John Fiedler

John Donald Fiedler (February 3, 1925 – June 25, 2005) was an American voice actor and character actor in stage, film, television and radio. Slight, balding, and bespectacled, with a piping voice, his career stretched forty years but he is perhaps best remembered for two roles: the voice of Piglet in Disney's many Winnie the Pooh productions and the role of Mr. Peterson, nervous patient on The Bob Newhart Show.

Born in Platteville, Wisconsin, Fiedler began his career in New York, working on the radio comedy The Aldrich Family as sidekick Homer Brown, and making his film debut in 12 Angry Men (1957), as the nervous Juror #2. Most of his subsequent roles were as gentle or nervous types, though occasionally he broke out of the mold, notably in the original Star Trek episode "Wolf in the Fold", as an official possessed by Jack the Ripper.

On Broadway, Fiedler was in the original casts of A Raisin in the Sun (as housing committee representative Lindner) and The Odd Couple (as poker player Vinnie), reprising both roles for the film versions. Other on-camera work included roles in the films True Grit and The Cannonball Run, plus many guest spots on TV series, from Bewitched and Get Smart to Rockford Files and The Twilight Zone. He had a recurring guest role on Kolchak: The Night Stalker as morgue attendant Gordy "The Ghoul" Spangler.

In addition to playing Piglet in many shorts, four features, several specials, two TV series, and the SquareEnix-Disney game Kingdom Hearts, he was heard in the Disney features The Rescuers, Robin Hood, The Emperor's New Groove, and The Fox and the Hound.

In a strange coincidence, Paul Winchell, who voiced Tigger in the Winnie the Pooh films, died on June 24th—the day before Fiedler's death at age 80 from cancer. Kronk's New Groove was his last work.

Never married, Fiedler was survived by a brother.

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