Paul Winchell was an actor and ventriloquist who provided the voices for several classic cartoon characters, including Gargamel and Dick Dastardly. Disney fans will recognize him as the voice of Tigger. In the 1980’s he began sharing the role with Jim Cummings, and gave his finale performance as Tigger in 1999. Winchell auditioned for the voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy but lost out to another Disney voice actor, the Haunted Mansion’s ghost host, Paul Frees. | Disney History Channel

Paul Winchell, beloved as the voice behind Tigger and Gargamel, was not only a talented entertainer but also a brilliant inventor. In the early 1960s, he designed and patented one of the first mechanical artificial hearts for human use. Demonstrating incredible generosity, he donated the patent to the University of Utah, where his work helped pave the way for life-saving implants like the Jarvik-7. Winchell’s remarkable legacy proves that the man who brought joy to millions of children also made