# Cartoon voices inspired by celebrities. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2018, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823 "2018-08-18T07:35:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/1 "2018-08-18T07:35:03Z")
I love cartoon voices. When I was a kid, the voices were just the characters. As I got older and was exposed to more movies, I realized a lot of voices are actually imitations of existing non-animated characters. I thought it would be fun to compile a list of characters and who inspired their voices. I tried to stay away from cartoon voices that were actually voiced by those actors, like Bill Thompson doing his Wallace Wimple character from Fibber McGee and Molly as Droopy Dog, or Joe E. Ross as Sgt. Flint on Hong Kong Phooey (doing his Officer Toody from Car 54 Where Are You? “Ooh…Ooh!”), and so on. I also avoided one-offs. Warner Brothers used to do a lot of radio show voice characters’ catchphrases for punchlines, but they weren’t real characters. Here’s what I came up with off the top of my head. Warner Bros: Foghorn Leghorn…Senator Claghorn Beaky Buzzard…Edgar Bergen’s puppet Mortimer Snerd Pepé Le Pew… Charles Boyer Pete Puma…Crazy Guggenheim Various characters (“I will love him and pet him and will call him George”…Lennie and George from Of Mice and Men (1939) Animaniacs: Goodfeathers…Obviously Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci. The Brain…Orson Welles Runt…Dustin Hoffman from Rain Man. Hanna-Barbera: Jinx the cat…Daws Butler imitating Stan Freberg’s imitation of Marlon Brando Doggie Daddy…Jimmy Durante Yogi Bear… Art Carney’s Ed Norton Huckleberry Hound…It’s been suggested Andy Griffith despite Daws Butler having done the voice a decade earlier. It was really Daws imitating someone from the same region as Griffith’s character, so it’s just the same accent. Baba Looey…Desi Arnaz (by way of Mexico. Not exactly a match, but it was meant to evoke him.) Snagglepuss…Bert Lahr Top Cat…Phil Silvers Hokey Wolf…Phil Silvers Ding-A-Ling…Buddy Hackett JabberJaw…Curly Howard Peter Potamus…Joe E. Brown Wally Gator…Ed Wynn Morocco Mole…Peter Lorre Jay Ward: Bullwinkle…Red Skelton’s Clem Kadiddlehopper Boris Badenov… Akim Tamiroff, especially Tamiroff’s role in The Great McGinty Mr Peabody… Clifton Webb as Mr. Belvedere Misc: Betty Boop…Helen Kane, who ripped off Baby Esther. Tennessee Tuxedo…William Powell (yes, Don Adams claims he was imitating him) Chumley…Charlie Cantor’s voice and personality of Clifton Finnegan on the Duffy’s Tavern radio show of the 1940s Phineas J. Whoopee…Frank Morgan Homer Simpson…Walter Matthau (Tracy Ulman and first season) Frink…Jerry Lewis Chief Wiggam…Edward G. Robinson Officer Lou…Sylvester Stallone Rainier Wolfcastle…Ahnold Dr. Farnsworth… Burgess Meredith and Frank Morgan Dr. Zoidberg…George Jessel and Lou Jacobi Ren…Peter Lorre and Kirk Douglas Stimpy…Larry Fine Got more? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/2 "2018-08-18T07:50:32Z")
Another from Jay Ward: Captain Horatio “Wrongway” Peachfuzz — Ed Wynn (again) And Dr. Zoidberg would sometimes channel Curly Howard, particularly when he felt a precipitous exit was called for. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/3 "2018-08-18T07:54:10Z")
On _ **Top Cat** _, Fancy Fancy’s voice was meant to evoke Cary Grant. He was voiced by John Stephenson. Benny the Ball was meant to sound like Pvt Doberman on Phil Silvers’ show (_ **Sgt Bilko** _), and he did … because he was voiced by the same actor, Maurice Gosfield. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/4 "2018-08-18T08:05:22Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Another from Jay Ward: > > Captain Horatio “Wrongway” Peachfuzz — Ed Wynn (again). Peter. Peter Peachfuzz. > **[Peter Peachfuzz](https://rockyandbullwinkle.fandom.com/wiki/Peter_Peachfuzz)** > > Capt. Peter “Wrong Way” Peachfuzz (not to be confused with Commander Peachfuzz ) was a supporting character on the animated television programs Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, now known collectively as The Rocky and Bullwinkle... ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/5 "2018-08-18T08:24:52Z")
Disney: Professor Ludwig von Drake was based on Sid Caesar’s Professor character. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/6 "2018-08-18T09:30:12Z")
_The Ant and the Aardvark_ was a series of cartoons produced by David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng that ran with the _Pink Panther_ on TV. Both characters were voiced by John Byner. Byner imitated Jackie Mason’s voice for the Aardvark, while he gave the Ant Dean Martin’s voice. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/7 "2018-08-18T12:08:09Z")
Roger (on _American Dad!_), inspired by Paul Lynde ---
**Author:** ![BlueInfinity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BlueInfinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueInfinity)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/8 "2018-08-18T12:28:19Z")
Sugar Bear, inspired by Bing Crosby. Beachcomber from Transformers G1, arguably also Bing Crosby. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/9 "2018-08-18T12:30:59Z")
Warner Brothers early cartoons often had imitations of stars of time that are obscure now. Jerry Colonna and Hugh Herbert were commonly used, sometimes for a single line spoken by a character who used a different voice the rest of the cartoon. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/10 "2018-08-18T14:05:27Z")
Mr. MaGoo was, of course, Jim Backus. Droopy Dog was modeled after Wallace Wimple, an old radio character. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/11 "2018-08-18T14:32:44Z")
Fred Flintstone is, basically, Jackie Gleason. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/12 "2018-08-18T14:46:51Z")
A really obscure one: In Hanna-Barbera’s \*\*\*Yippee, Yappee, and Yahooey \*\*\*, Yahooey (voiced by Daws Butler) talked like Jerry Lewis. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/13 "2018-08-18T14:58:42Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Fred Flintstone is, basically, Jackie Gleason. Even as a little kid I realized “Hey, this is just The Honeymooners!” I was disappointed that, when I asked why that was legal, my parents didn’t care, and clearly did not take cartoons seriously. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/14 "2018-08-18T15:12:52Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Fred Flintstone is, basically, Jackie Gleason. And Barney Rubble (voiced by Mel Blanc) was basically Ed Norton—though not at first. His voiced changed and got deeper. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/15 "2018-08-18T15:22:32Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Droopy Dog was modeled after Wallace Wimple, an old radio character. Not Truman Capote? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/16 "2018-08-18T15:28:23Z")
> [@caligulathegod](#): > > I tried to stay away from cartoon voices that were actually voiced by those actors, like Bill Thompson doing his Wallace Wimple character from Fibber McGee and Molly as Droopy Dog, or Joe E. Ross as Sgt. Flint on Hong Kong Phooey (doing his Officer Toody from Car 54 Where Are You? “Ooh…Ooh!”) IMHO these are worth noting too. > [@](#): > > Homer Simpson…Walter Matthau (Tracy Ulman and first season) > Frink…Jerry Lewis > Chief Wiggam…Edward G. Robinson > Officer Lou…Sylvester Stallone > Rainier Wolfcastle…Ahnold Also from _The Simpsons_: The [“Frank Nelson Type”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_recurring_The_Simpsons_characters#Yes_Guy) or “Yes Man” and, not the voice _per se_ but the character: [Drederick Tatum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_recurring_The_Simpsons_characters#Drederick_Tatum) is based on Mike Tyson, and [Dr. Hibbert](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Hibbert) was inspired by Bill Cosby’s Cliff Huxtable ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/17 "2018-08-18T15:29:02Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > Not Truman Capote? Hmph, obviously I’m wrong - Capote couldn’t have been that well known that early. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/18 "2018-08-18T16:36:17Z")
[The Oddball Couple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oddball_Couple), based on The Odd Couple (TV version) ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/19 "2018-08-18T16:49:29Z")
Also on The Simpsons, Mayor Quimby (Dan Castellaneta) is one of the Kennedys: some say John, some say Ted. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/20 "2018-08-18T16:58:55Z")
Warner Brothers: Rocky (Edward G. Robinson) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823.md?page=2)