Caroll Spinney came close: he got in contact with Clarence "Ducky" Nash (the voice of Donald Duck) who put in a word for him since Caroll was trying to find work as an animator, and dreamed of working for Disney; he got an interview, he showed them a portfolio of his artwork, which impressed them enough to want to hire him, but they wouldn't be able to for a year or so because they were already working on SLEEPING BEAUTY at the time, and they weren't going to be able to pay him much, so he decided to pass because he was in need of a job and income then and there . . . and during the interview with them, he saw Walt in the doorway talking with another employee, and that's as close as he got to seeing Walt in person.