Dal McKennon RIP

[cbrubaker]

Dal McKennon, who did numerous voices for Walter Lantz, as well as on various made-for-TV cartoons (QT Hush, Archie, etc.), died this morning according to Jerry.

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/tv/dallas...1919-2009.html

I thought I'd post a link to a GAC interview with Dal from a few years back.

http://lantz.goldenagecartoons.com/dalmckennon.html

[nickramer]

Originally Posted by cbrubaker

Dal McKennon, who did numerous voices for Walter Lantz, as well as on various made-for-TV cartoons (QT Hush, Archie, etc.), died this morning according to Jerry.

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/tv/dallas...1919-2009.html

I thought I'd post a link to a GAC interview with Dal from a few years back.

http://lantz.goldenagecartoons.com/dalmckennon.html

Gee, I'm sorry to hear that. I'll alway remember him as the old prospecter voice in "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad" and the voice of Gumby. My favorite episode he did was the bizarre "In The Dough". "So, you want to know the secrets of baking?"

R.I.P. Dal.

[Thad]

Sorry to hear it. I know a lot of people here didn't like his voicework (I'm bordering on like and dislike), but he was hilarious to chat with.

[CueBallCat79]

Did Dal do Gumby from the very beginning? My friend and I love going back and forth with Gumby quotes from the oldest shorts. "Have you seen my coin?" and "I was on the moon. But I'm sure glad to be back!" are favorites.

[nickramer]

Originally Posted by CueBallCat79

Did Dal do Gumby from the very beginning? My friend and I love going back and forth with Gumby quotes from the oldest shorts. "Have you seen my coin?" and "I was on the moon. But I'm sure glad to be back!" are favorites.

No. In the first 5 or 6 shorts, I believe he was voice by the same actress who did Polly Purebred in "Underdog".

[detroittvguy]

I thought that Dick Beals was the first person to voice Gumby.

[Bugsy-Kun]

Dal McKennon was a very active actor and voice-artist. I like his performance in the Walter Lantz shorts as Buzz Buzzard and some minor characters. For about Gumby, i just need to know it tough. Still a big loss.

[Fibber Fox]

Originally Posted by CueBallCat79

Did Dal do Gumby from the very beginning?

I believe it was Norma MacMillan at the beginning.

(Btw, can someone explain to me how a Gumby plush toy can exist? He's made out of clay!)

The first place I remember seeing McKennon's name was on Archie (with its voice cast of four). I didn't realise until later he did the voices on '50s Woody Woodpecker cartoons.

F. Fox

[wiley207]

Originally Posted by Fibber Fox

I believe it was Norma MacMillan at the beginning.

It was her, Ginny Tyler and Nancy Wible in the 1950s, I believe. (this was in the era when Gumby had the little red 3D pupils in his eyes and the child-like personality) Dal McKennon voiced Gumby in the 1961-1962 shorts and in the 1988 "Gumby Adventures" revival series (though for some reason this was credited to a "Charles Farrington"). When they redubbed the classic Gumby episodes in 1988 to be shown as part of the "Gumby Adventures" series, Dal McKennon voiced Gumby in those too (it fit perfectly with the 1962 shorts they redubbed, where he was the original voice of Gumby in those, but in the 1950s episodes it just sounded awkward), but luckily those late 1980s episode redubs are becoming increasingly difficult to find (the original versions are now more widely available than they previously were, so are the newer 1988 episodes).

But it does suck that Dal McKennon passed away, though. I know his hyena laugh was also used for Ripper Roo on the Crash Bandicoot games (though speeded up).

Incidentially, in the Woody Woodpecker cartoon "Red Riding Hoodlum," I could definitely recognize Dal McKennon's Smokey the Bear voice used for incidental characters in a few later Gumby cartoons, and his wolf voice sounding a little like a cross between Toughy and Professor of "Lady and the Tramp" (speaking of which, anyone else notice the wolf resembles some of Disney and WB's lupine characters?)

[Thad]

The wolf design in RED RIDING HOODLUM is actually a throwback to the wolf in Shamus Culhane's "Woodpecker and Wolf Cannibalism" duet... albeit, much more crudely drawn and animated.