Voice actor Joe Alaskey (1952-2016) - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Vahan · 02-04-2016, 12:29 AM

http://www.newsfromme.com/2016/02/03/joe-alaskey-r-p/

Quote:

Another great talent has been wrested away from us: Emmy-winning Voice Actor Joe Alaskey died earlier this evening. He was 63 and the cause was cancer.

Joe was an on-camera impressionist and comic actor but he achieved his greatest fame doing voices for animated cartoons, including the role of Grandpa Lou Pickles on Rugrats (following the late David Doyle) and many of the major Warner Brothers characters, especially Daffy Duck. Joe won his Emmy in 2004 for his portrayal of Daffy on the series, Duck Dodgers.

Joe was born in Troy, New York and like many impressionists, learned at any early age that one could overcome great shyness by becoming someone else. One of his best was Jackie Gleason and as he got older, he could not only sound like the man they called The Great One but look like him, as well. When Gleason's voice needed to be replicated to fix the audio on the "lost" Honeymooners episodes, Joe was the man.

A few years after that, Joe was called upon to redub an old Honeymooners clip for a TV commercial. When he got the call, Joe assured the ad agency that if they needed him, he could also match the voice of Art Carney as Ed Norton. He was told they already had someone to do that — someone who did it better. Joe was miffed until he arrived at the recording session and discovered that the actor they felt could do a better job as Art Carney…was Art Carney. Joe later said that playing Kramden to Carney's Norton was the greatest thrill of his life, especially after Carney asked him for some pointers on how to sound more like Ed.

Voice matches were a specialty of Joe's, ranging from a few lines on a TV show to supplying the voice of Richard Nixon in the Academy Award-winning film, Forrest Gump. He often redubbed actors for the TV or airline releases of movies when "naughty" words had to be replaced — Jack Lemmon in Glengarry Glen Ross, for instance. In cartoons, he was one of several actors who inherited Mel Blanc roles — in Joe's case, before Mel had passed on. Blanc voiced Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig and Tweety in Who Framed Roger Rabbit but decided that Yosemite Sam was too taxing on his throat so Alaskey spoke for that character and also for Foghorn Leghorn in a deleted sequence.

After Mel was gone, Joe was one of several actors who played Bugs, Daffy and most of the others. On The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries, he spoke for both Sylvester and Tweety. (His greatest challenge? I once watched Joe for a while as he recorded lines as Bugs, Daffy, Sylvester and Yosemite Sam for a G.P.S. It tooks days and thousands of lines for each…and after he finished as Sam, he couldn't speak for almost a week.) He also created the Daffy-like voice of Plucky Duck on Tiny Toon Adventures.

He was also heard in many commercials and non-animated TV shows. Recently, he was working as the narrator of Murder Comes to Town, a series seen on the Discovery Channel. He was also flexing a few of his non-vocal skills as a writer and as a cartoonist.

He loved voice acting and did not regret that he'd largely abandoned his work in clubs as an impressionist and acting in front of the camera. Two of his most visible roles were as the star on the 1988 cult film, Lucky Stiff, and the role of Beano Froelich on the TV situation comedy, Out of This World.

I was delighted to know Joe for many years, to have him on several of my Cartoon Voices panels at Comic-Con, and to work with him in 2014 on The Garfield Show. Joe was temperamental and fiercely insecure at times, and you might hear of problems with directors and other actors. I can only tell you that when I hired him, he was an absolute professional. The only problem we had was that Joe had so many different voices that it was sometimes difficult to choose which one we wanted out of him.

The one I liked best was when he sounded like Joe Alaskey. He had a long, long list of voices but that's the one I will miss the most.

Vahan · 02-04-2016, 12:31 AM

That makes it three voice actors on Rugrats who are no longer with us. The other two being Andy Houts (Production Coordinator), David Doyle (the original voice of Grandpa Lou Pickles from 1991 to 1997; Alaskey took over after that), and the voice of Chuckie Finster, Christine Cavanaugh.

Zoneboy · 02-04-2016, 12:37 AM

Can't find anything that confirms it although Mark is usually reliable.

Mace Dolex · 02-04-2016, 12:38 AM

RIP, I've always had an admiration for voice actors on TV/movies/radio.

opus · 02-04-2016, 12:57 AM

He did some voice work in my screen namesake's Christmas special Opus n' Bill: A Wish for Wings that Work

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OH Nuts! · 02-04-2016, 01:20 AM

Very sad to hear. He was a good man and nobody BUT NOBODY did a better Jackie Gleason than Joe Alaskey.

70s show watcher · 02-04-2016, 04:35 AM

he was also the third voice of tweety after mel blanc and bob bergen

Torgo · 02-04-2016, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OH Nuts!

Very sad to hear. He was a good man and nobody BUT NOBODY did a better Jackie Gleason than Joe Alaskey.

Not even Jackie Gleason himself.

Torgo · 02-04-2016, 11:43 AM

Joe also starred in front of the camera as the lead in the 1988 horror comedy Lucky Stiff. Joe is what makes the movie a lot better than it is, very funny and very likable.

MRPITT · 02-04-2016, 11:48 AM

R.I.P. Joe.

I had the pleasure of meeting Joe on a couple occasions. I was on a Short Lived 80's Game Show Couch Potatoes which Joe played Marc Summers announcer/neighbor. Where he started each episode by reciting this

"From Hollywood the television capitol of the world, its time to go reeling through some of the greatest televison shows of all time"

simmytbone · 02-04-2016, 12:34 PM

He was also on Steven Spielberg's Tiny Toon Adventures playing the voices of Plucky Duck, Wile E. Coyote and the Tasmanian Devil

He also starred in 2 Disney Cartoons for Television playing the voices of Flaps the Elephant on Disney's Bonkers and the Lobster Monster on Disney's The Little Mermaid: The Series

He even appeared on The All-New Star Studded Match Game w/Ross Schafer

God Bless You Joe Alasky, Thank You for giving us great entertainment

May You R.I.P.

MRPITT · 02-04-2016, 12:40 PM

I also used to enjoy him on Saturdays in the 80's as Uncle Beano in Out Of This World.

Marvo301 · 02-04-2016, 03:16 PM

I remember him best as "Beano" on "Out of this World".

Joe Alaskey

MrCleveland · 02-05-2016, 06:08 PM

Alaskey will be missed...

king of comedy · 02-05-2016, 06:34 PM

[QUOTE=simmytbone]He was also on Steven Spielberg's Tiny Toon Adventures playing the voices of Plucky Duck, Wile E. Coyote and the Tasmanian Devil

He also starred in 2 Disney Cartoons for Television playing the voices of Flaps the Elephant on Disney's Bonkers and the Lobster Monster on Disney's The Little Mermaid: The Series

He even appeared on The All-New Star Studded Match Game w/Ross Schafer

God Bless You Joe Alasky, Thank You for giving us great entertainment

May You R.I.P.[/QUOTE I loved Tiny Toons! R.I.P. Joe.

02-04-2016, 12:37 AM	#3
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,338	Can't find anything that confirms it although Mark is usually reliable.
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02-04-2016, 11:48 AM	#10
MRPITT Member Senior Member Join Date: May 14, 2011 Posts: 1,678	R.I.P. Joe. I had the pleasure of meeting Joe on a couple occasions. I was on a Short Lived 80's Game Show Couch Potatoes which Joe played Marc Summers announcer/neighbor. Where he started each episode by reciting this "From Hollywood the television capitol of the world, its time to go reeling through some of the greatest televison shows of all time"
	Last edited by MRPITT; 02-04-2016 at 12:38 PM.

02-04-2016, 12:34 PM	#11
simmytbone Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 17, 2009 Posts: 1,514	He was also on Steven Spielberg's Tiny Toon Adventures playing the voices of Plucky Duck, Wile E. Coyote and the Tasmanian Devil He also starred in 2 Disney Cartoons for Television playing the voices of Flaps the Elephant on Disney's Bonkers and the Lobster Monster on Disney's The Little Mermaid: The Series He even appeared on The All-New Star Studded Match Game w/Ross Schafer God Bless You Joe Alasky, Thank You for giving us great entertainment May You R.I.P.
	__________________ Lisa Marie Varon, Lisa Moretti, Jazz, Lilian Garcia & Dawn Marie The Fab 5-Underrated, but AWESOME in my book Atlanta Falcons: RISE UP

02-04-2016, 03:16 PM	#13
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,450	I remember him best as "Beano" on "Out of this World". Joe Alaskey
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

02-05-2016, 06:08 PM	#14
MrCleveland Drew Carey from Hell Forum Star Join Date: Nov 10, 2007 Location: The City of Cleveland, in The State of Cleveland, in The United States of Cleveland Posts: 14,222	Alaskey will be missed...
	__________________ Thank God for kids that love Obscure Things. Lee Hazlewood (1929-2007) You ARE Special to God! Rev. Ernest Angely (August 1921-May 2021)

02-04-2016, 12:31 AM	#2
Vahan Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2008 Posts: 2,712	That makes it three voice actors on Rugrats who are no longer with us. The other two being Andy Houts (Production Coordinator), David Doyle (the original voice of Grandpa Lou Pickles from 1991 to 1997; Alaskey took over after that), and the voice of Chuckie Finster, Christine Cavanaugh.

02-04-2016, 12:38 AM	#4
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,660	RIP, I've always had an admiration for voice actors on TV/movies/radio.

02-04-2016, 12:57 AM	#5
opus VB Forum Superstar Join Date: May 16, 2015 Location: VB Galaxy Posts: 32,053	He did some voice work in my screen namesake's Christmas special Opus n' Bill: A Wish for Wings that Work

02-04-2016, 01:20 AM	#6
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	Very sad to hear. He was a good man and nobody BUT NOBODY did a better Jackie Gleason than Joe Alaskey.

02-04-2016, 04:35 AM	#7
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,548	he was also the third voice of tweety after mel blanc and bob bergen

02-04-2016, 11:43 AM	#9
Torgo Omaha & Fritz Forum Star Join Date: Mar 06, 2004 Location: Oregon Posts: 19,017	Joe also starred in front of the camera as the lead in the 1988 horror comedy Lucky Stiff. Joe is what makes the movie a lot better than it is, very funny and very likable.

02-04-2016, 12:40 PM	#12
MRPITT Member Senior Member Join Date: May 14, 2011 Posts: 1,678	I also used to enjoy him on Saturdays in the 80's as Uncle Beano in Out Of This World.

02-05-2016, 06:34 PM	#15
king of comedy Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 31, 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 5,140	[QUOTE=simmytbone]He was also on Steven Spielberg's Tiny Toon Adventures playing the voices of Plucky Duck, Wile E. Coyote and the Tasmanian Devil He also starred in 2 Disney Cartoons for Television playing the voices of Flaps the Elephant on Disney's Bonkers and the Lobster Monster on Disney's The Little Mermaid: The Series He even appeared on The All-New Star Studded Match Game w/Ross Schafer God Bless You Joe Alasky, Thank You for giving us great entertainment May You R.I.P.[/QUOTE I loved Tiny Toons! R.I.P. Joe.