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Chuck McCann

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Chuck McCann
Born
Charles John Thomas McCann

(1934-09-02)September 2, 1934
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 8, 2018(2018-04-08) (aged 83)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, comedian, puppeteer, commercial presenter, television host
Years active1942–2018
Spouse
Betty Fanning
​
(m. 1977)​
Children3

Charles John Thomas McCann (September 2, 1934 – April 8, 2018) was an American actor, comedian, puppeteer, commercial presenter and television host. He was best known for his work in presenting children's television programming and animation, as well as his own program The Chuck McCann Show and he also recorded comedy parody style albums.

Career

Early work

McCann worked his way up to regional star status by apprenticing on a number of other children's shows, such as Captain Kangaroo in the 1960s. The best-selling The First Family, an early 1960s LP record album which lampooned the newly elected United States President John F. Kennedy and his family, included McCann among its voices.[1]

Until 1975, McCann hosted comedy/variety TV puppet shows in the New York area with Paul Ashley, featuring the Paul Ashley Puppets. Together, they did The Puppet Hotel for WNTA-TV, Channel 13; then Laurel & Hardy & Chuck, Let's Have Fun, and The Chuck McCann Show for WPIX, Channel 11; and finally, The Chuck McCann Show, The Great Bombo's Magic Cartoon Circus Lunchtime Show, and Chuck McCann's Laurel and Hardy Show for WNEW-TV, Channel 5. In addition, Chuck was the comedy sidekick on WPIX's long-running rock music showcase, The Clay Cole Show. During this time, McCann appeared at many New York area venues, including Palisades Amusement Park and Freedomland U.S.A., to meet and entertain children. At Freedomland, McCann hosted a yo-yo contest, filmed several Halloween specials, filmed a WPIX Freedomland special with other children's show hosts and appeared with Clay Cole at the park's Moon Bowl entertainment venue that featured celebrity singers and other performers. McCann's ties to Freedomland are featured in the book Freedomland U.S.A.: The Definitive History (Theme Park Press, 2019).

By the end of the 1960s, he had appeared in the 1968 film The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter and performed regularly on CBS's The Garry Moore Show.

He began an animation acting career, doing everything from Bob Kane's Cool McCool to Sonny the Cuckoo Bird ("I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs" and "Ripe for Rice Krispies!") in commercials for General Mills. He had even been one of the stars of Turn-On, producer George Schlatter's offshoot of Laugh-In.

1970s television

In the 1970s, McCann's life and career shifted west, and he relocated to Los Angeles. He made frequent guest appearances on network television shows including Little House on the Prairie, Bonanza, Columbo, The Rockford Files and The Bob Newhart Show. He appeared in the 1973 made-for-TV movie The Girl Most Likely to... and was a regular on Norman Lear's All That Glitters.

In addition, he co-starred with Bob Denver in CBS's Saturday-morning sitcom Far Out Space Nuts, which he co-created. The 1970s also brought him fame in a long-running series of commercials for Right Guard antiperspirant: he was the enthusiastic neighbor with the catch phrase "Hi, guy!" who appeared on the other side of a shared medicine cabinet, opposite actor Bill Fiore.[2]

McCann appeared as Wally Stone in Season Two of Starsky and Hutch in an episode named Murder on Stage 17 in which he played an ex-comedian turned murderer. In this episode, McCann's talent as an actor was spotlighted and he was able to portray various characters throughout the episode.

McCann impersonated Oliver Hardy in commercials for various products (teaming with Jim MacGeorge as Stan Laurel), and for a few years, he played the holiday-season recurring role of Kris Kringle on the NBC soap opera Santa Barbara. In 1965, he and John McCabe were two of the five founding members of the now worldwide society of The Sons of the Desert, an appreciation club for the works of Laurel and Hardy. He had a role in Kojak in 1974.

Film

After The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, McCann's motion picture career took a turn back into comedy with many supporting roles and a co-starring turn (with Tim Conway) in They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way (1978).

His most notable post-Hunter films were The Projectionist (1971), Jennifer on My Mind (1971), Linda Lovelace for President (1975), Foul Play (1978), C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979), The Comeback Trail (1982), Hamburger: The Motion Picture (1986), Thrashin’ (1986) and Herbie Rides Again (1974), where he played Loostgarten, president of Loostgarten Wrecking Company.

He had a supporting role in the 1988 horror film Cameron's Closet. He had a brief appearance in Mel Brooks' 1993 comedy film Robin Hood: Men in Tights as a villager and also appeared as an innkeeper in another Brooks production; Dracula: Dead and Loving It in 1995.

Return to roots

In 1980, McCann and Paul Ashley were reunited for a pair of TV show pilots: Tiny TV, a satirical/variety puppet series aimed at adults for the cable market, and LBS Children's Theater, a children's film anthology show where McCann and the Paul Ashley Puppets were to introduce reruns of primetime animated TV specials and theatrical cartoons from Europe. However, Paul Ashley was forced to leave the projects when he proved to be suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Tiny TV never reached fruition, but LBS Children's Theater was picked up for national syndication in 1983. McCann emceed the series alone because Ashley did not live long enough to see the show, having died on September 3, 1984.

In the 1980s, McCann reprised a number of his best sketches from his New York television days as interstitial material for a two-hour presentation of cartoons on KCOP-TV, Channel 13 in Los Angeles, assisted by Bob Ridgely. McCann also voiced characters for various projects by The Walt Disney Company, such as Dreamfinder in the theme park attraction Journey Into Imagination, and several characters including Duckworth, Burger Beagle and Bouncer Beagle in the 1987 animated series DuckTales.

In 1989, McCann returned to daily children's television one more time with Chuck McCann's Funstuff, produced by fellow New York kid show legend Sonny Fox. Chuck McCann's Funstuff was seen weekday mornings on KHJ-TV from Monday, September 18, 1989 until Friday, October 13, 1989.

1990s

In the 1990s, McCann co-founded and participated in Yarmy's Army, a group of comedians and character actors of his generation who gathered regularly to cheer up Don Adams' brother Dick Yarmy, who was dying of cancer. A group with a massive array of comic talent, its members included Harvey Korman, Shelley Berman, Tim Conway, and many others.

After Yarmy's death, the group stayed together to cheer themselves up since increasing age and health problems made it increasingly more difficult for them to get steady work. In addition to having monthly dinners, they performed in various group-directed shows in select venues around the country.

McCann continued voice work for cartoons, playing Jollo, Bookworm, Bump-On-A-Log, and Woof in 1992's King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow. One of his best-known voiceover roles was The Thing in the Fantastic Four and Hulk animated series, as well as the villain Blizzard in another animated adaptation, Iron Man.

He also played Heff Heffalump, a recurring not-so-villainous character in Disney's The New Adventures of Winnie The Pooh. He was also the voice of Leatherneck on the second season of G.I. Joe. Throughout the 1990s and into the new millennium, he has been in commercials at Christmas time, he has played Santa Claus for one product or another—and TV/movie gigs (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch).

2000s–2010s

McCann in October 2013

In the 2000s, McCann appeared in They Call Him Sasquatch (2003) and Dorf da Bingo King (with his old pal, Tim Conway). He supplied voices for The Powerpuff Girls and Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas.[citation needed] He moved into the field of video games, providing voices for True Crime: New York City. He made an appearance in The Aristocrats (2005), with an animated rendition of a "clean" version of the "dirty" joke that serves as the movie's subject.

In 2006-07 he made appearances on The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd as Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Floyd's father. He has also made multiple appearances as a judge on Boston Legal, including the two-hour series finale in December 2008. In 2007, McCann played the villain Dalton Kern on the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey and also Navarro and Buck in Random! Cartoons.[citation needed]

In 2013, McCann voiced Moseph "Moe" Mastro Giovanni on an episode of Adventure Time, Mayor Grafton on The Garfield Show, and reprised Duckworth, Bouncer Beagle and Burger Beagle in DuckTales Remastered. In 2016, he reprised the role of the Amoeba Boys in the 2016 reboot of The Powerpuff Girls. In 2017, McCann recorded a comedy podcast program, "Trump: The Last Family" with Kevin Sean Michaels, a modern send-up to the best-selling The First Family LP of the 1960s.[citation needed]

Personal life

McCann was born in Brooklyn, New York, to a bandleader/singer father.[3] He was a close friend of Hugh Hefner and a regular at the Playboy Mansion.[4]

Death

McCann died on April 8, 2018 of congestive heart failure in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at the age of 83.[3] He was cremated and his remains are in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, at the 'Dawn of Tomorrow' section, 'Columbarium of Tenderness', left-side (southeast wall), Outdoor Garden Niche 6396 (7 rows up from bottom, 5 columns in from left corner).[5]

He is survived by his third wife, Betty Fanning and two daughters from his second marriage. His son Sean, from his first marriage, died in 2009.[6][7]

Selected filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
List of Live-Action Performances in Movies
1968 The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Spiros Antonapoulos
1970 The Projectionist Chuck McCann, the projectionist / Captain Flash
1974 Herbie Rides Again Loostgarten
1975 Linda Lovelace for President The Assassinator Credited as Alfredo Fetchuttini
1976 Silent Movie Studio Gate Guard
1978 They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way Wallace
1983 Likely Stories, Vol. 3 Ralph Warner
1986 Hamburger: The Motion Picture Dr. Mole
1988 Cameron's Closet Ben Majors
1989 That's Adequate Lowell Westbrook Mockumentary
1990 Guns Abe
1992 Ladybugs Bartender
1992 Storyville Pudge Herman
1993 Robin Hood: Men in Tights Villager
1995 Dracula: Dead and Loving It Innkeeper
2003 They Call Him Sasquatch Bob Mabely Direct-to-video
2009 Citizen Jane Judge Thomas Television film
2011 Night Club Manny Melowitz
2013 I Know That Voice Himself Documentary film
Year Title Role Notes
List of Voice Performances in Movies
1968 The World of Hans Christian Andersen Uncle Oley
1986 G.I. Joe: Arise, Serpentor, Arise! Leatherneck Television film
1987 G.I. Joe: The Movie Direct-to-video
1990 DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp Duckworth the Butler
2004 Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas Santa Claus Direct-to-video

Television

Year Title Role Notes
List of Live-Action Performances in Television
1972 ’’The Bob Newhart Show’’ Hal Miller Ep.“Let’s get away from it Almost” 1973 Columbo Roger White Ep. "Double Exposure"
1974 Little House on the Prairie Tinker Jones Ep. "The Voice of Tinker Jones"
1974-1976 Police Woman Harold Miller
Marty Madison		 Ep. "Seven Eleven" Credited as Chuck Mc Cann
Ep. "Broken Angels"
1975 Far Out Space Nuts Barney 15 Episodes
1976-1977 Starsky and Hutch Larry Hovath
Wally Stone		 Ep. "Silence"
Ep. "Murder at Stage 17"
1977 All That Glitters Bert Stockwood Unknown Episodes
1977 The Rockford Files Kenny Bell Ep. "Requiem for a Funny Box"
1977 Switch Pendergast Ep. "Legend of the Macunas Parts 1&2"
1981-1982 One Day at a Time Beerbelly 3 episodes
1981 CHiPs Gillis Ep. "Fast Money"
1982 The Greatest American Hero Captain Bellybuster Ep. "Captain Bellybuster and the Speed Factory"
1983-1985 Matt Houston Oliver Hardy
Adam Booth		 Ep. "Here's Another Fine Mess"
Ep. "Final Vows"
1985 Knight Rider Bombo The Clown Ep. "Circus Knights"
1985 Tales from the Darkside Spiffy Remo Ep. "The Impressionist"
1987–1988 Santa Barbara Kris Kringle 7 Episodes
1997 Invasion Chairman of Health Committee 2 Episodes
2007-2008 Boston Legal Judge Byron Fudd 6 episodes
Year Title Role Notes
List of voice performances in Television
1966 Cool McCool Number One / The Owl / Tom McCool / 3 Episodes
1977 CB Bears Boogie / Blubber 13 Episodes
1979 Fred and Barney Meet the Shmoo Billy Joe
1979 Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo Additional voices 16 Episodes
1979 The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show Badladdin
1980 Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels Additional voices Ep. "Cavey and the Volcanic Villain"
1980 Drak Pack Mummy Man 7 Episodes
1981 Super Friends Colossus Ep. "Colossus"
1981 Thundarr the Barbarian Artemus / Mutants Ep. "Trial by Terror"
1981 Space Stars Additional voices 11 Episodes
1982 Richie Rich Additional voices Ep. "Dollar's Exercise/Richie's Cube/The Maltese Monkey/Everybody's Doing It"
1982–1983 Pac-Man Blinky and Pinky 19 Episodes
1984 The Get Along Gang Sammy Skunk/ Bus Driver
Mule Warehouse Worker
Fruit Vendor/ Diner Cook		 5 Episodes
1985 Snorks Additional voices Ep. "Snorkitis Is Nothing to Sneeze At/The Whole Toot and Nothing But..."
1985 The Jetsons Additional voices Ep. "Elroy in Wonderland"
1985–1986 Galtar and the Golden Lance Orloc 21 Episodes
1986 G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Leatherneck 16 Episodes
1986 Pound Puppies Biff Barker Ep. "Ghost Hounders"
1988 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Cashmore / Additional voices Ep. "The Schnook Who Took My Comic Book"
1989 The Smurfs Additional voices Ep. "Smurfs That Time Forgot: Part 1/Smurfs That Time Forgot: Part 2"
1989 Ring Raiders Baron Von Clawdeitz 5 Episodes
1988–1989 Fantastic Max Additional voices 3 Episodes
1990 Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Sugar Ray Lizard 2 Episodes
1987–1991 Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears Sir Gaya / Knight / Chef / Tadpole 3 Episodes
1987–1990 DuckTales Duckworth / Burger Beagle
Bouncer Beagle		 57 Episodes
1988–1990 The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Heff Heffalump / Tigger Look Alike 3 Episodes
1990–1991 TaleSpin Dumptruck / Gibber / Sadie / Rhino Goon 16 Episodes
1988–1991 Garfield and Friends Uncle Ed / Dog 2 Episodes
1991 Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Beefsteak 5 Episodes
1991 Where's Wally?: The Animated Series Additional voices 13 Episodes
1991 Toxic Crusaders Mayor Grody 13 Episodes
1992 Tom & Jerry Kids Additional voices Ep. "Penthouse Mouse/12 Angry Sheep/The Ant Attack"
1993 Animaniacs Codger Eggbert Ep. "Critical Condition"
1993 All-New Dennis the Menace Additional voices 13 Episodes
1993 Droopy, Master Detective "Baby Bandit's Henchman" Ep. "The Babyman Bank Heists"
1993 ABC Weekend Special Santa Claus Ep. "P.J.'s Unfunnybunny Christmas"
1994–1995 Fantastic Four Thing[8] 26 Episodes
1995 The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat Voices / Worm 2 / Talents Of Trial 2 Episodes
1996 What a Cartoon! The Amoeba Boys Ep. "The Powerpuff Girls: Crime 101"
1994–1996 Iron Man Blizzard / Camera Man[8] 10 Episodes
1996 Duckman Additional voices Ep. "Pig Amok"
1996 The Tick Filth #2[8] Ep. "The Tick vs. Filth"
1996 The Incredible Hulk Thing[8] Ep. "Fantastic Fortitude"
1998–2003 The Powerpuff Girls The Amoeba Boys[8] 5 Episodes
2008–2013 The Garfield Show Additional voices 5 Episodes
2009 Random! Cartoons Navarro / Buck 2 Episodes
2013–2015 Adventure Time Moe 3 Episodes
2016 The Powerpuff Girls The Amoeba Boys Ep. "Viral Spiral"

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
1992 King's Quest VI Jollo / Bookworm / Bump-on-a-Log / Woof
2005 True Crime: New York City [9]
2006 Heroes of Might and Magic V Tribes of the East DLC
Gothic 3 Additional Voices English Dub
2007 Spider-Man 3
2013 DuckTales: Remastered Duckworth / Burger Beagle / Bouncer Beagle

References

  1. ^ Nesteroff, Kliph (16 June 2015). "Classic Television Showbiz: An Interview with Chuck McCann".
  2. ^ Dusenberry, Phil (2006). One Great Insight Is Worth a Thousand Good Ideas. Portfolio Trade. ISBN 978-1591841425.
  3. ^ a b Koseluk, Chris (April 8, 2018). "Chuck McCann, Comic Actor and Popular Kids TV Host, Dies at 83". The Hollywood Reporter. ISSN 0018-3660.
  4. ^ Arnold, Jeremy (April 2002). "Everybody Comes to Hef's". Premiere. Archived from the original on May 8, 2006.
  5. ^ "Chuck McCann (1934-2018) - Find A Grave Memorial".
  6. ^ Roberts, Sam (April 9, 2018). "Chuck McCann, Zany Comic in Early Children's TV, Dies at 83". The New York Times.
  7. ^ "Chuck McCann, legendary comic and WPIX personality, dead at 83: friends". pix11.com. April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Chuck McCann (Visual voices guide)".
  9. ^ Luxoflux. True Crime: New York City. Activision. Scene: Pause menu credits, 4:29:26 in, VOICE TALENT.
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