Anybody have any help on Bosko's voice Johnny Murray???

[Sogturtle]

Okay here's one that has me somewhat baffled... The usual voice of Bosko (Warners) was a guy named Johnny Murray (according to Graham Webb and evidently based on Rudy Ising's recollection, though Webb strongly believes Max Maxwell subbed several times while Murray was working elsewhere)... But who in the world was Johnny Murray?? Or WHICH John Murray??? Webb says it was actor/bit player John T. Murray, the same guy who was usually uncredited in 1930's features but turned up in a memorably named Three Stooges short "Violent Is The Word For Curly"... This Murray was an Aussie (which of course would make Bosko into "Aussko" which sounds suspiciously like a western drugstore chain--Osco :p ). Buuuuut I don't recall hearing any of an Australian accent on Bosko (of course John T. likely worked hard to erase it). Seeming to back this up John T.'s live-action film work jumped drastically (doubled and tripled) once the Bosko Looney Tunes ended. Prior to the Boskos, John T. Murray MAY have been under contract to Warners but if so it would appear he was loaned out to appear in shorts for minor studios (either that or the Warner casting directors really liked him for little roles). It's been stated that quit acting in the early 1940's (and died in the late Fifties)...

Complicating things slightly is this... The early Warner part-talkie "Weary River" (1929) features Richard Barthelmess "singing" and "playing the piano"... In reality the singing was done live by a cornetist (from the Coconut Grove orchestra) named...(you guessed it) Johnny Murray (the real off-screen pianist was some guy named Frank Churchill(!!)). Sooooo this would give us a second Johnny Murray choice (unless the two guys were one and the same, unlikely but I guess possible).

Lastly... When Red Skelton (I dood it!) started his radio program in the early 1940's, one of his writers was named... (that's right) Johnny Murray... Sooooo that gives us THREE Johnny Murrays to choose from... (Of course it's tempting to think that since THIS one appears just as John T. Murray quits acting then...)

Anybody have any help???

[David Gerstein]

The usual voice of Bosko (Warners) was a guy named Johnny Murray (according to Graham Webb and evidently based on Rudy Ising's recollection, though Webb strongly believes Max Maxwell subbed several times while Murray was working elsewhere) No "evidently" about it; it's a certainty, as Ising confirmed Murray's role to me around 1991.
Maxwell provided Bosko's original low, Southern-accented voice in BOSKO THE TALK-INK KID and SINKIN' IN THE BATHTUB. Bosko does have a non-Murray alto voice in BOSKO'S KNIGHTMARE, but I'd never claim to be able to tell if it's Maxwell's or not.

[Sogturtle]

No "evidently" about it; it's a certainty, as Ising confirmed Murray's role to me around 1991.
Maxwell provided Bosko's original low, Southern-accented voice in BOSKO THE TALK-INK KID and SINKIN' IN THE BATHTUB. Bosko does have a non-Murray alto voice in BOSKO'S KNIGHTMARE, but I'd never claim to be able to tell if it's Maxwell's or not.


Hello David, it's nice to hear from you! You seem to have an eerie knack for answering my posts about Johnny Murray precisely on Sept. 13 (and that you've been taking Gingko Biloba for your memory... ;) :p :) read on)...
http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=48056&page=1&highlight=Johnny+Murray


09-13-2002, 12:46 AM
Re: And the beginning voices... Post #10

David Gerstein
Member

Joined: Apr 2001
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark


There has been conflict as to the real voice of "Bosko", Carman "Max" Maxwell and Johnny Murray have both been cited as the high pitched voice for Mr. B."

I met Rudy Ising several times at his home in 1990 and 1991. He confirmed that Carmen Maxwell (note spelling) only provided Bosko's original "southern accent" voice in BOSKO THE TALK-INK KID and SINKIN' IN THE BATHTUB, while another voice artist provided the falsetto that came afterward.
Rudy gave me a name, but as a foolish kid I failed to take it down! Johnny Murray seems to ring a bell, but I don't want to verify anything until I know where you have gotten the name and credit.
Any thoughts? Any rags?

(One anecdote from Rudy that I remember clearly is that at the recording session for BOSKO'S HOLIDAY, Honey's voice actress was unable to perform, so a staffer's little girl did the voice instead. Hence its highly unprofessional sound in that film.)"



...At the time of your post a year ago I answered that Graham Webb was my source and you replied to the effect that if Webb said it then it was good enough for you (I can't find that post right now...).

On Max Maxwell as Bosko's voice, Webb adds three more LT Bosko titles to the list... Furthermore he indicates that Maxwell voiced in "Freddy The Freshman" (March 1932) and the Happy Harmonies "The Old Pioneer" (Sept. 1934) and "The Toyland Broadcast" (Dec. 1934). Rudy remembering only Maxwell voicing those two earliest Boskos may be much like a LOT of other "mis-remembrances" of the great old animators (e.g. Tex Avery et al).

Annnnnnd oddly, the only voice he credit he lists on "Bosko's Knightmare" (and a number of other Bosko Looney Tunes) is that of Rochelle Hudson. She was only 16 years old when the series started and would have just barely been 19 when "...Knightmare" was recorded. So did Rochelle sub for Murray in it (and maybe some others...)?!?! Bosko's voice in it may have been closer to her real voice at the time and that it was meant to be sped up to sound like Johnny Murray and that someone failed to do so.

Now... any help with my original question as to which Johnny Murray is "ours"??? (And I wish we had your Danish weather here right now!)

[David Gerstein]

Rudy gave me a name [for Bosko's later voice], but as a foolish kid I failed to take it down! Johnny Murray seems to ring a bell, but I don't want to verify anything until I know where you have gotten the name and credit.

Ising confirmed Murray's role to me around 1991.

You've been taking Gingko Biloba for your memory...Alas, my memory is no better than usual. It's just that in the past year's time I found that I HAD taken the name down on an old sheet of notes, which I recently rediscovered. What a yutz.
I'm afraid I know no more, BTW, about the various Johnny Murrays you discuss, least of all whether certain of them are actually one and the same.

[Sogturtle]

I'm afraid my memory is no better than usual. It's just that in the past year's time I found that I HAD taken the name down on an old sheet of notes— and then as an even-more-foolish kid, forgot about it completely.


David~

I understand, but just couldn't resist the little teasing (since I was confused at your being so positive now). Hope you are doing well and that the Mouse treats you well!!! :bosko:
--your friend Tim