TONY ANSELMO was inspired by the first movie he ever saw, Mary Poppins. As a boy, he began drawing and making animated films using his Super 8 camera. His drawings earned him a full scholarship to CalArts, the fabled art school that has bred many successful Disney artists. Tony began his studies in the Character Animation Department, which was headed by Jack Hannah, whose Disney career included ten years as director of the unit that produced Donald Duck shorts. Tony was selected to transfer to The Disney Studios after only his second year at CalArts and began work in the Animation department in 1980.
As a highly-skilled animator, he has worked on nearly every traditionally animated Disney feature film since 1980. However, it was his close relationship with Clarence Nash, the original voice of Donald Duck, which would eventually lead to Tony’s second career at Disney behind the microphone as Donald’s voice. Upon Clarence’s passing in 1985, Tony became only the second person to voice this cherished character. In 1990, when The Walt Disney Studios released The Prince and the Pauper, Tony became the first person to both animate and voice Donald Duck and has delighted audiences with Donald’s comedic antics ever since.
In his youth, Tony began collecting Disney objects and ephemera and is known for his comprehensive collection of Disney posters relating to works producedduring Walt’s lifetime. This expertise resulted in a 2002 art book, The Disney Poster Book featuring the Collection of Tony Anselmo.
Tony has been honored with several awards and nominations. In 2004, he was nominated for an Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Presentation for his work as Donald Duck in _Mickey, Donald, and Goofy: The Three Musketeers.
He was a winner of the 2014 BTVA Television Voice acting Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series—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. In 2009, Tony Anselmo was named a Disney Legend.
