Will Ryan, The Land Before Time and Disney Voice Actor, Dies at 72

Veteran voice actor Will Ryan, perhaps best known for his work giving life to classic Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse's Willie the Giant, Peg-Leg Pete as well as the voice of Petrie in the beloved animated film The Land Before Time has died following a short battle with cancer. He was 72 years old. Ryan's November 19th death was confirmed by his talent agent Nery Lemus (via The Hollywood Reporter).

"The world is a little less bright tonight with the passing of Will Ryan," Lemus wrote in a statement to THR. "As much as he was known to many of you as a Disney icon, voice-over legend, gun twirling cowboy, musician/songwriter, a brilliant comedic actor, along with a list of credits that don't even touch the essence of what he accomplished.... he was my friend."

The statement continued, "For those who didn't know him, he was a beautiful person. He was selfless. His humility was endless. He spent his entire life helping others and the loss his friends and family feel tonight would be a tragic understatement. He was a beautiful soul and I was honored to just know him, let alone represent him. I can't find all the words that would express what he meant to our company CelebWorx, and the rest of the world he touched with his talent."

Ryan was born in 1949 and began his career with voices for short animated projects, including Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore as well as Mickey's Christmas Carol. He also had a recurring role in G.I. Joe: The Revenge of Cobra as well as Dumbo's Circus. One of his most notable roles came in 1988 when Ryan voiced Petrie in Universal's The Land Before Time. Some of Ryan's other voice credits include The Little Mermaid, An American Tail, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Family Guy, The Smurfs, and many more. Over his career, Ryan amassed more than 100 screen credits and earned numerous nominations including those from the Annie Awards and the WGA Awards, as well as an Outstanding Children's Program Emmy nomination in 1998 as the producer of and writer for The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss. Most recently, Ryan was a series regular on the Focus on the Family radio show, Adventures in Odyssey.

Ryan is survived by his wife, Niparko Ryan, and his siblings Patty Ryan, Marsha Ryan Russo, and George Ryan.

Our thoughts go out to Ryan's family during this difficult time. 

Photo credit: Liliane Lathan/Getty Images