Daws Butler

Daws Butler in the 1970s

Daws Butler (1916-1988) was a prolific voice actor, puppeteer, and occasional writer; along with Mel Blanc and Paul Frees, he was one of the leading cartoon voice actors for four decades, particularly known for his work with Hanna-Barbera. Butler began his vocal career as an impressionist, and after a tour of duty in the Naval Reserves during WWII, he slowly began establishing himself as an radio actor, on such series as The Whistler and Family Theater.

In 1946, he auditioned for MGM director Tex Avery and landed his first cartoon role, as the country wolf in Little Rural Riding Hood. He was subsequently heard as Spike the bulldog in the Tom and Jerry entries and a Southern-accented wolf (who would eventually develop into Huckleberry Hound). In the early television era, he collaborated with Stan Freberg on Bob Clampett's puppet series Time for Beany in 1949, as the voice and puppeteer of Beany Boy, Professor X, and others. He continued to work with Freberg in radio, first on the sitcom That's Rich and then as co-star and writer of the sketch series The Stan Freberg Show in 1957, where he essayed such roles as the interpreter for a tuned sheep orchestra (predating Marvin Suggs' Muppaphone) and an over-anxious censor. Butler and Freberg's collaboration continued in several records.

Butler's cartoon voice career continued. For the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes, he was heard as The Honeymousers and in various bit roles, and for Walter Lantz, he was several of Woody Woodpecker's antagonists as well as Chilly Willy. He truly made his mark in the television era, playing most of the stars of Hanna-Barbera's animated series: Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, Quickdraw McGraw, Dixie and Mr. Jinks, Elroy (on The Jetsons), Augie Doggie, Hokey Wolf, and Peter Potamus, amongst others. His other TV voice work included voicing Cap'n Crunch in commericals for the children's cereal and Aesop Jr. and various prissy princes on Jay Ward's The Bullwinkle Show. Like many other prominent voice actors, he also lent his talents to animated inserts on Sesame Street.

Sesame Street Filmography

Picture	Title/Topic	Earliest Known Appearance	Description
	Man Who Hated Frogs	Episode 0560	Butler voices a man, with a Southern accent, who despises frogs, and fails to understand their role in the environment.
	Words Rhyme with Ball	Episode 0796	Butler voices a man trying to warn his companion that he's nearing a cliff.
	J Train	Episode 1364	A J on a train track joins words, with voice-over commentary by Butler.
File:Madscientistf.jpg	F Words	Episode 2484	A mad scientist (Butler) tries to teach his Frankenstein-esque monster words that begin with F.

External links

• Official Tribute Site
• IMDb