Mary Costa
Her soaring soprano voice brought Disney's Princess Aurora to life, making her the last surviving voice from Walt's original princess trio.
Born 1930 (age 96)·American actress and singer·Birthday: April 5·The Silent Generation
Biography
Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Mary Costa's path to animation royalty began not in a studio, but at a dinner party. After studying opera, a chance meeting with Walt Disney's friends led to an audition that landed her the role of a lifetime: the voice of Princess Aurora in 'Sleeping Beauty.' Her classically trained voice provided the film's musical heart, a stark contrast to the more contemporary singers of earlier Disney features. While the film was initially a box-office disappointment, Costa's performance endured, becoming a benchmark for Disney heroines. She maintained a successful parallel career as an opera singer, performing on prestigious stages like the Metropolitan Opera. In her later years, she became a revered figure in the Disney legacy, honored as a Disney Legend and receiving the National Medal of Arts for her contributions to American culture, a testament to a voice that never lost its magic.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Mary was born in 1930, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Mary Was Born
The biggest hits of 1930
#1 Movie
All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Picture
All Quiet on the Western Front
Mary's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1930Born
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1935Started school
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1943Became a teenager
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Could drive
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1948Could vote
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1951Turned 21
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1960Turned 30
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 40
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 50
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 60
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 70
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 80
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2026Age 96 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Voiced Princess Aurora in Disney's 1959 animated classic 'Sleeping Beauty.'
- Awarded the National Medal of Arts by the President of the United States in 2020.
- Inducted as a Disney Legend in 1999 for her iconic vocal performance.
- Performed as a soprano with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
Did You Know?
She was discovered for the role of Aurora after singing at a party attended by Walt Disney's wife, Lillian.
She is the last surviving voice actress of the three Disney Princesses (Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora) created during Walt Disney's lifetime.
She performed at President John F. Kennedy's inaugural gala in 1961.
She was a champion golfer in her youth and considered a professional sports career.
“I never thought of it as a cartoon. I thought of it as a beautiful love story set to magnificent music.”
