Catherine Beaumont helped bring one of the Disneyof the most recognizable heroines, but her contribution to Alice in Wonderland went far beyond the recording booth. As the cartoon classic celebrates its 75th anniversary, the actress looks back on voicing Alice, performing scenes for Disney animators and developing an unexpectedly cozy relationship with Walt Disney himself. Her memoir also provides a rare first-hand account of the studio’s creative process during a defining period in Disney’s animation history.
Beaumont discussed her experience during a conversation with radio host Joe Sibilia in 2017. The episode was recently re-run on “Nostalgia Tonight with Joe Sibilia” for the 75th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland. The 88-year-old actress explained that Disney needed someone who could make Alice authentically British without alienating American moviegoers.
“He was looking for a voice for Alice that would be palatable to both parties … that wouldn’t be too British for American ears, and vice versa,” Beaumont said. “They decided my voice was the best fit for the role, and I was excited to be able to perform for it.”
Beaumont, who was born in London, was still a child when she was chosen to voice Lewis Carroll’s curious young heroine. Disney’s search required more than just finding an actress with the right accent. Alice was meant to serve as an emotional anchor for the audience amidst the exaggerated voices and unpredictable personalities of Wonderland.
The actress shares her candid impression of Walt Disney
Although Beaumont was initially intimidated by the legendary director, she recalled that Disney quickly put her at ease. “He immediately made me comfortable. I forgot about my fear,” she recalled.
Disney’s behavior around the studio also raised expectations for Beaumont. Despite overseeing an expanding entertainment company, he remained visible and accessible to the actors and artists who worked on his productions. “You would see him walking down the hall. He would go into the dining room at lunchtime,” she explained. “It was just a wonderful, relaxed, friendly relationship.”
Their interaction sometimes went beyond the studio. Beaumont was invited to Disney’s home, where she experienced one of his most famous personal passions: trains. “I rode Walt’s train,” she shared. “He had several activities at his house and you could walk around the backyard on a little railroad track. It was an exciting experience.”
Disney’s yard railroad, known as the Coralwood Pacific Railroad, reflected his lifelong fascination with trains and preceded the opening of Disneyland in 1955. The Beaumont ride thus made it a distinct part of Disney history years before locomotives became an integral part of its first theme park.
Beaumont did much more than record Alice’s voice
Beaumont’s influence on the completed character was not limited to Alice’s dialogue. The actress also shot scenes on camera so the animation team could study her facial expressions, posture and movements. This reference footage was never intended to appear in the finished film. Instead, it gave artists a human basis to create a believable animated performance.
“They also wanted me to do what they called live action, which was not for the audience, but for the animators,” Beaumont explained. “They wanted to make sure they were able to make the person very realistic with all the movement.”
This process makes Beaumont’s contribution particularly significant. Audiences don’t just hear her voice when they watch Alice chase the White Rabbit or navigate Wonderland. Elements of her physical characteristics are also built into the character’s reactions and movements.
The technique does not mean that the animators simply track everything the actress does. Her performance functioned as a visual reference that artists could study, refine, and exaggerate to fit the animated world.
Catherine Beaumont recalls working with Comedy Legends
The young performer also worked alongside several famous stars, including Ed Wynn, who voiced the Mad Hatter, and Jerry Colon, who played the March Hare.
Beaumont admitted that she expected the famous comedians to behave like their eccentric characters even with the microphones off. “They were so famous and I was in awe of both of them,” she said. “I expected them to be funny all the time because they were comics.”
On the contrary, she found that both performers approach their work with great focus. “But they were both very serious between them,” Beaumont continued. “Nevertheless, they made me feel at home and I felt blessed to be able to work with them.”
Alice in Wonderland led directly to Peter Pan
Beaumont barely had time to move away from Alice when Disney put her at the center of another classic cartoon. After completing the promotional work for Alice in Wonderland, she returned to the studio and began recording as Wendy Darling in 1953’s Peter Pan.
“As soon as I got back from (promoting ‘Alice in Wonderland’), they immediately started shooting ‘Peter Pan,'” she recalls. “I started recording right away, almost as soon as I got off the plane after promoting Alice in Wonderland.”
She once again provided both voice and live-action performance for her character, giving Beaumont a direct creative connection to two of Disney’s most enduring heroines.
The Walt Disney Company officially recognized this contribution in 1998 when Beaumont was named a Disney Legend. According to Official Disney Biography D23she continued to voice Alice and Wendy for various Disney projects and theme park attractions before retiring from voice acting in 2005.
