Pearl Bailey was perfectly cast as Big Mama in Disney’s The Fox and the Hound (1981). A veteran of stage, screen, and television, Bailey got her start as a nightclub singer in the 1930s, performed for troops during World War II, and made her Broadway debut in St. Louis Woman in 1946. In 1968, she received a special Tony Award for her role in an all-Black production of Hello, Dolly!. The Fox and the Hound marked a turning point for Disney animation. With Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men retiring, a new

Pearl Bailey brought warmth and wisdom to Big Mama the owl in The Fox and the Hound and performed one of Disney’s most touching songs, “Best of Friends.” Here she is behind the scenes in Disney Animation: The Illusion of Life. | Disney History Channel