Facts About Mel Blanc, The Voice Behind Looney Tunes
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Date: 2022-12-29
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Comments and reviews: 20
VoiceoverIsland
Thanks so much for including a comment from me in your post! I'm Chuck McKibben, and I had the tremendous honor of being Mel's personal recording engineer starting in 1972. I'm delighted that you included my interview in doing your research. I was setting up Mel's mic at Mel Blanc Audiomedia (his own commercial production company in Beverly Hills) one day, when I decided to ask him about his allergy to carrots. As you've accurately stated here, he told me that was just an urban legend, and completely untrue. I like them OK, especially cooked a little, he responded. But I couldn't say the next line with carrot chunks in my mouth, so I spit them out. I'm always bothered by people who repeat the allergy lie online as an ironic fact, when they never even met the man! Thank you for getting things right!
I'm 75 as of this writing in Dec. 2022, and therefore one of the last few surviving people to have known Mel on a first-name basis as a dear friend, mentor, and great employer. Working for the singular most-important voice actor of all time changed my life, and I went on to a long career as a producer/director in New York. If you don't mind, may I mention that I wrote a book about working with Mel, titled Mel Blanc, the Voice of Bugs Bunny. and Me. It's only available online, but it's my way of paying an in-depth tribute to this great man. His life and fascinating career has only been documented in two other books, one of which is his autobiography, now out-of-print. Mel's very talented producer/director son, Noel Blanc (now 80) started writing a book, but it has gone unfinished. I'm proud to have had Noel's extensive help in writing my tribute. THANK YOU for letting me post this! Long live the memory of Mel Blanc, whose legacy was the gift of laughter!
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Thanks so much for including a comment from me in your post! I'm Chuck McKibben, and I had the tremendous honor of being Mel's personal recording engineer starting in 1972. I'm delighted that you included my interview in doing your research. I was setting up Mel's mic at Mel Blanc Audiomedia (his own commercial production company in Beverly Hills) one day, when I decided to ask him about his allergy to carrots. As you've accurately stated here, he told me that was just an urban legend, and completely untrue. I like them OK, especially cooked a little, he responded. But I couldn't say the next line with carrot chunks in my mouth, so I spit them out. I'm always bothered by people who repeat the allergy lie online as an ironic fact, when they never even met the man! Thank you for getting things right!
I'm 75 as of this writing in Dec. 2022, and therefore one of the last few surviving people to have known Mel on a first-name basis as a dear friend, mentor, and great employer. Working for the singular most-important voice actor of all time changed my life, and I went on to a long career as a producer/director in New York. If you don't mind, may I mention that I wrote a book about working with Mel, titled Mel Blanc, the Voice of Bugs Bunny. and Me. It's only available online, but it's my way of paying an in-depth tribute to this great man. His life and fascinating career has only been documented in two other books, one of which is his autobiography, now out-of-print. Mel's very talented producer/director son, Noel Blanc (now 80) started writing a book, but it has gone unfinished. I'm proud to have had Noel's extensive help in writing my tribute. THANK YOU for letting me post this! Long live the memory of Mel Blanc, whose legacy was the gift of laughter!
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David
To be completely accurate, Mel didn't voice all the Looney Tunes characters but Elmer Fudd. June Foray and Bea Benaderet voiced many female characters, and Billy Bletcher voiced Papa Bear, Steve Brody, and perhaps others. But they weren't credited onscreen, since it was in Mel's contract that he was to be the only one listed in the credits. Lest you think Mel did it to hog all the credit, it was done as a concession to keeping his pay low. He asked producer Leon Schlesinger for a raise, believing he deserved it for all the characters he'd created, but Schlesinger was a penny pincher, so they reached a compromise in which Mel was to be the only voice actor credited. Up until then, voice talent wasn't given a screen credit at all. It actually led to a lot of other work in radio for Mel, as he appeared regularly on Jack Benny's show, the Burns and Allen show, and others.
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To be completely accurate, Mel didn't voice all the Looney Tunes characters but Elmer Fudd. June Foray and Bea Benaderet voiced many female characters, and Billy Bletcher voiced Papa Bear, Steve Brody, and perhaps others. But they weren't credited onscreen, since it was in Mel's contract that he was to be the only one listed in the credits. Lest you think Mel did it to hog all the credit, it was done as a concession to keeping his pay low. He asked producer Leon Schlesinger for a raise, believing he deserved it for all the characters he'd created, but Schlesinger was a penny pincher, so they reached a compromise in which Mel was to be the only voice actor credited. Up until then, voice talent wasn't given a screen credit at all. It actually led to a lot of other work in radio for Mel, as he appeared regularly on Jack Benny's show, the Burns and Allen show, and others.
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Larissa
He was in Good Company when it comes to Disparaging People. Leslie Charteris Creator of The Saint also had A Problem Teacher. His English Teacher told Him, You'll Never Be Good At Writing Stories! Just Give Up! I hope that teacher felt like An Idiot, whenever there was a new The Saint Novel, Movie or TV Show came out. As far as I'm concerned even though some of those books came out in the late 1920's. I highly recommend them one character was considered controversial at the same time. Simon Templar had a Girlfriend who was pretty much His Equal name Patricia Pat Holmes. He hated the original Black And White Movies, as well as what They Did With Pat! Walt Disney was once Fired For Having No Imagination from a Newspaper.
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He was in Good Company when it comes to Disparaging People. Leslie Charteris Creator of The Saint also had A Problem Teacher. His English Teacher told Him, You'll Never Be Good At Writing Stories! Just Give Up! I hope that teacher felt like An Idiot, whenever there was a new The Saint Novel, Movie or TV Show came out. As far as I'm concerned even though some of those books came out in the late 1920's. I highly recommend them one character was considered controversial at the same time. Simon Templar had a Girlfriend who was pretty much His Equal name Patricia Pat Holmes. He hated the original Black And White Movies, as well as what They Did With Pat! Walt Disney was once Fired For Having No Imagination from a Newspaper.
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Mats
Actually, Mel didn't voice the Road Runner. It was background painter Paul Julian who made the famous Beep Beep (that sounds like Meep Meep to my ears) sounds of the Road Runner. Often Julian would hurry through the corridors at the Animation Department with freshly painted backgrounds, shouting beep beep like a car horn to make people move out of the way. This inspired Chuck Jones to use him for the Road Runner and had him recorded several variants of beep beep and sped it up slightly.
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Actually, Mel didn't voice the Road Runner. It was background painter Paul Julian who made the famous Beep Beep (that sounds like Meep Meep to my ears) sounds of the Road Runner. Often Julian would hurry through the corridors at the Animation Department with freshly painted backgrounds, shouting beep beep like a car horn to make people move out of the way. This inspired Chuck Jones to use him for the Road Runner and had him recorded several variants of beep beep and sped it up slightly.
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Brian
You need to do a Weird History on June Foray. Many call her the female Mel Blanc, but you can also consider Mel Blanc the male June Foray. Like Blanc, she also lent her voice to many animated studios like Warner Brothers, Hanna Barbara, and she even did voices for UPA in some of the Mr. Magoo cartoons, and of course she was mostly known as the voices of Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha Fatale and Nell Fenwick on the Rocky & Bullwinkle Show.
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You need to do a Weird History on June Foray. Many call her the female Mel Blanc, but you can also consider Mel Blanc the male June Foray. Like Blanc, she also lent her voice to many animated studios like Warner Brothers, Hanna Barbara, and she even did voices for UPA in some of the Mr. Magoo cartoons, and of course she was mostly known as the voices of Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Natasha Fatale and Nell Fenwick on the Rocky & Bullwinkle Show.
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doddsino
They said he is the Man with 1, 000 voices, but I only counted 94.
Oh and Mel tries to take credit for inventing certain voices like Porky Pig, but Joe Dougherty did it first. Blanc would later accuse others of being gloryhogs, yet he had it written in his contract to receive sole credit for the voice work in the WB cartoons.
Talented guy, but also a bit of a jackass.
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They said he is the Man with 1, 000 voices, but I only counted 94.
Oh and Mel tries to take credit for inventing certain voices like Porky Pig, but Joe Dougherty did it first. Blanc would later accuse others of being gloryhogs, yet he had it written in his contract to receive sole credit for the voice work in the WB cartoons.
Talented guy, but also a bit of a jackass.
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JForce
the age at which he started smoking doesn't really shock me too much. My grandfather started smoking at the age of 13 and quit going to school after the 8th grade to get a job and help support his family. It's amazing what people had to do back then, but he still managed to raise 4 kids and own a home as a cab worker before he died at 65 in 2003.
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the age at which he started smoking doesn't really shock me too much. My grandfather started smoking at the age of 13 and quit going to school after the 8th grade to get a job and help support his family. It's amazing what people had to do back then, but he still managed to raise 4 kids and own a home as a cab worker before he died at 65 in 2003.
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weird_history
My friends many years ago used to challenge me to try and do a character's voice and I nailed all impersonations of all Looney Tunes character's, Beavis and Butthead, Barney Rubble, Raphael of the TMNT, including actors such as Adam Sandler, Arnold Shwarzenegger, Tim Allen, as well as Kevin Conroy (R. I. P) and Vincent Price (+ more)
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My friends many years ago used to challenge me to try and do a character's voice and I nailed all impersonations of all Looney Tunes character's, Beavis and Butthead, Barney Rubble, Raphael of the TMNT, including actors such as Adam Sandler, Arnold Shwarzenegger, Tim Allen, as well as Kevin Conroy (R. I. P) and Vincent Price (+ more)
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Moreno
I am 70 years old now. And I recall all the Loony Tunes lunacy - watching at the drive-in theatre, with my parents. later at any movie there were always the cartoon intro's. My brother and I learned to mimic all those voices - and we still use them today - just for the hell of it. Blows peoples minds.
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I am 70 years old now. And I recall all the Loony Tunes lunacy - watching at the drive-in theatre, with my parents. later at any movie there were always the cartoon intro's. My brother and I learned to mimic all those voices - and we still use them today - just for the hell of it. Blows peoples minds.
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MeadowsMama94
My favorite cartoons til this day as a 90s baby. I use to watch them with my great granny on Saturday mornings while she was making breakfast for us and shed just laugh or drop something and yell shit and Id laugh so hard because she wasnt suppose to curse, great memories I miss that women
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My favorite cartoons til this day as a 90s baby. I use to watch them with my great granny on Saturday mornings while she was making breakfast for us and shed just laugh or drop something and yell shit and Id laugh so hard because she wasnt suppose to curse, great memories I miss that women
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Brian
Roger Rabbit was not the last project he did voice work for. He did work for Mr. Spaceley on Jetsons: The Movie, which was released after his death in 1990 (the film is dedicated to him. He also did voices for Hanna Barbara's 50th Anniversary Special (it aired seven days after he passed away.
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Roger Rabbit was not the last project he did voice work for. He did work for Mr. Spaceley on Jetsons: The Movie, which was released after his death in 1990 (the film is dedicated to him. He also did voices for Hanna Barbara's 50th Anniversary Special (it aired seven days after he passed away.
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Brian
Daffy Duck's voice was actually Sylvester's voice slightly sped up. So, the question was technically right because the two characters have the same voice. Also, I do recall Daffy saying, Sufferin' Succotash on a couple occasions so that phrase wasn't exclusively said by Sylvester.
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Daffy Duck's voice was actually Sylvester's voice slightly sped up. So, the question was technically right because the two characters have the same voice. Also, I do recall Daffy saying, Sufferin' Succotash on a couple occasions so that phrase wasn't exclusively said by Sylvester.
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Margaret
Mel J. Blanc. Great artist. great actor, comedian( Jack Benny show)Yes, like Lon Chaney( man of a 1000 faces) Mel was a man of 1000 voices. THanks Mel for making my childhood great. Wats up Mel? THATS ALL FOLKS. I. Will always remember u.
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Mel J. Blanc. Great artist. great actor, comedian( Jack Benny show)Yes, like Lon Chaney( man of a 1000 faces) Mel was a man of 1000 voices. THanks Mel for making my childhood great. Wats up Mel? THATS ALL FOLKS. I. Will always remember u.
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Dani
It was put best when it was said that Mel was the man of a thousand voices, but they were all the same. Not that he wasn't a talent, of course. It was more they never had him. say, go too far out of his range.
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It was put best when it was said that Mel was the man of a thousand voices, but they were all the same. Not that he wasn't a talent, of course. It was more they never had him. say, go too far out of his range.
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Benjamin
He didnt actually voice the Roadrunner in the cartoons. He only played Roadrunner for vintage record albums. The voice in the cartoons were provided by background artist Paul Julian! Still a great video!
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He didnt actually voice the Roadrunner in the cartoons. He only played Roadrunner for vintage record albums. The voice in the cartoons were provided by background artist Paul Julian! Still a great video!
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Bimmy
What kind of a scumbag teacher talks to their student like that? Did he ever play nasty harmful pranks on his teacher?
That was so damn cold coming from someone who should be a role model. smh
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What kind of a scumbag teacher talks to their student like that? Did he ever play nasty harmful pranks on his teacher?
That was so damn cold coming from someone who should be a role model. smh
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Brian
Blanc was not the only voice actor to take over Elmer Fudd's voice after Arthur Q Bryan passed away. Other voice actors attempted the voice and sometimes, Elmer remained silent in the cartoons.
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Blanc was not the only voice actor to take over Elmer Fudd's voice after Arthur Q Bryan passed away. Other voice actors attempted the voice and sometimes, Elmer remained silent in the cartoons.
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Track
They say Pepe Le Pew is a bad influence on kids yet they have men dress in drag with their junk hanging out read books to kids and that's okay what a backwards Bizarro world we live in now
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They say Pepe Le Pew is a bad influence on kids yet they have men dress in drag with their junk hanging out read books to kids and that's okay what a backwards Bizarro world we live in now
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Kevin
One thing I found corny about Barney Rubble was that goofy laugh of his. . Daws Butler may have substituted for Mel Blanc after his accident, but he was nowhere near as good as Mel.
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One thing I found corny about Barney Rubble was that goofy laugh of his. . Daws Butler may have substituted for Mel Blanc after his accident, but he was nowhere near as good as Mel.
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Brian
You forgot to mention that he was the original voice of Woody Woodpecker and that many of Woody's mannerisms Blanc originated with a prototype that would become Bugs Bunny.
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You forgot to mention that he was the original voice of Woody Woodpecker and that many of Woody's mannerisms Blanc originated with a prototype that would become Bugs Bunny.
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