Lucille Bliss
Lucille Theresa Bliss was an American actress, known in the Bay Area and in Hollywood as the "Girl With a Thousand Voices".
A New York City native, Bliss lent her voice to numerous television characters, including the title character of the first made-for-television cartoon, Crusader Rabbit, Smurfette on the popular 1980s cartoon The Smurfs and Ms. Bitters on the Nickelodeon animated series Invader Zim. In addition to her television roles, she was known for her work as a voice actress in feature films.
Life and career
Family
Bliss was born to James Francis Bliss, a dentist from Massachusetts, and Frieda Siemens. Her mother, a German emigrant, was a classically trained pianist and wanted her daughter to train as an opera singer. Her parents later divorced. Her father's death in 1935 prompted Frieda and Lucille to move to California, where her mother became head of the music department at the San Francisco College for Women.
Radio
Bliss was active in old-time radio, having roles in Pat Novak, for Hire, Candy Matson, and The Charlie McCarthy Show.
Film
Bliss' first voice work was the role of the wicked stepsister Anastasia Tremaine in Walt Disney's 1950 feature film Cinderella, for which she was honored 50 years later by the Young Artist Foundation with its Former Child Star "Lifetime Achievement" Award in March 2000.
Television
In the early years of television, Bliss acted in Harbor Command and The Lineup. From 1950 to 1957, Bliss was "Auntie Lou" on San Francisco, California's KRON-TV's The Happy Birthday To You Show, also known as Birthday Party Show, which had guests from adults, to children, to animals. The program included use of Disney cartoon characters, as Bliss "picked up exclusive rights in northern California for the right to use Disney clips on her new show." At the same time, she did voices for Hanna-Barbera while they were working for the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio – as Tuffy in Robin Hoodwinked, as Leprechaun in Droopy Leprechaun and later was Hugo on an episode of The Flintstones. She was also the narrator on three stories from the Disney album "Peter Cottontail and Other Funny Bunnies": "Story of Thumper", :Story of the White Rabbit", and "Story of Grandpa Bunny". Bliss was also a voice-over performer for Airborne radio spots in 2004.
Volunteer efforts
Bliss produced and directed talent shows for the Embarcadero Armed Services YMCA in San Francisco. Some service personnel launched professional careers from those shows.
Death
Bliss died from natural causes on November 8, 2012, in Costa Mesa, California, at the age of 96. She was buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Filmography
Cinderella – Anastasia Tremaine Crusader Rabbit – Crusader RabbitAlice in Wonderland – Daisy / Tulip Peter Pan – Mermaid / Tiger Lily A Kiddies Kitty – Suzanne The Waggily Tale – Little Girl/Mama Robin Hoodwinked – TuffyDroopy Leprechaun – LeprechaunHow to Have an Accident at Work – Donald's sonThe Flintstones – Hugo 101 Dalmatians – TV Commercial SingerDoDo, The Kid from Outer Space – DoDoThe Space Kidettes – SnoopyFunnyman – Girl of 1000 voicesThe Tiny Tree – Field MouseThe Flintstones' Christmas – Bamm-Bamm RubbleThe Flintstones: Little Big League – DustyCasper the Friendly Ghost: He Ain't Scary, He's Our Brother – Gervais, Carmelita, Nice LadyHug Me The Smurfs – SmurfetteThe Secret of NIMH – Mrs. Beth FitzgibbonsThe Great Bear Scare – Miss WitchChuck E. Cheese - The Christmas That Almost Wasn't – Mrs. ClausStrong Kids, Safe Kids – Pebbles Flintstone/Bamm-Bamm Rubble/Smurfette/Baby SmurfCap'n O. G. Readmore – Lickety PageRainbow Brite: San Diego Zoo Adventure – NarratorAssassination – CroneThe Night Before – Gal BabyMiracle Mile – Old Woman in DinerBetty Boop's Hollywood Mystery – Miss GreenAsterix and the Big Fight – Impedimenta Tales of the City – Cable Car LadyThumbelina Narrated by Mayim Bialik – Miscellaneous Space Quest VI: The Spinal Frontier – Sharpei/Waitron Wacked – Jane KatzInvader Zim – Ms. BittersStar Wars: Bounty Hunter – Rozatta Battlestar Galactica – Shaden Blue Harvest Days – Bear BratRobots – Pigeon LadyAvatar: The Last Airbender – YugodaUp-In-Down Town – Quinby