Death of Russi Taylor: The voice of Minnie Mouse dies at 75

Russi Taylor, the actress who has expressed Minnie Mouse for over 30 years, died at the age of 75.

Disney revealed that she had died in Glendale, California on Friday.

Russi won the coveted role of Minnie's voice in 1986 after auditioning against 200 other hopes.

She then starred in films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Mickey, Donald, Goofey: The Three Musketeers, as well as in several television series such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Mickey MouseWorks.

Bob Iger, President and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said: "Minnie Mouse lost her voice with the death of Russi Taylor.

"For more than 30 years, Minnie and Russi have collaborated to entertain millions of people around the world, and this partnership has made Minnie a global icon and Russi a legend of Disney that is much appreciated by fans around the world.

"We are very grateful for Russi's talent as well as for the great spirit and great joy she has brought to everything she has done.

"It has been a privilege to know her and an honor to work with her, and we are comforted by the fact that her work will continue to entertain and inspire for generations to come."

Russi found his real life Mickey in the form of Wayne Allwine, who had voiced Mickey Mouse since 1977.

The couple married in 1991 and remained as inseparable as their animated counterparts until Allwine's death in 2009.

Russi had been a fan of Disney since his childhood and he remembered meeting Walt Disney in his youth.

"I was with my mom and my brother, and it was late at night at Disneyland," she said.

"We had just got off the Mark Twain Riverboat and had popcorn, I looked and saw Walt sitting on a bench, so we introduced ourselves and shared our popcorn with him.

"At one point in our conversation, he asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up and said," I want to work for you! So he said, "Ok!" – and now I'm doing it! "

Bill Farmer, the voice of Goofy, said he would "miss a lot" to his longtime friend.

"Russi was as close as the family, as wonderful, funny and adorable as Minnie Mouse, and as talented as humble as one would expect," he said.

In addition to Minnie, Russi also played the roles of Huey, Dewey and Louie and their friend Webbigail Vanderquack in the original animated series of DuckTales.

Do you have a story to sell? Contact us at [email protected] or call us directly on 0207 29 33033.