Paul Frees

Solomon Hersh Frees June 22 1920 November 2 1986 known professionally as Paul Frees was an American actor voice actor impressionist and screenwriter He is best known for his voice work in cartoons during the Golden Age of Animation Like Mel Blanc he was sometimes referred to as The Man of a Thousand Voices Born in Chicago Illinois Frees started his entertainment career as a vaudeville impressionist and in 1942 began working on Hollywood radio series After being drafted into the US Army in World War II he was wounded in action and eventually resumed his work in radio upon his return to the states Frees appeared in over 250 films cartoons and TV episodes although he had few onscreen appearances and often went uncredited He was also frequently enlisted to redub actors performances such as Tony Curtis dialogue as Josephine in the 1959 film Some Like it Hot That same year Frees cowrote and directed the film The Beatniks his only feature film Frees had a long career with Walt Disney Studios providing the voice for Ludwig Von Drake and other characters narrating short films and supplying many voices for Disney theme park attractions most notably the Ghost Host in The Haunted Mansion various voices in Pirates of the Caribbean and the narrator for both Adventure Thru Innerspace and Great Moments With Mr Lincoln On TV Frees worked with Jay Ward Productions providing the voice of Boris Badenov and other characters in various series and also supplied many voices for RankinBass cartoon specials He also appeared in TV commercials and was the original voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy and the second voice of Froot Loops mascot Toucan Sam after Mel Blanc Frees was married five times and had two children via his third wife voice actress Joyce Schultz In his later years Frees suffered from multiple health issues He died in Tiburon California on November 2 1986 at age 66 from an overdose of pain medication He was cremated and his remains were scattered over the Pacific Ocean