10 Interesting Facts About The Making Of The Lion King
6. A Voice Actor Created The Lions’ Roars
There are many great sound effects throughout The Lion King. The lions' roars are particularly striking, and they’re so authentic that most of us have always assumed they’re genuine roars from real lions. But this isn’t the case.
The lions' roars were actually created by a talented voice actor called Frank Welker, who is probably best known for his work on Scooby-Doo. Using a bucket to amplify his voice, Welker performed roars, growls, howls, and rips during the making of The Lion King, and the results were truly remarkable.
Whilst some of the lion noises came from real-life recordings of tigers, Welker’s performance was a fundamental part of the movie. How he managed to create such realistic noises is beyond comprehension. At no point in the film does it sound like you’re listening to a human rather than an animal.
For those who are eager to witness Welker working his magic, you can check out his performance over on Youtube.