-PJ
Posted on 07/17/2009 8:14:22 PM PDT by llevrok
Dallas R. McKennon, the voice of Gumby, Archie and dozens of other animated characters, died Tuesday at the Willapa Harbor Care Center in Raymond. He had been living in the Raymond area for the past few years.
McKennon, 89, moved to the area to be close to three of his daughters, who live in Pacific County.
He provided extensive voiceover acting for nearly every major animation studio in Hollywood starting in the 1950s and continuing for the next 40 years.
His daughter Barbara Porter of Raymond said McKennon was officially credited with more than 160 character voices, although he probably had dozens more that went uncredited, including several used at theme park rides in Disneyland and the Epcot Center in Florida.
“His voice will probably always live on,” Porter said.
Sometimes he was credited under the name “Dal” McKennon.
From 1959 to 1964, he was the voice of both Gumby, a green gingerbread-like character; and Pokey, his red pony pal. He’s not the original voice of Gumby, but provided the exclusive voice during a re-launch of the cartoon after the first series ended in about 1957.
He had voice roles in many Disney films and cartoons including “The Jungle Book,” “101 Dalmatians,” “Lady and the Tramp,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “Mary Poppins,” according to the Internet Movie Database and other online sources.
He didn’t appear to have any major roles.
“But I’d listen to the movies and I could point out ‘That dog in 101 Dalmatians is my dad’ or that fox chasing people around the carousel in Mary Poppins,” Porter said.
He also had voiceover roles or small parts in a number of television series including “The Andy Griffith Show,” “The Hardy Boys,” “Bonanza,” “The Virginian” and “Dragnet.” He was Cincinnatus the shopkeeper on Fess Parker’s “Daniel Boone” TV series
He was also the lead voice actor in “Archie,” was Buzz Buzzard in the “Woody Woodpecker Show,” had roles in “The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo” and the import detective series “Tintin” as Professor Calculus.
A LaGrande, Ore., native, he started his career in radio at KGW in Portland before he moved on to dreams of Hollywood.
Besides Porter, he is survived by his wife Betty, who lives in a care center in Aberdeen; two sons and six daughters, including Porter and Linda Strozyk, both of Raymond; and Tamara Rock of South Bend.
Conkite and Gumby... on the same day
Both equally idiotic
Only Conkrite was idiotic.
Gumby and Pokey are national icons.
Forget Walter, this makes me REALLY sad. I loved Gumby as a kid, it was sweet and innocent, like Davey and Goliath.
I loved Gumby as a child. Sweet stories and the good guy always won. Cronkite, not so much.
Hey don’t forget the Blockheads and Goo, they made the show too.
RIP, a shame, I used to watch Gumby, good show
I agree with you. I loved Gumby and Davey and Goliath.
It was just all so simple then.
Now, we have to fear for our families lives.
God rest his soul.
very Flexible?
“If you’ve got a heart
then Gumby’s a part
of you....”
RIP
Eddie Murphy used to say that as Gumby on Saturday Night Live.
I watched Cronkite on 20th Century. That was why I was attracted to the military art, went to West Point, served in Army, etc.
I was so disillusioned when he retired, and briefly reported on the aircraft that hit the 14th Street Bridge. (”It appears that the aircrat could not take off because the wheels had trouble gripping the runway surface..”)
I was so disillusioned.
Gumby and Polky were staples of my childhood. RIP
Ah, yep. Cincinnatus on “Daniel Boone” (1964-70). He looked pretty craggy and old even back then. The series is available on dvd, and I’ve gotten several of those season-sets. Good family fare.
-PJ
Don,
I honestly don’t know about the 14th Street Bridge (city?) crash you talked about. Sounds like Walter blew it.
Hey, that’s “Pokey”. I have to defend my orange equine friend. He didn’t do any polka. LOL
Gumby was an American institution. RIP
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