Mel Blanc
63HubMob 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
|
Looney Tunes - Golden Collection
Price: $24.99
List Price: $64.98 |
|
Looney Tunes - Golden Collection, Volume Two
Price: $8.08
List Price: $64.98 |
|
Looney Tunes - The Spotlight Collection Vol. 1 (Premiere Edition)
Price: $7.86
List Price: $19.98 |
|
Looney Tunes - Golden Collection, Volume Three
Price: $28.49
List Price: $64.98 |
|
Looney Tunes - The Spotlight Collection - Volume 2
Price: $7.05
List Price: $19.98 |
|
Looney Tunes - Movie Collection (Bugs Bunny/Road-Runner Movie/1001 Rabbit Tales)
Price: $8.75
List Price: $19.98 |
|
That's All Folks
Price: $6.36
List Price: $12.98 |
|
|
That's Not All Folks!
Price: $68.00
List Price: $9.95 |
|
The Complete Uncensored Private Snafu
Price: $10.49
List Price: $14.99 |
|
Best of Mel Blanc, Man of 1000 Voices
Price: $11.99
List Price: $16.98 |
|
Looney Tunes - Golden Collection
Price: $24.99
List Price: $64.98 |
|
Christmas Comedy Classics
Price: $6.98
|
More Hubmob Activity
- Ethel Merman
Including: An Ethel Merman Tribute - by me, I Got Rhythm, Anything Goes and There's No Business Like Show Business. - 12 months ago
- Mel Blanc
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."... - 12 months ago
- Tori Amos - Pianist, Singer, Songwriter
I spend almost every weekend seeing live band(s) perform, but I haven't seen many "big-name" concerts in my time. There's one act that I'll shell out the big bucks for repeatedly, though... I love seeing... - 12 months ago
- Kenneth Branagh, British Actor Extraordinaire
Favorites come and favorites go, but one has remained constant for the past 2 decades. British actor Kenneth Branagh is always at the top of my list of favorite actors. I first saw him on stage in Toronto in... - 12 months ago
- David Bowie: A Fan's Perspective
The icon of an era, every girl's dream guy in the days of big hair and flashy new music videos, David Bowie is a worldwide legend unlike any other. He represented the height of abstract and outlandish... - 12 months ago
- Dita Von Teese
Glamour, beauty and sensuality are all incarnated in one person: Dita Von Teese. The Queen of chic and sophisticated striptease or as Vogue magazine called her the âqueen of the burlesque revivalâ. Graceful and talented Dita is not only a dancer, she is a one-woman show, and she has managed to bring back striptease and fetishism from the former glamour and elegance of the Belle époque. - 12 months ago
- Ventriloquist Terry Fator and His Wonderful World of MakeBelieve
This is a true story of a little boy who knew how to make believe. He never gave up on himself or on his wonderful world of imagination and dreams. It may have taken Terry Fator years to win his audience... - 12 months ago
- My Favorite Walt Disney Movies
I was enthralled the very first time I heard the Disney sing along tape that came with a book. 3 sets of them. It was a gift for my brother but since he preferred toys over music, the Disney tapes became my... - 12 months ago
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Comments
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.
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!:)
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.
hey,,thanks for the hub,didnt realize he did so much,,,
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.
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!
Thanks for the read and comment Patty. Mel Blanc was one of the most talented men ever in modern times.
I appreciate your hubs. Thanks.
Thanks for the comment Vladimir.
SirDent,
Thanks for the hub and the videos. I too grew up listening to many of these voices.
Thank you. ~ eddie
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.
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.
I am glad you found out about Mel Sweetie. He has entertained cchildren for such a long time, (adults too)
I am enjoying watching a couple of the videos now. I hope you got your wife something nice for Valentine's Day :).
She has me! What else could she possibly want?
I did actually get her somethint but not gonna tell what it is.
This was so interesting!!!!
Such a talented man he was!!!
Thanks for stopping by Proud Mom. :)










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.