In 1981, Disney was sued by the family of a young girl who
they claimed had been intentionally “struck” by the arm of a Disneyland cast
member dressed as Winnie the Pooh. The girl had suffered permanent brain damage,
the family said, and they were seeking $100,000 in compensation. The incident
had occurred in 1974, when the child was nine. Today, Pooh is usually portrayed
by a small woman, with soft, functional arms to hug the kids lined up to meet
the silly old bear. But in 1974, Disneyland’s Pooh was a man. The actor’s arms
were trapped inside the costume. His hands could flap a bit, and his head fit
inside a honey pot on Pooh’s head. The actor in question, Robert Hill, wore the
costume in court to demonstrate his inability to strike anyone. According to
court records, the whole affair was declared an accident. Today, that little
girl would be in her early sixties.
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