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August 23, 2020 3:56 pm  #1


Man Of A Thousand Cartoon Voices Is incredibly Entertaining

You may not know the name Billy West, but if you've ever watched Futurama, Ren and Stimpy, Scooby Doo, Space Jam or dozens of other movies and TV cartoons, you've certainly heard his voice. Vanity Fair has a spectacular 20 minute video featuring this unique voice talent, who explains where all those characters came from and why he left radio - and Howard Stern - behind.

It's marvellously entertaining if you've got a few minutes to waste.

Billy West Breaks Down His Most Famous Character Voices

 

August 23, 2020 5:07 pm  #2


Re: Man Of A Thousand Cartoon Voices Is incredibly Entertaining

He pays tribute to Mel Blanc in the video. And Blanc was, of course, the greatest talent in this area that ever lived. He was also the guy who got Hollywood to give credits to voice work in the early days of Warner Bros. cartoons, when those guys' names never appeared on screen. 

He once told me in an interview I was lucky enough to get with him decades ago about how he became the voice of so many characters on the Jack Benny radio show. He'd been hired to do a growling bear (I think the name was Carmichael) that guarded Benny's famous vault, as well as the sound of Benny's hilariously decrepit Maxwell automobile. 

This went on for a while, before Blanc went up to the comedian personally and said, "You know Mr. Benny, I can TALK, too!" 

And that's how the Sy/Sue/Sews/Si routine and put upon violin teacher Professor LeBlanc came to be. I don't think there's a voice actor anywhere who doesn't give full credit to him. 

Even his tombstone pays tribute to all those Warner Bros. cartoons. 

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