'The Little Mermaid' Star Pat Carroll Dies Aged 95

The Little Mermaid actress Pat Carroll has died at the age of 95. Carroll died at her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on 30 July whilst recovering from pneumonia.

Caroll was perhaps best known for voicing the iconic Disney villain Ursula in the 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid. The film not only remains a classic today, but was an important turning point for Disney as after several troublesome years, The Little Mermaid confirmed that feature-length animated films could indeed be profitable.

Carroll was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1927 and later moved to Los Angeles when she was five years old. After high school and university, Carroll enlisted in the United States Army as a civilian actress technician, before later launching a full acting career in 1947.

In 1965, Carroll won an Emmy for her work on sketch-comedy show Caesar’s Hour and regularly appeared on the sitcom Make Room For Daddy between 1961 and 1964.

Carroll later won a Grammy for a recorded version of her one-woman show Gertrude Stein. The album won the award for Best Spoken Word, Documentary or Drama.

In addition to voicing Ursula in The Little Mermaid, Carroll reprised the role in Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse and Mickey’s House of Villains. Carroll also voiced villain Morgana in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea. Studio Ghibli fans may know Carroll for providing the English voice of Granny in My Neighbour Totoro.

GAMINGbible extends its condolences to Carroll's family, friends, and colleagues.