"101 Dalmatians" (1961)

Rod Taylor is the voice of Pongo, the patriarch of the pups.

"One Hundred and One Dalmatians" opens with a bachelor -- Pongo -- lamenting his lonely life with his "pet" Roger, an equally lonely songwriter. Rod narrates the part with a soft, lovely, lilting English accent.

Bachelorhood doesn't last long, however, as Pongo orchestrates a meeting in the park with lovely spotted Perdita and her "pet," Anita. After a wedding for the humans and a litter of 15 puppies for the Dalmatians, the evil Cruella de Vil enters the scene.

Thwarted from buying the puppies, Cruella hires a couple of thugs to kidnap them. The story continues in her ramshackle country mansion, Hell Hall, where 99 puppies await a cruel fate -- being made into a spotted fur coat for Cruella. Pongo and Perdita run cross-country to rescue the pups, with the help of a clever cat and neighborly dogs.

NEWS AND REVIEWS

"101 Dalmatians" was one of the last of Walt Disney's films to be made under his personal supervision, and Disney himself selected Rod:

Walt had liked me in something, and personally called me to do "101 Dalmatians." I had forgotten all about it until it was re-released [in 1985]. Frankly, I've never even seen the film. But Walt was the sweetheart of all time. He and his people were so well-organized, it was unbelievable. They showed me rough cartoons before I recorded my lines, and I found it fascinating. I wish I had gotten to know him better.

-- Starlog magazine, May 1987

Upon the movie's video re-release in Australia in1995, the Sydney Morning Herald reported:

When it was released in 1961, it actually saved the Walt Disney company from bankruptcy. ... When making "101 Dalmatians," Walt Disney abandoned the time-consuming tradition of hand-tracing every "cell" and introduced a cheaper and faster animation technique, using a form of "Xeroxing" to mechanically transfer the cartoon drawings to film.

That came in especially handy because the movie boasts more than 6.5 million "spots" on the Dalmatians, with doggy hero Pongo proudly sporting 72!

The film also set the trend for Disney's recruiting of famous Hollywood actors to play the character's voices. In "101 Dalmatians," Australian Rod Taylor is the voice of Pongo. In recent times, Disney's celebrity voices have been a key to its animated smashes.

-- Sydney Sun Herald, April 8, 1995

Production notes for the movie say this about the film and its lead voice:

"101 Dalmatians" is considered by many to be one of Walt Disney's best animated features. The film is full of ingenious visual ideas, with one of the favorites being the similarities between dog and owner. ...

Adding to the characters' credibility is an expertly-cast array of vocal talent. Actor Rod Taylor gave the character of Pongo its bite. ... [His] gentle but dynamic delivery brought Pongo to life.

 

 

  

LINKS

Internet Movie Database: Full cast and credits

The Flick Filosopher: Insightful review

Roger Ebert review: Thumbs up?

www.rodtaylorsite.com