We all know about Sleeping Beauty's Princess Aurora, Maleficent, the fairies, and others... but how much can you say about all the other characters in the background? Each month in our new Unusual Suspects series, we will examine one character from our featured film of the month who may not shine as brightly as the main characters of the film, but still plays a distinct role in the story as a whole.
Sleeping Beauty features a character who, though he lacks any dialogue, does not lack for impact. As King Hubert and King Stefan await the arrival of Princess Aurora, the character known by the animators as “the Lackey” serves the two royal fathers the wine Hubert has been saving for 16 years. As they toast to the marriage of their children, the Lackey surreptitiously sneaks sips of their wine—and steals the scene.
“I worked on this sequence for a number of weeks,” recalls Disney Legend Floyd Norman, known today primarily for his work as a comic artist. At that time he was, in his own words, “a naïve young kid” who had just arrived at Disney and was thrilled to be working as an assistant to the assistant of directing animator Milt Kahl. “What was foremost on my mind was that I was working on a Milt Kahl sequence, and he was already legendary at Disney. My main concern was staying out of Milt’s way. The character was a great character.”
The Lackey has all the hallmarks of a familiar comic actor—which is not surprising since the man who performed the role in the live action film shot as animation reference was a superb character actor whose work dates back to the silent days. If you’re a fan of screwball comedies by Preston Sturges and Frank Capra, or classic Fred Astaire musicals, you might just recognize the actor: Franklin Pangborn.
“He didn't even have a word of dialogue. but the character was so obviously modeled on Pangborn, you couldn't miss it,” notes Floyd. “Had it not been for the Lackey, the sequence would have played pretty flat. It becomes funnier because of the Lackey’s involvement. He ends up literally under the table. He’s the comic relief: the sequence would have played dull without him. He's the icing on the cake.”
Franklin Pangborn died in 1958; Sleeping Beauty was released in 1959. The role of the Lackey—though uncredited—serves as a fitting cap to his illustrious career. Let’s toast to his performance. “Skumps!”
Paula Sigman Lowery is an historian, author, and former archivist for The Walt Disney Company. She was one of the founders of Disney Character Voices, and founding director of the Walt Disney Collectors Society. She was part of the core team that developed the story and content for The Walt Disney Family Museum, where she continues to serve as a Consulting Historian.
Sleeping Beauty screened daily throughout the month of January. Tickets to our films of the month are free with Muesum admission, and can be picked up at the front desk at the Museum. For upcoming film listings, check our Calendar page.