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Mel Blanc

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By SirDent

HubMob Weekly topic: Hub about your favourite entertainer


Melvin Jerome Blank

Born May 30, 1908, in San Francisco, changed the spelling of his last name at the age of 16. Upon graduating high school in Portland Oregon, he got a steady job on a local radio show titled "The Hoot Owls." It was the first of many jobs in Vaudeville and radio. When Movies started to talk, Mel went to Hollywood.

He struggled for many years and moved back to Portland for two years, but he started getting regular radio work. His biggest break came in the form of a stuttering pig named Porky.

For a year and a half Mel tried to get his foot in the door at Warner Brothers, only to be turned down by a man who didn't really know what he was actually doing. When the man suddenly died and Mel tried once more, he was brought in and hired as soon as the directors heard his audition.

LooneyToon Voices


Among His Peers

Blanc was credited as the man who raised the standards of animation art. His voices work was very well respected among his peers. After frist doing the voice of the stuttering pig, Mel went on to do more and more voices. He did voices for Warner Brothers and also did voices for Hanna-Barbera characters.

Jack Benny once made a statement. There are about 5 real people in Hollywood and everyone else is Mel Blanc.

Blanc was one of Benny's closest friends. Blanc was the voice of Benny's car during his radio show after seeing one night that the phonograph record player wasn't turned on to do the voice. Mel did the sounds himself and impressed Benny.

Mel Blanc and Jack Benny on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1974

What can one truly say?

 It is hard at times to really describe someone like Mel Blanc. His voice has been heard by millions and possibly billions of children around the world for decades. I believe the videos I have posted here to be sufficient in showing his talent.

In 1961, Mel was in an auto accident and was on the edge of death. He in fact slipped into a coma. A doctor was inspired to talk with Bugs Bunny instead of Mel Blanc and got some response. Over 1,500 get well cards were mailed to Blanc many of them addressed to Bugs Bunny or another of his characters in Hollywood.

 


Mel Blanc's Headstone

Jack Benny - Mel Blanc Classic Routine

His Death

On July 10, 1989 Blanc died from heart disease. He had worked up to his death and his work spanned across 5 decades. Many of his characters are still around and can be heard on many TV stations. He is sadly missed by many, but his voices live on.

Bugs Bunny, Sylvester the Cat, Daffy Duck, Speedy Gonzales, Porky Pig, Woody Woodpecker, Foghorn Leghorn, Tweety Bird, Tasmanian Devil, Pepe LePew, Marvin the Martian, And the Road Runner (MEEP MEEP!) are all voices of Mel Blanc.

There are many others including Barney Rubble of the Flintstones. He also did a lot of TV work with shows like Buck Rogers in the Twenty First Century as the voice of Twiki. The Jetsons also featured his voice in some of their episodes.

Obituary Photo

1971 Mel Blanc American Express TV commercial


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Comments

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William F. Torpey profile image

William F. Torpey  says:
12 months ago

Nice hub, SirDent. Speedy Gonzales was my favorite, but Mel Blanc's talent was virtually unlimited. Thanks for the entertaining videos, too.

SirDent profile image

SirDent  says:
12 months ago

Thank you very much WIlliam for the read and comment. It is hard to write about someone who did so much. I think it is best to let him speak for himself.

dayzeebee profile image

dayzeebee  says:
12 months ago

Oh this is great-- to finally put a face to the voices of my favorite cartoon characters. I still find myself doing the Porky voice in silly moments. Thanks Sir Dent, you made a good choice. Thumbs up!:)

SirDent profile image

SirDent  says:
12 months ago

Thanks for the read and comment Dayzeebee. I am glad you enjoyed it. Now we need you to make a video doing Porky Pig and post it up on HubPages.

silly  says:
12 months ago

hey,,thanks for the hub,didnt realize he did so much,,,

SirDent profile image

SirDent  says:
12 months ago

Mel Bl;anc was very talented. He is called the man of a thousand voices. He did much more than what I have written here.

Patty Inglish, MS profile image

Patty Inglish, MS  says:
12 months ago

I remember seeing old video of Mel on the Sid Ceaser Show of Shows from the early 1950s. Funny then as well. Great Hub with videos I've never seen. Thanks!

SirDent profile image

SirDent  says:
12 months ago

Thanks for the read and comment Patty. Mel Blanc was one of the most talented men ever in modern times.

Vladimir Uhri profile image

Vladimir Uhri  says:
12 months ago

I appreciate your hubs. Thanks.

SirDent profile image

SirDent  says:
12 months ago

Thanks for the comment Vladimir.

Eddie Perkins  says:
12 months ago

SirDent,

Thanks for the hub and the videos. I too grew up listening to many of these voices.

Thank you. ~ eddie

SirDent profile image

SirDent  says:
12 months ago

Thank you Eddie for the read and comment. I believe many are still hearing the voices of Mel Blanc as the old cartoons are still broadcast.

SweetiePie profile image

SweetiePie  says:
12 months ago

It is interesting all of the new entertainers I have learned about during the hubmob. I did not even know about Mel Banc before your hub.

SirDent profile image

SirDent  says:
12 months ago

I am glad you found out about Mel Sweetie. He has entertained cchildren for such a long time, (adults too)

SweetiePie profile image

SweetiePie  says:
12 months ago

I am enjoying watching a couple of the videos now. I hope you got your wife something nice for Valentine's Day :).

SirDent profile image

SirDent  says:
12 months ago

She has me! What else could she possibly want?

I did actually get her somethint but not gonna tell what it is.

Proud Mom profile image

Proud Mom  says:
11 months ago

This was so interesting!!!!

Such a talented man he was!!!

SirDent profile image

SirDent  says:
11 months ago

Thanks for stopping by Proud Mom. :)

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