Jimmie Dodd | |
|---|---|
 Dodd as a Mouseketeer onThe Mickey Mouse Club,circa 1956 | |
| Born | James Wesley Dodd (1910-03-28)March 28, 1910 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | November 10, 1964(1964-11-10) (aged 54) Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 1937–1959 |
| Spouse | |
James Wesley Dodd (March 28, 1910 – November 10, 1964) was an American actor, singer, and songwriter best known as themaster of ceremonies for the popular 1950sWalt Disneytelevision seriesThe Mickey Mouse Club, as well as the writer of its well-known theme song, "The Mickey Mouse Club March". A different version of this march, much slower intempo and with different lyrics, became thealma mater that closed each episode.
Dodd grew up inCincinnati. where he was an outstanding amateur tennis player, even reaching the round of 16 twice at his hometown tournament, now known as theCincinnati Masters. Later, a heart ailment made him ineligible to serve in combat inWorld War II, but his wife Ruth and he traveled extensively, entertaining the troops.[1][2]
Dodd moved from Cincinnati to Florida, where he worked in radio before moving to California to become a songwriter. Of the estimated 400 songs he wrote, his best-known are "Amarillo", "He Was There", "I Love Girls", "Nashville Blues", and "Rosemary", though not all were published.[1]
Dodd had some early film roles inThe Three Mesquiteers series ofWesterns. Coincidentally, he performed in two unrelated series whose titles were plays on "musketeers". He made his first screen appearance in the 1940William Holden filmThose Were the Days! in a minor role. He was one of the standout singers in the song, "Who’s Your Yehouti" in the 1940 movieVarsity Vanities. He also appeared in many theatrical films in the 1940s and 1950s, often uncredited. He appeared withJohn Wayne in the war filmsFlying Tigers (1942),Janie (1944), in which he sings a bit of "Keep Your Powder Dry" with starJoyce Reynolds, and withHarry Carey inChina's Little Devils (1945), another film involving theFlying Tigers. He also played the taxi driver in the MGM filmEaster Parade (1948), starringFred Astaire andJudy Garland. Dodd had a small, but important part in theMickey Rooney hitQuicksand (1950). Two of his films were biographies of baseball players:The Jackie Robinson Story (1950), in whichJackie Robinson played himself, andThe Winning Team (1952), in which future presidentRonald Reagan portrayed pitcherGrover Cleveland Alexander. He played a taxi driver again inPhffft (1954).[3]
In addition to his small role in an early episode ofAdventures of Superman titled "Double Trouble",[4] Dodd appeared as a deputy in the 1955 episode "Sontag and Evans" of thesyndicatedtelevision seriesStories of the Century. The segment was based on the California train robbersChris Evans andJohn Sontag.[5]
Dodd came to the attention of Walt Disney after submitting a song for the show. Disney was impressed by Dodd's outgoing personality and rapport with the younger members of the cast and signed him to a seven-year contract.[1][2]
The Mickey Mouse Club aired each weekday. Dodd always wore "Mouseke-ears", played his "Mouse-guitar", and sang self-composed songs. His tunes contained positive messages for kids. Among his other musical contributions is a song that a generation of kids used for nearly a half-century to spell "encyclopedia". He performed a regular segment on the show singing "Proverbs, proverbs, they're so true"... and would then expound on a proverb from the Bible and give an explanation of its value in everyday life. He wrote some themes forZorro and performed songs in several of his movies. He also wrote "Lonely Guitar", aBillboard Top 50 charted hit for fellow MouseketeerAnnette Funicello in 1959. The original Mouseketeers, frequent guests at the Dodd home for backyard barbecues and sing-alongs, said Dodd treated them as part of his own extended family.[6][7] John Updike's novelRabbit, Run makes reference to Dodd and his appearance on aMickey Mouse Club episode.
Dodd died of astaphylococcal infection at age 54 on November 10, 1964, inHonolulu. He is interred atForest Lawn Memorial Park in theHollywood Hills ofLos Angeles.[8] He was survived by his wife, Ruth.[2]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
