"Hardship of Miles Standish" question

[Frizfrelengfan]

In The Hardship of Miles Standish, who were the actor and actress that were parodied? The actress parody also appears in Porky's Road Race (as the winner of the race) and was the answer to a "Toon Heads Trivia" question, but I can't remember the answer.

[Larry T]

They're Ed Wynn and Edna Mae Oliver.

[Corrado]

According to Jerry Beck's book, the actor portrayed was Hugh Herbert. He was made fun of in several Looney Tunes. I always thought what he did was funny.

IIRC, he also had a cameo in the Disney classic "Autograph Hound."

[laugh4me]

OK, just to clarify...
The actor was Hugh Herbert and the actress was Edna May Oliver (spelled May not Mae).
Got it? ;)

[Frizfrelengfan]

Thanks folks. I am not familiar with either of those actors.

[Steve Carras]

They're Ed Wynn and Edna Mae Oliver.2nd is correct,the first was to be Hugh Herbert, but Ed Wynn, and Curly Howard both used Herbert as a model (of course both Curly and Joe Besser also seemed to emulate Bert Lahr as much as anyone).

BTW Regarding my signature..it's kinda in keeping with the entire holidays seaosons this time of year..drool.

Anyway. To digress--Hugh was voiced by Mel Blanc and EMO by Bea Benaderet.(Sogtyurtle can correct if I'm wrong..Blanc I couldrecongized, Daver Mscvkey's site www.davemackey.com/animation/wb/1940.html (http://www.davemackey.com/animation/wb/1940.html) link has that info along with (large cast if it was released later after WWII but sduring the 1930s-40s years even Mel Blanc in THAT'S NOT ALL FOLKS, 1988, pub.by Warner Books (!!!) a year before his 1989 death, admits to working with a large ensemble more in the earlier days):"Robert C.Bruce as radio narrator, Bernice Hansen as the little boy based on Fibber McGee and Molly's Teeny, and of course Arthur Q.Bryan as Elmer and Blanc as other males besides Herbert.(There is a Woolcott-town crier in the open of flashback..)

[Sogturtle]

....

Anyway. To digress--Hugh was voiced by Mel Blanc and EMO by Bea Benaderet.(Sogturtle can correct if I'm wrong..Blanc I could recongized, Dave Mackey's site www.davemackey.com/animation/wb/1940.html (http://www.davemackey.com/animation/wb/1940.html) link has that info along with (large cast if it was released later after WWII but during the 1930s-40s years even Mel Blanc in THAT'S NOT ALL FOLKS, 1988, pub. by Warner Books (!!!) a year before his 1989 death, admits to working with a large ensemble more in the earlier days):"Robert C.Bruce as radio narrator, Bernice Hansen as the little boy based on Fibber McGee and Molly's Teeny, and of course Arthur Q. Bryan as Elmer and Blanc as other males besides Herbert.(There is a Woolcott-town crier in the open of flashback..)


Steve and gang~

Hmmmmm... Bea Benaderet really was not an impressionist, much more of a comedic character actress... Neither Graham Webb (nor moi) hear her at Warners till in '42 though her husband was briefly there earlier. But there was one regular female performer at Schlesinger's who was a very fine impressionist... the multi-talented Sara Berner. Sooooo with that in mind, Graham Webb's full cast listing for "The Hardship of Miles Standish" reads thusly... Robert C. Bruce, Arthur Q. Bryan, Mel Blanc, Sara Berner.

"Are you smoking more and enjoying it less" :D (or did this help anyone??)

[Larry T]

2nd is correct,the first was to be Hugh Herbert, but Ed Wynn, and Curly Howard both used Herbert as a model

Oh yeah, stupid me :sweat: - (I had a momentary lapse of thought when I typed that). Ed Wynn has more hair which somewhat stuck out on the sides, and was sometimes depicted wearing a fedora, as in "I've Got To Sing A Torch Song". Hugh Herbert was the same caricature seen at the end of "Porky's Movie Mystery".

[Steve Carras]

Steve and gang~

Hmmmmm... Bea Benaderet really was not an impressionist, much more of a comedic character actress... Neither Graham Webb (nor moi) hear her at Warners till in '42 though her husband was briefly there earlier. But there was one regular female performer at Schlesinger's who was a very fine impressionist... the multi-talented Sara Berner. Sooooo with that in mind, Graham Webb's full cast listing for "The Hardship of Miles Standish" reads thusly... Robert C. Bruce, Arthur Q. Bryan, Mel Blanc, Sara Berner.

"Are you smoking more and enjoying it less" :D (or did this help anyone??)
Bernice Hansen did the little boy's voice though, didn't she, didn't she,I betcha.

BTW speaking of Benaderet as not much of a mimic what about 1952's "The Super Snooper"..the Veronica Lake duck..BTW who was Bea's husband..what characteres did he play?
(Finally "Corn Plastered".In 1997 Jerry Beck told me a radio comic from the old Edgar Bergen show named Pat Patrick did the voice.Dave Mackey has Stan Freberg-
www.davemackey.com/animation/wb/1951.htm (http://www.davemackey.com/animation/wb/1951.htm) as the voice.Pat Patrick is only known for the dual propeller beanied crow, and the voice does NOT soundlike Freberg OR Blanc (the farmer IS Mel..) so I AM going with Pat Patrick

[Sogturtle]

Bernice Hansen did the little boy's voice though, didn't she, didn't she,I betcha.

BTW speaking of Benaderet as not much of a mimic what about 1952's "The Super Snooper"..the Veronica Lake duck..BTW who was Bea's husband..what characters did he play?
(Finally "Corn Plastered".In 1997 Jerry Beck told me a radio comic from the old Edgar Bergen show named Pat Patrick did the voice. Dave Mackey has Stan Freberg-
www.davemackey.com/animation/wb/1951.htm (http://www.davemackey.com/animation/wb/1951.htm) as the voice.Pat Patrick is only known for the dual propeller beanied crow, and the voice does NOT soundlike Freberg OR Blanc (the farmer IS Mel..) so I AM going with Pat Patrick


Steve-O~

Don't think I was knocking Bea Benaderet, she was a superb voice artist and very fine comic actress. Buuuuuut she just really wasn't an impressionist (Mel Blanc could be when he wanted to though). I know I hear NO trace of Bea in the she-duck of "The Super Snooper", and Graham Webb doesn't either...in point of fact he lists the she-duck's voice as being provided by live-action (almost always uncredited) actress Grace Lenard. Lenard also did voicework for a UPA cartoon in 1955.

On "Corn Plastered", I'd be inclined to agree with Mr. Beck (and you). The crow's voice doesn't sound like it's in Freberg's range (despite his massive talents), though Webb has down that the voices were done by Mel Blanc and Stan Freberg...

And back to "The Hardship Of Miles Standish"... Yep I'd agree with you that the odds are extremely high that the little boy's voice was squeaked out by Bernice Hansen (even if Webb failed to list her name among the credits). This cartoon was made and released just as Bernice came back into Schlesinger's (and MGM and Lantz) for her final flurry of recording for a half dozen or so cartoons released between Oct. 1939 and Nov. 1940. Buuuuuut to be sure (for myself) I'll have to haul it out and give it another listen or three.

[Steve Carras]

Steve-O~

Don't think I was knocking Bea Benaderet, she was a superb voice artist and very fine comic actress. Buuuuuut she just really wasn't an impressionist (Mel Blanc could be when he wanted to though). I know I hear NO trace of Bea in the she-duck of "The Super Snooper", and Graham Webb doesn't either...Me neither.
in point of fact he lists the she-duck's voice as being provided by live-action (almost always uncredited) actress Grace Lenard. Lenard also did voicework for a UPA cartoon in 1955.
Ah, she must've been a hottie.Always sounded like Veronica Lake tome.Was Grace Lenard a relative of Sheldon Leonard, who was heard on a few WB shorts but just changed her last name spelling? She's another that I'll have to add to an upcoming website.http://forums.toonzone.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

On "Corn Plastered", I'd be inclined to agree with Mr. Beck (and you). The crow's voice doesn't sound like it's in Freberg's range (despite his massive talents), though Webb has down that the voices were done by Mel Blanc and Stan Freberg...

And back to "The Hardship Of Miles Standish"... Yep I'd agree with you that the odds are extremely high that the little boy's voice was squeaked out by Bernice Hansen (even if Webb failed to list her name among the credits). This cartoon was made and released just as Bernice came back into Schlesinger's (and MGM and Lantz) for her final flurry of recording for a half dozen or so cartoons released between Oct. 1939 and Nov. 1940. Buuuuuut to be sure (for myself) I'll have to haul it out and give it another listen or three.
Thanks for sharing.

[Sogturtle]

Me neither.Ah, she must've been a hottie.Always sounded like Veronica Lake to me.Was Grace Lenard a relative of Sheldon Leonard, who was heard on a few WB shorts but just changed her last name spelling? She's another that I'll have to add to an upcoming website.http://forums.toonzone.net/images/smilies/wink.gifThanks for sharing.

Steve~

While both Grace Lenard and Sheldon Leonard had long feature movie careers (Sheldon's dates to the middle Thirties, Grace's to 1940) they weren't related. Sheldon's REAL last name was Bershad (Sheldon Leonard Bershad), while Grace's was, well, Lenard. LIKE Sheldon though, Grace got her start in radio, I BELIEVE on an early (CBS) radio soap-opera called "The Road Of Life" which started in 1937 (cartoon related fact, the main announcer was Bud Collyer, soon to be Fleischer's Superman!). Her first released feature film appearance was in 1940 in an "exploitation film" called "Secrets Of A Model" (playing a character named 'Jo Jo', mercifully she did not star in it... :p )
http://www.gocollect.com/images/MoviePosters/200/mp00568.jpg

As far as I know she continued on for years on radio and making (mostly) uncredited film appearances. Also turned up later in TV roles, once reportedly in a voice-over on one episode of the classic 'Andy Griffith Show'--"The Keeper Of The Flame".

Such was the life of a girl duck (a 'she-ducktress ;) ) who had that old ball and chain look in her eye... :p