Difference between revisions of "Mel Blanc"

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==Other roles==
==Other roles==
Before working for Hanna-Barbera, Blanc made a prolific career on ''The Jack Benny Program'' (in both its radio and TV forms). He was famously known for originating nearly all the characters in the ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' theatrical shorts, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Sylvester, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepé Le Pew, Marvin the Martian, and Porky Pig among many others.
Before working for Hanna-Barbera, Blanc made a prolific career on ''The Jack Benny Program'' (in both its radio and TV forms). He was famously known for originating almost all the character voices in the ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' shorts, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Sylvester, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepé Le Pew, Marvin the Martian, and Porky Pig among many others.


Blanc was briefly attached as the initial voice of [[wikipedia:Woody Woodpecker|Woody Woodpecker]] (including his trademark laughter) for Walter Lantz's series of theatrical shorts for Universal, but stopped after the character's first three shorts when he signed an exclusive contract for Warner Bros. Despite this, Blanc's laugh was used in the ''Woody Woodpecker'' cartoons until [[1951]], when [[wikipedia:Gracie Stafford|Gracie Stafford]] provided Woody's voice and laugh until the series' end in [[1972]].<ref name="That's Not All Folks"> Blanc, Mel; Bashe, Philip (January 1, 1989). ''That's Not All Folks''. New York: Warner Books. ISBN ‎978-0446390897. Retrieved [[March 10]], [[2024]]</ref>
Blanc was briefly attached as the initial voice of [[wikipedia:Woody Woodpecker|Woody Woodpecker]] (including his trademark laughter) for Walter Lantz's series of theatrical shorts for Universal, but stopped after the character's first three shorts when he signed an exclusive contract for Warner Bros. Despite this, Blanc's laugh was used in the ''Woody Woodpecker'' cartoons until [[1951]], when [[wikipedia:Gracie Stafford|Gracie Stafford]] provided Woody's voice and laugh until the series' end in [[1972]].<ref name="That's Not All Folks"> Blanc, Mel; Bashe, Philip (January 1, 1989). ''That's Not All Folks''. New York: Warner Books. ISBN ‎978-0446390897. Retrieved [[March 10]], [[2024]]</ref>

Revision as of 23:51, 10 March 2024

Mel Blanc
Mel Blanc.png
Born Melvin Jerome Blank
May 30, 1908
San Francisco, California
Died July 10, 1989
Los Angeles, California
Cause of death Heart disease Emphysema
Nationality American
Occupation(s) Voice actor
Radio personality
Years active at Hanna-Barbera 1959-1989
Characters played Barney Rubble
Dino
Hardy Har Har
Cosmo Spacely
Droop-a-long Coyote
Sneezly
Secret Squirrel
Yak Yak
Bully Brothers
Chug-a-Boom
Bubba McCoy
Zonk
Stub
Speed Buggy
Captain Caveman

Melvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc (born Blank; May 30, 1908 – July 10, 1989) was an American voice actor and radio personality known for being one of the most influential people in the voice acting career, and for being known as "The Man of a Thousand Voices". For Hanna-Barbera, he was best known as the voice of Barney Rubble, Dino, Mr. Spacely, Secret Squirrel, Speed Buggy, and Captain Caveman. He was also both Tom and Jerry in Chuck Jones' run of the Tom and Jerry theatrical shorts.

Blanc died on July 10, 1989, at the age of 81. Jetsons: The Movie, one of his last roles, was dedicated to him.

Roles

20th century

Other roles

Before working for Hanna-Barbera, Blanc made a prolific career on The Jack Benny Program (in both its radio and TV forms). He was famously known for originating almost all the character voices in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Bird, Sylvester, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepé Le Pew, Marvin the Martian, and Porky Pig among many others.

Blanc was briefly attached as the initial voice of Woody Woodpecker (including his trademark laughter) for Walter Lantz's series of theatrical shorts for Universal, but stopped after the character's first three shorts when he signed an exclusive contract for Warner Bros. Despite this, Blanc's laugh was used in the Woody Woodpecker cartoons until 1951, when Gracie Stafford provided Woody's voice and laugh until the series' end in 1972.[1]

He was hired to provide the voice for Gideon the cat, in the 1940 Disney feature film Pinocchio, but it was eventually decided that the character would be mute (save for a hiccup heard three times in the final film).[2]

After voicing Twiki in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Blanc's last original character was Heathcliff from the titular comic strip, whom he voiced in both the 1980 Ruby-Spears animated series and the 1984 DIC Enterprises series.

References

  1. ^ Blanc, Mel; Bashe, Philip (January 1, 1989). That's Not All Folks. New York: Warner Books. ISBN ‎978-0446390897. Retrieved March 10, 2024
  2. ^ No Strings Attached: The Making of Pinocchio. Pinocchio DVD, 2009.
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