Billy Bletcher

Billy Bletcher

Born September 23, 1894 (Age: 131) Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

Biography

The diminutive (5 feet 2 inches/1.57 meters) Bletcher appeared on-screen in films and later television from the 1910s to the 1970s, including appearances in several Our Gang and Three Stooges comedies.Bletcher was also famous as a voice actor. Uncharacteristically for someone of his size, his voice was a deep and strong-sounding baritone. He provided the voices of various characters for Disney (Black Pete and the Big Bad Wolf in Three Little Pigs and its spin-offs), MGM (Spike the Bulldog and in some occasions even Tom, in Tom and Jerry), and Warner Bros. (many characters, most notably the Papa Bear of Chuck Jones' The Three Bears after Mel Blanc had performed the role in the initial entry). He appeared opposite Blanc in Little Red Riding Rabbit, where he played another famous wolf. Bletcher's booming voice can also be heard as "Dom Del Oro" the Yacqi Indian god in the 1939 Republic serial, Zorro's Fighting Legion. He also voiced Owl Jolson's disciplinarian violinist father in the 1936 short subject based on the song I Love to Singa and the menacing spider in Bingo Crosbyana. Both he and Mel Blanc did voice acting in the 1944 Private Snafu WWII training film "Gas", where Bletcher plays the villainous Gas Cloud (with Mel Blanc voicing Private Snafu and a cameo of Bugs Bunny) as an opponent of Snafu. Bletcher also played The Captain in Captain and the Kids with MGM cartoons.
The diminutive (5 feet 2 inches/1.57 meters) Bletcher appeared on-screen in films and later television from the 1910s to the 1970s, including appearances in several Our Gang and Three Stooges comedies.Bletcher was also famous as a voice actor. Uncharacteristically for someone of his size, his voice was a deep and strong-sounding baritone. He provided the voices of various characters for Disney (Black Pete and the Big Bad Wolf in Three Little Pigs and its spin-offs), MGM (Spike the Bulldog and in some occasions even Tom, in Tom and Jerry), and Warner Bros. (many characters, most notably the Papa Bear of Chuck Jones' The Three Bears after Mel Blanc had performed the role in the initial entry). He appeared opposite Blanc in Little Red Riding Rabbit, where he played another famous wolf. Bletcher's booming voice can also be heard as "Dom Del Oro" the Yacqi Indian god in the 1939 Republic serial, Zorro's Fighting Legion. He also voiced Owl Jolson's disciplinarian violinist father in the 1936 short subject based on the song I Love to Singa and the menacing spider in Bingo Crosbyana. Both he and Mel Blanc did voice acting in the 1944 Private Snafu WWII training film "Gas", where Bletcher plays the villainous Gas Cloud (with Mel Blanc voicing Private Snafu and a cameo of Bugs Bunny) as an opponent of Snafu. Bletcher also played The Captain in Captain and the Kids with MGM cartoons.
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Filmography

The Story Behind Walt Disney's 'Fun and Fancy Free'

The Story Behind Walt Disney's 'Fun and Fancy Free'

1997 as Self (archive footage) Age: 102
Hello, Dolly!

Hello, Dolly!

1969 as Man (uncredited) Age: 75
The Chase

The Chase

1966 as Mr. Vincent (uncredited) Age: 71
No Image

Chun King Chow Mein Hour

1962 as Mr. Abramowitz Age: 67
This Is Your Life Donald Duck

This Is Your Life Donald Duck

1960 as Pete (voice) Age: 65
Trailblazer Magoo

Trailblazer Magoo

1956 as Various (voice)(uncredited) Age: 61
Stand by for Action

Stand by for Action

1942 as Sailor (uncredited) Age: 48
Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6

Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood No. 6

1942 as Age: 48
The Vanishing Private

The Vanishing Private

1942 as Sergeant Pete (voice) (uncredited) Age: 48
Donald Gets Drafted

Donald Gets Drafted

1942 as Sergeant Pete (voice) (uncredited) Age: 47
Daffy's Southern Exposure

Daffy's Southern Exposure

1942 as Wolf (voice) (uncredited) Age: 47
No Image

The Wild and Woozy West

1942 as Angel Face Wolf (uncredited) Age: 47
Saps in Chaps

Saps in Chaps

1942 as Cactus Pete (voice) (uncredited) Age: 47
No Image

Dog Meets Dog

1942 as Butch Age: 47
Symphony Hour

Symphony Hour

1942 as Pete - Sylvester Macaroni (voice) (uncredited) Age: 47
Joe Smith, American

Joe Smith, American

1942 as Police Radio Broadcaster (voice) (uncredited) Age: 47
No Image

Red Riding Hood Rides Again

1941 as Wolf (voice) (uncredited) Age: 47
The Thrifty Pig

The Thrifty Pig

1941 as Big Bad Wolf (voice) (uncredited) Age: 47
Dumbo

Dumbo

1941 as Clown (voice) (uncredited) Age: 47
Come Back, Miss Pipps

Come Back, Miss Pipps

1941 as Froggy's Father (uncredited) Age: 47
We, the Animals - Squeak!

We, the Animals - Squeak!

1941 as Irish Mouse (voice) Age: 46
Whistling in the Dark

Whistling in the Dark

1941 as Radio Effects Man (uncredited) Age: 46
Robot Wrecks

Robot Wrecks

1941 as Froggy's Father (uncredited) Age: 46
Meet John Doughboy

Meet John Doughboy

1941 as Short Soldier (voice) (uncredited) Age: 46
Cracked Nuts

Cracked Nuts

1941 as Parachute Man Age: 46
Las Vegas Nights

Las Vegas Nights

1941 as Horse (voice) Age: 46
Timber

Timber

1941 as Pete (voice) (uncredited) Age: 46
Sneak Easily

Sneak Easily

1932 as Police Radio Announcer (uncredited) Age: 38
The Devil Is Driving

The Devil Is Driving

1932 as Musician at First Wedding (uncredited) Age: 38
The Dentist

The Dentist

1932 as Mr. Foliage - Bearded Patient Age: 38
No Image

Taxi for Two

1932 as The District Attorney Age: 38
No Image

The Hollywood Handicap

1932 as Age: 37
No Image

A Slip at the Switch

1932 as Feeny Age: 37
The Boiling Point

The Boiling Point

1932 as Stubby - Kirk Hand Age: 37
By Whose Hand?

By Whose Hand?

1932 as Police Radio Dispatcher (uncredited) (unconfirmed) Age: 37
Night World

Night World

1932 as Nightclub Patron (uncredited) Age: 37
Runt Page

Runt Page

1932 as Bears Bugs (voice) (uncredited) Age: 37
Bridge Wives

Bridge Wives

1932 as Radio announcer Age: 37
No Image

Never the Twins Shall Meet

1932 as Installment Man Age: 37
The Tabasco Kid

The Tabasco Kid

1932 as Susie (voice) Age: 37
The Secret Witness

The Secret Witness

1931 as Radio Announcer's Voice Age: 37
The Texas Ranger

The Texas Ranger

1931 as Tubby Age: 36
No Image

Moonlight and Monkey Business

1930 as Honeymooner Age: 36