Mel Blanc

Born: May 30, 1908, San Francisco, California
Died: July 10, 1989 (age 81), Los Angeles, California

Melvin "Mel" Jerome Blanc (Born Melvin Jerome Blank) was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio and television commercials, Blanc is best known for his work with Warner Bros. during the Golden Age of American animation (and later for Hanna-Barbera television productions) as the voice of such iconic characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester the Cat, Tweety Bird, Foghorn Leghorn, Yosemite Sam, Wile E. Coyote, Barney Rubble, Mr. Spacely, and hundreds of others. Having earned the nickname “The Man of a Thousand Voices,” Blanc is regarded as one of the most gifted and influential persons in his field.

What do you know about Mel Blanc? Take this Hollywood Stars Quick Quiz.

1. In the late 1930, he became a regular on the network radio show. What was the program?

• The Jack Benny Program
• Jack Parr’s Hour
• The Maxwell Hour

2. One of the famous Blanc shtick on the radio show was the train depot announcer who inevitably intoned: "Train leaving on Track Five for Anaheim, Azusa, and Cucamonga".

• Fact or Myth?

3. The first cartoon Blanc worked on was Porky’s Duck Hunt as the voice of a drunken bull.

• Fact or Myth?

4. The Mel Blanc Show, ran from September 3, 1946 to June 24, 1947. Blanc played himself as the hapless owner of a fix-it shop, as well as a wide range of comical support characters. Who was NOT a regular on the show?

• Alan Reed
• Bea Benaderet
• Tex Avery

5. On January 24, 1961, Blanc was involved in a near-fatal car accident in Hollywood. It happened on what street?

• Sunset Boulevard
• Hollywood Street
• Vine Street

6. In the Flintstones, what character was Mel the voice of?

• Fred Flintstone
• Fred Bedrock
• Barney Rubble

7. His original characterization (for over 52 years) is the longest time any animated character has been performed by his or her original voice contributor. Who is the character?

• Donald Duck
• Daffy Duck
• Bugs Bunny

8. From 1967 to 1971, Mel was the voice of a character used in TV ads for this corn chip. Name the character?

• Speedy Gonzales
• Frito Bandito
• Tex Avery

9. Blanc was one of hundreds of individuals that George Lucas auditioned to provide the voice for the character of C-3PO for his 1977 film Star Wars.

• Fact or Myth?

10. Blanc died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California of heart disease and emphysema.

• Fact or Myth?

Where is Mel Blanc Buried?

Mel Blanc Answers

1. The Jack Benny Program
2. Fact
3. Myth. It was Picador Porky.
4. Tex Avery
5. Sunset Boulevard
6. Barney Rubble
7. Daffy Duck
8. Frito Bandito
9. Fact
10. Fact