R.I.P. Allan Melvin
Speaking of classic showbiz, you know him, you have to love him, the ubiquitous character and voice actor Allan Melvin has passed away. You know his face from recurring roles on All In The Family and The Dick Van Dyke Show, he was a regular platoon member on The Phil Silvers Show, and of course, he was Sam the Butcher bringing Alice the meat -- as the Beastie Boys put it -- on The Brady Bunch. Along the way he worked on Gomer Pyle, The Andy Griffith Show, Lost In Space, he was all over the tube. Previous to that he worked in radio as a special effect man and actor and did some stage appearances. Amazingly, after a career spanning five decades, he was only in one theatrical film.
Melvin was also a familiar voice in television animation and kiddie shows, heard as Drooper on the Banana Splits, and most famously, as Magilla Gorilla in countless Hanna-Barbera" shows. I always liked picking his voice out in cartoons, along with Daws Butler and the other H-B regulars.
I didn't even know Melvin was still alive, but, well, now he isn't. The TV Land channel should devote a night to the guy, they've showed many of the series he was a regular character on and can easily put an evening together in memory. Then again, TV Land went into deep suckitude years ago, do they still do tribute nights for the deceased? I stopped watching when they started showing 70's stuff and abandoned any old black and white show that wasn't licensed on a lunchbox.
Anyway, yeah, give it up for Allan Melvin. He was a-okay.
Melvin was also a familiar voice in television animation and kiddie shows, heard as Drooper on the Banana Splits, and most famously, as Magilla Gorilla in countless Hanna-Barbera" shows. I always liked picking his voice out in cartoons, along with Daws Butler and the other H-B regulars.
I didn't even know Melvin was still alive, but, well, now he isn't. The TV Land channel should devote a night to the guy, they've showed many of the series he was a regular character on and can easily put an evening together in memory. Then again, TV Land went into deep suckitude years ago, do they still do tribute nights for the deceased? I stopped watching when they started showing 70's stuff and abandoned any old black and white show that wasn't licensed on a lunchbox.
Anyway, yeah, give it up for Allan Melvin. He was a-okay.