- Pat Carroll, The Little Mermaid, 1989. “An answer to a prayer,” said Carroll on winning her lifetime’s ambition – voicing a Disney character. Ursula was designed for Bea Arthur – far too busy with The Golden Girls, 1985-1992. Next? Divine (!), Charlotte Rae, Roseanne and singer Nancy Wilson. Plus a slew of veteran ladies: Coral Browne, Nancy Marchand, Sylvia Sidney, Elaine Stritch. Oh! and the Absolutely Fabulous Saunders was rejected. No matter, Steven Spielberg saw her test and made her the sinister fairy godmother Dama Fortuna in Shrek 2, 2000. Ab fab, indeed!
- Dawn French, Coraline, 2008. Forget the titular Dakota Fanning. The toon belongs to the two old biddies in the basement, apparently ex-burlesque queens, judging by their posters for Julius Sees Her and King Leer. Director Henry Selick chose the great UK comics, French and Saunders, to voice Miss April Spink and Miss Miriam Forcible, respectively, when – in mid-recording – he said something was awry. Try swopping! Perfect! Well, except their stop-motion puppets still resembled their orginal roles. So we had a Saunders looking like French and vice-versa. All part of the fun.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 2