Clarabelle Cow & Clarice Chipmunk at Disneyland's Celebrate Parade

Q: In the current Celebrate parade at Disneyland, there is a female chipmunk character and a female cow character that performs as part of the parade. Who are these characters? I've asked many people and nobody seems to know where they originated. Also, why were they chosen to be used in this parade?
Jeff, Burbank, California 

A [Dave Smith]: The cow is Clarabelle Cow, who appeared in early Mickey Mouse cartoons. The female chipmunk is Clarice, who played a nightclub singer in the 1952 cartoon Two Chips and a Miss. We always like to bring back some of the lesser-known Disney characters for nostalgia's sake. 

[Marcio Disney]

Molly Bee - Willy Clause

Q: As I child I learned a Christmas song called "Willy Clause." My wife finally found a 45 record of it by Molly Bee from the early '50s. I put it in iTunes and it popped up as a Disney record. Is it a Disney record or was it a glitch?

Stephen, San Bernardino, California

A [Dave Smith]: This was not a Disney song, though it could have been on an early Disney Christmas phonograph record. Molly Bee recorded the song in 1952 on the Capitol label. One fact that might cause confusion: It was written by Mel Leven; Leven worked for Disney on 101 Dalmatians and Babes in Toyland in the 1960s.

[Marcio Disney]

Just Push Play to hear the song