Oliver Wallace
Oliver George Wallace (August 6, 1887 – September 15, 1963) was a British-American composer and conductor from London. He was especially known for his film music compositions, which were written for many animation, documentary, and feature films from Walt Disney Studios.
Also recorded as Ollie Wallace · Oliver S. Wallace
Oliver Wallace

James and Merrihew · J. Willis Sayre Collection of Theatrical Photographs · Public domain
- Name
- Oliver Wallace
- Born
- 6 August 1887
- Birthplace
- London, United Kingdom
- Died
- 15 September 1963
- Place of death
- Los Angeles, California, US
- Occupation
- Composer
- Full name
- Oliver George Wallace.
- Nationality
- United Kingdom and United States.
- Fields
- film score.
- Honours
- Disney Legends and Academy Award for Best Original Musical Score.
- Languages
- English.
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Documentary summary
Oliver George Wallace (August 6, 1887 – September 15, 1963) was a British-American composer and conductor from London. He was especially known for his film music compositions, which were written for many animation, documentary, and feature films from Walt Disney Studios.
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In this article
Biography
Biography
The recorded working language is English. The field of work recorded is film score. Antonín Dvořák, Léo Delibes and Johannes Brahms are recorded as an influence. Residence is recorded at United Kingdom and United States. Employment is recorded with Walt Disney Pictures. Distinctions recorded are Disney Legends and Academy Award for Best Original Musical Score.

Oliver Wallace, organist at the Liberty Theater Subjects (LCTGM): musicians
James and Merrihew · J. Willis Sayre Collection of Theatrical Photographs
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Oliver Wallace • Born — 6 August 1887 • Birthplace — London, United Kingdom • Died — 15 September 1963 • Place of death — Los Angeles, California, US • Occupation — Composer
Biography
Biography
Wallace was born on August 6, 1887, in London. After completing his musical training, he emigrated to the Canada originally, and then shortly after to the United States in 1904, becoming a US citizen ten years later. He reportedly studied at the Chicago School of Music in the Near North neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. He initially worked primarily on the West Coast in Seattle as a conductor of theater orchestras and as an organist accompanying silent films. At the same time, he also made a name as a songwriter, writing tunes such as the popular "Hindustan (song)". With the advent of the talking film era, he worked increasingly for Hollywood film studios in the 1930s. In 1936 he joined Disney Studios and quickly became one of the most important composers in the studio for animated short films. He provided the music for 139 of these shorts. One of his best-known pieces is the song "Der Fuehrer's Face" from the 1942 Donald Duck propaganda cartoon, though he was uncredited. This parody of a Horst Wessel song was, mainly through the version by Spike Jones and His City Slickers, one of the biggest hits during the Second World War. Other shorts he scored included Ben and Me (1953), about Benjamin Franklin and a mouse, and the Oscar-winning Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953), the first cartoon to use the new CinemaScope process. He also provided live action reference movesets for both Sneezy and Dopey in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and did the whistling voice for Ichabod Crane as he’s riding home on his horse in The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949). Walt Disney also had Wallace score full-length films for the studios for over 27 years. He started writing and orchestrating the score for Dumbo (1941), for which he, together with Frank Churchill, won his first and only Oscar in 1942. He went on to score Victory Through Air Power (1943), The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949), Cinderella (1950) along with Paul J. Smith, Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953), and White Wilderness (1958). His last work for a Disney animated feature was Lady and the Tramp (1955). He received four other Oscar nominations for the music to Victory Through Air Power with Edward H. Plumb and Paul J. Smith (losing to Alfred Newman for The Song of Bernadette), Cinderella with Paul J. Smith (losing to Adolph Deutsch and Roger Edens for Annie Get Your Gun), Alice in Wonderland (losing to Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin for An American in Paris), and White Wilderness (losing to Dimitri Tiomkin for The Old Man and the Sea). A common characteristic of all these productions was the cooperation of several composers in the creation of the music. Wallace understood this and integrated leitmotiv-like elements from the individual songs into the film scores. When the Disney studios began to increasingly produce full-length feature films, Wallace also wrote scores for these. In Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959), Wallace wrote not only the score but also set the Lawrence Edward Watkin-penned popular songs "Pretty Irish Girl" and "The Wishing Song". In Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus (1959), he appeared as an actor, playing the conductor of the circus band. Starting with Seal Island (1948), Wallace also specialized in musical accompaniments for Disney documentaries, including nearly all the films for the "People and Places" series and some of the True-Life Adventures. The music of White Wilderness (1958) was even nominated for an Oscar in 1959, a rare feat for a documentary film. Overall, Wallace contributed music to almost over 150 Walt Disney productions. He worked for Disney studios for 27 years. He remained active in the studio in Los Angeles until shortly before his death at a Burbank, California hospital on September 15, 1963, at the age of 76. In 2008, he was posthumously honored with a Disney Legends award.
Filmography
Filmography
Most of the films were scored in collaboration with other composers.
Animated Shorts
Animated Shorts
• 1937 – Mickey's Amateurs - Score • 1937 – Modern Inventions - Score • 1937 – Clock Cleaners - Score • 1938 – Donald's Ostrich - Score • 1938 – Self Control - Score • 1938 – Boat Builders - Score • 1938 – Donald's Better Self - Score • 1938 – Donald's Nephews - Score • 1938 – Mickey's Trailer - Score • 1938 – Good Scouts - Score • 1939 – Donald's Lucky Day - Score • 1939 – Society Dog Show - Score • 1939 – Mickey's Surprise Party - Score • 1939 – Donald's Cousin Gus - Score • 1939 – Sea Scouts - Score • 1939 – Donald's Penguin - Score • 1939 – The Autograph Hound - Score • 1940 – The Riveter - Score • 1940 – Tugboat Mickey - Score • 1940 – Donald's Vacation - Score • 1940 – Window Cleaners - Score • 1940 – Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip - Score • 1940 – Pantry Pirate - Score • 1941 – Timber - Score • 1941 – The Little Whirlwind - Score • 1941 – Early to Bed - Score • 1942 – Donald's Decision - Score • 1942 – The New Spirit - Score • 1942 – Symphony Hour - Score • 1942 – Donald's Snow Fight - Score • 1942 – Donald's Garden - Score • 1942 – Donald's Gold Mine - Score • 1942 – T-Bone for Two - Score • 1942 – The Vanishing Private - Score • 1942 – Pluto at the Zoo - Score • 1942 – Bellboy Donald - Score • 1943 – Der Fuehrer's Face – Score and title song • 1943 – Education for Death - Score • 1943 – Donald's Tire Trouble - Score • 1943 – Pluto and the Armadillo - Score • 1943 – Private Pluto - Score • 1943 – Victory Vehicles - Score • 1943 – Chicken Little - Score • 1944 – Donald Duck and the Gorilla - Score • 1944 – Contrary Condor - Score • 1944 – Commando Duck - Score • 1944 – How to Play Football - Score • 1944 – Springtime for Pluto - Score • 1944 – The Plastics Inventor - Score • 1944 – First Aiders - Score • 1944 – The Clock Watcher - Score • 1945 – Dog Watch - Score • 1945 – African Diary - Score • 1945 – Canine Casanova - Score • 1945 – Duck Pimples - Score • 1945 – The Legend of Coyote Rock - Score • 1945 – No Sail - Score • 1945 – Cured Duck - Score • 1945 – Canine Patrol - Score • 1945 – Old Sequoia - Score • 1946 – A Knight For a Day - Score • 1946 – Pluto's Kid Brother - Score • 1946 – In Dutch - Score • 1946 – Squatter's Rights - Score • 1946 – Donald's Double Trouble - Score • 1946 – The Purloined Pup - Score • 1946 – Wet Paint - Score • 1946 – Dumb Bell of the Yukon - Score • 1946 – Lighthouse Keeping - Score • 1946 – Bath Day - Score • 1946 – Frank Duck Brings 'Em Back Alive - Score • 1946 – Double Dribble - Score • 1947 – Pluto's Housewarming - Score • 1947 – Rescue Dog - Score • 1947 – Straight Shooters - Score • 1947 – Sleepy Time Donald - Score • 1947 – Figaro and Frankie - Score • 1947 – Clown of the Jungle - Score • 1947 – Donald's Dilemma - Score • 1947 – Crazy with the Heat - Score • 1947 – Bootle Beetle - Score • 1947 – Wide Open Spaces - Score • 1947 – Mickey's Delayed Date - Score • 1947 – Foul Hunting - Score • 1947 – Chip an' Dale - Score • 1947 – Mail Dog - Score • 1947 – Pluto's Blue Note- Score • 1948 – They're Off - Score • 1948 – The Big Wash - Score • 1948 – Drip Dippy Donald - Score • 1948 – Mickey Down Under - Score • 1948 – Daddy Duck - Score • 1948 – Bone Bandit - Score • 1948 – Donald's Dream Voice - Score • 1948 – Pluto's Purchase - Score • 1948 – The Trial of Donald Duck - Score • 1948 – Cat Nap Pluto - Score • 1948 – Inferior Decorator - Score • 1948 – Pluto's Fledgling - Score • 1948 – Soup's On - Score • 1948 – Three for Breakfast - Score • 1948 – Mickey and the Seal - Score • 1948 – Tea for Two Hundred - Score • 1949 – Pueblo Pluto - Score • 1949 – Donald's Happy Birthday - Score • 1949 – Pluto's Surprise Package - Score • 1949 – Sea Salts - Score • 1949 – Pluto's Sweater - Score • 1949 – Winter Storage - Score • 1949 – Bubble Bee - Score • 1949 – Honey Harvester - Score • 1949 – Tennis Racquet - Score • 1949 – All in a Nutshell - Score • 1949 – Goofy Gymnastics - Score • 1949 – The Greener Yard - Score • 1949 – Sheep Dog - Score • 1949 – Slide Donald Slide - Score • 1950 – Pluto's Heart Throb - Score • 1950 – Lion Around - Score • 1950 – Pluto and the Gopher - Score • 1950 – Crazy Over Daisy - Score • 1950 – Wonder Dog - Score • 1950 – Primitive Pluto - Score • 1950 – Morris the Midget Moose - Score • 1951 – Corn Chips - Score • 1951 – Bee on Guard - Score • 1952 – Teachers Are People - Score • 1952 – Let's Stick Together - Score • 1952 – Pluto's Party - Score • 1952 – Two Weeks Vacation - Score • 1953 – Rugged Bear - Score • 1953 – Ben and Me – Score • 1953 – Working for Peanuts - Score • 1953 – Canvas Back Duck - Score • 1954 – Spare the Rod - Score • 1954 – The Lone Chipmunks - Score • 1954 – Pigs Is Pigs - Score • 1954 – Casey Bats Again - Score • 1954 – Dragon Around - Score • 1954 – Grin and Bear it - Score • 1954 – Social Lion - Score • 1954 – The Flying Squirrel - Score • 1954 – Grand Canyonscope - Score • 1955 – No Hunting - Score • 1955 – Bearly Asleep - Score • 1955 – Beezy Bear - Score • 1955 – Up A Tree - Score • 1956 – Chips Ahoy - Score • 1956 – Hooked Bear - Score • 1959 – How to Have an Accident at Work - Score
Actor
Actor
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) as Dopey and Sneezy (live-action reference) • The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) as Mr. Winkie (voice, uncredited)/Ichabod Crane (whistling, uncredited) • Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus (1960) – as the Bandleader (voice; credited as Ollie Wallace)
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Oliver Wallace was recorded at birth as Oliver George Wallace. The authorities additionally record the headings Ollie Wallace and Oliver S. His recorded language was English. He was the child of Alexander McCulloch Wallace and Hannah Levy Wallace.
Identity
Identity
Oliver Wallace is recorded as having received Disney Legends and Academy Award for Best Original Musical Score. Wallace worked in film score.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1963
Oliver Wallace died at Burbank.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
United Kingdom and United States.
Residences
London.
Birth place
Burbank.
Death place
Film scores
• 1934 – Girl in the Case – Music • 1941 – Dumbo – Score and some songs • 1943 – Victory Through Air Power – Score • 1944 – The Three Caballeros – Score • 1946 – Make Mine Music – Score • 1947 – Fun and Fancy Free – Score • 1948 – Seal Island – Score • 1949 – The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad – Score • 1950 – Cinderella – Score • 1951 – Alice in Wonderland – Score and some songs • 1953 – Peter Pan – Score and some songs • 1954 – Siam – Score • 1955 – Men Against the Arctic – Score • 1955 – Lady and the Tramp – Score • 1957 – Old Yeller – Score and song • 1958 – White Wilderness – Score • 1958 – Tonka – Score • 1959 – Darby O'Gill and the Little People – Score and song • 1960 – Jungle Cat – Score • 1960 – Ten Who Dared – Score • 1961 – Nikki, Wild Dog of the North – Score • 1962 – Big Red – Score • 1962 – The Legend of Lobo – Score • 1963 – Savage Sam – Score • 1963 – The Incredible Journey – Score (final film)
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Music memorabilia
42,438 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
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