# Ed Wynn: Most impersonated voice of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** disney-hulu, cartoons-animation\ **Created:** [October 28, 2020, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102 "2020-10-28T10:05:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/41 "2020-10-29T13:35:07Z")
> [@GMANCANADA](#): > > Great thread. Thank you! > [@GMANCANADA](#): > > Is it that there are no distinct voices anymore? I don’t think that’s it, even if you restrict voices to performers. Julie Kavner, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Joan Rivers, and Fran Drescher, for example, all have pretty distinctive and memorable voices, but I don’t see them widely imitated for character roles. In fact, I’m hard-pressed to come up with any examples at all other than The Simpsons’s McBain, who is just an obvious caricature of Schwarzenegger anyway. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2020, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/42 "2020-10-29T13:36:09Z")
> [@GMANCANADA](#): > > it really struck me as I’ve been reading the replies how really old all the examples are. Other than maybe Jack Nicholson, I don’t really see any celebrities above who are active any longer or even alive in most cases. I’m wondering why this is? One factor may be that developing a distinctive vocal persona was more important in the Days of Radio. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/43 "2020-10-29T14:36:02Z")
Edward G. Robinson may be the winner by virtue of becoming the de facto gangster voice for community theater productions. “We’re gonna go over there, see? and rough 'em up, see?” face it, you read that in EGR’s voice. Likewise, R Lee Ermey has firmly set the standard for drill instructors. EVERYBODY does him when they want to imitate a DI. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/44 "2020-10-29T14:52:37Z")
I think that is big factor, starting in the 20th century because before that not many people ever heard the voices of well known people. We imagine that we know what Abraham Lincoln sounded like delivering the Gettysburg address, but even after a political career built on his skill as an orator a limited number of people ever heard his voice. Phonographs and radio made this possible and without images a distinctive voice certainly paid off. The number of people seen in movies was far more limited, if your job was a radio personality then a recognizable voice was your most important asset. Most impressions of people are based on both voice, phraseology, and physical mannerisms. Johnny Carson has been impersonated many times, but he is noted for his midwest distinctive Nebraska speech which is supposed to represent the standard for American speakers. He does have a few vocal idiosyncracies, and those will be exaggerated in impressions, but it is mostly his physical shtick combined with phrasing that made him recognizable. Just another note on Cary Grant, there are stories about people saying to him “You don’t sound like Cary Grant”, and also later in life “You don’t look like Cary Grant”, and he would respond in that well known affect that made him instantly recognizable, “Nobody does”. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/45 "2020-10-29T15:02:34Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Edward G. Robinson may be the winner by virtue of becoming the de facto gangster voice for community theater productions. “We’re gonna go over there, see? and rough 'em up, see?” face it, you read that in EGR’s voice. In animation Chief Wiggum on the Simpsons and the villain from Courageous Cat as a couple of examples. It would be hard to track down how many times that voice has been used, it’s one of those voices almost anyone can impersonate. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/46 "2020-10-29T15:18:20Z")
I’ve wondered why some celebrities sue their imitators and others don’t. I imagine some of it is the degree of fame of the celebrity. Cary Grant would probably have lost stature if he’d even admitted he knew about cartoon characters based on his voice (although he had no problem suing Chevy Chase over a gay slur). I read that Jackie Gleason decided not to sue _The Flintstones_ producers because he didn’t want to be known as the guy who took the popular kids’ cartoon off the air. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/47 "2020-10-29T16:13:15Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Edward G. Robinson may be the winner by virtue of becoming the de facto gangster voice for community theater productions. “We’re gonna go over there, see? and rough 'em up, see?” face it, you read that in EGR’s voice. Here’s what the Wikipedia page has about such vocal impersonations: > [@](#): > > Robinson has been the inspiration for a number of animated television characters, usually caricatures of his most distinctive ‘snarling gangster’ guise. An early version of the gangster character [Rocky](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_and_Mugsy), featured in the [Bugs Bunny](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugs_Bunny) cartoon _[Racketeer Rabbit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Rabbit)_ , shared his likeness. This version of the character also appears briefly in _[Justice League](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice_League_(TV_series))_ , in the episode “Comfort and Joy”, as an alien with Robinson’s face and non-human body, who hovers past the screen as a background character. > > Similar caricatures also appeared in _[The Coo-Coo Nut Grove](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Coo-Coo_Nut_Grove)_ , _[Thugs with Dirty Mugs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thugs_with_Dirty_Mugs)_ and _[Hush My Mouse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hush_My_Mouse)_ . Another character based on Robinson’s tough-guy image was The Frog (Chauncey “Flat Face” Frog) from the cartoon series _[Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courageous_Cat_and_Minute_Mouse)_ . The voice of B.B. Eyes in _[The Dick Tracy Show](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dick_Tracy_Show)_ was based on Robinson, with [Mel Blanc](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Blanc) and [Jerry Hausner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Hausner) sharing voicing duties. The _[Wacky Races](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wacky_Races_(1968_TV_series))_ animated series character ‘Clyde’ from the Ant Hill Mob was based on Robinson’s Little Caesar persona. > > In the 1989 animated series _[C.O.P.S.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C.O.P.S.)_ the mastermind villain Brandon “Big Boss” Babel’s voice sounded just like Edward G. Robinson when he would talk to his gangsters.[_[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)_ ] > > Voice actor [Hank Azaria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Azaria) has noted that the voice of _[Simpsons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Simpsons)_ character police chief [Clancy Wiggum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Wiggum) is an impression of Robinson.[[32]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_G._Robinson#cite_note-tvguide-32) This has been explicitly joked about in episodes of the show. In “[The Day the Violence Died](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Violence_Died)” (1996), a character states that Chief Wiggum is clearly based on Robinson. In 2008’s “[Treehouse of Horror XIX](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treehouse_of_Horror_XIX)”, Wiggum and Robinson’s ghost each accuse the other of being rip-offs.[_[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)_ ] > > Another caricature of Robinson appears in two episodes of _[Star Wars: The Clone Wars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_The_Clone_Wars_(2008_TV_series))_ season two, in the person of Lt. Tan Divo.[_[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)_ ] Arok the Hutt was inspired by Edward G. Robinson’s gangster portrayals in [Star Wars: The Clone Wars](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_The_Clone_Wars_(2008_TV_series)) > > Robinson was played by [Michael Stuhlbarg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Stuhlbarg) in the 2015 film _[Trumbo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trumbo_(2015_film))_ . In the film he is inaccurately portrayed as a weak man, going along with the House UnAmerican Committee to save his own career. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/48 "2020-10-29T17:39:53Z")
They’re not used in nearly as often as others mentioned here the Three Stooges, especially Larry Fine, have been used as a the basis for a few voice actors roles. Billy West has used Larry’s voice a few times. ---
**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:** [October 29, 2020, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/49 "2020-10-29T17:49:40Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > They’re not used in nearly as often as others mentioned here the Three Stooges, especially Larry Fine, have been used as a the basis for a few voice actors roles. Several characters have at least occasionally done Curly-isms, and at least one cartoon character is based on Curly: > **[Jabberjaw](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabberjaw)** > > Jabberjaw is an American animated television series created by Joe Ruby and Ken Spears and produced by Hanna-Barbera which aired 16 original episodes on ABC from September 11 to December 18, 1976. Reruns continued on ABC until September 3, 1978. > Jabberjaw, a 15-foot amphibious great white shark, is the drummer for The Neptunes, a rock group made up of four teenagers—Biff, Shelly, Bubbles and Clamhead—who live in an underwater civilization. Jabberjaw and The Neptunes travel to various underwater ... ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/50 "2020-10-29T18:03:29Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Several characters have at least occasionally done Curly-isms, and at least one cartoon character is based on Curly: Speaking of Stooges, onetime stooge Joe Besser was well known for his mannerisms and catchphrases (“Not so ha-a-a-rd!” “I’ll harm you” “you sillies”), and he was imitated by several cartoons and actors (The 1946 Warner Brothers cartoon **Book Revue** is one of many to use his “you sillies”. MST3K’s Frank “TV’s Frank” Conniff frequently channeled Besser, especially as Stinky from the _Abbott and Costello Show_ .) > **[Joe Besser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Besser)** > > Joe Besser (born Jessel Besser, August 12, 1907 – March 1, 1988) was an American actor, comedian, and musician, known for his impish humor and wimpy characters. He is best known for his brief stint as a member of The Three Stooges in movie short subjects of 1957–59. He is also remembered for his television roles: Stinky, the bratty man-child on The Abbott and Costello Show, and Jillson, the maintenance man on The Joey Bishop Show. > Besser was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 12, 1907. He... ---
**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:** [October 29, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/51 "2020-10-29T18:29:07Z")
One voice that got used a lot over the years, to the point of obliterating memory of the source, was Lon Chaney Jr.'s Lenny from Of Mice and Men. “OK, George,” was used as the default “dumb guy” voice for decades. Mel Blanc made a huge part of his career off this one voice. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/52 "2020-10-29T21:36:53Z")
I’m aware of Mel Blanc’s many characterizations of the Lenny voice, but don’t recall hearing it anywhere else. Can you name a few examples? ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/53 "2020-10-29T21:56:02Z")
Although I can’t think of anywhere else I’ve heard it, the Simpsons use the ‘Charles Bronson’ accent, for a lot of minor tough guy/blue-collar characters. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/54 "2020-10-29T22:14:11Z")
Don’t they have a muscular character with some familiar German sounding accent that sounds like some former governor? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/55 "2020-10-29T22:15:12Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > I’m hard-pressed to come up with any examples at all other than The Simpsons’s McBain, who is just an obvious caricature of Schwarzenegger anyway. Minor character Arnold the Pit Bull in “Tiny Toon Adventures” is Schwarzenegger as a dog. ---
**Author:** ![TheKingOfSoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@TheKingOfSoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheKingOfSoup)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2020, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/56 "2020-10-29T22:41:28Z")
Humphrey Bogart impersonations showed up a lot in Warner Brothers’ cartoons also. As I remember it, they kind of rotated between Edward G. Robinson, Bogart, and James Cagney whenever they wanted a gangster-type. ---
**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:** [October 30, 2020, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102/57 "2020-10-30T00:37:16Z")
They–along with George Raft–did kind of corner the market on gangsters during the 30s and 40s. I can’t think of any other actor from that era who would’ve been immediately recognizable to most people as a gangster or tough guy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ed-wynn-most-impersonated-voice-of-all-time/924102.md?page=2)