Jimmie Dodd

James Wesley Dodd (March 28, 1910 - November 10, 1964) was best known as the MC of the popular 1950s Disney TV show, The Mickey Mouse Club, as well as the writer of its well-known theme song, The Mickey Mouse Club March. A slowed-down version of this march, with different lyrics, became the very beautiful "Alma Mater" that closed the show. He had some early film roles in The Three Mesquiteers series of westerns. Dodd broke in the William Holden Film "Those Were the Days" (1939) in a minor role. He also played the taxi driver in the MGM film "Easter Parade" (1948), starring Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. Dodd had a small role in an early episode of Adventures of Superman, titled Double Trouble. He also appeared in many theatrical films in the 1940s and 1950s, often uncredited. Dodd was the heart and soul of the Mickey Mouse Club TV series, which aired each weekday. He always wore his toothy smile and Mouseke-ears, played his famous Mouse-guitar and sang self-composed songs. His simple yet timeless tunes contained positive messages for kids. In addition, among his other musical contributions is a song that a generation of kids has used for almost fifty years to spell "encyclopedia." Dodd also wrote the theme song for Zorro (TV series) and wrote and performed songs in several of his movies. The original Mouseketeers were frequent guests at the Dodd home for backyard barbecues and sing-alongs. They said that Dodd treated them as part of his extended family. His genuineness shone through his persona and his music to the millions of children whose lives he touched. Dodd died of cancer on November 10, 1964, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was 54. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.