Doc

Presentation

Doc is the unofficial leader of the seven dwarfs. He is wise, practical, and often tries to keep the group in line. With his round spectacles and bushy beard, Doc exudes a scholarly demeanor. His voice, provided by Roy Atwell, is characterized by a gentle authority, fitting his role as the group’s elder statesman, but also the actor’s famous stutter.

Design

Animators Fred Moore and Vladimir Tytla, and concept artists Albert Hurter and Ferdinand Horvath, among others, were responsible for bringing Doc to life on the screen, infusing him with both gravitas and warmth.

Doc (September 28, 1936 – Sheet 1)
1952 Bendix In-Store Display Doc (13 inches)

Doc’s fame

Doc is “the self-appointed leader of the group” as Walt Disney described him. He gets to sing “Buddle-Uddle-Um-Dum” to get the other dwarfs to wash for supper. He also leads the march when they go to work or return from the mine. That does not make him more courageous than the others however. He comes off as somewhat of a coward when he chooses poor Dopey to go upstairs and see what the “monster” is all about.

But he remains a lovable character that is the motor behind the decision to let the Princess stay in their home.

As with all dwarfs and Snow White, he has his own book called “The Story of Doc” published by Whitman in 1938.