From Deseret News archives:
Writer-animator from Utah gives voice to unhinged hamster sidekick in 'Bolt'
"I have one of the greatest jobs ever. I get paid to doodle and draw. For a lot of people, that's a dream come true, myself included," the 40-year-old storyboard artist, animator and writer said.
However, he's still getting used to being animated in a Disney cartoon. Walton supplied voices for supporting characters in "Chicken Little" (he was Loosey Goosey) and "Home on the Range" (in which he voiced the two longhorns, Barry and Bob).
He's also one of the voice performers in the studio's latest cartoon feature, the digitally animated "Bolt," which is being shown theatrically in both the 2-D and 3-D formats. Specifically, Walton, a Utah native and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, gives voice to Rhino, a slightly unhinged hamster.
As he explained, Rhino is a television junkie who's a big fan of the title character, a similarly delusional, canine small-screen star (John Travolta).
"Rhino is pretty crazy, but he means well and has a good heart," Walton said. "Unfortunately, he's a little too enthusiastic for his own good and is completely obsessed with proving himself to his hero."
Regarding his casting, Walton says the "Bolt" filmmakers "apparently thought I had the perfect voice for a hamster. I'm still not sure whether I should be horrified or flattered."
In reality, Walton was approached to be one of the "temp" voices for the in-production version of the cartoon. During the storyboarding and "rough" animating processes, animators often read and record character lines though those are typically replaced by later, voice-talent recording sessions.
"Evidently I did something right. Either that, or they were completely desperate," he laughed.
On a more serious note, Walton expressed some regrets about not getting to act opposite Travolta, Cyrus and other cast members, including comic actors Nick Swardson, Diedrich Bader, Greg Germann and Susie Essman.
That's because animation filmmakers typically record actors in the studio separately. "They do that so they can ensure the sound levels and sound quality are consistent, and so they can work with the actors one-on-one," he said.
Recent comments
Thanks Jeff! Good to hear from you! Write me sometime and let's catch...
mark | Dec. 3, 2008 at 7:49 p.m.
Rhino is hilarious - loved it.
Hilarious | Nov. 23, 2008 at 10:57 p.m.
Congratulations from an old classmate and neighbor! Way to go Mark!
Jeff Jonsson | Nov. 21, 2008 at 6:57 p.m.
- Son returns to Iraq after 21 years 8:38 p.m.
- 2 men die in barn fire 8:37 p.m.
- Service opportunities are plentiful 8:36 p.m.
- Church to sell window to pay bills 8:35 p.m.
- Folks felt at home in White House 8:35 p.m.
- Mink vandal says feds broke deal 8:31 p.m.
- Utes' team staying well-tuned 8:21 p.m.
- GOP to force vote on Medicare cuts 8:20 p.m.
- Climax to climate drama elusive 8:11 p.m.
- Climate change protesters in London 8:11 p.m.
- Why is Y. ignoring spew of hatred?
302 - Letters: Liberal because LDS
245 - 2 citations issued at Y.-U. game
189 - Hate not limited to 1 in-state rivalry
188 - Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
181 - Aggies shoot past Cougars
179 - N.Y. Senate rejects gay marriage
128 - Max Hall: a fixture in rivalry lore
118 - Unbeaten BYU takes trip to Logan
105 - George lost in rivalry hatefest
101
I haven't yet played "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2," and honestly I...
Uh, where exactly in my comment do you infer that I am judging anyone? I was...
Poor coaching Look at the boxscore they just ran out of gas in the fourth....
If the earring is his only flaw he sure is a lot better off than most people,...
Let's just be clear. There is room on both sides of BYU Utah for improved...
I agree with Justin. California has been using this type of system for a long...
That would describe Sloan and his lack of making wise subs and game adjustments
Like Alabama blew the doors off Utah last year? Bama Fan you need a dose...
This was a good scrimmage to prepare for the Sun Devils.
Members used to refer to tithing as "fire insurance". Sometimes I feel the...
It won't last long. Lazy boy get tired.



