Friday marked 20 years since we lost the great Mel Blanc (“The Man of 1000 Voices”), who died July 10th, 1989 at the age of 81.
This article marks the beginnings of a memorial tribute to Mel Blanc, and I will continue to update it over time. If you have a personal anecdote to share about meeting Mel in person, if you worked with him or were a friend of the family, or perhaps you have personal photos to share with Mel’s fans worldwide, please contact me at voiceroy@yahoo.com (without the strikethrough, naturally — that’s to help avoid spam).
In the meantime, I direct you to the following links:
– POVOnline.com: Mark Evanier on Mel Blanc
– GoldenAgeCartoons.com Termite Trading Post (discussion forum): 20 years ago today since Mel Blanc passed.
– Voice Chasers: Mel Blanc.
– Toonopedia: Mel Blanc.
– One Foggy Site (Foghorn Leghorn fansite): Archive of the July 11th, 1989 obituary from The L.A. Times (includes photo).
– FreeOTRShows.com: free downloads of “The Mel Blanc Show” (1946).
– ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive (audio clip): Mel Blanc on Advertising (1966).
– Violinist Gisele MacKenzie and Mel Blanc reminisce with Merv Griffin about working with Jack Benny, available via VideosTimes2’s Channel on YouTube.com [embedding disabled]. Fast forward to the 4:30 mark to see Mel’s interview.
– Google Video: Great American Inc Animation Art Gallery Tribute to Mel Blanc
– Mel guest-stars on GI Journal with Jerry Collona and Lucille Ball:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysh9FgSe8e4&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Voice actor Michael Bell reminisces about working with Mel on Speed Buggy (SDCC 2006):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zi-QOPAl_w&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Voice actor Gregg Berger shares an anecdote about working with Mel on The Jetsons (SDCC 2006):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb21G113usE&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Voice-over actor Dave DeAndrea interviews Bob Bergen (voice of Porky Pig) on the 20th anniversary of Mel Blanc’s death (July 10th, 2009):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8q0aySxnlc&rel=0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1]
– Actual video of Mel Blanc’s vocal folds (cords) as he performed some of his famous character voices:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejVQEFbIfmI&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Archive of a “Headline News” broadcast from July 1989 with then-breaking news on Mel Blanc’s “serious condition” a week before his death following his hospitalization in May 1989. Also included is a feature on Jim Backus, voice of Mr. Magoo, who died on just 7 days before Mel on Monday, July 3rd, 1989:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXG75DwtHzM&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Entertainment Tonight archive interview with Kirk Douglas discussing Mel following a memorial service after his death in 1989:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSvsNmrMTyM&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Complete tribute segment from Entertainment Tonight (July 1989):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWfLIs31tNw&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Mel Blanc guests on Late Night with David Letterman (circa 1981):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHYEt4zptRg&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Clip from The Jack Benny Christmas Special — Jack Benny Kills Mel Blanc:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miAlz1lCgZ4&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Mel Blanc for American Express (1971):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxsayi0ZpVs&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Mel Blanc appears in a Public Service Announcement discussing how to prevent burn injuries:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpH-FxTdGiA&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Jack Benny and Mel Blanc’s classic “Si, Cy, Sue” routine from The Jack Benny Show:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9s8U0O0XPE&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Jack Benny and Mel Blanc perform their “Si, Cy, Sue” routine on The Johnny Carson Show (1974):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beMIl_jzRN0&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Mel’s final guest appearance on The Johnny Carson Show (1986):
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGO0n5ui2xU&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Mel and son Noel Blanc interviewed on P.M. Magazine (circa early 1986), taped from WJW-TV8, Cleveland, OH:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXi68z_ltCA&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Classic blunder on the game show Press Your Luck (June 14th, 1985) in which Daffy Duck is mistakenly credited with the catchphrase “Sufferin’ Succotash!”, followed by a live call-in by Mel Blanc to correct the error:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxDLzg2ubDU&hl=en&fs=1&]
– Car Crazy Central features an interview with Noel Blanc discussing his father and their shared interest in classic cars:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5e9hB7KCAo&hl=en&fs=1&]
More videos, photos, and personal anecdotes to come.
