When it comes to Disney films, I find that the sidekicks become more loved than the actual main characters. I know how much people love Mushu, Olaf, Pascal… they all provide us our comedic relief. Some of my favourite sidekicks from the films are the castle staff from Beauty and the Beast: Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs.Potts, Chip, Featherduster (Babette or Fifi), and The Wardrobe (Madame de la Grande Bouche). Finding out the real life voices behind some of the most classic characters makes the whole experience more magical. So, here is a list of the voices behind the Beauty and the Beast castle staff.

Jerry Orbach - Lumiere

Orbach is best known for his time on Broadway, as he grew up wanting to pursue acting. His father was a vaudeville performer, Orbach worked at a theatre after graduating high school, and eventually ended up leaving University to go to New York to pursue Broadway. His first major role was playing El Gallo in the original cast of The Fantasticks. He is also very well known for being the original Billy Flynn in the production of Chicago. He then went on to do TV, acting in Law & Order, Murder, She Wrote, and guest starring on various other shows.

Jerry took on the role of Lumiere in 1991, putting on a French accent and drawing inspiration from Pepe Le Pew. In the recent Howard Ashman documentary, it’s noted that Jerry really brought “Be Our Guest” to life alongside the live orchestra whilst recording.

“I found it fascinating as I saw the animation developed, that they were putting in some of my facial characteristics and some of my takes that I make when I’m doing the voice. ”

— Jerry Orbach (1991)

David Ogden Stiers - Cogsworth

I’ve talked about David in a previous post about voice actors, but it never hurts to talk about him again. He is best known for his role on M*A*S*H, as most people would recall his name from the show. He was not unfamiliar with Disney though, as he has starred in several animated films as a supporting character. He recorded the voices for Governor Ratcliffe in Pocahontas, Jumba Jookiba in Lilo & Stitch, and of course Cogsworth. David also narrated the behind the scenes feature on the LaserDisc version of Beauty and the Beast.

“I went into audition first for Lumiere, didn’t get it. They said “it’s very nice, but look at this drawing”. They showed me Cogsworth, and when I heard Orbach as Lumiere, I actually apologized to him at one point, for having the temerity to audition for the role. ”

— David Ogden Stiers

Angela Lansbury - Mrs. Potts

Dame Angela Lansbury has become a household name, and is said to be one of the last surviving actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Lansbury was born in London but moved to New York to study acting, and was a huge success in her first roles in Gaslight and The Picture of Dorian Gray. She continued making films and eventually made her way onto the Broadway stage as well.

She was originally considered to play the title role in 1964’s Mary Poppins, but ended up working with Disney on Bedknobs and Broomsticks instead. Her motherly tone was perfect for the role of Mrs. Potts, making the character forever hers.

“Mrs. Potts, I thought was just exactly the little fat comfortable lady that I had envisioned in my mind and she’s very much part of the running of the house. ”

— Angela Lansbury (1991)

Bradley Pierce - Chip

Pierce is an American actor who began his career in 1990 at only 8 years old. Just 1 year after starting and working on commercials, he received one of his breakout voice acting roles; Chip. During an interview, Bradley remembers his time working on Beauty and the Beast, saying Chip only started out with one line. They eventually added more as Disney realized that Chip was the only child character in the entire film, and they needed a way to relate to the young audience. Bradley also lent his voice to other supporting roles in Disney films, such as in The Little Mermaid TV Series and Peter Pan: Return to Neverland.

“I just think about, if I was like [Chip], what would I say and how would I say it?”

— Bradley Pierce (1991)

Kimmy Robertson - Fifi

Robertson began her career as a ballerina, and eventually shifted over into voice acting. She has lent her voice to many cartoons over the years as her high-pitched tone is unique. She worked on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, played the roles of some of Ariel’s sisters in The Little Mermaid, then became Fifi the feather duster in 1991.

Jo Anne Worley - Wardrobe

Worley began doing musical productions in university, and did a short-lived Broadway show that got her recognition. She was discovered by Merv Griffin whilst doing an act at a local nightclub, and she was offered a regular spot on the Merv Griffin Show. She worked on several popular television shows through the 1970s and 1980s, and eventually took on the role as the Wardrobe in Beauty and the Beast in 1991. She also worked on the sequel, as well as A Goofy Movie, and appeared in Disney channel shows. She is 84 years old today and still an icon.