Paul Frees

I first met Paul Frees when he started at Gamma Studios in Mexico City on the Rocky & Bullwinkle Show. He is best remembered as Boris Badenov and Inspector Fenwick in that Saturday morning non-kids’ television series. He played the character of Ludwig von Drake for Disney, plus the Ghost Host at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. Paul had an astonishing career.

I was only periphally involved in the production of this gem of sixties put-ons, and you can find more “Paul Frees & the Poster People” on youtube . Here’s one more that you might find fun — of course, if you’re anywhere under the age of seventy, you might be in some wonder as to how good his impressions were.

He was known as “The Man With A Thousand Voices”, and it was true, he did everyone, more than Rich Little, more than Frank Gorshin. He was the master of the off-camera voice, with a four-octave range and the ability to mimic what he heard, including bird-calls and mating calls of various woodland creatures.

You heard his voice a thousand times in cartoons, off-camera and in commercials. All the people he imitated are gone and long-forgotten. If he came up in the comedy circuit today, he’d have no one to imitate, because this generation of stars has no memorable qualities, just face value.

LIke I said, if you never heard the originals, you won’t relate. If you have, you’ll be amazed at the ability to keep in character and tone throughout the three minutes of a musical cover.

Okay, you talked me into it … here’s a third one:

See You At The Top!!!

gorby