Valentine John Bettin (July 8, 1923 – January 7, 2021) was an American actor, known for using an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

accent in all of his roles. He is perhaps best known for voicing Dr. David Q. Dawson in the 1986 Disney animated film ''

The Great Mouse Detective ''The Great Mouse Detective'' (also known as ''The Adventures of the Great Mouse Detective'' for its 1992 theatrical re-release and ''Basil the Great Mouse Detective'' in some countries) is a 1986 American animated mystery adventure film produc ...

'' and the Sultan in ''

The Return of Jafar ''The Return of Jafar'' (sometimes marketed as ''Aladdin: The Return of Jafar'' on re-release) is a 1994 American direct-to-video animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Television. It is the first sequel to the 1992 fi ...

'' and '' Aladdin and the King of Thieves'', the two direct-to-video sequels to Disney's ''Aladdin'' as well as the

TV show A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed bet ...

, taking over for

Douglas Seale Douglas Seale (28 October 1913 – 13 June 1999) was an English film and stage actor. Early life Born in London, Seale was educated at Rutlish School in Wimbledon and trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Career He ...

. Bettin also hosted ''The Storyteller'', a children's show on Chicago television in the late 1950s.

Early life and career

He was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin on July 8, 1923. In 1948, he went to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

to enroll in the

Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...

and graduated in 1950. There he met his wife Hildy in 1950, and the two married that same year. They returned to the United States in order for him to become a drama teacher in

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...

. Bettin's first film role was in 1980's '' Somewhere in Time''. He later became a voice actor, with his first role as Dr. David Q. Dawson in the 1986 Disney film ''

''. His credits included ''

Shrek ''Shrek'' is a 2001 American computer-animated comedy film loosely based on the 1990 book of the same name by William Steig. It is the first installment in the ''Shrek'' franchise. The film was directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jen ...

'', '' Gargoyles'', '' Mighty Ducks: The Animated Series'' and '' W.I.T.C.H.''.

Personal life

He married Hildy Pender, from

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

, England, in 1950. She died in

Ventura, California Ventura, officially named San Buenaventura (Spanish for "Saint Bonaventure"), is a city on the Southern Coast of California and the county seat of Ventura County. The population was 110,763 at the 2020 census. Ventura is a popular tourist des ...

on August 16, 2007, at the age of 82. Bettin died in Ventura on January 7, 2021, at the age of 97. He was buried at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park on 3 March.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Audiobooks

*'' Quest for Camelot Audio Action-Adventure'' (1998) - Narrator

References

External links

*
Val Bettin at the Great Mouse Detective fansite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bettin, Val 1923 births 2021 deaths 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art American male film actors American male radio actors American male stage actors American male television actors American male voice actors Male actors from Wisconsin People from La Crosse, Wisconsin