Willie is an opera-singing sperm whale and the main protagonist from Disney's 1946 short The Whale Who Wanted To Sing At the Met, a segment of the 1946 film Make Mine Music. Like all the other characters in the short, he is voiced by Nelson Eddy, who also narrates the story.
Background
Willie was generally a normal whale except for the fact that he simply adored opera, and would sing for any sailors in earshot, leading to the investigations of just how this was possible. Most notably, Tetti-Tatti the Opera Director, who couldn't believe that a whale could actually sing Opera and decided that Willie must have swallowed an opera singer, taking a trio of tough sailors with him to try and rescue the Opera singers so they could perform for him.
Whitey, the seagull, took a newspaper to Willie, all the sea creatures excited for their talented friend as they believe he's going to be discovered and finally have his dream come true. Willie rushed out to meet the ship with Tetti-Tatti and sailors, singing for them and showing the true extents of his talents. The three sailors had no more interest in killing him, wanting to simply listen to him sing, while Tetti-Tatti became more and more frantic, believing that Willie had eaten three Opera singers due to Willie's ability to sing with multiple voices at once. The Sailors repeatedly wrestled Tetti-Tatti away from the harpoon and pin him to listen to Willie.
At first, it seemed that Tetti-Tatti was finally convinced, having become his manager, but later he shot Willie with the harpoon, killing him. Whitey mourned his friend, as Willie's spirit enters heaven. However, he was now able to sing with even more voices, performing for what was implied to be a packed audience, as the golden gates close with a sign which read "Sold Out", having realized his dream after all.
Personality
He appears to be very friendly, singing for not only sailors but for his ocean friends, the seals and a seagull. He dreams of singing at the Met and becoming a famous opera star, showcasing his unmatched talent for the world to hear, performing all sorts of operas. He doesn't seem particularly interested in monetary compensation-he just wants to sing his whale-sized heart out for all to hear.
Design
He's a whale-with all that comes with it! He has a huge squishy-looking body, massive head with comparatively small eyes and mouth, boasting a rather unique attribute-having three uvulas in his throat, which allows him to sing with three different voices, even forming different words and notes with each one, leading the Opera director to believe he has swallowed not one, but three opera singers.
History
Make Mine Music
Willy is shown in the last segment, capable of singing operatic voices and his friend Whitey. First, he is seen as a regular-sized sperm whale. He has three uvulas for voices; tenor, baritone, and base. He just performed a song when, his friend, Whitey shows him a piece of news paper of Tetti-Tatti looking for him. However, when he left to be discovered, Tetti-Tatti wanted was to kill him and rescue opera singers. Fortunately, his sailors listened to Willie's singing voice. In his imagination, he was singing at the met, with Tetti-Tatti as conductor. after four performances in the imagination, Willie was killed by the harpoon, Tetti-Tatti. Whitey mourns him for it. Luckily, his spirit was sent to heaven, singing in a hundred voices.
Other appearances
House of Mouse
Willy has one appearance in the song, "You Can Fly" sung by Peter Pan.
Mickey Mouse Works
Willy makes a brief appearance playing a banjo in the short, "Relaxing with Von Drake".
Mickey Mouse
He appears in Ole Sole Minnie as a cameo. When Mickey sings opera, he pops out of the water.
