Sharing Optimism through Voice Acting
Here at The Optimism Company, we imagine a world where everyone can wake up every single morning inspired, feel safe wherever they are, and end the day fulfilled by the work
they do.
Our guest on the podcast this week lives out that dream and shares the message of optimism in a very unique way.
You may not recognize his name, but you would know his iconic voice anywhere. His name is Bill Farmer and he’s been the voice actor for Goofy (yes, Mickey’s friend) for over 30 years. Bill shares his journey from being a struggling comedian to becoming one of the most iconic voice actors in the industry. He talks about his early days, his love for performing, and how he landed his dream job with Disney. The episode is full of laughter, fun anecdotes and impressions, and insights into the world of voice acting.
The podcast episode is not just about Bill’s journey but also about the joy that Goofy has brought to people’s lives over the years. Simon and Bill reminisce about their childhood memories of watching cartoons and how these characters continue to resonate with people of all ages.
And the message of this episode has resonated with you all, too, because Goofy and his values have stayed with you.
I listened to this episode with my 8 year old on the way to basketball practice. He wanted to listen to it again on the way to school this morning….
This message was so perfectly timed for me. I'm tackling some tasks I've been procrastinating starting or trying to finish (again) for a while now. I was a huge fan of mickey growing up and got to meet some of the characters once at a small event. Goofy was the one who shook my hand and danced with me. I never forgot that. How apt I hear this interview at this moment...Thank you.😍
This was my favorite episode to listen to - I laughed out loud SO many times 😍 What a gift!!!!!
Wow, what an amazing post! Bill Farmer is truly a Disney Legend and has brought so much joy to countless people through his incredible voice work. It's inspiring to hear how he views his work as an act of service and how he has dedicated his career to bringing happiness to others. I can't wait to listen to the full conversation on A Bit of Optimism. Thank you for sharing!
You see, the thing about Bill is that he doesn’t take any of the credit for the impact of his characters. He’s remained humble and encouraged in the work he does because he is simply their voice.
I enjoy entertaining, and I'm just so glad that people care about what we're doing. And as Wayne, all one who did Mickey for the first 25 years until he passed away in 2009, always said, you know, we're just carrying the torch for a little while with these characters. They'll be around here a lot longer than we will and have been around a lot longer before. So we're just trying to do a good job in the time we've got with it and get to hang around with some very interesting characters in the studio. And I'm just so glad that people enjoy that.