Kaban

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,560
Mel Blanc is definitely the GOAT

working currently? Billy West, Frank Welker, Tara Strong - and the current voice of the Looney Tunes cast Eric Bauza is pretty great, too.
 

kess

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,020
It's not just the voice, it's his amazing comedic timing

edit: omg that Lucille Ball clip, best part is, it reads even without the visuals.
 
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Coolsambob

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,333
Absolutely the best.

I mean, obviously he isn't the only one known for being all of/most of the cast in a single episode, but the voices he created are so of the most iconic and instantly recognisable still to this day.
 

Herne

Member
Dec 10, 2017
5,544
Yeah I'd have to say it's Mel Blanc. Other voice actors have impressed me but nobody comes close to Blanc.
 

Spindal

Banned
Sep 13, 2022
35
Mel Blanc is in his own tier, and not a single professional voice actor would say otherwise.
 

Instant Vintage

Unshakable Resolve
Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,141
If he's not number one then I'd like to see that top 10 list. In terms of range and flexibility who else is even on that level?

There's certain voice actors who were perfect in their roles (Kevin Conroy's Batman, hell 99% of the BTAS cast, Steve Blum as Wolverine).

Billy West is in the conversation as is Rob Paulsen, Maurice LaMarche, and Phil Lamarr. Special shout out to Frank Welker for being in everything too. But really it's Blanc.

This is as close to my list as possible, though I would add Tara Strong and Cree Summer. (And honestly, Debra Wilson, too.)

But yeah, Mel has to be number one. Frank Welker is right behind him, and if you told me he was your number one, I wouldn't disagree with you.
 

Rune Walsh

Too many boners
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,872
Mel Blanc is definitely the GOAT

working currently? Billy West, Frank Welker, Tara Strong - and the current voice of the Looney Tunes cast Eric Bauza is pretty great, too.

I met Eric once at a friend's wedding. Incredibly nice guy. After a few drinks, we spent an hour trading voice impressions and he's incredibly talented. I could do a better Gollum but his Stimpy impression had me rolling; it was perfect.
 

amusix

The Fallen
Oct 29, 2017
1,687
There's not a single voice actor who wouldn't immediately put Blanc at the top of the list. Considering they have far more understanding of the field than I do, there's no way I could suggest anyone else.


speechless_2400x.jpg
 

Zan

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,853
What about Jim Cummings? (Sp?) Should he be in the conversation as well?
 

Blue_Toad507

Member
May 25, 2021
3,146
Mel is definitely top tier, but it has to go to June Foray.

As Chuck Jones said, June Foray was not the female Mel Blanc. Mel Blanc was the male June Foray.
 

Skiptastic

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
3,945
Mel Blanc, June Foray, and Frank Welker are definitely on the "Mount Rushmore" of voice acting. Not sure who I'd put on for #4. Maybe Tara Strong. Maybe Billy West. Maybe Maurice LaMarche. Maybe Phil Lamarr.
 

crienne

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,751
The only ones that come anywhere near close to him are June Foray and Frank Welker. There's plenty of others* to fight about in the rest of the top ten, but the top three are practically locked in stone with Blanc at the #1 spot.

*Dee Bradley Baker, Jim Cummings, Rob Paulsen, Maurice LaMarche, Tara Strong, and so on.
 

Gabbo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,652
He probably is the GOAT, but I'd put Frank Welker as right behind him. What Blanc does with voices, Welker does for noises and sounds along side his voice work.
 

Jag

Member
Oct 26, 2017
11,955
What makes you say this?

Known and beloved by generations of people. Largest impact on the genre. If you ask people to name someone who does voices you will get Mel Blanc and most likely nothing else.

People mentioned Frank Welker, but I have never heard of him. I'm sure I've heard his voices, but his name hasn't transcended the way Mel Blanc's has.
 

Dr. Zoidberg

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,605
Decapod 10
Blanc is #1, Welker #2, but there are many talented artists with long careers and lists of characters that never get that level of notoriety who are also in the running.
 

Lothars

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
9,765
I think so if not he's top 3 but he's so talented. seeing the videos like the ones posted above are just incredible.
 

Birdie

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
26,289
Learned the other day he was almost in the original Disney Pinocchio as the cat hobo. Then they made the character silent to cash in on Dopey's popularity and only a few hiccups remained.

But there's some radio show versions with Blanc contributing his voice.
 

Mashing

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,165
Blanc is #1, Welker #2, but there are many talented artists with long careers and lists of characters that never get that level of notoriety who are also in the running.

Indeed. Outside of some VA in video games, there's really none I know by name. Especially in TV and movies (which these days just seem to be actual screen actors and not just VA's).