Vance DeBar Colvig Sr. (September 11, 1892 – October 3, 1967), known professionally as Pinto Colvig, was an American actor, animator, cartoonist, and circus and vaudeville performer. He was best known for being the original performer of the Disney characters Goofy and Pluto, as well as Bozo the Clown and Bluto in Popeye. In 1993, he was posthumously made a Disney Legend for his contributions to Walt Disney Films, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Fun and Fancy Free. His schtick was playing the clarinet off-key while mugging.
Early life
Vance DeBar Colvig was born on September 11, 1892, in Jacksonville, Oregon. His father was William Mason "Judge" Colvig (1845–1936) and his mother was Adelaide ( Birdseye) Colvig (1856–1912). He was the youngest of their seven children.
William Colvig was a pioneer, an attorney and a distinguished Oregonian; he was never actually a judge. Pinto attended but did not graduate from Medford High School. Pinto was accepted and attended, sporadically from 1910 to 1913, Oregon State University, in Corvallis, where he took art classes and played clarinet in the band. He drew cartoons for the Oregon Agricultural College Barometer newspaper, and the yearbook.
<blockquote>I was born in Jacksonville and named Vance DeBar Colvig. At age 7 (because of too many freckles, and goony antics) I was nicknamed 'Pinto the Village Clown' (which I have used professionally during my circus and other show business activities, besides occasional jobs as a newspaper cartoonist.<br />— "'Pinto' Colvig Writes About Names, History of Clowning", Medford Mail Tribune, July 12, 1961.</blockquote>
Career
In 1913, Colvig worked the Pantages Theatre Circuit, briefly, before leaving for clarinetist in the Al G. Barnes Circus band for part of a season.</blockquote>
Colvig performed chalk talks in vaudeville.
In 1919, Pinto produced "Pinto's Prizma Comedy Review" the first color cartoon, it is now considered a lost film,
In 1922, Colvig created a newspaper cartoon panel titled "Life on the Radio Wave" for the San Francisco Chronicle. The feature ran three or four times per week on the newspaper's radio page, was syndicated nationally, and lasted six months. In 1922, Colvig and his family moved to Hollywood, working as an animator, title writer and comedian in silent comedies and on sound cartoons,
In 1930, Colvig signed an eight-year contract Other notable characters he voiced include Practical Pig, the pig that built the "house of bricks" in the Disney short "Three Little Pigs", and both Grumpy and Sleepy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He directed (along with Erdman Penner and Walt Pfeiffer) the 1937 Mickey Mouse short Mickey's Amateurs. Colvig was associated with Disney for most of his career.
After a falling out with Walt Disney, Colvig did not work for the Disney studio between 1939 and 1943. He was offered a job with Fleischer Studios, then planning to produce a competing feature-length animated film in the wake of Disney's success with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. He moved to Miami, then Fleischer's location, in early 1938.
For Fleischer, Colvig worked on 1939's Gulliver's Travels, for which he voiced town crier Gabby, who was spun off into his own short-lived series. He also voiced Bluto for the studio's Popeye the Sailor cartoons, replacing Gus Wickie, who elected to remain in New York rather than move to Miami when the studio relocated. Colvig's departure from Disney meant that the increasingly popular Goofy went voiceless for several years. A select few shorts during the interim period of leave featured a soundalike voice for Goofy provided by Jack Bailey.
Colvig began working in radio, providing voices and sound effects, including the sounds of Jack Benny's Maxwell car for The Jack Benny Program, later performed by Mel Blanc.
In 1939, Colvig returned to California, and began to devote himself to acting and doing voices in several cartoons for the Warner Bros. animation studio and for MGM, where he voiced a Munchkin in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.
In 1946, Colvig was cast as Bozo the Clown for Capitol Records. He played the role for a decade, which also included portraying the character on television. During this period, Colvig also recorded the "Filbert the Frog" song, which featured Colvig's virtuoso use of the glottal stop as a musical instrument in itself.
In 1967, Colvig's last known performance, as Goofy, was for the Telephone Pavilion at Expo 67. Colvig's dialogue for this exhibit was recorded six months before his death.
Personal life
Colvig married Margaret Bourke Slavin (1892–1950) in 1916, and settled with her in San Francisco, where four of their five boys were born. After Margret died in 1950, Colvig married his second wife Peggy Bernice Allaire in January 1952, they remained married until Colvig's death in 1967.
Colvig was the father of the character and voice actor Vance Colvig, who also later portrayed Bozo the Clown on a live TV program.
A lifelong smoker, Colvig was one of the pioneers in advocating warning labels about cancer risk on cigarette packages in the United States.
Death
Colvig died of lung cancer on October 3, 1967, at Motion Picture Country Hospital in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, at age 75. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. His grave remained unmarked for years until Colvig's descendants, his great-granddaughter and Arthur Dark, designed his marker and placed his headstone respectively in 2020.
Filmography
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1916
| Creation
| Animator
| Director, writer, producer
|-
| 1919
| Pinto's Prizma Comedy Revue
|
| Director, writer, producer
|-
|rowspan="5"| 1925
| Hey Fever Time
|
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| After a Reputation
|
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Buster be Good
|
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Oh! Buster!
| The Butler
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Buster's Nightmare
|
|Voice, Uncredited
|-
| 1926
| A Prodigal Bridegroom
|
| Animator
|-
|rowspan="4"| 1928
| The Cockeyed Family
| Orange Farmer
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| All Alike
|
| Writer
|-
| Standing Pat
|
| Writer
|-
| Blue Notes
| Bolivar
| Director, writer, Voice
|-
|rowspan="15"| 1930
| Hells Heels
| Singing Skull, Walrus
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| My Pal Paul
| Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (one line)
| Animator and voice, Uncredited
|-
| Not So Quiet
|
| Writer and animator, Uncredited
|-
| Spooks
| Hippo
| Writer, animator and voice, Uncredited
|-
| Henpecked
| Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Pete
| Writer, animator and voice, Uncredited
|-
| Cold Feet
|
| Writer and animator
|-
| Snappy Salesman
|
| Writer and animator
|-
| The Singing Sap
| Hippo, Hiccups
| Animator
|-
| The Detective
|
| Animator
|-
| The Fowl Ball
| Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
| Animator
|-
| The Navy
|
| Animator
|-
| Mexico
| Pete (laughing)
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Wotta Nitemare
| Bluto
|Voice, Uncredited
|-
|rowspan="17"| 1940
| Shakespearian Spinach
| Bluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Way Back When Women Had Their Weigh
| Buff Caveman
| Voice, uncredited
|-
| You Can't Shoe a Horse Fly
| Horsefly
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Popeye Meets William Tell
| High Governor
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| King for a Day
| Gabby
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Constable
| Gabby
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Poopdeck Pappy
| Bruiser
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Popeye Presents Eugene, the Jeep
| Delivery Man
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Bring Himself Back Alive
| Lion
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|rowspan="15"| 1941
| All's Well
| Gabby
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Two for the Zoo
| Gabby
| Writer and Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Swing Cleaning
| Gabby
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy
| Camel
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Canine Caddy
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Fire Cheese
| Gabby
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Gabby Goes Fishing
| Gabby
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day
| Gabby
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Lend a Paw
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Man's Best Friend
| Hunter, Snoozer
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Flying Bear
| Barney Bear
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Thrifty Pig
| Practical Pig
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Mr. Bug Goes to Town
| Mr. Creeper
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| 7 Wise Dwarfs
| Doc
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Tangled Angler
| Pete Pelican
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|rowspan="15"| 1942
| The Raven
|The Wolf, Scotty
| Writer and Voice, latter Uncredited
|-
| Aloha Hooey
| Cecil Crow
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Mickey's Birthday Party
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pluto Junior
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Conrad the Sailor
| Conrad the Cat
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Symphony Hour
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Army Mascot
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Sleep Walker
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Bats in the Belfry
| Bats
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|Out of the Frying Pan Into the Firing Line
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| T-Bone for Two
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Blitz Wolf
| Sergeant Pork, the Third Pig
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Saludos Amigos
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pluto at the Zoo
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Ding Dog Daddy
| Goofy Dog
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| rowspan="8" | 1943
| Pluto and the Armadillo
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Hop and Go
| Claude Hopper
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Private Pluto
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|Red Hot Riding Hood
|Wolf (howling)
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Dog Watch
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Eyes Have It
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| African Diary
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Californy er Bust
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Canine Casanova
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Legend of Coyote Rock
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| No Sail
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Hockey Homicide
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Canine Patrol
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|rowspan="9"| 1946
| A Knight for a Day
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pluto's Kid Brother
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Make Mine Music
| Vocal effects
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| In Dutch
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Squatter's Rights
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Purloined Pup
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| A Feather in His Collar
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Frank Duck Brings 'em Back Alive
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Double Dribble
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|rowspan="11"|1947
| Variety Girl
| Special Voice Impersonation
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pluto's Housewarming
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Rescue Dog
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Clown of the Jungle
| Aracuan Bird
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Crazy with the Heat
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Fun and Fancy Free
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Mickey's Delayed Date
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Foul Hunting
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Mail Dog
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| King-Size Canary
| Cat
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pluto's Blue Note
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|rowspan="13"|1948
| Bill and Coo
| Singer
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Melody Time<br />(segment: 'Blame it on the Samba')
| Aracuan Bird
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| They're Off
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Big Wash
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Mickey Down Under
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Bone Bandit
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pluto's Purchase
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Cat Nap Pluto
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pluto's Fledgling
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Cat That Hated People
| Lips
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|rowspan="9"|1949
| Pueblo Pluto
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|Pluto's Surprise Package
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pluto's Sweater
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Bubble Bee
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Tennis Racquet
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Little Rural Riding Hood
| Country Wolf
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Goofy Gymnastics
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
| Ichabod Crane (screaming), Daredevil
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Sheep Dog
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|rowspan="11"|1950
|Pluto's Heart Throb
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pluto and the Gopher
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| How to Ride a Horse
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Wonder Dog
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| How to Ride a Horse
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Primitive Pluto
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Puss Cafe
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pests of the West
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Food for Feudin
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Camp Dog
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Hold That Pose
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| rowspan="11"| 1951
|Alice in Wonderland
| Flamingo
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Hello Aloha
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Man's Best Friend
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Two Gun Goofy
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Teachers Are People
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pluto's Party
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| No Smoking
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Cold Turkey
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Get Rich Quick
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| R'coon Dawg
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Lion Down
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|rowspan="12"| 1952
|Fresh Laid Plans
| Farmer
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Pluto's Christmas Tree
| Pluto, Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| How to Be a Detective
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Uncle Donald's Ants
| Ants
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Father's Day Off
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Two Weeks Vacation
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Tomorrow We Diet!
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Plutopia
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Cold War
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Home Made Home
| Pluto, Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Cold Storage
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Little Runaway
| Baby Seal, Tom Cat (seal noises)
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|rowspan="6"|1953
| Father's Day Off
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| The Simple Things
| Pluto
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| For Whom the Bulls Toil
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Father's Week-end
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| How to Dance
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| How to Sleep
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| 1954
| Spare the Rod
| Pygmy Cannibals
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| 1954
| The Flying Squirrel
| The Flying Squirrel (Giant Peanut Barking Sounds)
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| 1959
| Sleeping Beauty
| Maleficent's Goon
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| 1961
| Aquamania
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1965
| Freewayphobia
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Goofy's Freeway Troubles
| Goofy
| Voice, Uncredited
|-
| Donald Duck Goes West
| Goofy
| Voice, (final film role)
|-
|}
Discography
- Bozo At The Circus (Capitol, 1946) as Bozo the Clown
- Mickey and the Beanstalk (Capitol, 1947) as Goofy
- Here Comes...Colonna's Trolley (Capitol, 1947) as Bozo the Clown
- The Grasshopper And The Ants (Capitol, 1949) as The Grasshopper
- Bozo on The Farm (Capitol, 1950) as Goofy
- Bozo At The Dog Show (Capitol, 1954) as Goofy, Pluto, Grumpy, Practical Pig, Cleo
- Walt Disney's Song Parade from Disneyland (Golden, 1956) as Goofy
- Mickey and the Beanstalk (Disneyland, 1963) as Goofy
- Children's Riddles and Game Songs (Disneyland, 1964)