Jimmie Dodd

James Wesley "Jimmie" Dodd was an American actor, who was best known as the MC of the popular 1950s Disney TV show Mickey Mouse Club, as well as the writer of its well-known theme song "Mickey Mouse March". A slowed-down version of this march, with different lyrics, known as the "Alma Mater", closed the show. In 1992, he was posthumously named a Disney Legend, alongside Mouseketeer Annette Funicello.
==Career==
===Films===
Dodd had some early film roles in The Three Mesquiteers series of westerns. Coincidentally, he performed in two unrelated series whose names were plays on "musketeers".
Dodd made his first screen appearance in the 1940 William Holden film in a minor role. He also played the taxi driver in the MGM film , starring Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. Dodd had a small role in an early episode of titled "Double Trouble".
He also appeared in many theatrical films in the 1940s and 1950s, often uncredited. Two of his films were biographies of baseball players: , in which Jackie Robinson played himself, and , in which future president Ronald Reagan portrayed pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander. Dodd had a small, but important, part in the Mickey Rooney hit . He also appeared with John Wayne in the film .
===Mickey Mouse Club===
Mickey Mouse Club aired each weekday. Dodd always wore "Mouseke-ears", played his "Mouse-guitar", and sang self-composed songs. His tunes contained positive messages for kids. In addition, among his other musical contributions is a song that a generation of kids has used for nearly a half-century to spell "encyclopedia". Dodd also wrote some themes for Zorro and performed songs in several of his movies.
The original Mouseketeers, frequent guests at the Dodd home for backyard barbecues and sing-alongs, said that Dodd treated them as part of his extended family. Jimmie was not related to Mouseketeer Dickie Dodd.
==Death==
Dodd died of cancer on November 10, 1964, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was 54 years of age. Cheryl Holdridge was the last Mouseketeer to see Dodd alive. Holdridge visited Dodd in his final hours because she and her new husband, Lance Reventlow had flown to Hawaii for their honeymoon. They came to the hospital before Dodd died.
==Gallery==
Mickey mouse club 1.jpg
The Mickey Mouse Club Gadget Band.jpg
Tumblr nswcetm3Gk1r2k74to1 1280.jpg
Mouseketeer adults.jpg|Dodd with Roy Williams and Bob Amsberry.
Mickey Mouse Club Mouseketeers 1957.jpg|1956 cast photo. Front row; L–R: Annette Funicello, Karen Pendleton, Cubby O'Brien, Sherry Alberoni, Dennis DayRow two: Charley Laney, Sharon Baird, Darlene Gillespie, Jay-Jay SolariRow three: Tommy Cole, Cheryl Holdridge, Larry Larsen, Eileen DiamondRow four: Lonnie Burr, Margene Storey, Doreen TraceyBack row: Jimmie Dodd, Bobby Burgess.
1956-journee-vie-donald-08.jpg|Dodd in "A Day in the Life of Donald Duck."
Demetri Goritsas as Jimmie Dodd.JPG|Demetri Goritsas as Jimmie Dodd in A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story.
==External Links==
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*Jimmie sings to Annette Funicello
*MMC Cast: Jimmie Dodd
pt-br:Jimmie Dodd
Category:Males
Category:1910s births
Category:1960s deaths
Category:Deceased
Category:People from Ohio
Category:American people
Category:Actors
Category:Musicians
Category:Voice actors
Category:Singers
Category:Songwriters
Category:Singer-songwriters
Category:Mickey Mouse
Category:Disney Legends
Category:Disney people
Category:Mouseketeers
Category:Mickey Mouse Club
Category:Annette
Category:Zorro
Category:Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color