This article is about the character from America Sings. For other characters, see Ollie.
Ollie the Owl (or simply Ollie) is an owl who hosted the former Disneyland attraction America Sings attraction along with Sam the Eagle.
History[]
Background[]
Ollie serves as one the attraction's two hosts of the former America Sings attraction. During the intro of the attraction, he curiously asks Sam to know where the music comes from, to which Sam explains to him that the songs featured in the attraction originate from the United States, explaining to Ollie that there are songs that are either happy, sad, or romantic. Throughout the attraction, he would constantly appear with Sam and wear different attire depending on the sequence's acts.
Development[]
Ollie was created for the now-defunct America Sings attraction at Disneyland in California, where he was one of the attraction's two hosts alongside Sam the Eagle, which opened on June 29, 1974. However, America Sings closed on April 10, 1988 in order to retheme the attraction to Innoventions. While most of the animatronics moved to Splash Mountain, Ollie's animatronic, however, was not resurfaced in the attraction, alongside Sam. Despite not appearing, the animatronic mule that Sam and Ollie ride on during the former attraction's first act was resurfaced in the finale sequence of Splash Mountain.
As of 2020, Splash Mountain has been announced for closure to retheme the attraction into a Princess and the Frog-themed attraction in order to remove all references to Song of the South due to controversy surrounding the film itself which the attraction is themed after. Therefore, it is currently unknown what will replace the animatronic mule that Ollie and Sam were riding on during the former attraction's first act in the rethemed version of the attraction.
Apperances[]
America Sings[]
During the intro of the attraction, Sam and his companion Ollie are introduced during the opening number "Yankee Doodle" to which after singing, Ollie curiously asks Sam to know where the songs came from to which Sam replies that the songs came from the United States to which Ollie asks, "What kind of music was it?" to which Sam explains that there are some happy, sad, or romance songs to which Ollie prefers a happy catchy song, "Pop Goes the Weasel" just before the scene loops to the first act of America Sings to which Ollie and Sam sing together to "Yankee Doodle". In the first act of the "Going South" sequence, Sam and Ollie are seen riding on a mule. After the sequence, the scene loops to the second act "Heading West". At the end of the "Heading West" sequence, Ollie and Sam are seen wearing cowboy outfits just before the scene loops to the attraction's third act, "The Gay Nineties".
In the attraction's third act, Ollie and Sam are seen sitting on a dining table observing a pig singing a "Bill Bailey" song to which as she sings in front of the audience to which Sam introduces Blossom-nose Murphy during the show. Ollie and Sam are then seen wearing traditional theater outfits holding canes to represent the attraction's theme just before the scene loops into the attraction's final act "Modern Times". Ollie and Sam are then seen during the sequence where Sam introduces a rock band sequence. After the sequence ends, Ollie and Sam are seen during the part before the sequence loops to the conclusion. During the conclusion, Ollie and Sam (in their standard appearances) are seen standing next to each other where Sam sings a reprise of "Yankee Doodle" to which during the conclusion, Ollie then sings "Auld Lang Syne" with Sam together just as the attraction ends.
Innoventions[]
There is a hidden tribute to Ollie the Owl and Sam the Eagle which was found in the now defunct Innoventions attraction that succeeded America Sings. In the attraction, between Tom Morrow and the Disney dream-home, there was a mural which featured icons of Tomorrowland. Alongside Space Mountain, the Astro Orbiter and the Tomorrowland World Clock, Ollie and Sam's silhouettes could be seen in a gazebo as a tribute to the America Sings attraction.
Trivia[]
- While Ollie's name was never mentioned in the attraction, his name was revealed on the introduction page in the book for the soundtrack album for America Sings.[1]
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ Introduction page of America Sings soundtrack book