Donald Redding
- Actor
Donald Redding (real name: Donald E. Payne) was born in Taft,
California on December 15, 1948. His Father, Russell E. Payne was and
oil worker and his mother, Betty G. (Boles) Payne was a grocery clerk.
Payne spent his early years living in Taft and attended his first few
years of school there. After remarrying, his mother and her new husband
(Mervyn G. Cademartori) moved around the state of California, finally
settling in the San Fernando Valley. In 1959, the Cademartori family
(which now included another son, Steven L. Cademartori) relocated to
Buena Park, California, where Payne finished his grade school years. He
attended Walker Junior High School and John F. Kennedy High School in
La Palma, California (graduating in 1967). After high school, Payne
lived in San Francisco while attending broadcasting school. He then
lived for a year in Grants Pass, Oregon, where he free-lanced as a
radio news reporter. Payne returned to the area of his birth in 1969
when he was hired as an on-the-air personality at KIFM-FM radio in
Bakersfield, California. While still in high school, Payne was hired to
perform as a costumed character in Disneyland's Christmas Parade (1966
and 1967). He was costumed as a Disney Fantasia "hippo" and performed
as a "greeter" at the premiere of Walt Disney's animated feature "The
Jungle Book" at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California.
Payne became a full-time Disney character at Disneyland in December of
1966 when he was assigned to perform as "Pluto" at Disney's Anaheim,
California theme park. He spent several years playing "Winnie the Pooh,
" also. In 1978, Payne was cast as one of the comic leads in
Disneylands famous, original "Golden Horseshoe Revue," in Frontierland.
He was a "sub" for the acclaimed Wally Boag, who originated the part of
the "Traveling Salesman / Pecos Bill" in the longest running stage show
in history. During this period, Payne also functioned as a writer and
performer for many Disney special events, stage shows and did some work
voicing some of the Disney characters for "in-park" shows in Anaheim
and Orlando. Payne left his full-time position at Disneyland in 1980 to
become the Vice-President In Charge of Productions for Tom Carter
Productions, an entertainment production company and animation studio,
based in Irvine,CA. Payne left Orange County, California in 1986,
relocating his family to the community of Crestline, California in the
mountains high above and overlooking San Bernardino. There, he began a
career in Residential Real Estate Sales, eventually obtaining his Real
Estate Broker's license and earning the prestigeous "GRI" designation.
In 2003, Payne left the mountain area to relocate to Victorville,
California. He continues in his real estate careeer, but has shifted
emphasis from the resale market to specializing as a New Homes Sales
Associate, affiliated with The Ryness Company, a sales and marketing
company providing services to new home builders and developers. He has
earned the prestigous Certified New Home Sales Professional (CSP)
designation through the Sales and Marketing Council of the Inland
Empire. Through the years, Payne (professionally known as Donald
Redding) has maintained his acting career by appearing in numerous
commercials, TV programs, stage shows and a motion picture, virtually
shot in his own back yard. When asked why he postponed his dream of a
professional acting career, Payne responded, "It was a matter of
raising my young children in the best atmosphere possible. I feel my
primary responsibility is to my family! After the kids have grown and
left the nest... I'll be able to chase my dream of a career in films
and on television!" Payne, in conjunction with his good friend,
actor/comic/writer, Jim Adams (also a Disney veteran)is actively
involved in the development and growth of "Prof. Productions," a
Christian Entertainment Production Company and family outreach
ministry. Payne maintains his active memberships in SAG, AFTRA and AGVA
in case a "call comes in for an acting role."