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At 96, Tinker Bell’s Original Model Margaret Kerry Keeps Dancing

She says animator Marc Davis shaped the balletic fairy around her filmed movements.

Overview

  • Margaret Kerry served as the live-action reference for Tinker Bell in Disney’s 1953 Peter Pan, with the character modeled directly on her performance.
  • Kerry recently tap-danced on stage at the Mayberry Days celebration, underscoring her continued public appearances at age 96.
  • She recalls the pre-digital process using 35mm film, with key frames selected by Marc Davis and in-betweeners drawing frames entirely by hand.
  • Kerry says the reference filming spanned nine months of silent pantomime with props, contributing to what she estimates as 650,000 pieces of art for the movie.
  • She credits herself with giving Tinker Bell dancer-like, balletic movement and notes a late-life milestone of marrying Robert Boeke on Valentine’s Day 2020.