Mel Blanc
What would happen to the voice-over profession if there was no Mel Blanc? We may dare to ask, but do we reply? Although he began his sixty-two-year (wow!) career in radio, his claim to fame started in the Golden Age of American animation. Over the many years, he was the voice-over for many characters for Warner Bros’ Looney Tunes, which began with Bugs Bunny.
Of course, having “Eh, what’s up, Doc?” on one’s resume is impressive. However, Mel didn’t just rely on that to be successful. Mel (known as The Man of a Thousand Voices) voiced many all-star Looney Tunes legends during his career with Warner. Here are some of them:
- Daffy Duck
- Bugs Bunny
- Road Runner
- Emer Fudd
- Sylvester
- Tweety
- Porky Pig
- Pepé Le Pew
- Marvin the Martian
Now, if that’s not enough, look at the fantastic length of the Looney Tunes characters that Mel voiced. That puts things in perspective. Does that reframe the Golden Age of Animation as Mel Blanc talks to himself? Of course, it does! Not resting on his laurels with this, Mel voiced lots of Hannah-Barbera characters when Warner was no longer exclusive. If you are in need of any voice over services then see here.
The bottom line? The pantheon of voice actors would include Mel Blanc. Mel’s talent, versatility, and prolificity we will never forget.
Nancy Cartwright
In the past, when we learned that a woman accomplished the voice of Bart Simpson, it seemed pretty impressive. The ever delinquent preteen won the hearts of America and the world back in the early 90s. The Simpsons was a show that grew out of a wide audience obsession. However, the audience was stunned to find out that a female-voiced Bart. Think about it! What’s more of a rebel than going against cultural norms and expectations?
Even more of a surprise is that Nancy first auditioned to play Lisa. But, Nancy found Bart to be much more of an interesting character. He has a combination of daredevil antics, self-interest and a secret heart of gold. Lisa did grow to be an exciting show character. However, it would have been a different story if Nancy had not voiced the pink-haired rascal with good humour, wit and a bit of sensitivity.
Yes, “Eat my shorts!” has probably fallen out of style. However, because of Nancy, teenage misfits will continue to spray paint on walls “El Bart” for generations to come. After all, what are a few property damage lawsuits when you’ve got “Rule of Cool”?
Also, that’s not all! Nancy voiced many other characters on the show. They include Nelson Muntz, Todd Flanders, Ralph Wiggum, and more. They are just some of the Simpson regulars Nancy lends her talents to. May Nancy “keep on trucking” for many years to come!
James Earl Jones
Everyone knows Darth Vader! (The only way you don’t know is if you’ve been living under a rock for the past 45 years!) David Prowse, a British bodybuilder, played the strong Sith Lord. However, it was James Earl Jones who made Anakin Skywalker the fearsome one.
With his deep voice, James Earl Jones made even Darth Vader’s simple commands a force of thunder to be reckoned with. Amazingly, Jones initially didn’t want to be credited for his performance. He considered it “special effects.” Talk about being humble! We can thank George Lucas for finally listing James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader in the movie “Return of the Jedi.” And the rest, as they say, is history!