Date of Birth

16 May 1916, Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA

Date of Death

19 January 1997, Los Angeles, California, USA (lung cancer)

Adriana was born into an operatic family - her father Guido, an immigrant from Italy, taught music in New York City, her mother Maria (from Naples) sang at the Royal Opera, and a sister Louise was a noted opera singer and voice teacher. She was 18 when Walt Disney personally chose her for the voice of Snow White in his first full length animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). He was looking for a fresh and natural voice, and asked her father if any of his students might be suitable, but on hearing Adriana's voice realized his search was over. It was the days of studio contracts and indenture, and Walt wanted to keep the mystery of the Snow White voice, so except for a bit part in The Wizard of Oz (1939) she was in no other film - when Jack Benny wished to have her appear on his radio show, Walt refused - he owned the voice and it could be used nowhere else. Adriana tried opera singing, and invested in real estate and stock market, while living a full life (four husbands, thrice widowed), always active in the publicity surrounding the many re-releases of Snow White

Marv Newland was renting a room from her when he created Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969)

Her telephone answering machine carried her recording of 'I'm Wishing'.

Her last home, in Beverly Hills, was filled with every kind of Snow White memorabilia imaginable (mostly gifts sent from fans), from giant figurines, to a wishing well in her front yard.

Claimed to be the first woman to wear a bikini in public.

Greeted many of her visitors' children by singing Snow White songs in her Snow White "voice", even in her old age.

Many years later, she tried to sue Disney for a bigger piece of the film's profits. She lost.

Her mother the first vocal coach of Maria Callas.

Price:  £45.00