In addition to being a Den Mother for the Boy Scouts, in 1975, Bailey wrote the children’s book Duey’s Tale, which won the Coretta Scott King Book Award. She also appeared as a guest on the Muppet Show, and in 1975 Bailey voiced Mrs. Elephant in the animated film Tuby the Tuba, starring Dick Van Dyke.

In 1981, Pearl starred in Disney’s The Fox and the Hound. The film was based on Daniel P. Mannix’s 1967 novel, and at that time, the $12 million film was the most expensive animated film ever produced.

The film was co-produced by Ron Miller, Art Stevens, and Wolfgang Reitherman, who also animated Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and contributed to Pinocchio (1940), Fantasia (1940), Dumbo (1941), and Cinderella (1950). It was also one of the first films Tim Burton worked on after joining Disney.

Pearl played the voice of Big Mama – the wise old motherly owl who guides Tod the fox, played by Mickey Rooney, as he navigates the hopes and realities of his unconventional friendship with Cooper, the hunting hound, played by Kurt Russell.

Bailey’s involvement with children’s entertainment continued, and in 1985, she starred in ABC’s After School Special Cinder Eller: A Modern Fairy Tale, for which she received a Daytime Emmy award.