Last week, the incomparable Pat Carroll, who gave glorious voice to Ursula the Sea Witch, passed away at the age of 95. In honor of her life and career, we thought we’d take a look at the iconic character she brought to life for Disney fans around the world. 

In an interview, Carroll once described the character as “an ex-Shakespearean actor who now sold cars.” She also mused about why the villain was so appealing, saying, “She’s a mean old thing! I think people are fascinated by mean characters. There’s a fatal kind of distraction about the horrible mean characters of the world because we don’t meet too many of them in real life. So, when we have a chance, theatrically, to see one and this one, she’s a biggie, it’s kind of fascinating for us.”

We admit that we’re among those who find the character absolutely captivating. Let’s take a closer look at some of the things that make her so fascinating. 

A Sassy Cephalopod

Let’s start with a little bit of controversy. After all, Ursula loves to stir the pot (or is that a cauldron?), so why shouldn’t we? 

Most Disney fans refer to Ursula as part octopus, but is that really right? If you look and count carefully, you’ll notice that she only has six tentacles (plus her two human arms). She’s definitely some sort of cephalopod, but if she isn’t an octopus, what exactly is she? A squid? Well, that doesn’t really work either. A squid typically has 10 limbs (two tentacles and eight arms). The Disney Wiki refers to her as an octopus, but that’s a suspect source at best. 

Pat Carroll once explained this away by saying that Disney saved money by animating fewer legs, which may or may not be true. 

With no definitive answer, we’ll simply have to accept that she’s part humanoid, part cephalopod, and 100% awesome. 

No Bones About It…

Let’s get one other scientific curiosity out of the way. At the end of the movie, we see electricity coursing through Ursula’s body after she is struck by lightning. This gives us a brief x-ray view inside of her. And there we see…a skeleton!

Which would make sense, except that neither octopi nor squids have bones. They’re invertebrates. Of course, we really only see the skeleton from the waist up, which is her human-looking half, so maybe this isn’t too big a problem. 

All in the Family?

In 2006, Disney released a Platinum version of The Little Mermaid which included deleted scenes. In one, an extended version of the opening song “Fathoms Below”, we learn that King Triton and Ursula are actually siblings. 

Though this bit of backstory did not make the final cut in the movie, it is a part of the story in the Broadway version of The Little Mermaid.  

Simply Divine

It’s always fun to learn where Disney animators find their inspiration. Sometimes it comes from the most unexpected of places. That’s certainly the case when it comes to Ursula. 

Much of her look was patterned after the appearance of the performer known as Divine, real name Harris Glenn Milstead, best known for working with filmmaker John Waters in features like Pink Flamingos, Polyester, and the 1988 musical Hairspray. 

Sadly, Milstead passed away in March of 1988, more than a year before The Little Mermaid’s release, meaning he never got to see the character he inspired. 

I’m Ready for My Close-Up Mr. Demille 

Divine didn’t provide the only inspiration for the look and mannerisms of Ursula. Norma Desmond (portrayed by Gloria Swanson), the antagonist of Billy Wilder’s 1950 masterpiece Sunset Boulevard played a role in shaping the character’s physical gestures. 

The Voice Behind the Sea Witch

As mentioned at the beginning of the post, Ursula’s voice was provided by Pat Carroll. While it would become the defining role for the actress, she had a long and successful career prior to working with Disney.

She won an Emmy for her work on “Ceasar’s Hour,” the hour-long sketch comedy show starring such comedy icons as Sid Caesar and Carl Reiner. She was also a regular with Danny Thomas on “Make Room for Daddy,” as well as on programs like “The Danny Kaye Show,”  “The Carol Burnett Show,” and “The Red Skelton Show.” 

In addition to her work on television, she had a successful career on stage, evening earning a Tony nomination for her Broadway debut in the musical “Catch a Star!” Her performance in the one-woman show “Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein” earned numerous accolades, and the spoken word recording of the show was honored with a Grammy award. 

Thank You for Being a Friend…

Though it seems impossible to picture today, Pat Carroll was actually not Disney’s first choice for the role of Ursula. Bea Arthur, best known for her roles in hit television shows “The Golden Girls” and “Maude,” was considered for the role as was Joan Collins. Legendary Broadway and Tony Award-winning actress Elaine Stritch was also in the mix. 

The Family Tree

While we’ve already learned that Ursula is King Triton’s sister, that doesn’t end the complicated family relationships in the Little Mermaid Cinematic Universe (or LMCU for short). In The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea, we also meet her younger sister Morgana. 

Watching the movie, you might think that Morgana’s voice sounds slightly familiar. That’s because the voice of Morgana was also provided by the delightful Pat Carroll. 

Poor Unfortunate Souls

While The Little Mermaid is unquestionably a masterpiece of animation, it owes much of its longevity and popularity to its music. In fact, the music of Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman earned the film two Academy Awards, one for Best Original Song, “Under the Sea,” and another for Best Original Score.

With “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” the duo created one of the most memorable Disney villain songs in the company’s impressive canon of music. Pat Carroll’s performance threads the delicate balance of humor and menace in the song. 

In later interviews, Carroll credited Ashman with inspiring many of the mannerisms and off-hand lines that pepper the song. One day during rehearsal, she asked Ashman to perform the song for her. 

 “He put the cloak on immediately,” Carroll said. “He was brilliant, and I watched every body move of his. I watched everything. I watched his face. I watched his hands. I ate him up. I stole ‘innit?’ from Howard. I stole two or three other ad-libs that he put in, and I said, ‘Howard is it okay if I steal those?’ And he said, ‘I was hoping you would!’”  

Like Mother, Like Daughter

In 2017, Disney released the TV movie “Descendants 2” which included the character of Uma, Ursula’s daughter, played by China Anne McClain. Uma was the leader of a gang that included Harry, Captain Hook’s son. In the movie, Uma reprises the song “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” sung by McClain.

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