10 Legendary Cartoon Voices (and where else you may have heard them)
Well, there goes more of my childhood. Lucille Bliss, better known as the voice of Smurfette, passed away last week at the age of 96. While she was probably known best for her role as the Smurf Village sweetheart, Bliss enjoyed a 60-year career in Hollywood. Her long list of famous parts includes Anastasia, Cinderella's wicked stepsister; the "Kanine Krunchies" commercial singer in 101 Dalmatians; and Mrs. Fitzgibbons in The Secret of NIHM.
My six-year-old mind would have been totally blown to learn that the lovely Smurfette was the same person as the horrible Anastasia. Here are a few others that would have boggled my brain — and might surprise you as well.
1. Nancy Cartwright
Nancy Cartwright, AKA Bart Simpson, has also been the voice of Rufus on Kim Possible, Kip Kangaroo on Shirt Tales and, for a few episodes, Chuckie on Rugrats. Plus, extreme fans of Who Framed Roger Rabbit might recognize her as the voice of the "dipped" shoe. OK, probably not.
2. Billy West
3. Eleanor Audley
I have to mention Eleanor Audley because she is the voice of the psychic whose head is floating in the crystal ball at the Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion. In addition to being in my favorite theme park attraction ever, Eleanor Audley was also Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty and Lady Tremaine, the wicked stepmother in Cinderella. I guess she just had a perfectly sinister voice.
4. Verna Felton
Verna Felton is another voice actress the Disney company frequently employed. She was one of the fairy godmothers in Sleeping Beauty (Flora), Aunt Sarah in Lady and the Tramp, the fairy godmother in Cinderella, and, my personal favorite, the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland.
5. Patrick Warburton
Seinfeld fans know Patrick Warburton as Elaine's on-again-off-again boyfriend David Putty. His voice is so distinctive, though, that it's easy to place it when you hear it coming through the screen. Kronk from The Emperor's New Groove? That's Patrick Warburton. Joe Swanson, the cop on Family Guy? Brock Samson from the Venture Brothers? Buzz Lightyear in Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, the TV show that followed Toy Story? Patrick Warburton. High five.
6. Mae Questel
Although voluptuous Betty Boop and skinny-as-a-broomstick Olive Oyl couldn't be much different, they are actually the same person: Mae Questel. Interestingly, it looks like she didn't do Betty's voice from about 1939 until Who Framed Roger Rabbit in 1988. Though she's not a cartoon character, it may also interest you to know that Questel played Aunt Bethany in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Is your house on fire, Clark?
7. Daws Butler
8. Scatman Crothers
9. Tress MacNeille
Another favorite of mine was Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers. It came as quite a shock that Chip and Gadget were both voiced by the same person - Tress MacNeille. I looked her up and it turns out she voices about a million Simpsons characters. OK, so it's more like 17 (plus some minor characters). Those include Mrs. Skinner, Dr. Hibbert's wife, Apu's wife, the crazy cat lady, Lunchlady Doris and Plopper, the pig from The Simpsons Movie. She also voices multiple characters on Futurama, was Babs the Bunny on Tiny Toon Adventures and Dot on Animaniacs.