Margaret Kelly Reflects on Tinker Bell’s Creation

It all started with belief, a sprinkle of trust, and, of course, some fairy dust.

Margaret Kelly, the original model for Disney’s Tinker Bell, recalls how her experience as a dancer shaped the character’s essence. The 96-year-old worked directly with animator Mark Davis during the making of “Peter Pan” back in 1953.

In a recent conversation with a publication, Kelly reminisced about their discussions on the character’s development. “I asked him what kind of personality we wanted for her—should she be smart like Betty Boop or maybe regal like the Queen of Angels?” she shared. Davis’s response struck a chord: “Margaret, we want her to be you.”

Those words brought a smile to Kelly’s face as she remembered Davis, who passed away in 2000. “Oh my God, I can do this,” she thought at the time.

Kelly explained that Davis envisioned Tinker Bell as a dancer, incorporating ballet into her movements. “She always had that graceful twist to her,” she noted fondly.

“Back then, we didn’t have electronics. Everything was handcrafted,” she explained. Filming involved a unique process: a camera operator would capture her performance on 35mm film, using a cart for mobility.

For the next nine months, her movements were captured, yet there was no spoken dialogue. “They’d process the film, select key frames, and then Davis animated each one by hand. It was quite a feat—about 650,000 pieces of artwork were created for that movie,” she elaborated.

Tinker Bell didn’t just appear in the original film. She made her way into the sequel, “Return to Neverland,” plus various TV shows and movies over time.

Reflecting on her career, Kelly remarked, “I could’ve been the actress who met a grim fate in ‘Psycho.’ It’s a strange turn of fate, but everything I did has brought joy to people, which is remarkable.” She continued to work in various projects over the years, including appearances in “Space Angels,” “The New Three Stooges,” “The Little Rascals,” and “The Lone Ranger.” One of her notable roles was as Beth Muggins on “The Andy Griffith Show.”

Even now, Kelly remains active. “I’m planning to tap dance this Saturday night,” she shared, excitement evident in her voice.

In the interview, she also recounted the love story that led to her marriage in 2020. After divorcing her first husband, she had a long second marriage that lasted until his death in 1999. Years later, she reconnected with Robert Bouquet, an old flame. He mentioned a store called Tinkerbell Toys, which sparked a thought of her. “I remembered him instantly,” she said.

Although she had been a widow for two decades, the connection was lightning-fast. “I had no plans for dating,” she confessed, but admitted, “It was love at first sight.” She ended up proposing, and they tied the knot on Valentine’s Day 2020.

Kelly playfully noted, “He drives wonderfully, especially left turns, and he cooks too! Plus, he has a Costco card I can borrow.”

Recently, she reflected on what it means to play Tinker Bell. “It was a perfect match since I enjoy people, and they adore Tinker Bell,” she remarked. “I’m always curious about what lies ahead, just like Tinker Bell, who loved peeking around corners to see what was happening.”

Her zest for life and performance seems unyielding. “I travel around the country to meet fans at conventions. We have a lot of fun together. I also speak to kids about the importance of imagination,” she added.