| Kathryn Beaumont says playing Wendy in Walt Disney's Peter Pan was a magical experience in many ways. When Disney Home Video released a 45th Anniversary Edition of Peter Pan, a (now-defunct) kids' web site gave some children the chance to interview Kathryn "about her high-flying role." They asked the questions, and here are the answers: | |
| 13-year-old Frayah of Deerfield, Wisconsin asks, "When you were little, what were your dreams of the future and did you imagine you being people’s hero?" | |
| Kathryn: No, I didn’t imagine being people’s hero. I was just proud that I had the chance to work with all these wonderful actors and actresses and I was rather in awe. You never know where life takes you, you know. This was a very special experience at a very, very early age. | |
 12-year-old
Amber of Winter Park, Florida asks, "How old were you when you
were Wendy and how did you get the part?"Kathryn: We’re going back many, many years! My memory is not that accurate, but I guess it was close to Wendy’s age. Wendy was pre-adolescent and so I think I was about 12. I was already at the studio because I had done the role of Alice in Alice in Wonderland and the studio and Mr. Disney were pleased with my performance. And Wendy called for another British character, similar in age, so I really was just in the right position to be chosen to do that part as well. |
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| Nine-year-old Steven of Anchorage, Alaska asks, "What have you been doing for the past 45 years?" | |
| Kathryn: Teaching school! I finished up my education and I became a teacher, and basically taught primary grades with an emphasis on second grade. I’ve been a second grade teacher for quite a few years and really enjoy working with children. | |
| Eight-year-old Samantha of Silver Spring, Maryland asks, "Did you ever wish you could fly like Wendy?" | |
 Kathryn:
(Laughs)…You know, I think we all as children have that
dream and desire—you know, I can do something so special, I can
fly! I suppose, yes, I suppose I felt that way just as other
children feel that way. When I did the role of Wendy, the pixie dust
was to allow Wendy to fly. The animators needed reference of someone
flying because doing animation was the most difficult to draw and
look realistic and look fluid. So, they asked us to do a live-action
sort of sequence, which was filmed strictly for the animators.
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 It
was really almost a bare stage where they brought the camera and
some lights in and some markers on the floor so you knew where to
walk. And you just went through all the motions and what they had to
do for the person who worked with me as Peter Pan and myself was
hook you up to a line that lifted up into the higher part of the
stage. And then, you just swing! That helped the animators do those
flying sequences. |
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16-year-old Rebekka of Minneapolis, Minnesota asks, "Do you have any kids or grandkids who can watch the Peter Pan video now?" Kathryn: Well, I never had children. So, no, we don’t have family members who watch it and enjoy. But I kind of think if they had existed, they probably would have been enchanted with the story and the way it was animated and the adventure within it. 11-year-old Ben of Phoenix, Arizona asks, "Peter Pan sounds pretty old. Is it as good as The Lion King or Aladdin?" Kathryn: (Laughs)…Well, Ben is just going to have to see it and decide for himself! Eight-year-old Jonathan of Denver, Colorado asks, "I love Wendy. Could she come visit my school?" Kathryn: Well, if I’m ever in Denver I’d be happy to meet him! A final note from Kathryn: The kids had great questions! Please let them know what great questions they asked!
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