# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/61 "2018-08-22T18:36:54Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > In old Warner Bros cartoons, some period actresses were parodied … Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Greta Garbo, f’rinstance. > > I think in general, there are just fewer well-known female characters, and not many of them are modeled after celebrities. Jessica Rabbit (Veronica Lake) comes to mind, but I can’t think of any others off the top of my head. Does it count if the person they’re parodying does the voice? Their was a great episode of _Futurama_ where Katey Sagel makes fun of her own character on _Married With Children_. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/62 "2018-08-23T01:12:22Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Lorenz Music did the voices of Garfield on _Garfield and Friends_ and Venkman on _The Real Ghostbusters_. They both sounded so much like Bill Murray, many assumed it was. Music died in 2001, and in 2004 Bill Murray voiced Garfield in the CGI/live action film. > … Strange. I could tell instantly Garfield was Carlton the doorman, from Rhoda. I never thought it was Murray until Murray did the voice. ---
**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 23, 2018, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/63 "2018-08-23T01:18:38Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > Strange. I could tell instantly Garfield was Carlton the doorman, from Rhoda. I never thought it was Murray until Murray did the voice. I remember they did a callback to that in one cartoon. Garfield said, “Hi, this is Garfield, your doorman.” ---
**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 23, 2018, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/64 "2018-08-23T02:25:13Z")
I don’t think actual celebrities, regardless of the talent performing them, would be in the purview of the thread. It’s more about characters based upon celebrities. Extra interesting might be characters who have long outlived the fame of who they were imitating, such as [Senator Claghorn.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6-JddDUnyY)No one knows who he is today, but everyone knows Foghorn Leghorn. Female voices are a casualty of old time Hollywood sexism. There were several voice actresses in the 30s but less in the 40s and after and they tended to do original characters. There’s a lot of the aforementioned radio catch phrase punchlines that Warner used to do a lot. Kate Hepburn’s “Reaaaally I dooo.” was popular. Bea Benaderet really didn’t do celebrities, nor did June Foray, although she did use Zsa Zsa Gabor’s habit of calling everyone “Dahlink” for Natasha Fatale. Even the [TV Tropes page for Western Animation "No Celebrities were harmed"](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/NoCelebritiesWereHarmed/WesternAnimation)mentions very few female voices. Just a handful of one offs and actual celebs doing their voices. ---
**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 23, 2018, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/65 "2018-08-23T02:30:25Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > Does it count if the person they’re parodying does the voice? Their was a great episode of _Futurama_ where Katey Sagel makes fun of her own character on _Married With Children_. Not really. More about characters based upon celebs than the actual actors performing the role or presentations of celebrities directly as characters. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/66 "2018-08-23T14:07:54Z")
> [@caligulathegod](#): > > Not really. More about characters based upon celebs than the actual actors performing the role or presentations of celebrities directly as characters. In that case, we have Zapp Brannigan as a parody of Captain Kirk/William Shatner, but he’s a step farther, I think. If all you had seen was a comedian’s exaggerated version of Kirk, and you parodied that, you’d have Brannigan. ---
**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 23, 2018, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/67 "2018-08-23T15:10:03Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > In that case, we have Zapp Brannigan as a parody of Captain Kirk/William Shatner, but he’s a step farther, I think. If all you had seen was a comedian’s exaggerated version of Kirk, and you parodied that, you’d have Brannigan. Heck, I’d say it’s Billy West as Phil Hartman as William Shatner as Captain Kirk. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/68 "2018-08-23T16:06:02Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > Strange. I could tell instantly Garfield was Carlton the doorman, from Rhoda. I never thought it was Murray until Murray did the voice. Indeed, far from people assuming Murray was doing the voices, I have always heard the opposite. Specifically, that Bill Murray asked, about _The Real Ghostbusters_ cartoon, “Why doesn’t Venkman sound anything like me?” Which resulted in Lorenzo Music being replaced by Dave Coulier, who did a much closer Bill Murray impersonation. I don’t imagine that Murray was actually angling to get Music fired–that would be quite petty, considering that none of the _Real Ghostbusters_ characters either looked or sounded like their movie counterparts–but that’s what happened. ---
**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 23, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/69 "2018-08-23T20:32:59Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > In that case, we have Zapp Brannigan as a parody of Captain Kirk/William Shatner, but he’s a step farther, I think. If all you had seen was a comedian’s exaggerated version of Kirk, and you parodied that, you’d have Brannigan. Yep. I mentioned that phenomena in a few posts. Most impressions of Nixon were actually of Rich Little shaking his jowls doing Nixon. Most impressions of George HW Bush were imitations of Dana Carvey’s impression. A more obscure one is Gabriel Dell, who did a spoken word album called “Famous Monsters Speak” for the eponymous magazine, is the source for most imitations of Bela Lugosi. When someone does that really arch, “I _VANT_ to _SUCK_ your _BLOOD_, blah blah…” they are unknowingly doing an imitation of HIS impression of Bela. The album itself is not as exaggerated, but he was pretty famous in the 50s for his Dracula. [Here’s an appearance on Steve Allen and you can see what I’m talking about.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6vRg6KxXoY) Zapp Brannigan’s character is based upon William Shatner, but his voice is actually Billy West’s tribute to Phil Hartman doing an old-time announcer voice. In his words: “Phil Hartman was supposed to do that character, and I was imitating Phil Hartman. I knew Phil Hartman; when I came to work with him on some commercials and stuff out here in Hollywood, we both had this real fascination and love for these big, old-time dumb announcers. You know, the guys who have their balls in a wheelbarrow and think that every word is so precious that it’s hard to give birth to it, like everything comes out in four syllables instead of one. Guys who think far and away that of everything else in this universe, he loves his voice. So that’s what was going on with him. He’s modeled after a couple of big dumb announcers I knew.” He never did that pause thing that Shatner is famous for doing. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2018, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/70 "2018-08-24T14:14:36Z")
Simon Bar Sinister is said to have been patterned after Lionel Barrymore’s radio version of Ebenezer Scrooge. I don’t know if it’s true, but I buy it! I can just hear Simon Bar Sinister saying > [@](#): > > If I could work my will, every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. ---
**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 24, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/71 "2018-08-24T16:34:34Z")
The one-shot Merrie Melodies cartoon _[Little Blabbermouse](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032715/)_ has a character imitating W. C. Fields. There was also a sequel, _Shop, Look, and Listen_. Both had the Fields character giving a tour for mice after stores were closed, with visual puns on the product names. ---
**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 25, 2018, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/72 "2018-08-25T16:52:24Z")
Speaking of which, “Kiddin’ the Kitten” (1952) and “A Peck o’ Trouble” (1953) had a cat named Dodsworth, who resembled an obese Sylvester and was voiced in loose imitation of W.C. Fields. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/73 "2018-08-25T17:10:54Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I can’t help but notice that the vast (vast vast vast) majority of these characters are male. What about some more females? I know Edna Mode from the Incredibles was based on Dame Edith Head, though more in appearance than voice. Ahem… Dr. Girlfriend is supposed to be based off of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis… ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/74 "2018-08-25T17:36:11Z")
> [@Dr.Girlfriend](#): > > Ahem… Dr. Girlfriend is supposed to be based off of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis… Not so much the voice, though… ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2018, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/75 "2018-08-25T18:05:05Z")
“Who the hell is Jacqueline Onassis?!” -Dr Grilfriend in The Venture Brothers. ---
**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 25, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/76 "2018-08-25T19:11:06Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Not so much the voice, though… Is it her grace? 🆒 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ENgJZlmgI6U/hqdefault.jpg "grace") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENgJZlmgI6U) ---
**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:** [January 23, 2019, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/77 "2019-01-23T03:46:01Z")
The zombie thread on parodies that have outlived the original made me think of this thread. I mentioned earlier that my favorite of this thread’s subjects was cartoon voices based upon relatively obscure actors or those who have since gone into obscurity since the voice was done (That is, people at the time might have known who was being imitated but now the cartoon has outlived the inspiration’s fame). I was watching Turner Classic Movies and came across one that surprised me. Popeye’s girlfriend Olive Oyl is an imitation of Zasu Pitts. She even has the catchphrase of a nervous, “Oh, dear.” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2019, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/78 "2019-01-23T04:09:03Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I can’t help but notice that the vast (vast vast vast) majority of these characters are male. What about some more females? I know Edna Mode from the Incredibles was based on Dame Edith Head, though more in appearance than voice. Not a cartoon, but in the _Twilight Zone_ episode [Living Doll](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0734586/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_99) an uncredited June Foray provided the voice of Talky Tina. She had also recorded the voice of the Mattel Chatty Cathy doll. Here’s a commercial with[Chatty Cathy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-zk8dAGx2U). Here’s [Talky Tina](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb8PxjhwsDE). Any similarity is, of course, purely coincidental. ---
**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:** [January 23, 2019, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/79 "2019-01-23T04:18:14Z")
I don’t think she was basing the performance on a celebrity. Casting an actor to do his or her own voice as another character is a bit off the topic. ---
**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:** [January 23, 2019, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823/80 "2019-01-23T06:37:26Z")
“Mr Pettigrew” on _ **The Simpsons** _ (voiced by Dan Castellaneta) is obviously Frank Nelson, the “Yeeeesssss?” guy on old sitcoms like Jack Benny’s and Lucille Ball’s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cartoon-voices-inspired-by-celebrities/819823.md?page=5)