Research Guru / Moderator
Posted:
Jul 15, 2009, 1:20 AM
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Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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Dallas "Dal" McKennon, the voice of Archie Andrews in Filmation's "Archie" series and Gumby in Art Clokey's stop-motion animated show, died Tuesday morning, five days before his 90th birthday.
Besides portraying the title character in 1968's The Archie Show, McKennon voiced Coach Kleats, Hot Dog, Mr. Lodge and Mr. Weatherbee. He supplied the original voice of Tony the Tiger in commercials for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes Cereal -- even before Thurl Ravenscroft made the character his own. And he was Woody Woodpecker's nemesis, Buzz Buzzard, in cartoons from Slingshot 6-7/8 (1951) to Indian Corn (1972).
McKennon's first known screen role was an uncredited gig as Homer Pigeon in the 1942 Walter Lantz cartoon Pigeon Patrol. His last screen credit was as the "Stud of the Year Octogenarian" in the live-action comedy flick Frozen Assets, starring Shelley Long.
In between, the Cannon Beach, Oregon resident supplied dozens of voice roles, as well as many appearances as a live-action character actor.
His other "Archie" shows included The Archie Comedy Hour (1969), Archie and His New Friends (a 1969 special), Archie's Fun House, Archie's TV Funnies (1971), The US of Archie (1974), The New Archie/Sabrina Hour (1977) and Archie's Bang-Shang Lalapalooza Show (1978).
McKennon lent his voice to Gumby, Pokey and Prickle in The Gumby Show (1957). As well, he was in 1987's The Puppetoon Movie and Gumby Adventures (1988), also Clokey creations. He returned as the voice of Gumby in 2001 promos for ABC.
He was heard in character roles in several Disney animated feature films, along with several theme park attractions for the Mouse House.
In Lady and the Tramp (1955), he voiced the Hyena, Toughy, Professor and Pedro. He had uncredited voice roles as the Owl in 1959's Sleeping Beauty, and the Fox, Hounds, the Penguin, the Hunting Horse, the Carousel Guard and Reporter #1 in Mary Poppins (1964). He supplied Dalmatian puppy, sheepdog and hound barks in One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961), and he was the Fisherman Bear in Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971).
McKennon provided the voices of Ben Franklin in Epcot's American Adventure, Zeke in the Country Bear Jamboree and Andrew Jackson in the original Hall of Presidents. He was the narrator of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ("hold on to your hats and glasses!").
His work in 1950s Kellogg's commercials included voicing Snap, Crackle and Pop for Rice Krispies and Corny (Cornelius) the Rooster for Kellogg's Corn Flakes.
He had such live-action roles as storekeeper Cincinnatus in the TV series Daniel Boone. Starring Fess Parker, the show had a six-year run on TV. McKennon described it as his favorite role.
Providing the voices of both characters in the low-budget 1959 cartoon series Bucky and Pepito, he had the title roles in Q.T. Hush and Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse (both 1960). He had uncredited roles as Sinbad Jr. and Salty in Sinbad Jr. (1965). In addition, he voiced Joe Hardy and Chubby Morton in The Hardy Boys (1969), as well as Salem in Sabrina and the Groovie Goolies (1970) and Sabrina, Super Witch (1977); he was also in the voice cast of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1971).
He was a regular visitor to the Ramblin' Rod cartoon show on KPTV 12 in Portland, Oregon. Appearing in character as Cincinnatus, he would help introduce cartoons and talk with children, as well as with host "Ramblin' Rod" Anders. On occasion, he would perform his voice of Archie Andrews; Filmation's various "Archie" series followed Ramblin' Rod for many years on KPTV.
Born in La Grande, Oregon on July 19, 1919, McKennon grew up near the Oregon Trail in the Grande Ronde Valley. After his mother died during his grade-school years, his father was unable to take care of him and his two older sisters. His mother's close friends, Jean and George Birnie, took him in.
"McKennon had a difficult time growing up," Peg Willis wrote in a 2006 profile in the La Grande Observer. "Like many gifted people, his mind was always spinning its own stories, its own perspective on reality, and of course, he missed his mother terribly."
He got his career start at La Grande High School, when his principal suggested that he apply for a job at a local radio station reading O. Henry and Mark Twain stories.
"He recommended me, and I got my first job. I had to get myself a sponsor; then I came out with my first show on the air," McKennon told the newspaper. McKennon read the stories in character: "I was proud of the job I did. You want to hear all the voices?"
Following graduation, McKennon stayed with his father in for a while in Seattle, then joined the Army Corps of Engineers to go to Alaska.
After returning to the United States from Korea, he moved his family to Hollywood, and offers came in. Walter Lantz asked McKennon to show what kind of voices he thought the Woody Woodpecker cartoon characters would have.
"When I finished, I asked him, 'Do you think I could be one of your characters?' But Lantz said, 'No, you can't do one of the voices. You're going to do them all.'"
For three years, McKennon told stories and sang about the Oregon Trail to Queen of the West visitors. Pendleton Convention Center manager recalled him as "a very interesting character who has refused to join the 21st century. I loved to listen to his stories."
Dallas McKennon is survived by Betty, his wife since 1942, and by their eight children.
(This post was edited by eminovitz on Jul 15, 2009, 1:20 AM)
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Directing Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Jul 15, 2009, 11:37 AM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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Aww, that's too bad.
His hyena laugh was also used for Ripper Roo, too...
It should also be noted that even though some "Charles Farrington" was credited with voicing Gumby in the 1988 episodes and the Gumby movie, Dal McKennon actually provided the voice of the iconic green clay boy in those productions. He also only voiced Pokey in the 1962 shorts (and many other males of the time, Nancy Wible and Norma McMillian voiced the females in the shorts of the era). Art Clokey was the one that voiced Pokey in the 1950s and the 1980s (and Prickle in the late 1980s, too).
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"Being a genius certainly has its advantages."
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Directing Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Jul 15, 2009, 11:58 AM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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I think Dallas McKennon also played the voice of Inspector Willoughby for Walter Lantz as well.
"Archie's TV Funnies" showed the entire Archie voice cast's (McKennon, Howard Morris, John Erwin, Jane Webb) versatility the best as they played every character in the various segments in the series. McKennon played Irwin the Troll in "Broom Hilda", Sam Catchum in "Dick Tracy", The Chief in "Smokey Stover", Fritz and The Captain in "The Captain and The Kids", and Kayo in "Moon Mullins".
He had the beard when he voiced teenager Archie.
(This post was edited by artytoons on Jul 15, 2009, 12:00 PM)
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Research Guru / Moderator
Posted:
Jul 15, 2009, 2:48 PM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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Yes, he was Inspector Willoughby.
Occasionally, he was Wally Walrus (1953's What's Sweepin'? and Operation Sawdust) and Dapper Denver Dooley. Also for Lantz, he was Paw (alongside Grace Stafford's Maw) in the "Maw and Paw" series, modeled after Universal's very successful Ma and Pa Kettle movies.
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Directing Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Jul 16, 2009, 2:44 PM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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Archie's TV Funnies segments and voice cast:
Archie at the tv studio:
Archie/Mr Weatherbee/Coach Kleats/Hot Dog: Dallas McKennon
Reggie: John Erwin
Jughead/Big Moose/Dilton Doiley: Howard Morris
Betty/Veronica/Miss Grundy/Big Ethel: Jane Webb
Broom Hilda:
Broom Hilda: Jane Webb
Gaylord the vulture: John Erwin
Irwin the troll: Dallas McKennon
The Captain and The Kids:
Hans (blonde): Howard Morris
Fritz (brunette)/The Captain: Dallas McKennon
Momma: Jane Webb
The Inspector: John Webb
Dick Tracy:
Dick Tracy: John Erwin
Sam Catchum/BO Plenty/Diet Smith: Dallas McKennon
Junior/Chief Patton: Howard Morris
Tess/Moonmaid/Gravel Gertie: Jane Webb
Nancy and Sluggo:
Nancy: Jane Webb
Sluggo: John Erwin
Emmy Lou:
Emmy Lou/Taffy: Jane Webb
Alvin: John Erwin
Smokey Stover:
Smokey/Foo the cat: John Erwin
The Chief: Dallas McKennon
The Chief's wife: Jane Webb
The Chief's nephew: Howard Morris
The Dropouts:
Sandy the short one: Dallas McKennon
Alf the tall one: John Erwin
Moon Mullins:
Moon Mullins: Howard Morris
Kayo: Dallas McKennon
(This post was edited by artytoons on Jul 16, 2009, 2:46 PM)
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Inbetweener
Posted:
Jul 16, 2009, 8:57 PM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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"Archie's TV Funnies" showed the entire Archie voice cast's (McKennon, Howard Morris, John Erwin, Jane Webb) versatility the best as they played every character in the various segments in the series.
I never thought of John Erwin as terribly versatile. I could hear Morris the Cat in every character.
Dodsworth
http://yowpyowp.blogspot.com
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Directing Animator / Contributor
Posted:
Jul 17, 2009, 9:29 AM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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"Archie's TV Funnies" showed the entire Archie voice cast's (McKennon, Howard Morris, John Erwin, Jane Webb) versatility the best as they played every character in the various segments in the series. I never thought of John Erwin as terribly versatile. I could hear Morris the Cat in every character. Dodsworth http://yowpyowp.blogspot.com
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"Don't chew gum on camera. Don't whistle. You may kiss Bob Barker but please don't kill him." -announcer Johnny Olson briefing the audience of potential contestants for "The Price is Right"
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Animator / Contributor
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Jul 18, 2009, 8:30 PM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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BY GUM.
You mean that wasn't Bob Hastings who did the TV Archie voice? The voice sounded exactly like the one in the radio version.
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"UGGA-UGGA-BOO,
UGGA-BOO-BOO,
UGGA!" --Mel Blanc & Hans Conried
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Research Guru / Moderator
Posted:
Jul 19, 2009, 12:55 PM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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It turns out that McKennon didn't die in Oregon, but at the Willapa Harbor Care Center in Raymond, Washington. He had been living in the Raymond area for the past few years.
The Daily World of Grays Harbor, Washington reported Friday that he moved to the area to be near three of his daughters, who are Pacific County residents.
Daughter Barbara Porter of Raymond said that he was officially credited with over 160 character voices, although he probably had dozens more that were uncredited.
“His voice will probably always live on,” Porter said. He didn’t have major roles, “but I’d listen to the movies and I could point out ‘that dog in 101 Dalmatians is my dad,’ or that fox chasing people around the carousel in Mary Poppins,” she told the paper.
He had roles in “The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo” and voiced Professor Calculus in the import detective series “Tintin.”
McKennon started in radio at Portland, Oregon station KGW.
Besides Porter, he is survived by his wife Betty, who lives in a care center in Aberdeen, Washington; two sons and six daughters, including Porter and Linda Strozyk, both of Raymond; and Tamara Rock of South Bend, Washington.
(This post was edited by eminovitz on Jul 20, 2009, 1:56 AM)
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Supervising Animator
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Jul 19, 2009, 3:17 PM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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Dammit...the voice of Gumby is gone.
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Thank God for kids who love obscure things-Lee Hazelwood (1929-2007)
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Inbetweener
Posted:
Jul 20, 2009, 1:47 AM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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It turns out that McKennon didn't die in Oregon, but at the Willapa Harbor Care Center in Raymond, Washington. He had been living in the Raymond area for the past few years.
The Daily World of Grays Harbor, Washington reported Friday that he moved to the area to be near three of his daughters, who are Pacific County residents.
I would hope that this means the AP has finally picked up the story so it can get some national airplay.
On more than one occasion, animation forums and sites have been the ones to report deaths only to have the mainstream media pick up on the story some time later.
Dodsworth
http://yowpyowp.blogspot.com
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Directing Animator
Posted:
Jul 20, 2009, 2:14 PM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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My local paper carried the AP notice in its Obituaries section only today... A lot of celebrites and personalities have passed away this past month!
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"I'd like to cover you with furs and automobiles!"
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Research Guru / Moderator
Posted:
Jul 20, 2009, 6:35 PM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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UPI has it, too, as does the L.A. Times.
"He was an entertainer," Will Ryan, a friend and fellow voice actor, told the Times. "There was something of the 6-year-old in him, no matter what his age was....
"He had a gift for mimicry, but there's that spirit behind it.... It wasn't so much that he could do different voices, but that he could enthusiastically do different personalities."
McKennon became fascinated by the animals on his aunt and uncle's farm, where he was sent to live after his mother died unexpectedly. "Besides doing the chores, I'd go out in the barnyard and see if I could imitate the animals. I learned to do dogs and most of the animal sounds," he told the Lake Oswego, Oregon Review several years ago.
He introduced cartoons and played Captain Jet on Space Funnies, a mid-1950s kiddie show on KNXT-TV in Los Angeles.
Besides his wife, McKennon is survived by daughters Dalene Lackaff of Woolwich, Maine; Barbara Porter and Linda Strozyk, both of Raymond, Washington; Gayle McKennon of Hyannis, Massachusetts; Tamara Rock of South Bend, Washington; and Wendy McKennon of North Bend, Oregon; and sons Jerald McKennon of Tualatin, Oregon and Steven McKennon of Newberg, Oregon. He is also survived by 21 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren!
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Inbetweener
Posted:
Jul 20, 2009, 10:18 PM
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Re: Dallas McKennon, 89, was voice of Archie Andrews
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My local paper carried the AP notice in its Obituaries section only today... A lot of celebrites and personalities have passed away this past month!
I didn't see a seperate on the wire at work but I've noticed on-line there's an AP write dated July 17. UPI's story is from July 19 and quotes the L.A. Times from the day before.
I'm glad to see his death got some space.
Some old news stories found via Google are quite interesting. There's a photo (AP) of him in 1985 before going to Tokyo to play Santa.
McKennon also appeared on what sounds like an interesting local Los Angeles TV show in the early days called Animal Panel. Says the Times (Jan. 13, 1953):
After watching KNBH's (4) new Sunday night Animal Panel show it s easy to see how veteran actors and actresses shy away from appearances opposite such scene stealers as pets or youngsters. Both appear on the new show and it would take a tremendous performance by any actor to top them.
If you didn't catch the premiere show Jack McCoy sits as moderator (and performs quite well, incidentally) to a panel consisting of a sophisticated and bored St. Bernard, Flash Fitzpatrick; a tiny monkey, Emily Pickens; a cocky leghorn rooster, Rawhide Roper, and a guest star, Cecelia the Seal. McCoy asks them innocuous questions and the quartet's reactions serve as a cue to quick-witted Dal McKennon and Dick Rand, voices behind the panel.
My only complaint was to the show running an hour. It could be tightened into a compact half-hour program the same result.
Sounds like McKennon ad-libbed answers from the animals based on their expression. I can see why he'd have been hired to do cartoons based on something like that.
Dodsworth
http://yowpyowp.blogspot.com
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