Billy Bletcher
William "Billy" Bletcher was an American actor. He was known for voice roles for various classic animated characters, most notably Pete in Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse short films and the Big Bad Wolf in Disney's Three Little Pigs. He also voiced Spike in various Tom and Jerry shorts.
Early life
William Bletcher was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on September 24, 1894, to Huber and Dora Bletcher.
Career
Bletcher appeared on-screen in films and later television from the 1910s to the 1970s, including appearances in several Our Gang and The Three Stooges comedies.
He was most active as a voice actor. His voice was a deep, strong and booming baritone. Bletcher provided the voices of various characters for Walt Disney Productions. He auditioned to play one of the dwarfs in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. However, Walt Disney disapproved for fear that people would recognize Bletcher from the studio's Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck short subjects.
His booming voice can also be heard as "Don Del Oro" the Yacqi Indian god in the 1939 Republic serial, Zorro's Fighting Legion. He also provided voice work for Ub Iwerks as the Pincushion man in the 1935 animated short Balloon Land, Owl Jolson's disciplinarian violinist father in the 1936 Warner Bros. short subject based on the song I Love to Singa, a wolf character almost identical to Walt Disney's incarnation in the Ub Iwerks cartoon "Little Boy Blue" released in 1936 and the menacing spider in Bingo Crosbyana.
In 1939, Billy Bletcher and Pinto Colvig were hired to perform ADR work for the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz.
In MGM films, he voiced Spike the Bulldog and on some occasions even Tom Cat, in Tom and Jerry, and in Warner Bros. many characters, most notably Henry "Papa" Bear of Chuck Jones' The Three Bears. He voiced the villainous wolf in Little Red Riding Rabbit.
Bletcher did voice acting for the 1944 Private Snafu World War II training film "Gas", where Bletcher voices the villainous Gas Cloud. Bletcher also portrayed The Captain in Captain and the Kids with MGM cartoons.
In 1950, he portrayed several characters on The Lone Ranger radio program as well as appearing in episode 27 of the TV series.
In 1971, he portrayed one of his final roles, Pappy Yokum in a television adaptation of Lil Abner. In 1978, he was originally hired to voice the Weed on The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show, but had to drop out due to illness.
Personal life
Bletcher married actress Arlyn H. Roberts in 1915 and had a daughter, Barbara.
Death
Bletcher died at the age of 84 on January 5, 1979, in Los Angeles, California. He was survived by his wife Arlyn and their daughter Barbara.
Selected filmography
A Sticky Affair – Professor PerkinsOne Too Many – Unhappy BoarderThe Serenade – SchmitteThe Battle Royal – Grandpa RuntThe Brave Ones – The SheriffAunt Bill – Bogus AuntMary Jane's Pa Who Goes There? The Love Hunger – JakeyA Roman Scandal A Bashful Bigamist – Mr. SmithHer Honor the Mayor – Buddy MartinTurn To The Right – Sammy MartinBilly Jim – JimmyCornered – The GroomRomance Road – Patrick's PalThe Silent Guardian – DirectorThe Wild Girl – DirectorThe Bar-C Mystery The Dude Cowboy – Shorty O'DayOne Hour of Love – 'Half Pint' WalkerWolves of the Air – 'Big Boy' DurkeyThe Patent Leather Kid – Fight Fan Two Girls Wanted – JohnnyBetter Days Daredevil's Reward – SlimThe Cowboy Kid – Deputy SheriffThe Terrible People – ProodyLoose Ankles – Mr. Berry from Logan Show Girl in Hollywood – Sign Man Scraping Names off Doors The Man Hunter – BuggsDancing Sweeties – Bud Top Speed – Ipps Soup to Nuts – Revolutionary A Fowl Affair – Sport Miller The Texas Ranger – TubbyMonkey Business – Man in Deck Chair Branded Men – Half-A-rodThe Secret Witness – Radio Announcer's Voice Bridge Wives – Radio announcerNight World – Nightclub Patron Make Me a Star – Actor in 'Wide Open Spaces' By Whose Hand? – Police Radio Dispatcher The Boiling Point – Stubby – Kirk HandExposure – Society Editor Women Won't Tell – Tennis Game Radio Announcer Flesh – Man in Cafe The Dentist – Bearded patient She Done Him Wrong – Singing Waiter A Lady's Profession – Keyhole McKluskeyMickey's Mellerdrammer – Horace Horsecollar Song of the Eagle – Home Brewer Diplomaniacs – Schmerzenschmerzen The Three Little Pigs – Big Bad Wolf The Midnight Patrol – Radio Dispatcher Morning Glory – Actor Bedtime Worries – Radio Voice The Way to Love – Man with Fat Wife Music in your Hair – Father Shanghaied – Pete The Big Bad Wolf – Big Bad Wolf Buddy's Garage The First Round-Up – Billy, Wally's fatherBuddy of the Apes – Chief Burn 'Em Up Barnes – Race Commentator Buddy's Bearcats – Hot Dog man / Customer / Ballplayer Punch Drunks – Fight Announcer The Old Fashioned Way – Tomato Thrower Service With a Smile – Lonesome Driver The Cat's-Paw – Reporter You Belong to Me – Man with Comb Viva Buddy – Pancho Servants' Entrance – Judge Egg Buddy the Woodsman Buddy the Detective – Mad Musician Buddy's Adventures – King Sourpan / Policeman Babes in Toyland – Chief of Police The Dognapper – Pete One Hour Late – Smith Buddy of the Legion The Lost City – GorzoBuddy's Pony Express – Barfly / Villain The Golden Touch – King Midas Life Begins at 40 – Hog Caller Buddy's Lost World – Bozo / Penner type Buddy's Bug Hunt – Judge / Spider Man on the Flying Trapeze – Timekeeper Buddy the Gee Man – Warden / MachineGun Mike / Prisoners Hollywood Capers – Studio Guard Balloon Land – Pincushion Man Two-Fisted – Cop A Cartoonist's Nightmare – Villains / Old Man The Rainmakers – Townsman Billboard Frolics – Dave Rub-Em-Off Gold Diggers of '49 – Villain Coronado – Waiter Pluto's Judgement Day – Cat ProsecutorPlane Dippy – Sergeant Divot Diggers – Bill, golferBoom Boom – Enemies Alpine Antics – Bully Desert Gold – Bob – a Wedding Guest Two in Revolt – Algie Lash of the Penitentes – Narrating MissionaryThree Little Wolves – Big Bad Wolf Bingo Crosbyana – Spider Early to Bed – Office Boy We Went to College – Alumnus Basso / Walter Catlett Shanghaied Shipmates – Captain Rhythm on the Range – Buck's Friend When I Yoo Hoo – "Hey, Lem!!" I Love to Singa – Professor Fritz Owl / Singing Blackbird Satan Met a Lady – Father of Sextuplets A Son Comes Home – Snoring Sailor Wives Never Know – Drunk Milk and Money – Mr. Viper The Big Broadcast of 1937 – Property ManDon't Look Now – Devil Cuckoo Can This Be Dixie? – John P. Smith PeachtreeLittle Beau Porky – Ali-Mode / Le Commdandant Porky in the North Woods – Jean-Baptise Pigs Is Pigs – Evil Scientist Porky's Road Race – Borax Karoff Picador Porky – Bull The Fella with the Fiddle – Grandpa Mouse / Tax Collector Porky's Duck Hunt – Man from Upstairs / Drunken Fish Ain't We Got Fun – Mouse in Checkered Cap Sing While You're Able – Hillbillies Uncle Tom's Bungalow – Simon Simon Legree Porky's Building – Dirty Digg Egghead Rides Again – Boarding Room Clerk / Egghead saying “Because Because Because I Am A Man” The Californian – Tax CollectorHigh, Wide, and Handsome – Shorty Blonde Trouble – Third Musician A Sunbonnet Blue – Villain Mouse Get Rich Quick Porky – Driver God's Country and the Man – Sandy BriggsSpeaking of the Weather – Public Enemy / Judge Dog Daze – St. Bernard I Wanna Be a Sailor – Father Parrot Carnival Queen – Barker The Lyin' Mouse – Lion Double Wedding – Wedding Guest The Case of the Stuttering Pig – Lawyer Goodwill A Girl with Ideas – McKenzie Lonesome Ghosts – Short Ghost The Purple Vigilantes – Leader of the Purple Vigilantes The Lone Ranger – The Lone Ranger Boy Meets Dog – Father Porky's Phoney Express – Porky's Boss Now That Summer is Gone – Father Rascals – Patient Injun Trouble – Injun Joe Hide and Shriek – Haunted House Ghouls Professor Beware – Shoeshine Customer Men with Wings – Red Cross Man Block-Heads – Midget The Mexicali Kid – Stagecoach DriverA Feud There Was – Weaver from Audience / McCoy at Cellar Door Porky in Wackyland – Roaring Goon You're an Education – Singing Tibetan / Thief of Bagdad Orphans of the Street – Short Man California Frontier – BellhopThe Practical Pig – Big Bad Wolf The Lone Stranger and Porky – Narrator / The Lone Stranger / Villain Porky's Tire Trouble – Porky's Boss The Lone Ranger Rides Again – The Masked The Lone Ranger Porky's Movie Mystery – Invisible Man Polar Pals – I. Killem Should Husbands Work? – Small Neighbor The Wizard of Oz – Mayor / Lollipop Guild The Autograph Hound – Security Guard Dancing Co-Ed – Radio Man The Kansas Terrors – The Masked Rider Officer Duck – Tiny Tom The Covered Trailer – Short Man Destry Rides Again – Pianist Porky the Giant Killer – Giant The Film Fan – Narrator of Masked Marvel Zorro's Fighting Legion – Don Del Oro Grandpa Goes to Town – Buck Benny Rides Again – Last Porter Edison, the Man – Reporter Sandy Is a Lady – Cop Scatterbrain – The Ape – Short Mustached Posse Man Hit Parade of 1941 – Radio Actor Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip – Pete Melody Ranch – 'Scarlet Shadow' Radio Actor Las Vegas Nights – Horse Reaching for the Sun – Butch SvobodaAngels with Broken Wings – Trombone Player Tight Shoes – Little Man Cracked Nuts – Parachute Man Whistling in the Dark – Radio Effects Man We, the Animals Squeak! – Irish Mouse The Bug Parade – Spider Rookie Revue – General Dumbo – Clown Sullivan's Travels – Entertainer in Hospital Red Riding Hood Rides Again – Wolf Joe Smith, American – Police Radio Broadcaster Saps in Chaps – Cactus Pete Wolf Chases Pigs – Wolf The Wild and Woozy West – Angel Face A Desperate Chance for Ellery Queen – Quarantine Sign Poster Priorities on Parade – Die Caster Enemy Agents Meet Ellery Queen – The Small SailorI Married a Witch – Photographer The Valley of Vanishing Men – Jericho Stand by for Action – Sailor Two Weeks to Live – Classified Ad Agency Collector Slightly Dangerous – Customer Chatterbox – Black JakeGood Morning, Judge – Radio Announcer Who Killed Who? – Detective / Ghost Best Foot Forward – Waxer Swing Shift Maisie – Workman Crazy House – Policeman Is Everybody Happy? – Waiter Boss of Rawhide – Jed BonesJive Junction – Radio Announcer True to Life – Radio Heavy Whistling in Brooklyn – Announcer War Dogs – Spike Little Red Riding Rabbit – Wolf Tom Turk and Daffy – Tom Turk Shine On, Harvest Moon – Vaudevillian Her Primitive Man – Native Buffalo Bill – Short Man And the Angels Sing – Club Patron The Desert Hawk – Zeno the Magician The Canterville Ghost – Window cleaner The Bodyguard – Spike / Tom Maisie Goes to Reno – Public Address Announcer Casanova Brown – Father in Waiting Room Mrs. Parkington – Quartet Member Lost in a Harem – Bobo Incendiary Blonde – Clown Quiet Please! – Spike Road to Utopia – Bear Mouse in Manhattan – Jerry People Are Funny – Singer – 'Alouette' Gay Blades – Lumberjack Deadline at Dawn – Waiter The Kid from Brooklyn – News Photographer Solid Serenade – Killer (Spike) / Tom Gallant Journey – Mahoney's Valet The Verdict – Gravedigger Sinbad the Sailor – Crier at Auction The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – Western Character Down to Earth – Conductor The Senator Was Indiscreet – Newsboy The Truce Hurts – Butch (Spike) Rabbit Punch – The Champ Loaded Pistols – Townsman Mississippi Hare – Colonel Shuffle Night Unto Night – Man in Hotel Bowery Bugs – Steve Brodie Heavenly Puss – Devil Dog The Next Voice You Hear... – Newspaper Subscriber Navy Bound – Schott, Fight PromoterFather Takes the Air – HaggarlyTwo-Gun Goofy – Pete How to Be a Detective – Al Muldoon Houdini – Italian Basso Calamity Jane – Prospector Canvas Back Duck – Pee Wee Pete Destry – Townsman Sleeping Beauty – Goons It's Only Money – Sign Painter The Nutty Professor – Plumber The Patsy – Table Captain #3 Harlow – – Policeman The Chase – Mr. Vincent Hello, Dolly! – Minor Role Get Smart – Frank OggLi'l Abner – Pappy Yokum Get a Horse! – Peg-Leg Pete