Even if you don't know who Jim Cummings is, you definitely know his voice. Cummings has been a professional voice actor for decades and has provided a legion of characters for the Walt Disney Company. Although Darkwing Duck and Bonkers D. Bobcat have their fans, there's a special place in all of our hearts for Tigger and Pooh.
Jim Cummings has been the voice of the willy-nilly-silly-old-bear since 1988's The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh animated series, but he wasn't Tigger until he took the reigns from his original performer, filling a pair of very big (and bouncy) shoes in the process.
Earning his stripes
Many of you animation buffs out there might be thrilled to know that Cummings has his own podcast where he and a few familiar guest stars from the animation and voice-acting community share experiences and stories. On a recent episode (found here) the actor shared with comedian Jim Meskimen how he stepped in for Paul Winchell during his time as Pooh.
For those not in the know, Paul Winchell was one of the most iconic comedians and performers of the '60s, he was also a great philanthropist and mind behind one of the first artificial hearts. However, his role as Tigger is what kept him in the annals of Disney history.
In Cummings' podcast, he goes into great detail on how his relationship with Winchell shaped both the role of Tigger and his time on the show. The performer explains how filling in for the veteran voice actor led to his tenure as the character full-time (found here).
Voicing any Disney character is a surefire way to earn cinematic immortality, and both Jim Cummings and Paul Winchell have accomplished that goal. However, there's something extra special about passing the torch from one beloved animated friend to another. Indeed, it is an inspiring story from a Disney icon.
Are you a fan of Pooh and Tigger?