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Laff-A-Lympics
''Laff-A-Lympics'' is an American animated comedy television series produced by Hanna-Barbera. The series premiered as part of the Saturday-morning cartoon program block '' Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics'', on ABC in 1977. The show is a spoof of the Olympics and the ABC primetime series ''Battle of the Network Stars'', which debuted one year earlier. It featured 45 Hanna-Barbera characters organized into teams (the Scooby Doobies, the Yogi Yahooeys, and the Really Rottens) which competed each week for gold, silver, and bronze medals. One season of 16 episodes was produced in 1977–78, and eight new episodes combined with reruns for the 1978–79 season as '' Scooby's All-Stars''. Unlike most cartoon series produced by Hanna-Barbera in the 1970s, ''Laff-A-Lympics'' did not contain a laugh track. ''Scooby’s Laff-a-Lympics'' was originally owned by Taft Broadcasting, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution currently owns the series through its two in-name-only units ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marilyn Schreffler
Marilyn Sue Schreffler (June 14, 1945 – January 7, 1988) was an American voice actress who provided voice-overs for several animated television series, mostly for Hanna-Barbera Productions. Biography Marilyn Schreffler was born in Wichita, Kansas on June 14, 1945. She graduated from Topeka West High School in 1963. She briefly attended Washburn University before moving on to Chicago and Cleveland, where she worked in several comedy groups. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Schreffler had moved to Los Angeles and began her career doing voice-overs for animated TV programs. at Her first television voice-ov ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alan Reed
Alan Reed (born Herbert Theodore Bergman; August 20, 1907 – June 14, 1977) was an American actor, best known as the original voice of Fred Flintstone on ''The Flintstones'' and various spinoff series. He also appeared in many films, including '' Days of Glory'', ''The Tarnished Angels'', '' Breakfast at Tiffany's'', ''Viva Zapata!'' (as Pancho Villa), and ''Nob Hill'', and various television and radio series. Early years Alan Reed was born Herbert Theodore Bergman on August 20, 1907, in New York City to Jewish parents. His father was a Lithuanian-Jewish immigrant and his mother was born in the United States to Ukrainian-Jewish parents from Galicia."Fred Flintstone: A Stone Age Star With A Jewish Voice." ''Jewish Humor Central.com'', October 10, 2010. Retrie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vernee Watson-Johnson
Vernee Christell Watson-Johnson (née Watson; born September 28, 1949) is an American actress, author, and acting coach. Watson-Johnson is best known for her recurring roles as Vernajean Williams on ''Welcome Back, Kotter'' (1975–1979) and as Viola "Vy" Smith on ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' (1990–1996), playing the mother of Will Smith's character. She is often featured in guest or recurring roles as a nurse. She is currently playing Gloria Tyler (the head nurse) on ''Bob Hearts Abishola''. Early life Vernee Christell Watson was born in New York City on September 28, 1949, where she was also raised. She graduated from Cathedral High School and New York University with a major in drama. She began her professional career at age 17 with the Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble in Manhattan and would tour with the group for 5 years. Career Watson-Johnson played Blue's love interest in the 1972 film ''Trick Baby''. She was also a regular cast member of the 1985–1986 situation co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don Messick
Donald Earle Messick (September 7, 1926 – October 24, 1997) was an American voice actor. He was best known for his performances in Hanna-Barbera cartoons. His best-remembered vocal creations include Scooby-Doo, Bamm-Bamm Rubble and Hoppy in '' The Flintstones'', Astro in '' The Jetsons'', Muttley in '' Wacky Races'' and '' Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines'', Boo-Boo Bear and Ranger Smith in '' The Yogi Bear Show'', Sebastian the Cat in '' Josie and the Pussycats''; Gears, Ratchet, and Scavenger in '' The Transformers'', Papa Smurf and Azrael in '' The Smurfs'', Hamton J. Pig in '' Tiny Toon Adventures'', and Dr. Benton Quest in '' Jonny Quest''. Early life Messick was born on September 7, 1926 in Buffalo, New York, the son of Binford Earl Messick, a house painter, and Lena Birch ( Hughes). He was raised by his maternal grandparents in the Bolton Hill neighborhood of Baltimore, where he received his early training as a performer at the Ramsay Street Sc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Besser
Joe Besser (August 12, 1907 – March 1, 1988) was an American actor, comedian and musician, known for his impish humor and wimpy characters. He is best known for his brief stint as a member of The Three Stooges in movie short subjects of 1957–59. He is also remembered for his television roles: Stinky, the bratty man-child in ''The Abbott and Costello Show'', and Jillson, the maintenance man in '' The Joey Bishop Show''. Early life Besser was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 12, 1907. He was the ninth child of Morris and Fanny echtBesser, Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. He had seven older sisters, and an older brother Manny who was in show business, primarily as an ethnic Jewish comic. From an early age, Joe was fascinated with show business, especially the magic act of Howard Thurston that visited St. Louis annually. When Joe was 12, Thurston allowed him to be an audience plant. Besser was so excited by this, he sneaked into Thurston's train after the St. Loui ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scatman Crothers
Benjamin Sherman Crothers (May 23, 1910 – November 22, 1986), known professionally as Scatman Crothers, was an American actor and musician. He is known for playing Louie the Garbage Man on the TV show '' Chico and the Man'', and Dick Hallorann in Stanley Kubrick's '' The Shining'' (1980). He was also a prolific voice-over actor who provided the voices of Meadowlark Lemon in the ''Harlem Globetrotters'' animated TV series, Jazz the Autobot in '' The Transformers'' and '' The Transformers: The Movie'' (1986), the title character in '' Hong Kong Phooey'', and Scat Cat in the animated film ''The Aristocats'' (1970). Music career He began his musical career as a teenager. He sang and was self-educated on guitar and drums. He was in a band that played in speakeasies in Terre Haute. During the 1930s, he formed a band, spent eight years living in Akron, Ohio, and performed five days a week on a radio show in Dayton, Ohio. The station manager thought he needed a catchier name, so ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Stephenson (actor)
John Winfield Stephenson (August 9, 1923 – May 15, 2015) was an American actor, most active in voice-over roles. He has also been credited as John Stevenson. Stephenson never gave any interviews and was rarely seen in public, although he did make an appearance at BotCon 2001. Early life Stephenson was from Kenosha, Wisconsin, the oldest son of Ray and Martha Stephenson. He went to Ripon College and was active in campus drama. Stephenson wanted to be a lawyer and studied at the University of Wisconsin Law School. After serving in the United States Army Air Forces, as a gunner and radio operator, during World War II, John Stephenson graduated from Northwestern University with a master's degree in Speech and Drama in 1948. In 1946, during his studies, he gained an acting role on an episode of a drama radio series on WBKB. Death Stephenson died of Alzheimer's disease, aged 91 on May 15, 2015. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, their two children (a son and a daughter) and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio personality, who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably ''American Top 40''. He was the first actor to voice Norville "Shaggy" Rogers in the '' Scooby-Doo'' franchise (1969 to 1997 and 2002 to 2009) and as Dick Grayson/Robin in '' Super Friends'' (1973–1985). Kasem began hosting the original ''American Top 40'' on the weekend of July 4, 1970, and remained there until 1988. He would then spend nine years hosting another countdown titled '' Casey's Top 40'', beginning in January 1989 and ending in February 1998, before returning to revive ''American Top 40'' in 1998. Along the way, spin-offs of the original countdown were conceived for country music and adult contemporary audiences, and Kasem hosted two countdowns for the latter format beginning in 1992 and continuing until 2009. He also founded the '' American Video Awards'' in 1983 and continu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henry Corden
Henry Corden (born Henry Cohen; January 6, 1920 – May 19, 2005) was a Canadian-born American actor, best known for taking over the role of Fred Flintstone after Alan Reed's death in 1977. His official debut as Fred's new voice was in the 1965 Hanna-Barbera record, ''Saving Mr. Flintstone'', although he had previously provided the singing voice for Reed in the 1966 theatrical film ''The Man Called Flintstone'' and the Hanna-Barbera specials ''Alice in Wonderland or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?'' (1966) and '' Energy: A National Issue'' (1977). He took over the role as Fred Flintstone full time starting with the syndicated weekday series '' Fred Flintstone and Friends'' for which he provided voice-overs on brief bumper clips shown in-between segments. Early years Corden was born in Montreal to Max and Emma Cohen. His father was a meat curer who had been born in Romania; his mother was originally from Russia. The family moved to the Bronx, New York w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Daws Butler
Charles Dawson Butler (November 16, 1916May 18, 1988) was an American voice actor. He worked mostly for the Hanna-Barbera animation production company where he originated the voices of many familiar characters, including Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Auggie Doggie, Loopy De Loop, Wally Gator, Quick Draw McGraw and Baba Looey, Snooper and Blabber, Hokey Wolf, Elroy Jetson, Peter Potamus, The Funky Phantom and Hair Bear. Early life and career Butler was born on November 16, 1916, in Toledo, Ohio, the only child of Charles Allen Butler and Ruth Butler. The family later moved from Ohio to Oak Park, Illinois, where Butler became interested in impersonating people. In 1935, the future voice master started as an impressionist, entering multiple amateur contests and winning most of them. He had entered them not with the intention of showing his talent, but as a personal challenge to overcome his shyness (with success). Nonetheless, Butler won professional engagements at v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome Blanc (born Blank ; May 30, 1908July 10, 1989) was an American voice actor and radio personality whose career spanned over 60 years. During the Golden Age of Radio, he provided character voices and vocal sound effects for comedy radio programs, including those of Jack Benny, Abbott and Costello, Burns and Allen, The Great Gildersleeve, Judy Canova, and his own short-lived sitcom. However, he became known worldwide for his work in the Golden Age of American Animation as the voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and numerous other characters from the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' theatrical cartoons. He later voiced characters for Hanna-Barbera's television cartoons, including Barney Rubble and Dino on ''The Flintstones'', Mr. Spacely on '' The Jetsons'', Secret Squirrel on '' Secret Squirrel'', and Captain Caveman on '' Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels''. Referred to as "The Man of a Thousand Voices", he is regarded as one of the most ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Julie Bennett
Julie Bennett (January 24, 1932 – March 31, 2020) was an American actress and later talent agent and realtor. Early years Bennett was born in Manhattan, New York, on January 24, 1932. Acting career A native of Hollywood, Bennett worked as a character actress on stage, on radio, and in several film and television programs, including ''The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show'', '' Adventures of Superman'', and '' Dragnet''. Voice-acting career Bennett worked as a voice actress from the 1950s until the early 2000s. She recorded voices for UPA, Warner Bros., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Format Films' '' The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show'' (for the segment " Fractured Fairy Tales"), and Hanna-Barbera Productions. She is best known as the voice of Hanna-Barbera's Cindy Bear on '' The Yogi Bear Show'' and its feature-film spin-off '' Hey There, It's Yogi Bear!'' She reprised the character in '' Yogi's Treasure Hunt'', '' Yogi and the Invasion of the Space Bears'', and '' The New Yogi Bear ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
