April Winchell

April Terri Winchell (born January 4, 1960) is an American actress, writer, and radio host. Since 1996, she has been the voice of Clarabelle Cow.

Early life

Born on January 4, 1960, in Whitestone, New York, but raised in the Greater Los Angeles Area"Mugging It Up"
'' The Register Leisuretime Magazine''. May 12, 1963. p.1 5. Retrieved April 18, 2025. "Ventriloquist Paul Winchell and his youngest daughter, April, aged 3, clown for the camera on his KABC-TV show (Sunday evenings at 7). Winchell, whose wife helps with the show, would like to try a unique video approach to emotional therapy for children." (primarily Woodland HillsChase, Dennis (August 13, 1976)
"NCMC Theatre Season Coming to a Close; Meet Six Torch Light Theatre Stars: April Winchell"
'' Petoskey News-Review''. 1976. p. 27. Retrieved April 17, 2025. "Do you remember the young lady with the high pitched squeaky voice who played Ado Annie Carnes SO well in 'Oklahoma'? That was April Winchell, 16, and a native of Woodland, Cal. ..'I got involved in theatre very early,' she recalled, 'since I come from what's known as a show business family. ..'My mother is a screenwriter and my father is a ventriloquist,' she said, "and while they never pushed me into anything, I was constantly surrounded by all aspects of theatre, and I really loved it.'"), Winchell is the daughter of inventor, ventriloquist and comedian Paul Winchell and his second wife, actress-writer Nina—née Ventimiglia— Russell. In her weblog writings and appearances on radio, Winchell describes her childhood with many references to the great talent of her father as well as the many disturbing incidents owing to his mental health issues.

Winchell attended Sequoia Junior High School, North Central Michigan College. and Orange Coast College, where, in August 1977, her "vivacious acting and full-throated singing" as the female lead in OCC's summer theater production of the Michael Stewart- Jerry Herman musical, '' Mack and Mabel'', found an enthusiastic audience in ''Los Angeles Times'' critic Richard Buffum.

Career

Acting

Winchell's projects include the role of Sylvia in '' Wander Over Yonder,'' a Disney Channel animated series featuring Jack McBrayer in the title role. Created by '' The Powerpuff Girls'' producers Craig McCracken and Lauren Faust, the show chronicles the adventures of Wander and his trusty (and cynical) steed Sylvia, as they travel the universe. The series premiered on the Disney Channel in September 2013.

As a voice actress, she has been heard in hundreds of animated television series, such as ''Goof Troop'' (as Peg Pete), '' Recess'' (as Mrs. Muriel Finster), ''House of Mouse'' and ''Mickey Mouse Clubhouse'' (as Clarabelle Cow), '' Bonkers'' (as Lucky's wife, Dyl Piquel), ''Pepper Ann'' (as title character's mom, Lydia Pearson), and '' Kids from Room 402'' (as Miss Gracie Graves the school teacher, along with several other characters that appear on the show), '' The Legend of Tarzan'' (taking over for Rosie O'Donnell as Terk in the original film), '' 101 Dalmatians: The Series'' (as Cruella De Vil), and '' SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron'' (as Molly Mange).

She has also voiced characters in numerous films, including ''Antz'', ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'', ''Monsters University'' and Rob Zombie's '' The Haunted World of El Superbeasto''. Winchell portrayed the "Glendale Federal Bank" lady – a cranky, cynical customer alleviated by the service at her new bank – in a series of radio commercials, which Winchell wrote and directed herself. The commercials caught the attention of Roseanne Barr, who hired her as a writer on Barr's eponymous sitcom.

Radio

Besides her many contributions to radio advertising as a director, writer, and performer, Winchell also hosted a radio talk show program on KFI, a Los Angeles radio station. This weekend program aired for three years, and enjoyed the fastest growth audience in the history of the station. Subsequent to the end of this program in November 2002, she appeared semi-regularly on the ''Ask Mr. KABC'' program, on KABC, an AM station also in Los Angeles – until the show ended in February 2007.

In 2005, Winchell signed a deal with U.S. pay-TV service HBO to develop and host a show on Sirius Satellite Radio. However, on her official website on May 3, 2006, she announced that negotiations had stalled out between HBO and Sirius, leaving her program in limbo.

On March 16, 2007, she returned to semi-regular radio appearances on '' The Marc "Mr. K" Germain Show'' on KTLK-AM (the new show hosted by the former Mr. KABC) and appeared twice a month. (Her appearances on Germain's show are available at her website in addition to KTLK's website.) During March, Winchell was "banned for life" from KABC (AM) in Los Angeles at the behest of ABC radio host Bill O'Reilly, over a retelling of an occurrence she dubbed "Croissantgate" (KABC provided Bill O'Reilly with croissants that were not fresh enough for his taste, causing a commotion at the station).

Theater

As a musical theater actress, Winchell starred as '' Ado Annie'' in the Columbia Artists revival of ''Oklahoma!'', and appeared opposite Kevin Spacey in ''Gypsy''.

Winchell wrote and starred as "Sheila Sands" in her show at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles to sold out crowds. The show was produced by Lily Tomlin and Jane Wagner, who discovered her at Cafe Largo in Hollywood. Winchell reprised the character to open for Brad Garrett at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas in 2013.

She has also been a frequent panelist on the live-stage version of '' What's My Line'' at the Acme Comedy Theatre in Hollywood.

Advertising

In 1992, Winchell and her then-husband Mick Kuisel formed Radio Savant Productions, a radio advertising production company."Public Notices"
''LA Weekly''. June 4, 1992. p. 123. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
"Fictitious Business Name Statement #92137039. The following persons are doing business as RADIO SAVANT PRODUCTIONS, IDIOT SAVANT PRODUCTIONS. 13900 Tahiti Way Ste 304. Marina Del Rey. CA 90292. April Terri Winchell. 13900 Tahiti Way Ste 304. Marina Del Rey. CA 90292. Mick Anthony Kuisel. 13900 Tahiti Way Ste 304. Marina Del Rey, CA 90292." Since that time, Winchell has received many awards including Cannes, Clio, The $100,000 Mercury Award and The International Grand Andy (bestowed by The Association of Independent Commercial Producers) – it was the only time the Andy was given for radio. Winchell also provided the award-winning radio and television advertising for Big Bear Mountain Resorts for over 20 years.

Internet

In October 2009, Winchell (under the pseudonym "Helen Killer") launched Regretsy, a blog website which satirized Etsy. Within four days, the site had received nearly 90 million hits. This huge viral success caught the attention of Random House, who subsequently won a bidding war to publish a book based around the Regretsy website. The book, which was published April 6, 2010, features humorous and bizarre crafts and artwork from several different artists, as well as essays about Winchell's personal life, childhood and own crafting failures. As of March 1, 2012, the Regretsy site had raised over $200,000 for charitable causes. The popularity of Regretsy's "Not Remotely Steampunk" section even inspired a viral " chap hop" music video. Winchell ceased updating Regretsy on February 1, 2013.

Winchell made several appearances on early episodes of the internet broadcast series "Talk Radio One," interviewed by former Los Angeles radio personality Marc Germain. She became a weekly guest on the series beginning in 2017.

Other work

Winchell worked on the 1996 video game '' Toonstruck'' in which she voiced a number of characters including Ms. Fit, Polly, Punisher Polly and Dr. Payne's Receptionist. Not only did she voice the characters but she has also worked as casting and dialogue director for the game. She also worked as a punch writer for '' Recess: School's Out'' and wrote three episodes of the American sitcom ''Roseanne''.

Personal life

Winchell and Kevin Spacey dated after high school. She is married to John Foley.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Live-action

References

External links

Official website
*

Current appearances on Talk Radio One

{{DEFAULTSORT:Winchell, April
1960 births
Living people
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Actresses from Los Angeles
American casting directors
American child actresses
American film actresses
American HIV/AIDS activists
American musical theatre actresses
American radio producers
American talk radio hosts
American television actresses
American television writers
American voice actresses
American voice directors
American women casting directors
American women comedians
American women radio hosts
American women radio producers
American women screenwriters
American women television writers
Audiobook narrators
Comedians from Los Angeles
People from Woodland Hills, Los Angeles