Tonight I just finished watching WHO DONE IT for the umpteenth time, primarily because I couldn’t remember if the fresh kid was Walter Tetley or Kendall McComas (Breezy Brisbane in Our Gang.)
Their size, sound and overall appearance were similar enough that in my mind’s eye I mixed them up.
Anyway, my web search led to your most excellent page, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for remembering these great, talented people.
Another of these who comes to mind is ARTHUR Q. BRYAN, the voice of Elmer Fudd. As you point out in your site, Mel Blanc had some help. Even he could not duplicate (not even close) that distinctive voice of Arthur Q. Bryan, who also played Mayor LaTrivia on FIBBER MCGEE & MOLLY.
On a more personal note, I used to be an announcer in Hollywood (speaking of someone nobody’s ever heard of!), and a friend of mine recorded an agency radio spot for ALKA SELTZER. Perhaps my steel-trap memory is for once failing me, but I could almost swear the guy told me that the man who played SPEEDY ALKA SELTZER in the studio that day was Walter. Ya think?
Anyway, I’m probably telling you stuff you already know. I must say it’s a pleasure to be in touch with someone who’s as big a “nut” on the so-called lesser lights of Hollywood as I am!
Thank you again for a most pleasant side trip down Memory Lane.—JJ
Hi Jay:
Thank you very much for your very kind words. I’m so glad that you feel the way you do about the web page, and all it’s about. I’m happy that I have been able to provide you a pleasant stroll down memory lane, as well.
Yeah, Walter did one Warners cartoon, too, back in the early 40s, called The Haunted Mouse. He was uncredited for that too (even on the Internet Movie Data Base) until I brought it to the data base’s attention. Keith Scott, in his book, “The Moose That Roared”, mentioned that Walter did that Warners cartoon. Thankfully, the data base believed me, and added the credit. It is true, that all voice actors and actresses, outside of Mel, were not credited by Warners. But at least on the Internet Movie Data Base, they usually credit these people (though not that time).
I guess you know that Art Q. Bryan also worked with Walter Tetley on the Great Gildersleeve radio show. For quite a few years, of the 16-17 years that that show ran, Bryan was Floyd the barber (they had different barber voices, over the years, including even Mel Blanc; but Arthur Q. Bryan was the most famous voice for Floyd).
I don’t know too much about that Speedy Alka Seltzer; I don’t remember that; all I remember is “Try it you’ll like it!”—-“I tried it, I thought I was gonna die!” and “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!” and “Mama Mia, that’s a spicy meatball!”. Even that is kind of dating myself (few folks in their 20s and 30s would remember those commercials). I also remember an Alka Seltzer commercial where the wife sickened the husband by saying she was going to make “poached oysters”.
I’ve seen that “Who Done It” movie with Walter too. So has Greg, who helps with this page’s web design.
Take Care—Brian