Otis Harlan


Otis Harlan was an American actor and comedian. He voiced Happy, one of the Seven Dwarfs in the Disney animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This made him the earliest born actor to feature in a Disney film and one of the earliest born known American voice actors.

Early years

Harlan was born in Zanesville, Ohio in 1865. He married Nellie Harvey and had a daughter named Marion. Harlan was the uncle of the silent film era leading man, Kenneth Harlan.

Career

In 1893, he appeared in Victor Herbert's The Magic Knight. In 1911 he starred in Little Boy Blue on Broadway. He was playing in vaudeville shows by 1911, appearing in Irving Berlin's ragtime musicals. Harlan also played the role of Cap'n Andy in the first, part-talkie film version of "Show Boat". He was also seen as the Master of Ceremonies in the sound prologue that accompanied the film. In 1935, Harlan played the role of Starveling in Max Reinhardt's 1935 film version of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 1937, Harlan provided the voice of "Happy", one of the Seven Dwarfs in the Disney animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In the same year he also appeared in the Our Gang short Roamin' Holiday. Contrary to popular belief, Harlan did not voice Mr. Mole in Bambi. Mr. Mole was voiced by Bambi's story director, Perce Pearce. He died in early 1940 at age 74.

Selected filmography