Peter Fernandez


Peter Fernandez was an American actor, voice director, and writer. Despite a career extending from the 1930s, he is probably best known for his roles in the 1967 anime Speed Racer. Fernandez co-wrote the scripts, was the voice director, and translated the English-language version of the theme song. He was instrumental in introducing many Japanese anime series to English-speaking audiences. He is also the narrator in the audio version of It Looked Like Spilt Milk.

Life and career

Born in Manhattan, New York, one of three children to Pedro and Edna Fernandez. His two siblings were Edward and Jacqueline. He was of Cuban, Irish, and French descent. Fernandez was a child model for the John Robert Power Agency to support his family during the Great Depression. He then appeared on both radio and Broadway, appearing in Lillian Hellman's Watch on the Rhine in 1941. He was drafted into the United States Army at age 18, late in World War II. His radio appearances included roles on Mr. District Attorney, Let's Pretend, Gang Busters, My Best Girls, Superman, and Suspense, as well as soap operas. After his discharge from the Army in 1946, he became a prolific writer for both radio and pulp fiction. He also authored the children's book Bedtime Stories from the Bible.
Fernandez is known for his voice work and has been heard in English adaptions of many foreign films. Fernandez is best known as the American voice of the title character—and his brother Racer X—in the 1967 anime series Speed Racer. Besides acting in Speed Racer, he was the lyricist and performer of the English version of that show's theme song. He returned in the 2008 animated series Speed Racer: The Next Generation to play a middle-aged Headmaster Spritle. In the live-action 2008 film Speed Racer, Fernandez had a small part as a racing announcer. The rapid-fire delivery of dialogue made famous by Speed Racer was devised by Fernandez and his American voice co-stars in order to make the dialogue sync with the original Japanese mouth movements.
He provided the voice for Benton Tarantella, a resurrected film director for Courage the Cowardly Dog, which he has said was his favorite. He made cameos credited as "additional characters" in several episodes, besides his role as the voice of Robot Randy. He was a voice director for Robert Mandell's Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers and Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. Additional voice acting credits include in such dubbed anime titles as Astro Boy, Gigantor, Marine Boy, Star Blazers and Superbook.
In 2007, he was awarded The Special American Anime Award for Outstanding Achievement. Fernandez was interviewed in 2008 on his activities and voice over work. His last major public appearance was at the 2009 Seattle, Washington Sakura-Con.

Personal life and death

Fernandez lived in Pomona, New York, with his wife, Noel Smith, whom he married in 1978; together they had three children.
He died on July 15, 2010, after a suffering from lung cancer at the age of 83.

Filmography

Live-action

Japanese animation dubbing

Astro BoyGigantor – Buttons Brilliant, JohnnyKuro Kami: the Animation – Ryuujin NagamineMarine Boy – Dr. Mariner, PiperSpeed Racer – Speed Racer, Racer X, Additional VoicesStar Blazers: The Bolar Wars – Mark VentureSuperbook – Additional VoicesThunderbirds 2086 – Additional Voices

American animation

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective – Additional VoicesCourage the Cowardly Dog – Benton Tarantella, Robot Randy, the Magic Tree of Nowhere, the Spirit of the Harvest Moon, Mad DogKenny the Shark – Additional VoicesPrincess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders – Max, Grimm the DragonSpeed Racer: The Next Generation – Headmaster Spritle, Speed Racer Sr.

Film

Alakazam the Great – Alakazam The Enchanted JourneyGodzilla vs. the Sea Monster – RyotaGodzilla vs. the Smog Monster – YukioPlan Bee – BellzaPlanet of StormsPlanet of the VampiresSon of Godzilla – GoroSpider's Web: A Pig's Tale – Noiman Ja RahrSport Billy – Narrator, Additional VoicesWhat's Eating Gilbert Grape – ADR Voice

Video games

The Longest Journey – Elder Banda, Minstrum Yerin, Old Alatien man

Other works

Peter Absolute on the Erie Canal Speed Racer X-Minus One Baby Animals Just Want to Have Fun

Staff

Dialogue direction

Blood Link Bonheur d'occasion A Question of Silence Infra-Man Ingenjör Andrées luftfärd Kenny the Shark La Diagonale du fou Ultraman

Direction

Coup de tête

Dubbing direction

  • ''Nattens engel''

Voice direction

2019, After the Fall of New York Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Al Andalus The Antichrist Assassination in Rome Au nom de tous les miens Au nom de tous les miens Bidaya wa nihaya The Black Corsair Bordella Choice of Arms Christmas in Cartoontown Ciske de Rat Coup de torchon Courage the Cowardly Dog The Desert of the Tartars Dogs of Hell Fei zhou chao ren Gandahar Goha Godzilla versus the Sea Monster Infra-Man Jalna |Jalna Jung-Gwok chiu-yan Kokusai himitsu keisatsu: Zettai zetsumi Le Grand pardon Love and Anarchy Les Chevaliers du ciel The Magic Snowman Mimì metallurgico ferito nell'onore The Nest Nuovo cinema Paradiso Onna hissatsu ken Piedone a Hong Kong Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders Puss 'N Boots Travels Around the World Satsujin ken 2 Shaka Stavisky... That Man from Rio The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers The Secret of Anastasia The Secret of Mulan The Space Giants Topâzu Tutto a posto e niente in ordine Un amour de Swann Une histoire simple

Writing

2019 – Dopo la caduta di New York Al Andalus Au nom de tous les miens Ciske de Rat Coup de tête Coup de tchon El Nido Faire l'amur – Emmanuelle et ses soeurs" Fei zhou chao ren Gandahar Godzilla versus the Sea Monster Infra-Man Il Deserto dei Tartari Ingenjör Andrées luftfärd Jalna Le Choix des armes Le Grand prdon Les Chevaliers du ciel Mélodie en sous-sol Mimì metallurgico ferito nell'onore Nattens engel Onna hissatsu ken Puss 'N Boots Travels Around the World Satsujin ken 2 ' Stavisky... Tatsu no ko Tarô The Alley Cats The Dirty Girls The Enchanted Journey The Mad Doctor Hump The Night the Animals Talked The Space Giants Topâzu Ultraman Une histoire simple