John McLeish - The Narrator of the Goofy "How To" Cartoons

Q: Who does the voice of the sportscaster in the Goofy cartoons on football and basketball? I believe he also does the same thing in this short called Football Now and Then as well as in Moochie of Pop Warner Football. Do you know who the actor is?
Michael, Granite Bay, California 

A [Dave Smith]: The narrator of the Goofy "how to" cartoons was John McLeish, who was an animator and story man at Disney in the 1940s.

[Marcio Disney]

Here is a photo during the production of Disney’s The Reluctant Dragon on November 7, 1940. Actress Frances Gifford, who played a studio artist in the film, is the woman in the photo. Clockwise from Gifford: John McLeish, T. Hee, Ward Kimball, Fred Moore (back), Norm Ferguson (back) and Erdman Penner.

Dumbo was also narrated by John McLeish.

Goofy - How to Play Football (1944)

Goofy - How to Play Baseball (1944)

Goofy - How to Play Golf (1944)

Lily Babies Pictures Glows in the Dark

Q: I have an old picture of "lily babies." I believe it is from the late 1930s or early '40s. It actually glows in the dark and is in a 8"x10 " frame. Does it have any value? Can you tell me anything about it?
Stephanie, Lapeer, Michigan

A [Dave Smith]: This sounds like one of a series of luminous pictures of Disney scenes produced by the Henry A. Citroen Company in New York City from 1944 to 1946. They are relatively common and do not have great collectible value.

U.S.S. Seacat (S.S. 399) Disney Insignia (1944)

Q: My dad served on the U.S.S. Seacat (S.S. 399) during WWll. I was wondering if out of the 1200 insignias or patch art from Disney, did they create one for this submarine?

Gary, Pleasant Hill, California

A [Dave Smith]: Yes, Disney designed an insignia for the U.S.S. Sea Cat in April 1944 at the request of the submarine's commander, R. R. McGregor. It featured a caricature of an angry-looking catfish.

[Marcio Disney]

 

 Rare pic of the Disney-designed insignia

USS Sea Cat (SS/AGSS-399), a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for a shortened form of sea catfish, a marine fish found off the southeastern coast of the United States.

 WW II battleflag

The USS Sea Cat had a long and distinguish career in the service to her country. Her contributions are immeasurable. She help win the war in the Pacific with three battle stars. The Sea Cat can be proud of her immense contributions in helping win the undeclared cold war with the Soviet Union.  From her North Atlantic operations and Mediterranean deployments to her role in the Cuban Missile Crisis and providing services to train her surface and air counterparts in anti-submarine warfare, she conducted herself with skill, knowledge, proficiency and always with a "Can Do" spirit.

Click Here to visit the USS Sea Cat Association

Click Here to see the chronological history of the Sea Cat movements during her service to her country or the detailed account of her history authored by CDR Robert L. Sminkey.

Click Here to read the USS Sea Cat History

Clic Here to see more USS Sea Cat pictures 

United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.: The First 40 Years [Page 157]: http://tinyurl.com/2f6wtkd

View the Sea Cat (SS-399)
DANFS history entry located on the Haze Gray & Underway Web Site.

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Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

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Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
Guppy Submarines
Victory at Sea: Full Fathom Five 2 of 3