Phil Harris (1904– 1995) was a United States singer, songwriter, jazz musician and actor.
Harris did voices in such Disney animated features as The Aristocats, playing Thomas O'Malley, and The Jungle Book where he voiced the character of "Baloo the Bear" and sang one of the movie's showstoppers, "The Bare Necessities." He was a close friend and associate of Bing Crosby and married to Alice Faye. Harris was also famous for an early 1950s novelty record, "The Thing." The song talks about the hapless finder of a box with a mysterious secret and his efforts to rid himself of it.
One of his early successes was his long stint as part of the cast of the Jack Benny show. Harris played Jack's dim-witted drunken band leader.
Harris was also a longtime resident and benefactor of Palm Springs, California where he died in 1995. He is buried there in the Palm Springs Mortuary & Mausoleum.
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