Fulton Burley, 84; starred in musical revue at Disneyland

Fulton Burley, an Irish tenor who for 24 years starred in the Golden Horseshoe Revue that was one of Disneyland’s original attractions, died of heart failure May 7 at an assisted living facility in Carlsbad, the Walt Disney Co. announced. He was 84.

In 1962, Burley first appeared in the vaudeville-style musical comedy revue that had opened along with Disneyland in 1955. By the time the show ended its run in 1986, the Guinness Book of World Records had recognized the revue for giving the most performances -- more than 45,000 -- in the history of theater.

“He was a natural for it and had a delightful sense of humor,” said Wally Boag, who developed the revue and performed alongside Burley for two decades. “When you went by his dressing room, you always knew you were going to hear a good joke.”

At Disneyland, Burley also could be heard within the walls of the Enchanted Tiki Room as the voice of the audio-animatronic Irish parrot Michael.

Once the revue ended, Burley periodically toured the country hosting live shows to promote theatrical reissues of such Disney films as “Cinderella.”

The son of a newspaperman, Burley was born in Toronto and raised in Windsor, Canada. By 14, he performed three mornings a week on the radio before school and went on to sing with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra.

He attended Patterson Collegiate Institute in Windsor and Wayne State University in Detroit but left to sing the lead in Billy Rose’s “Diamond Horseshoe Revue” in New York City. He landed the part by auditioning over the telephone.

MGM scouts spotted him in the show and put him under contract. At the studio, he met Boag, and the two appeared as Canadian fliers in the 1945 film “Thrill of a Romance.”

During World War II, Burley served in the Army. His commanding officer was actor Melvyn Douglas, and he traveled to China, Burma and India, according to Disney.

After the war, Burley toured the United States in musical productions for several years. He was appearing in Las Vegas when Boag called to tell him the 7-year-old show at Frontierland’s Golden Horseshoe Saloon had an opening.

Walt Disney hired him, and Burley began appearing five times a day in a show performed 52 weeks a year.

“Everyone seemed to love him,” Boag said, “and we had fun, always.”

Burley’s wife of 62 years, Terry, died in January. He is survived by a sister, Betty Doggrell, of Scarborough, Canada.

A celebration of his life is being planned.

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valerie.nelson@latimes.com