually caught fire). His colleagues would jokingly claim that Roy's house was easy to find; it was the only house in his neighborhood that didn't have a "for sale" sign in front of it.
- Interred at Forest Lawn (Hollywood Hills), Hollywood, California, USA, in the Court of Remembrance.
- I'm a mirror reflecting the genius of Walt Disney.
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