Peter Fernandez (Voice of "Speed Racer") Dies at 83 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 07-15-2010, 09:42 PM

The voice of "Speed Racer," Peter Fernandez, died July 15 in Pomona, N.Y., of lung cancer. He was 83.

Fernandez voiced the title character in the iconic cartoon and also played several other parts including Racer X and the villain in the English-lingo version of the 1967 toon. He also had a part in Warner Bros.' 2008 bigscreen remake.

Fernandez started as a child star at age 7 in radio show "City Across the River," said Corinne Orr, a former co-star and friend for 40 years. He segued to Broadway at age 11 where he worked on six shows including 1938's "Whiteoaks," in which he toured with Ethel Barrymore, said his wife, Noel.

After a stint in the Army during World War II he began dubbing foreign films for English audiences. His wife said he storyboarded, wrote, directed, cast and sometimes voiced the parts. That led to cartoon work including Tatsuo Yoshida's "Speed Racer." Orr, who played Trixie in some 200 toons, called Fernandez "a brilliant director and wonderful writer."

"We made no money, but we had a huge cult following," she said. The pair frequently went to "Speed Racer" conventions around the country and were especially busy the year the film came out.

Other toons he worked on include "Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster," "Ultraman" and "Dogs of Hell." His last outing in a career that spanned more than four decades was "Courage the Cowardly Dog."

Besides wife Noel, survivors include two daughters, a son and nine grandchildren.

Donations may be made to the Wildlife Federation.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryId=25&cs=1

Marvo301 · 07-15-2010, 09:54 PM

Peter Fernandez

Go Speed Racer, Go Speed Racer, Go Speed Racer Goooo!!!!

catlover79 · 07-15-2010, 09:55 PM

TV Knowledge Fan · 07-17-2010, 01:04 AM

...also appeared in several "golden age" radio dramas, right through the early '60s [he had a small role as a gas station attendant in the last episode of CBS' "YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR" on September 30, 1962], and adapted and produced several children's stories for various record labels in the mid-'60s, variously with Jack Grimes, Corinne Orr or Jack Curtis [his "SPEED RACER" co-stars]- sometimes all three- as supporting players (for MGM's "Leo" record subsidiary, he recorded an album of original "Superman"/"Superboy" stories in 1966). He was a versatile performer, indeed!

howilu · 07-20-2010, 10:55 AM

I remember owning a record when I was five in the mid 60s where Peter Fernandez narrated "The Little Engine That Could" and another one where he was the narrator for "Tubby the Tuba" on a record that included "Peter and he Wolf" and "The Story of Celeste". Those records were on the MGM label.

comedyfreak · 07-28-2010, 08:44 AM

Weren't they also involved with Marineboy? He will be missed, wish I would have gotten to meet him in person..

bossradio93 · 07-30-2010, 04:51 AM

I remember watching Speed Racer on a small, independent UHF commercial whose city of license was Corona, CA. KBSC-TV Channel 52 Corona/Los Angeles would air the animated series at 6:30pm before The Addams Family at 7:00pm. KBSC-TV (now KVEA) was owned by Kaiser Broadcasting at that time. Other Kaiser stations carried Speed Racer were:

WKBD-TV 50 Detroit (now CW)
WKBS-TV 48 Burlington, NJ/Philadelphia, PA*
WKBG (now WLVI) TV 56 Cambridge/Boston, MA (CW)
KBHK (now KBCW) TV 44 San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose (CW)
WKBF-TV 61 Lorain/Cleveland, OH**
WFLD-TV 32 Chicago (Fox)

*Relaunched as WGTW Channel 48 in 1985 (under a new license) after Kaiser/Field owned the station (1965-1983), later sold to Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) October 2004.

**Kaiser Broadcasting built, signed on and signed off WKBF-TV Channel 61 in March 1975, would later re-launch as WCLQ-TV, later, WQHS (Univision) under a new license and new ownership.

TV Knowledge Fan · 08-15-2010, 03:04 AM

...around the time Peter Fernandez, Corinne Orr, Jack Grimes, and Jack Curtis were recording their voice tracks for "SPEED RACER", they were also working on "MARINE BOY", 'comedy' {Corinne was "Marine Boy"}; Fernandez also adapted the original Japanese scripts for both series, preferring to take a writer/director credit instead of listing himself as one of the voices....

07-15-2010, 09:42 PM	#1
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: 34,375	Peter Fernandez (Voice of "Speed Racer") Dies at 83 The voice of "Speed Racer," Peter Fernandez, died July 15 in Pomona, N.Y., of lung cancer. He was 83. Fernandez voiced the title character in the iconic cartoon and also played several other parts including Racer X and the villain in the English-lingo version of the 1967 toon. He also had a part in Warner Bros.' 2008 bigscreen remake. Fernandez started as a child star at age 7 in radio show "City Across the River," said Corinne Orr, a former co-star and friend for 40 years. He segued to Broadway at age 11 where he worked on six shows including 1938's "Whiteoaks," in which he toured with Ethel Barrymore, said his wife, Noel. After a stint in the Army during World War II he began dubbing foreign films for English audiences. His wife said he storyboarded, wrote, directed, cast and sometimes voiced the parts. That led to cartoon work including Tatsuo Yoshida's "Speed Racer." Orr, who played Trixie in some 200 toons, called Fernandez "a brilliant director and wonderful writer." "We made no money, but we had a huge cult following," she said. The pair frequently went to "Speed Racer" conventions around the country and were especially busy the year the film came out. Other toons he worked on include "Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster," "Ultraman" and "Dogs of Hell." His last outing in a career that spanned more than four decades was "Courage the Cowardly Dog." Besides wife Noel, survivors include two daughters, a son and nine grandchildren. Donations may be made to the Wildlife Federation. http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryId=25&cs=1
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07-15-2010, 09:54 PM	#2
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,453	Peter Fernandez Go Speed Racer, Go Speed Racer, Go Speed Racer Goooo!!!!
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07-15-2010, 09:55 PM	#3
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376
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07-17-2010, 01:04 AM	#4
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	Peter... ...also appeared in several "golden age" radio dramas, right through the early '60s [he had a small role as a gas station attendant in the last episode of CBS' "YOURS TRULY, JOHNNY DOLLAR" on September 30, 1962], and adapted and produced several children's stories for various record labels in the mid-'60s, variously with Jack Grimes, Corinne Orr or Jack Curtis [his "SPEED RACER" co-stars]- sometimes all three- as supporting players (for MGM's "Leo" record subsidiary, he recorded an album of original "Superman"/"Superboy" stories in 1966). He was a versatile performer, indeed!

07-28-2010, 08:44 AM	#6
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,059	Weren't they also involved with Marineboy? He will be missed, wish I would have gotten to meet him in person..
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07-20-2010, 10:55 AM	#5
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,961	I remember owning a record when I was five in the mid 60s where Peter Fernandez narrated "The Little Engine That Could" and another one where he was the narrator for "Tubby the Tuba" on a record that included "Peter and he Wolf" and "The Story of Celeste". Those records were on the MGM label.

07-30-2010, 04:51 AM	#7
bossradio93 Game Show Fanatic! Senior Member Join Date: Nov 01, 2004 Location: Bellflower, California Posts: 2,392	Peter Fernandez, voice of 'Speed Racer,' dies I remember watching Speed Racer on a small, independent UHF commercial whose city of license was Corona, CA. KBSC-TV Channel 52 Corona/Los Angeles would air the animated series at 6:30pm before The Addams Family at 7:00pm. KBSC-TV (now KVEA) was owned by Kaiser Broadcasting at that time. Other Kaiser stations carried Speed Racer were: WKBD-TV 50 Detroit (now CW) WKBS-TV 48 Burlington, NJ/Philadelphia, PA* WKBG (now WLVI) TV 56 Cambridge/Boston, MA (CW) KBHK (now KBCW) TV 44 San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose (CW) WKBF-TV 61 Lorain/Cleveland, OH** WFLD-TV 32 Chicago (Fox) Relaunched as WGTW Channel 48 in 1985 (under a new license) after Kaiser/Field owned the station (1965-1983), later sold to Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) October 2004. *Kaiser Broadcasting built, signed on and signed off WKBF-TV Channel 61 in March 1975, would later re-launch as WCLQ-TV, later, WQHS (Univision) under a new license and new ownership.
	__________________ HBO Documentary: Left of the Dial: Grade: B+ "Morals aren't supposed to stop because it's politically inconvenient to continue them." Keith Olbermann - *Countdown with Keith Olbermann* April 22, 2009 (MSNBC) UPCOMING DVD RELEASES June 16, 2009: The Three Stooges Collection: Volume 6 Star Trek coming to KDOC-TV Monday May 4 @ 9:00pm Farewell KNX/CBS Columbia Square (April 30, 1938-August 12, 2005). Thanks for 67 great years of information and entertainment. My DVD Collection

08-15-2010, 03:04 AM	#8
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	Yes... ...around the time Peter Fernandez, Corinne Orr, Jack Grimes, and Jack Curtis were recording their voice tracks for "SPEED RACER", they were also working on "MARINE BOY", 'comedy' {Corinne was "Marine Boy"}; Fernandez also adapted the original Japanese scripts for both series, preferring to take a writer/director credit instead of listing himself as one of the voices....