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Q: Did Robin Williams do the singing parts for the genie in "Aladdin"? It sounds like him, but Disney usually has different people doing the speaking and singing voices, especially when "Aladdin" came out.

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Author: 
Adam Thomlison / TV Media

Robin Williams did most of the singing parts for the genie in "Aladdin" (1992), but not all.

The musical numbers that feature the genie -- "Arabian Nights," "Friend Like Me" and "Prince Ali" -- are also comedic bits, and we all know that when it comes to comedy, no one can imitate Robin Williams. Well, no one except Bruce Adler, apparently.

Williams' shortcomings as a singer showed when it came time to record "Arabian Nights." He was unable to hit some of the high notes, so the producers hired Adler (who had previously done some singing in 1991's "Beauty and the Beast") to fill in. "He was able to imitate Williams' voice so well that it is difficult to tell where the comic stops and Adler starts," Thomas S. Hischak, author of "Disney Voice Actors: A Biographical Dictionary, said."

Indeed, Adler repeated his feat in the sequel, "Aladdin and the King of Thieves" (1996).

As you point out, having the same actor do both the talking and singing for a character was uncommon for Disney at the time, and you don't have to look far for proof. "Aladdin's" main characters, Aladdin and Jasmine, had separate dialogue actors (Scott Weinger and Linda Larkin) and singing actors (Brad Kane and Lea Salonga).

 

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