I, about 7 years ago, described myself as a "voice junkie." Why I used that colorful phrase is yet to be understood, but I still love to hear good voices. I don't mean singing voices, just speaking voices. I once had an online pen pal for an entire year with whom I had nothing in common other than an appreciation for Rob Paulsen. I worked at reading quickly in order to read the credits of cartoons in order to know who was doing the voices. I have the "Speechless" memorial art for Mel Blanc. I like voices.
So, anyone who is as into voices as I am would of course like Mel Blanc. He's the man of a thousand voices, after all. I read his autobiography for a school report. I know why he changed his name from Blank to Blanc; a horrid teacher told him that he was always going to live up to his name, he would be blank, worth nothing. People like that shouldn't be allowed around children, let alone teach them. Anyway, I've been a Mel Blanc fan for longer than I've been a Rob Paulsen fan (which has got to be almost 15 years, now) so imagine my dismay at finally hearing Mel's radio show on XM classic radio and realizing I don't like his normal voice. It was like finding out Santa Claus doesn't exist. I still respect him for his talent, but man his normal voice was ugh. It didn't help that his character in the show was a moron... but then sitcoms, be they on TV or radio, are filled with idiots. I wish I'd never heard it.
Phil Harris is on XM, too. He's not known for doing a wide range of voices, but that's because his own was so cool. I first liked Phil as Little John in Disney's Robin Hood, who is basically Baloo from Jungle Book (which I also love), who is basically O'Malley in Aristocats (love the character, the movie is meh...) and recently I've heard his radio show and heard him on Jack Benny's show (I think it's Jack Benny). It's a voice from when I was a kid, and it's cool. The drunk jokes are somewhat amusing, too.
I bought the Many Adventures Of Winnie the Pooh this week. I love that this movie has great voices. Sterling Holloway sounds so soothing and sweet in all his Disney work. I assume that's how he always sounded, but without any research on him I won't say for sure. I remember watching A Day for Eeyore when I was little, and I could tell it was different, but my most recent veiwing showed me just how different it is. Jim Cummings, though great, is not Sterling Holloway. The only thing that keeps the magic in that short is the fact that I watched it as a kid. I also love John Fiedler as Piglet. I watched 12 Angry Men recently and smiled as soon as he talked. Paul Winchell and Barbara Luddy are great additions, too.
There are so many different voices that I've loved for a long time, but I think I've mentioned all the ones on my mind now. So I'll quit.
