View source for Tony Anselmo

{{Use American English|date=November 2024}}
{{short description|American voice actor and animator}}
{{For|the Canadian football player|Tony Anselmo (Canadian football)}}
{{BLP sources|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Tony Anselmo
| image              = Tony Anselmo and Donald Duck.jpg
| imagesize          =
| caption            = Anselmo with [[Donald Duck]] in 1998
| birth_name         = <!-- only used if different from name -->
| birth_date         = {{birth date and age|1960|2|18}}
| birth_place        = [[Salt Lake City]], Utah, U.S.
| death_date         =
| death_place        =
| alma_mater         = [[California Institute of the Arts]]
| occupation         = {{hlist|Voice actor|animator}}
| years_active       = 1980–present
| spouse             =
| website            =
}}
'''Tony Anselmo''' (born February 18, 1960)<!-- Please do not change, see talk page, birthdate has been confirmed via official documents --><ref name="Deseret News Article, 1987" /> is an American voice actor and animator. He has been the official character voice of [[Donald Duck]] since 1985 following the death of the original voice actor, [[Clarence Nash]]. He has also provided voices for Donald's triplet nephews, [[Huey, Dewey, and Louie]].

Prior to voicing for Disney projects, he became an animator for the company in 1980.  As of 2023, he has been credited in 23 animation roles.

==Early life==
Anselmo was born on February 18, 1960, in [[Salt Lake City]], Utah.<ref name="Deseret News Article, 1987">{{cite news|title=An Utahn is the man behind Donald Duck|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_cooAAAAIBAJ&jid=T4QDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7079,4981433&dq=tony+anselmo&hl=en%7Cthis|author=Joseph Walker|date=May 27, 1987|work=The Deseret News|access-date=March 30, 2019}}</ref>

Anselmo formed an early interest with Disney after attending a screening of ''[[Mary Poppins (film)|Mary Poppins]]'' at the age of four. Anselmo says, "I remember leaving the theater and asking, 'How did they do this? Who did that?' and so on...So a seed was planted there, and from that time on I never wanted to be a [[Firefighter|fireman]], an [[astronaut]], or anything else. I wanted to work for [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]]."

Anselmo's family moved to [[Sunnyvale, California|Sunnyvale]] in northern California when he was seven, and he continued to actively study Disney and animation. He began drawing, using the famed [[Preston Blair]] art book, ''Advanced Animation'', built a light table of his own, and began creating animation with a Super 8 camera.

He attended [[Marian A. Peterson High School]] in Sunnyvale, California. He began night art classes at local colleges and began a regular correspondence with the artists who animated the Disney films, including [[Frank Thomas (animator)|Frank Thomas]], [[Ollie Johnston]], [[Eric Larson]], and [[Milt Kahl]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-02-18 |title=If it Quacks like a Duck, it Must be Tony Anselmo: The Only Animator to have Voiced the Character He Animated |url=https://thenationalera.com/if-it-quacks-like-a-duck-it-must-be-tony-anselmo-the-only-animator-to-have-voiced-the-character-he-animated/ |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=The National Era |language=en-US}}</ref> Anselmo says, "Ollie wrote a lot and sent me drawings, advising me to learn quick sketch, life drawing, and design."<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2022-01-29 |title=Uncovering Donald Duck's Official Voice, Tony Anselmo {{!}} 🎥 LatestLY |url=https://www.latestly.com/entertainment/hollywood/uncovering-donald-ducks-official-voice-tony-anselmo-3304518.html |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=LatestLY |language=en}}</ref>

Anselmo studied at the Character Animation Department of [[California Institute of the Arts]] on a full scholarship from the Disney Family in fall 1978.<ref name=":1" />

==Career==
[[File:Clarence Nash and Tony Anselmo.jpg|thumb|Tony Anselmo and Clarence Nash, 1980s]]
Anselmo's career as an animator began in 1980, at age 20. In subsequent years, Anselmo contributed to the animation of 20 Disney animated features, including ''[[The Black Cauldron (film)|The Black Cauldron]], [[The Little Mermaid (1989 film)|The Little Mermaid]], [[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]], [[The Lion King]], [[Tarzan (1999 film)|Tarzan]]'' and ''[[The Emperor's New Groove]]''.<ref name=":1" /> Anselmo was trained and mentored by the original voice of Donald, [[Clarence Nash]], who died in 1985 and Anselmo inherited the role of Donald Duck just as Nash had wished.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20096316,00.html |title=If It Quacks Like This Odd Duck, It Must Be Tony Anselmo |work=People |date=May 18, 1987 |access-date=June 3, 2015}}</ref> He first voiced Donald on a 1986 [[D-TV#D-TV Valentine|D-TV Valentine]] special on [[The Disney Channel]].<ref name=":0" />

Walt Disney insisted on character consistency and integrity. As long as Clarence Nash was alive no one other than Nash was permitted to provide Donald's voice. Continuing in that tradition, in 1988 [[Roy E. Disney]] created the department of Disney Character Voices to insure the continuation of character integrity, consistency, and quality in recording methods.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Classic Character Voice Department |url=https://imgur.com/a/GLUGss9 |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=Disney |language=en}}</ref>

During an interview, Anselmo stated that "Most people believe that Donald's voice is done squeezing air through the cheek, that is not true. I can't reveal how it's actually done, but it is definitely not done by squeezing air through the cheek. The [[Hanna-Barbera]] character '[[Yakky Doodle]]' is done that way. Donald Duck is not."<ref name=":1" />

Anselmo is the only person to both animate, and voice Donald Duck in ''[[Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers|Mickey Donald Goofy: The Three Musketeers]]'', ''Funny You Don't Look 200'', ''[[The Prince and the Pauper (1990 film)|The Prince and the Pauper]]'', and the ''[[60th Academy Awards|60th Annual Academy Awards]]''.<ref name=":0" />

He has voiced the nephews on the TV special ''Down and Out With Donald Duck'' and the shows ''[[Mickey Mouse Works]]'' and ''[[House of Mouse]]'' (while [[Russi Taylor]] (the voice of [[Minnie Mouse]]) voiced the nephews in [[DuckTales (1987 TV series)|DuckTales]], [[Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas|Mickey's Once]] and [[Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas|Twice Upon a Christmas]], ''[[Mickey's Speedway USA]]'' and the [[DuckTales: Remastered|remastered DuckTales]] video game in 2013.). He also lent his voice to minor characters in ''[[The Great Mouse Detective]]'', ''Mickey's Around the World in 80 Days'' and ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]''.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

Anselmo has also worked as a voice actor for the [[Kingdom Hearts (series)|''Kingdom Hearts'']] series, which features Donald Duck as one of three main characters. He also provided the voice of Donald in the video game ''[[Kinect Disneyland Adventures]]'' in 2011.

===Honors and acclaim===
Anselmo has been honored with several awards and nominations. He was a winner of the 2014 BTVA Television Voice Acting Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series&nbsp;— Children's/Educational for ''[[Mickey Mouse Clubhouse]]'', as well as the BTVA Video Game Voice Acting Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Video Game - ''[[Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance]]''.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

In September 2009, Tony Anselmo was named a [[Disney Legends|Disney Legend]] by Roy E. Disney.<ref>{{Cite press release|title = 2009 Disney Legends Award Recipients to Be Honored During D23 Expo in Anaheim|publisher = [[The Walt Disney Company]]|date = September 1, 2009|url = http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/09-01-2009/0005086237&EDATE=|access-date = July 15, 2010|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130905153143/http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=%2Fwww%2Fstory%2F09-01-2009%2F0005086237&EDATE=|archive-date = September 5, 2013}}</ref>

Anselmo began collecting Disney merchandise at an early age, and is known for his comprehensive collection of Disney posters relating to the works of [[Walt Disney]]. This expertise resulted in a 2002 art book, ''The Disney Poster Book featuring the Collection of Tony Anselmo''.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} Anselmo's collection was used in exhibits at The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.<ref name=":1" />

==Filmography==
===Film===
{|class = "wikitable sortable"
|+ List of voice performances in feature and direct-to-video films
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class = "unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1986
| ''[[The Great Mouse Detective]]''
| Thug Guard No. 3
|
|-
| 1987
| ''Down and Out with Donald Duck''
| Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Huey, Dewey, Louie
|
|-
| 1988
| ''[[Who Framed Roger Rabbit]]''
| rowspan="7" | Donald Duck
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1990
| ''[[The Prince and the Pauper (1990 film)|The Prince and the Pauper]]''
|
|-
| ''Disney Sing-Along Songs: Disneyland Fun''
| Direct-to-video
|-
| 1994–1995
| ''Mickey's Fun Songs'' series
| Direct-to-video series
|-
| 1998
| ''[[The Spirit of Mickey]]''
| rowspan="2" | Direct-to-video film
|-
| rowspan="2"|  1999
| ''[[Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas]]''
|-
| ''[[Fantasia 2000]]''
|
|-
| 2001
| ''[[Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse]]''
| rowspan="2" | Donald Duck, Huey, Dewey, Louie
| rowspan="3" | Direct-to-video film
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Mickey's House of Villains]]''
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2004
| ''[[The Lion King 1½]]''
| rowspan="4" | Donald Duck
|-
| ''[[Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers]]''
| Nominated - [[Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production]]<br />Direct-to-video film
|-
| ''[[Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas]]''
| Direct-to-video film
|-
| 2023
| ''[[Once Upon a Studio]]''
| Short film
|}

===Television===
{|class = "wikitable sortable"
|+ List of voice performances in animated shows
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class = "unsortable" | Notes
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1986
| ''[[The Real Ghostbusters]]''
| The Mayor of Morrisville
| 1 episode
|-
| ''[[D-TV]] Valentine''
| rowspan="6" | Donald Duck
| Television special
|-
| 1987–1988
| ''[[DuckTales (1987 TV series)|DuckTales]]''
| 8 episodes
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1988
| ''[[Totally Minnie]]''
| rowspan="2" | Television special
|-
| ''[[Mickey's 60th Birthday]]''
|-
| 1989–1990
| ''[[Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color]]''
|
|-
| 1993
| ''[[Bonkers (American TV series)|Bonkers]]''
| Episode: "Going Bonkers"
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Gargoyles (TV series)|Gargoyles]]''
| Additional voices
|
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Quack Pack]]''
| Donald Duck
| 39 episodes
|-
| 1999–2000
| ''[[Mickey Mouse Works]]''
| rowspan="2" | Donald Duck, Huey, Dewey, Louie
| 31 episodes
|-
| 2001–2003
| ''[[House of Mouse]]''
| 48 episodes
|-
| 2006–2016
| ''[[Mickey Mouse Clubhouse]]''
| rowspan="6" | Donald Duck
| 122 episodes
|-
| 2007
| ''Mickey's Great Clubhouse Hunt''
| Season 1, episode 24
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2009
| ''Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Choo-Choo Express''
| Season 2, episode 33
|-
| ''Mickey's Adventures in Wonderland''
| Season 2, episode 38
|-
| 2010
| ''Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Road Rally''
| Season 3, episode 9
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2011
| ''Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Space Adventure''
| Season 3, episode 22
|-
| ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]''
| Additional voices
| Episode: "Mommy Can You Hear Me?/Road Trip"
|-
| 2012–2016
| ''[[Minnie's Bow-Toons]]''
| rowspan="10" | Donald Duck
| 40 episodes
|-
| 2013
| ''Wheel of Fortune: Making Disney Memories Week''
|
|-
| 2013–2019
| ''[[Mickey Mouse (TV series)|Mickey Mouse]]''
| 38 episodes
|-
| 2016
| ''Duck the Halls: A Mickey Mouse Christmas Special''
| Television special
|-
| 2017
| ''The Scariest Story Ever: A Mickey Mouse Halloween Spooktacular''
| Television special
|-
| 2017–2021
| ''[[DuckTales (2017 TV series)|DuckTales]]''
| rowspan="5" | Main cast
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Legend of the Three Caballeros]]''
|-
| 2020–2023
| ''[[The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse]]''
|-
| 2021–present
| ''[[Mickey Mouse Funhouse]]''
|-
| 2025–present
| ''[[Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+]]''
|}

===Video games===
{|class = "wikitable sortable"
|+ List of voice performances in video games
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1997
| ''Disney's Magic Artist''
| rowspan="33" | Donald Duck
|
|-
| rowspan="5" | 2000
| ''[[Mickey's Speedway USA]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Donald Duck: Goin' Quackers]]''
|
|-
| ''Mickey Mouse Preschool''
|<ref name="BTVA">{{cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Tony-Anselmo/|title=Tony Anselmo (visual voices guide)|website=Behind the Voice Actors|postscript=. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.}}</ref>
|-
| ''Mickey Mouse Kindergarten''
|<ref name="BTVA"/>
|-
| ''Mickey Mouse Toddler''
|<ref name="BTVA"/>
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts (video game)|Kingdom Hearts]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="6" | 2002
| ''[[Disney Golf]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Disney's PK: Out of the Shadows]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Disney Sports Soccer]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Disney Sports Skateboarding]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Disney Sports Football]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Disney Sports Basketball]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2003
| ''[[Disney's Party]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Toontown Online]]''
|
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2008
| ''[[Disney Think Fast]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories|Kingdom Hearts Re: Chain of Memories]]''
|
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2010
| ''[[Epic Mickey]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2011
| ''[[Kinect Disneyland Adventures]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts Coded|Kingdom Hearts Re:coded]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2012
| ''[[Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance]]''
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2014
| ''[[Disney Magical World]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Disney Infinity 2.0]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix]]''
|
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Disney Infinity 3.0]]''
|
|-
| 2017
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue]]''
|
|-
| 2019
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts III]]''
|
|-
| 2020
| ''[[Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory]]''
|
|-
| 2021
| ''[[Cookie Run: Kingdom]]''
| Cookie Donald Duck
|<ref name="BTVA"/>
|-
| 2022
| ''[[Disney Dreamlight Valley]]''
| rowspan="3"| Donald Duck
|<ref name="BTVA"/>
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2023
| ''[[Disney Illusion Island]]''
|
|-
| ''[[Disney Speedstorm]]''
|
|}

===Web series===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of voice performances in Web shows
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Note
|-
|2024
|''[[Hot Ones]]''
|Donald Duck
|Episode: "Donald Duck Tries to Keep His Cool While Eating Spicy Wings"<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQse2ml5UXY&t=2s|title= Donald Duck Tries to Keep His Cool While Eating Spicy Wings|date=Aug 23, 2024}}</ref>
|}

===Theme park attractions===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Role
|-
| 1993 || Mickey's Movie Barn || rowspan="5" |Donald Duck
|-
| 2002 || [[Animagique]]
|-
| 2003 || [[Mickey's PhilharMagic]]
|-
| 2007 || [[Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros]]
|-
| 2020 || [[Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway]]
|}

==Animator==
{|class = "wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Film
! Animation
! Characters
|-
|| 1985 || ''[[The Black Cauldron (film)|The Black Cauldron]]'' || Assistant Animator ||
|-
|| 1986 || ''[[The Great Mouse Detective]]'' || Key Assistant Animator ||
|-
|| 1988 || ''[[Oliver & Company]]'' || Animating Assistant ||
|-
|| 1989 || ''[[The Little Mermaid (1989 film)|The Little Mermaid]]'' || rowspan="2" | Character Animator ||
|-
|| 1990 || ''[[The Prince and the Pauper (1990 film)|The Prince and the Pauper]]'' (Short) ||
|-
|| 1991 || ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]]'' || Supervising Animator || [[List of Disney's Beauty and the Beast characters|Wardrobe]]
|-
|| 1992 || ''[[Aladdin (1992 Disney film)|Aladdin]]'' || Assistant Animator || [[Princess Jasmine|Jasmine]]
|-
|| 1994 || ''[[The Lion King]]''
| rowspan="2" | Key Assistant Animator || Additional [[Simba|Young Simba]] and [[List of characters in The Lion King|Miscellaneous Characters]]
|-
|| 1995 || ''[[Pocahontas (1995 film)|Pocahontas]]'' || Flit
|-
|| 1996 || ''[[The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996 film)|The Hunchback of Notre Dame]]'' || Associate Lead Key Assistant Clean-Up Animator || Gypsies, Guards and Others
|-
|| 1997 || ''[[Hercules (1997 film)|Hercules]]'' || Key Assistant Animator: Additional Clean-Up Animation ||
|-
|| 1998 || ''[[Mulan (1998 film)|Mulan]]'' || Additional Key Assistant Clean-Up Animator ||
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1999 || ''[[Tarzan (1999 film)|Tarzan]]''
| Lead Key Assistant Animator || Professor Archimedes Quincy Porter
|-
|| ''[[Fantasia 2000]]'' || Key Assistant Animator / Additional Animator ||
|-
|| 2000 || ''[[The Emperor's New Groove]]'' || rowspan="2" | Key Assistant Animator || [[List of The Emperor's New Groove characters|Pacha]]
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Treasure Planet]]''||Sarah Hawkins and Miscellaneous Characters
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2004 || ''[[Home on the Range (2004 film)|Home on the Range]]'' || Key Assistant Animator || Miscellaneous Characters
|-
| ''[[Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers]]'' (Video) || Animation Clean-Up / Key Clean-Up Artist || Donald Duck
|-
|| 2005 || ''[[Pooh's Heffalump Movie]]'' || Clean-Up Artist ||
|-
|| 2006–07 || ''[[Mickey Mouse Clubhouse]] || Storyboard Revisionist / Prop Designer || Episodes: "A Surprise for Minnie", "Mickey's Great Clubhouse Hunt"
|-
|| 2008 || ''[[The Replacements (TV series)|The Replacements]]'' || Storyboard Revisionist || Episode: "Tasumi Unmasked"
|-
|| 2010 || ''[[Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil]]'' || Prop Designer || Episode: "Mellowbrook Drift"/"The Gift of Wacky"
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+Awards and nominations
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Title
! Result
|-
| 2005
| [[Annie Awards]]
| Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production
| ''[[Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2009
| [[Disney Legend Award]]
| Animation&nbsp;— Voice
|
| {{won}}
|-
| 2009
| Behind the Voice Actors Television Voice Acting Award
| Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series&nbsp;— Children's/Educational
| rowspan="5" | ''[[Mickey Mouse Clubhouse]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2014
| rowspan="6" | Behind the Voice Actors People's Choice Voice Acting Award
| Best Male Vocal Performance in a Television Series&nbsp;— Children's/Educational
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2014
| rowspan="2" | Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series&nbsp;— Children's/Educational
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2015
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2015
| Best Male Vocal Performance in a Television Series&nbsp;— Children's/Educational
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2018
| rowspan="2" | Best Vocal Ensemble in a New Television Series
| rowspan="2" | ''[[DuckTales (2017 TV series)|DuckTales]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| 2018
| {{won}}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0030615|name=Tony Anselmo}}
* [https://archive.today/20130111053051/http://www.mouseclubhouse.com/Interviews/tony-anselmo/tony-anselmo-animation.htm Interview]
{{commonscat}}
{{Disney Legends Awards 2000s}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anselmo, Tony}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American artists]]
[[Category:21st-century American artists]]
[[Category:American male video game actors]]
[[Category:American male voice actors]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Animal impersonators]]
[[Category:Animators from Utah]]
[[Category:Artists from Salt Lake City]]
[[Category:California Institute of the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Disney Legends]]
[[Category:Donald Duck]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Male actors from Salt Lake City]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Animation Studios people]]