Voice actor Will Ryan has sadly passed away age the age of 72 after a multi year battle with cancer. Though not the original voice, he is perhaps best known by Disney fans as the recurring voice of Willie the Giant. He was also well known as the original voice of Petrie in the 1988 Don Bluth film The Land Before Time.



Will Ryan began his career at Disney in 1983. He voiced Rabbit the short Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore. He also voiced Rabbit as well as Tigger in the live action Disney Channel series Welcome to Pooh Corner. That same year he played Willie the Giant, Pete and additional voices in the classic Mickey’s Christmas Carol.



Ryan would go on to do minor roles in various 1980s cartoons from shows like G.I. Joe, The Smurfs, My Little Pony and The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin. But he would always provide voices for Disney shows such as The Wuzzles and Ducktales. He would also provide the voice for Herald the Seahorse in 1989’s The Little Mermaid.



While he would continue to work on shows like Courage the Cowardly Dog, Hi Hi Puffy AmuYumi and the Adventures on Odyssey video series, he would frequently return to the role of Willie the Giant in The House of Mouse, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse until his death. Additionally he would reprise the role of Pete in the 2013 short Get a Horse.



Funny enough he would also voice Winnie the Pooh in a skit on Family Guy, among other voices in the show.

The actor is survived by his wife Nancy Niparko Ryan and his siblings Patty, Marsha and George.

He will be dearly missed among Disney fans as he played not only Willie the Giant but was also Rabbit and Tigger in various Winnie the Pooh projects in the 1980s. Perhaps he’s up there now with Hal Smith reenacting their adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood.

Source: Hollywood Reporter