Adriana Elena Loretta Caselotti (May 6, 1916 – January 19, 1997) was an American actress and singer. Caselotti was best known as the voice of the title character of the first Walt Disney animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), for which she was named a Disney Legend in 1994, making her the first female voice-over artist to achieve this.

Early life Adriana Elena Loretta Caselotti was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut on May 6, 1916 to an Italian-American family. Her father, Guido Luigi Emanuele Caselotti, was an immigrant from Udine, and worked as a music teacher and vocal coach, and served as the organist for the Holy Rosary Church; and her mother, Maria Josephine () from Casavatore, was a singer (coloratura soprano) in the Royal Opera Theatre of Rome. Her older sister, Louise, sang opera and gave voice lessons—Maria Callas being a student of hers. When Caselotti was seven years old, her family left Connecticut for Italy, while her mother toured with an opera company. Caselotti was educated and boarded at the San Getulio convent, near Rome. When her family returned to New York three years later, Caselotti re-learned English and studied singing with her father."Adriana Caselotti, 80, Voice of Snow White"; New York Times; Obituary article; 01/21/1997; retrieved October 8, 2017 In 1934, Caselotti attended Hollywood High School where she sang in the senior class Girls' Glee Club and had a leading role in the school's annual musical, The Belle of New York.

Career In 1935, after her brief stint as a chorus girl and session singer at MGM, Walt Disney hired Caselotti as the voice of the heroine, Snow White. She was paid a total of $970 for working on the film (). She was not credited for the role, and had trouble finding new opportunities later in life. Jack Benny specifically mentioned that he had asked Walt Disney for permission to use her on his radio show and was told, "I'm sorry, but that voice can't be used anywhere. I don't want to spoil the illusion of Snow White." After her work in Snow White, Caselotti tried a career in opera at the urging of her family. Her only role on the operatic stage was Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto, which she sang in 1944. It wasn’t a very successful affair, according to Caselotti herself.

“I did Gilda in Rigoletto three times. First time, I had a cold. Second time, I was scared to death. Third time, I threw up backstage, and said, 'I'm going back to 'Snow White.’”

Caselotti also had several more jobs in the film business afterwards. The two most well-known were an uncredited role in MGM's The Wizard of Oz (1939) as the voice of Juliet during the Tin Woodman's song "If I Only Had a Heart", speaking the line "Wherefore art thou Romeo?" and an uncredited role in Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946), singing in Martini's bar as James Stewart is praying.

Adriana Caselotti appeared in several promotional spots for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and signed memorabilia during promotional events. On November 22, 1972 (Thanksgiving Day), she guest-starred on an episode of The Julie Andrews Hour saluting the music of Walt Disney, singing "I'm Wishing" and "Some Day My Prince Will Come" with Julie Andrews. She also made a guest appearance on the syndicated The Mike Douglas Show. Caselotti later wrote a how-to book, Do You Like to Sing?.

In the early 1990s, when the Snow White Grotto at Disneyland was refurbished, Caselotti, at the age of 75, re-recorded "I'm Wishing" for the Snow White Wishing Well exhibit. In 1994, she was named a Disney Legend. She also sold authographs in her later years.

Personal life Caselotti was married four times. Her first husband was Robert James Chard, a local theater ticket broker"The Bradford Era"; Newspapers.com; On-line Newspaper archives; article; Thursday, July 18, 1946; Bradford, Pennsylvania; p. 5; retrieved April 2021 whom she married in 1945. The marriage ended in divorce. She later met actor Norval Weir Mitchell, whom she married in 1952. He retired after marrying her and died in 1972. The same year, she was married to a podiatrist, Joseph Dana Costigan, who died in 1982. Caselotti married her last husband, Joseph Laureat Florian St. Pierre, a retired postal employee, in 1989 and they later divorced.

Death Caselotti died of cancer at her Los Angeles home on January 19, 1997, at the age of 80.

Filmography Television Year Title Role Notes 1950 One Hour in Wonderland Snow White Voice actress

Television shows Year Title Role Notes 1972 The Julie Andrews Hour Herself Aired on Thanksgiving Day 1981 A Gift of Music TV special1983 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Desk - "Vacation Snapshots" The Magical World of Disney Episode: 20 1985 Disney Family Album "Voice Actors" 1993 John & Leeza from Hollywood Season 1: Episode 14

Animation Year Film Role Notes1937 Modern Inventions Robot Nurse Maid Voice actress Donald's Ostrich Opera Singer 1944 Donald's Off Day Singer of Opening Song

Film Year Film Role Notes 1935 Naughty Marietta Dancing Doll Actress1936 Toby Tortoise Returns Bunny Girl Voice actress1937 The Bride Wore Red First Peasant Girl Actress Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Snow White Voice actress 1939 The Wizard of Oz Juliet Voice actress 1942 We Were Dancing Opera Singer Actress 1945 Hobo's Lady Pom Pom Voice actress1946 It's a Wonderful Life Singer at Martini's Actress Two Sisters from Boston Opera Singer 1978 Business as Usual Snow White Voice actress 1981 Once Upon a Mouse 1983 The Fairest of Them All Herself TV movie 1990 Celebrating Walt Disney's 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs': The One That Started It All Snow White Voice actress 1992 The Music of Disney: A Legacy in Song 1993 The Best of Disney Music: A Legacy in Song - Part I Herself TV movie

Radio Year Title Role Notes 1951 Lux Radio Theatre Snow White / Herself Lux Radio Theatre Intermission

Awards and recognition Year Award Category Result Nominated work Ref. 1994 Disney Legends Animation—Voice Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

References

External links

The magic behind the voices, 2004 Salute Disney, 1972 Caselotti performs songs from the film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", 1937