Bill Thompson
Biography
Bill Thompson was an American voice actor and radio comedian whose career began in the 1930s and lasted until his death in 1971. Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, to vaudevillian parents, he started in Chicago radio and gained fame on the Fibber McGee and Molly series, where he played The Old Timer and Wallace Wimple. He voiced Droopy for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoons from 1943 to 1958 and also performed in Blitz Wolf, an Academy Award-nominated short. For Disney, he was the White Rabbit and Dodo in Alice in Wonderland (1951), Mr. Smee in Peter Pan (1953), King Hubert in Sleeping Beauty (1959), and five dialect roles in Lady and the Tramp (1955), including Jock the Scottish Terrier. He was the first actor to voice Scrooge McDuck and later voiced Touché Turtle for Hanna-Barbera.
58years old at death
- Born Terre Haute
- Died Culver City
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
- Also credited as William Henry Thompson, Jr.
Movie Career
- Films
- 6
- Career span
- 34 years1936 to 1970
Genres
First and latest
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A first
Thompson was the first actor to voice Scrooge McDuck, the comic-book character, in the theatrical featurette Scrooge McDuck and Money. He also voiced Irish station manager Flannery in Pigs Is Pigs.
Big break
Thompson's radio character, who said a mild "Hello, folks", grew popular and led animation director Tex Avery to create a dog character around that voice. Thompson also provided the voice for this character, later named Droopy, in most of his appearances.
Getting ready for a role
Thompson's finest showcase was likely Lady and the Tramp, released in 1955. In that film he voiced five characters with different dialects: Jock, Bull, Dachsie, Joe, and an Irish policeman at the zoo.
First role
Bill Thompson's early radio work in Chicago included a regular spot on Don McNeill's morning variety series The Breakfast Club in 1934. There he created a meek, mush-mouthed character sometimes called Mr. Wimple in publicity.
Bill Thompson movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Lady and the Tramp1955 Adventure, Animation, Comedyas Jock / Bull - the Bull Terrier / Policeman at Zoo / Dachsie / Joe / Jim's Friendvoice
IMDb rating 7.3164K votes
Most often with
Clyde Geronimi directed four of these films, Wilfred Jackson three. Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Thurl Ravenscroft's page
Verna Felton's page
Pinto Colvig's page
Sterling Holloway's page
James MacDonald's page
Heather Angel's page
Clyde GeronimiDirector, 4 films, 1951 to 1959
All films by Clyde Geronimi
Wilfred JacksonDirector, 3 films, 1951 to 1955
All films by Wilfred Jackson
Also two films together3 more actors
- Candy CandidoSleeping Beauty (1959) and Peter Pan (1953)
- Barbara LuddySleeping Beauty (1959) and Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- Kathryn BeaumontPeter Pan (1953) and Alice in Wonderland (1951)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.