Jake Harper
The 2005 animated film Chicken Little features a star-studded cast, including Zach Braff as the titular character, as well as Joan Cusack, Dan Molina, Steve Zahn, Garry Marshall, Amy Sedaris, Mark Walton, and Don Knotts. Sadly, Don Knotts, who voiced one of the characters in the film, passed away shortly after the film's release, making Chicken Little his final film appearance during his lifetime. This article will explore the life and career of Don Knotts and the impact he had on the entertainment industry.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the person who played Chicken Little | Zach Braff |
| Year of the movie Chicken Little | 2005 |
| Name of the character played by the person who died | Buck "Ace" Cluck |
| Name of the actor who died | Don Knotts |
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What You'll Learn
Zach Braff voiced Chicken Little
Zach Braff, born Zachary Israel Braff on April 6, 1975, is an American actor, director, producer, screenwriter, singer, voice artist, and comedian. He is best known for his role as John "J.D." Dorian in the TV series Scrubs, which he starred in from 2001 to 2010.
Braff voiced the titular character in the 2005 Disney animated feature film Chicken Little. The film is a loose adaptation of the European folk tale "Henny Penny," in which a chicken causes a panic in his town by claiming that the sky is falling. Braff was chosen for the role after auditioning against forty other actors. Director Mark Dindal noted that Braff "pitched his voice slightly to sound like a junior high kid. [...] [He] had such great energy." Braff later reprised his role as Chicken Little in the video game of the same name, as well as in Kingdom Hearts II, Chicken Little: Ace in Action, and Kingdom Hearts HD II.5 ReMIX.
Chicken Little was Braff's first voice role in an animated film. The film also starred Joan Cusack, Dan Molina, Steve Zahn, Garry Marshall, Amy Sedaris, Mark Walton, and Don Knotts. It premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on October 30, 2005, and was released nationwide on November 4, 2005. It was Disney Animation's first fully computer-animated feature film.
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Don Knotts passed away after filming
Don Knotts, the voice of Mayor Turkey Lurkey in the 2005 film Chicken Little, passed away on February 24, 2006, at the age of 81. His death came just over a year after the release of Chicken Little, which premiered in Hollywood on October 30, 2005, and was released worldwide on November 4, 2005.
Knotts' final film appearance during his lifetime was in Chicken Little. However, his final film, Air Buddies, another Disney-produced film, was released posthumously.
Don Knotts was an American actor, comedian, and producer, known for his work in television and film. He began his career as a performer on the radio and in nightclubs, eventually transitioning to television and film. Over his career, he won five Emmy Awards for his comedic performances.
Knotts was born on July 21, 1924, in Morgantown, West Virginia. He had a long and successful career in entertainment, spanning several decades. In addition to his work in television and film, he was also a voice actor, lending his talents to animated films and video games.
Knotts' death came as a loss to the entertainment industry, and his contributions to comedy and acting are still remembered and celebrated today. His work in Chicken Little remains a testament to his talent and versatility as an actor, and his voice performance brought life and humour to the character of Mayor Turkey Lurkey.
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The film is dedicated to Joe Grant
The 2005 American animated science fiction comedy film Chicken Little was dedicated to Joe Grant, a Disney artist and writer. Grant was born in New York City and worked for The Walt Disney Company as a character designer and story artist. He began working for Disney in 1933 on the Mickey Mouse short, Mickey's Gala Premier. He created the Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, led the development of Pinocchio, and co-wrote Fantasia and Dumbo. During World War II, he worked on war cartoons, including the Academy Award-winning Der Fuehrer's Face. Grant was Jewish and denied rumours that Walt Disney was antisemitic.
Grant left the Disney studio in 1949 and ran a ceramics business and a greeting card business. He returned to Disney in 1989 to work on Beauty and the Beast. He also worked on Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, Mulan, Fantasia 2000, and Pixar's Monsters, Inc., among others. Chicken Little and Pixar's Up were the last two films he worked on before his death, and both films were dedicated to him. Grant worked at Disney four days a week until he died, nine days before his 97th birthday. His final project, Lorenzo, was nominated for an Academy Award in 2005.
Chicken Little was Disney's second adaptation of the fable after an anti-Nazi propaganda cartoon made during World War II. It was the last Disney animated film produced under the name Walt Disney Feature Animation before the studio was renamed Walt Disney Animation Studios. The film premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, on October 30, 2005, and was released on November 4, 2005, in Disney Digital 3-D and 2D. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $314 million worldwide, making it the second-highest-grossing animated film of 2005.
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Gary Marshall voiced Buck Cluck
Garry Marshall, the famous American filmmaker, and actor voiced Buck Cluck, Chicken Little's father, in the 2005 film Chicken Little. Marshall was born on November 13, 1934, in New York City, USA, and had a successful career in the entertainment industry. The film Chicken Little is an American animated science fiction comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is loosely inspired by the European folk tale "Henny Penny," also known as "Chicken Little" in the United States. In the film, Chicken Little is ridiculed by his town for causing a panic, thinking that the sky was "falling."
Marshall's character, Buck Cluck, is portrayed as a former high school baseball star and Chicken Little's father. Buck Cluck is known for his incompetent and negligent parenting, which has sparked controversy and debate among viewers. Some people regard Buck Cluck as an antihero or a villain due to his parenting style. Despite this, he tries his best to support Chicken Little, even admitting his shortcomings as a parent at the end of the film.
Before Garry Marshall was cast as Buck Cluck, several other actors were considered for the role, including Charlie Sheen, Christian Slater, Joseph D. Reitman, Peter Falk, the late Dennis Hopper, and Mick Jagger. Australian comedian Mark Mitchell voiced Buck Cluck in the Australian release of the film to increase its publicity.
Chicken Little was also notable for being the final film appearance of Don Knotts, another actor in the film who passed away shortly before the release of another Disney film, Air Buddies. This adds a layer of significance to the film and its impact on the entertainment industry.
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Mark Mitchell voiced Buck Cluck in Australia
The 2005 American animated science fiction comedy film Chicken Little was voiced by Zach Braff. The film was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures.
In the Australian release of the film, Buck Cluck, Chicken Little's father, was voiced by Mark Mitchell. Mitchell is an Australian actor, comedian, and contemporary artist, best known for his roles in the sketch comedy series The Comedy Company. He was born in Melbourne on September 29, 1954, and studied English, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne. He then completed a Diploma of Education at Rusden College (now part of Deakin University). Before becoming an actor, he taught secondary school English for five years and worked as an advertising copywriter.
Mitchell's best-known character is Con Dikaletis, aka 'Con the Fruiterer,' whom he created after being served by two Greek Australian stallholders at Glenferrie Markets in 1984. The character became nationally known through regular appearances in The Comedy Company, for which Mitchell also created the character of Con's wife, Marika.
In addition to his work in The Comedy Company, Mitchell has made many guest appearances on Australian television series such as SeaChange, Neighbours, Something in the Air, Blue Heelers, Prisoner, Special Squad, Willing and Abel, Dogwoman, and Upper Middle Bogan. He has also starred in children's television programs such as Round the Twist, Lift Off, and The Genie From Down Under.
Mark Mitchell's voiceover for Buck Cluck in the Australian release of Chicken Little added a local celebrity element to the film's publicity in Australia.
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Frequently asked questions
Zach Braff voiced Chicken Little in the 2005 film. As of August 2025, Braff is still alive.
Yes, Don Knotts, who played Buck Cluck, died before the film's release.
Chicken Little appears as a summon in the video game Kingdom Hearts II, where he is voiced by Zach Braff.
No, Gary Marshall played the role of Buck "Ace" Cluck in the film. However, one viewer noticed that the version available on Disney+ does not feature Marshall's voice.
