9 Times You Heard Mel Blanc’s Voice In A Live-Action TV Show

Source: Everett Collection

Mel Blanc, a legendary voice actor widely recognized for his contributions to animated characters such as Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, left an indelible mark on the world of television. While his voice talents are most commonly associated with animated productions, Blanc’s distinctive vocal abilities occasionally found their way into live-action TV shows. Here, we explore nine notable instances where audiences were treated to the familiar sound of Blanc’s iconic voice in a different medium.

1. The Abbott and Costello Show

Mel Blanc, known for his exceptional voice acting skills, took on one of his initial live-action voice roles in 1953 for The Abbott and Costello Show. In this particular episode, Blanc provided the voice for a parrot owned by an elderly woman who faced eviction due to her inability to pay rent. As Abbott and Costello attempted to assist her, Blanc’s parrot character amusingly commented on their ineptitude, especially when they mistakenly loaded most of her belongings onto a Salvation Army truck. Similar to many of his live-action voice performances, Blanc went uncredited for his contribution in this episode.

2. Perry Mason

Mel Blanc showcased his vocal talent in yet another parrot role, providing the voice for a tropical bird named Casanova in the Perry Mason episode titled “The Case of the Perjured Parrot.” Despite playing a prominent character, Blanc’s contribution remained uncredited. This episode stands out from the usual format of the classic legal drama for several reasons. Notably, a squawking bird becomes a crucial source of testimony, adding an unconventional twist to the storyline. The episode takes place in the small town of Logan City, deviating from the usual Los Angeles setting, and features a hearing following a coroner’s inquest instead of a traditional criminal court trial. Although it presents a departure from the norm, the episode unfolds with its fair share of unexpected turns, making it an intriguing addition to the series.

3. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis

Following his appearance as Mr. Zeigler, the owner of a menswear store, in the episode titled “The Best Dressed Man,” Mel Blanc contributed his voice to The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. In the episode “Strictly for the Birds,” Blanc lent his vocal talents to two talking mynah birds. When Dobie and Maynard discover their professor’s talking bird, Binky, they devise a plan to ace their history test with the assistance of their own intelligent and vocal feathered companion named Arthur. The episode even includes a playful nod to Blanc’s most famous character. In a scene, Maynard whistles for Arthur, but instead of the bird, a rabbit appears at the window. Maynard playfully refers to the bunny as “Bugs” before returning it outside.

4. Gilligan’s Island

Mel Blanc made his presence felt in three distinct episodes of Gilligan’s Island, albeit through his voice acting. In the episode titled “Angel on the Island,” he provided the voice for an unnamed parrot, while in “Water, Water Everywhere,” he voiced a helpful frog assisting the castaways in locating water. Additionally, Blanc lent his voice to another parrot character named Sam in the episode “New Neighbor Sam,” known for its repetitive request for crackers. Unlike previous shows where Blanc remained uncredited, he received due credit for all three roles in Gilligan’s Island.

5. The Munsters

Mel Blanc’s initial recurring voice role in a live-action TV show materialized through The Munsters. Over the course of six episodes spanning from 1964 to 1966, Blanc lent his vocal talents to the bird concealed within the cuckoo clock. However, in line with the show’s quirky nature, the bird was actually a raven that emerged from the clock instead of a traditional cuckoo. The raven’s memorable catchphrase, “Nevermore,” paid homage to Edgar Allan Poe’s renowned poem, “The Raven.” It’s worth noting that while Blanc provided the voice for the bird, he was not the sole voice actor for the character. Bob Hastings, known for his role as Lt. Elroy Carpenter on McHale’s Navy, also contributed to the raven’s speech in several episodes.

6. The Flying Nun

In The Flying Nun, a television series featuring Sally Field, Mel Blanc also provided his voice for a parrot character. This occurred in the first season’s episode titled “Polly Wants a Cracked Head.” The story revolves around Rose Dolan, a saloon owner who becomes frustrated with her chatty parrot named Junior. Threatening to part ways with him, Rose catches the attention of Sister Bertrille, who sympathizes with Junior’s plight. Despite the convent’s policy against having animals, Sister Bertrille attempts to hide the parrot there. However, Junior’s loudmouth tendencies eventually give him away, leading to a humorous encounter with Mother Superior Placido, who is less than pleased with the foul language uttered by the feathered troublemaker.

7. Here’s Lucy

Mel Blanc’s voiceover work for live-action TV took an interesting turn in Lucille Ball’s Here’s Lucy. In one particular episode, Blanc dubbed the voice of a character. The show’s second season commenced with four episodes filmed on location at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. In the second episode, Lucy and her family become involved in the academy’s training exercises. Blanc contributes by providing a voiceover for Red Company, one of the sides in the war games, and also voices a Red Company cadet named Woodward. Curiously, despite the cadet appearing onscreen, the character is portrayed by another actor, while Blanc supplies the voice for added effect.

8. Night Gallery

Following his portrayal of a raven alluding to Edgar Allan Poe’s works, Mel Blanc utilized his renowned vocal talents to animate the actual raven in a brief segment of Night Gallery. This particular segment focused on the 19th-century writer himself. Comedian Marty Allen, known as one half of the comedy duo Allen & Rossi, portrayed Poe as he grapples with crafting the opening lines of his famous “midnight dreary” poem. Taking a comedic twist, the raven suggests an obvious rhyme and playfully insults Poe. In a departure from a creepy portrayal, Blanc lends his voice to the bird, opting for a cartoonish tone reminiscent of the beloved Looney Tunes characters, which will be recognizable to fans of the animated series.

9. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

One notable role that shouldn’t be overlooked is Mel Blanc’s portrayal of the voice for Twiki, the diminutive robot companion in the TV series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. While actor Felix Silla donned the costume, it was Blanc’s deep voice that contributed to one of the quirkier aspects of this already eccentric show. Blanc provided the voice for Twiki throughout 27 episodes from 1979 to 1981, including the character’s distinctive catchphrase, “biddi biddi biddi.”