Walker Robert Edmiston (February 6, 1926 – February 15, 2007) was an American actor and puppeteer.
Early years
Walker Edmiston was born in
St. Louis,
Missouri
Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
, on February 6, 1926, to William Sherman Edmiston (1894–1976) and Anna Edmiston (née Anderson, 1887–1967). Edmiston participated in local theater productions during his high school years.
He later studied at the
Pasadena Playhouse.
Career
In the 1950s, Edmiston worked on puppet shows on
KTLA-TV in Los Angeles.
His voice was heard on the puppet programs ''The Buffalo Billy Show''
and ''Time for Beany'' and on ''
Dumbo's Circus'', which included live action and animation. He was also a member of the cast of ''Lidsville'' and voiced characters on ''
Pandamonium''. He appeared in character roles on several TV programs during the 1950s through the '70s, including the ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' episode
The Corbomite Maneuver as the voice of Balok. He also appeared in ''
Gunsmoke
''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centered on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central charact ...
'', ''
Mission: Impossible'', ''
Knots Landing
''Knots Landing'' is an American primetime television soap opera that aired on CBS from December 27, 1979, to May 13, 1993. A spin-off of ''Dallas (TV series), Dallas'', it was set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles and initially cente ...
'', ''
Adam-12
''Adam-12'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb and produced by Mark VII Limited and Universal Television. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pe ...
'', ''
The Bob Newhart Show
''The Bob Newhart Show'' is an American television sitcom produced by MTM Enterprises that aired on CBS from September 16, 1972, to April 1, 1978, with a total of 142 half-hour episodes over six seasons. Comedian Bob Newhart portrays a psychol ...
'' and ''
The Dukes of Hazzard''.
[ He also played a character based on "]Chester
Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...
" in "Gun-Shy," the '' Maverick'' parody of ''Gunsmoke'' starring James Garner. In 1966, Edmiston had a recurring role as Regan in the short-lived ABC comedy
Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium.
Origins
Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...
western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
series '' The Rounders'' with co-stars Ron Hayes, Patrick Wayne, and Chill Wills
Theodore Childress "Chill" Wills (July 18, 1902 – December 15, 1978) was an American actor and a singer in the Avalon Boys quartet.
Early life
Wills was born in Seagoville, Texas, on July 18, 1902.
Career
Wills was a performer from early c ...
.
Edmiston also did many television commercials
A television advertisement (also called a commercial, spot, break, advert, or ad) is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization. It conveys a message promoting, and aiming to market, a product, service or idea. ...
and animated character voices, such as Ernie the elf in hundreds of commercials for the cookie products of the Keebler Company
The Keebler Company is an American cookie and former cracker manufacturer. Founded in 1853, it has produced numerous baked snacks, advertised with the Keebler Elves. Keebler had marketed its brands such as Cheez-It (which bear the Sunshine Biscu ...
, and voices for characters on '' H.R. Pufnstuf'' and '' The Bugaloos'' from the studios of Sid and Marty Krofft
Sid Krofft (born July 30, 1929) and Marty Krofft (April 9, 1937 – November 25, 2023), known as The Krofft Brothers and born as Cydus and Moshopopoulos Yolas, were a Canadian sibling team of television creators, writers and puppeteers. Through ...
,[ as well as a recurring role as Enik the Altrusian in '' Land of the Lost''. He also did many character voices on the ]Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family (FOTF or FotF) is an American Christian fundamentalism, Evangelical Protestant organization founded in 1977 in Southern California by James Dobson, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The group is one of a number of Evangel ...
radio program, '' Adventures in Odyssey'', in which he played Tom Riley, Bart Rathbone, and numerous other one-shot characters for more than twenty years. Following Edmiston's death, both characters were retired from the show.
Some of his voice credits were under the stage name
A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...
Walter Edmiston. In 1985, he voiced the Autobot
The Autobots are a fictional faction of sentient robots in the ''Transformers'' multimedia franchise. The Autobots are living robots from the planet Cybertron who, like most Transformers, are each imbued with a unique "life force" known as a " ...
Inferno in '' The Transformers''.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, he hosted ''The Walker Edmiston Show'', a children's television program
Children's television series (or children's television shows) are Television show, television programs designed specifically for Child, children. They are typically characterised by easy-going content devoid of sensitive or adult themes and are ...
in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. The program featured puppets of his own creation including Kingsley the Lion, Ravenswood the Buzzard,[ and Callie the Cat.
In 1962, Edmiston and his family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he began a daily puppet show on KOOL-TV.][ He was also a stage director at Children's Theater in Phoenix.]
Personal life and death
Edmiston married Evelyn in 1950, and together they had two children, daughters Andria and Erin.[
]
Filmography
Television
Film
References
External links
*
*
CONELRAD Appreciation
(archived)
Walker Edmiston
at Mark Evanier
Mark Stephen Evanier (; born March 2, 1952) is an American comic book and television writer, known for his work on the animated TV series '' Garfield and Friends'' and on the comic book '' Groo the Wanderer''. He is also known for his columns and ...
's ''News From Me'' (14 articles, from 1996 through to 2007 obituary)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edmiston, Walker
1926 births
2007 deaths
American male radio actors
American male television actors
American male voice actors
Deaths from cancer in California
Male actors from Los Angeles
Male actors from St. Louis
20th-century American male actors