Chuck McCann obit

Chuck McCann, Comic Actor and Popular Kids TV Host, Dies at 83

He was not on the list.

The fun-loving star did lots of voiceover work, was a fine Oliver Hardy impersonator and appeared in 'The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.'

Chuck McCann, the goofy, good-natured comedian and TV host who was a hero to kids of all ages in and around New York City in the 1960s before he jumped into films, network television and commercials, has died. He was 83.

McCann died Sunday of congestive heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, publicist Edward Lozzi told The Hollywood Reporter.

With his cherubic face and ever-present grin, McCann epitomized fun. If the situation called for a fun supporting character, he was your guy. An entertainment jack-of-all-trades, McCann worked as a kids show host, puppeteer, nightclub comic, movie actor, voiceover performer and celebrity impersonator.

He had a key supporting role in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968) and starred in the low-budget fantasy film The Projectionist (1971); appeared on scores of TV shows; and did a spot-on imitation of comedy legend Oliver Hardy. (He was a founding member, along with actor Orson Bean, of the Sons of the Desert, the international fan club dedicated to celebrating Laurel and Hardy.)

"I did everything," McCann told TVParty.com in a 2007 interview. "I never closed doors. If you look at my career — if I had one — I never think of it as a career, I just look at it as things I love to do. I have just as much fun doing a 30-second commercial as I do making a movie."

In fact, one of McCann's most memorable roles came in a series of TV spots for Right Guard throughout the 1970s and '80s.

Sharing a medicine cabinet with his neighbor on the other side of the bathroom wall, McCann would bellow a cheerful "Hi Guy!" from behind the glass shelves to the stunned bathrobed person next door. McCann would then go on to extol the benefits of this particular brand of spray-on deodorant.

McCann also created the voice of Sonny the Cuckoo Bird for General Mills' Cocoa Puffs TV commercials. His loony intonation of "I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs" endeared the character to generations of cereal lovers.

McCann credited famed New York kids show host Sandy Becker for giving him a big break in the mid-1950s when they two worked together on a kids show for WABD-TV, Channel 5, then a DuMont network station.

"One day he called me over and said he was going and he wanted me to take over the show," McCann told Steve Fritz in a 2006 article for Animated Shorts. "At first, I couldn't believe he was talking to me. I said, 'When do I start?' He said, 'Well, today's Friday. So you start Monday.'"

I said, 'Well, where are you going?' and he turned around and said, 'South America. You start at 7 in the morning. So long!' The elevator doors close, and off he went. That was my baptism by fire. The first day was just disastrous. It was hell on earth. It was also fun. It was really fun."

Becker also introduced McCann to Paul Ashley. The master puppeteer took McCann under his wing, teaching him everything there was to know about the craft. Starting with Rootie Kazootie in the 1950s, the pair collaborated well into the '60s.

Chuck McCann was born in New York City on Sept. 2, 1934. His grandfather performed in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and his father, Val McCann, was a big band leader who served as the music arranger at New York's Roxy Theatre.

McCann liked to say that he grew up in the orchestra pit in that place. His time at the Roxy exposed him to the top comedians of the day, and he fondly remembered when Lou Costello treated him to ice cream.

Val McCann also had a running gig with CBS Radio, and during one of his appearances there, a director spotted Chuck and offered him a job doing voiceovers. McCann was 7 at the time, and he worked steadily in radio into his teens.

While attending Andrew Jackson High School, McCann would keep his classmates in stitches with his impersonations, and he appeared in nightclubs in and around Manhattan and Long Island. He then helped create Wonderama, a much-loved Sunday morning show that Becker hosted.

In November 1959, McCann started on The Puppet Hotel, a Saturday morning show that emanated from WNTA-TV in Newark, New Jersey. He hosted the program and played the befuddled desk clerk of a hotel populated by puppets created by Ashley.

Later, McCann manned the three-hour show Let's Have Fun on Sunday mornings, pretty much doing everything. One of his bits was to read the comics, dressed as the strip's character, from the day's newspaper. Among his favorites were Dondi, Dick Tracy, Superman and The Lone Ranger. His Little Orphan Annie — complete with big, blank white eyes (which he created by using a pair of coffee creamer containers) — was a classic.

And then, starting in 1963, every afternoon from Monday to Friday, he also headed The Chuck McCann Show. Like Let's Have Fun, it ran on WPIX-TV, Channel 11, so McCann was on that station seven days a week.

His final local TV endeavor was Chuck McCann's Laurel & Hardy TV Show, which debuted in 1966 on WNEW-TV, Channel 5. Featuring Laurel & Hardy animated cartoons created by Hanna-Barbera, the series gave McCann the opportunity to do his Oliver Hardy imitation. (Ashley played Stan Laurel.)

McCann had spent hours on the phone when he was a 12-year-old in Queens trying to locate Laurel, who lived in Santa Monica. Much to the youngster's surprise, Laurel answered the phone one day, and the two talked for hours. It led to a friendship that lasted until Laurel's death in 1965. (Hardy had died in 1957.)

One of McCann's first network television appearances was playing Hardy opposite Dick Van Dyke on a 1958 episode of The Garry Moore Show. The following year, he was Hardy to Tom Poston's Laurel on The Steve Allen Plymouth Show.

In the '80s, he teamed with comedian Jim MacGeorge to re-create the duo in commercial spots for Arby's, Tony's Pizza and Anco Wiper Blades. McCann voiced Dreamfinder in the original Journey Into Imagination attraction at Disney’s EPCOT Center which operated from 1983-1998. He introduced us to a figment of his imagination: “Two tiny wings, eyes big and yellow, horns of a steer, but a lovable fellow.

For a brief time, McCann also appeared on The Captain Kangaroo Show as Sailor Clyde.

In a more serious role, McCann made his film debut in 1968 in The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, the adaptation of Carson McCullers' best-selling novel. The drama, starring Alan Arkin, saw McCann tackle the difficult role of Spiros Antonapoulos, a mentally disabled man who is mute.

The only feature starring role of McCann's career came in the quirky The Projectionist, written and directed by Harry Hurwitz, in which he played an introvert who spends his days holed up in the tiny projection booth of a New York movie house.

The Projectionist gave McCann the opportunity to show off his talent for mimicry. Staring at pictures of the Hollywood stars that lined the booth, the projectionist let his imagination run wild, imitating the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Wallace Beery and yes, Laurel & Hardy. McCann also got to play an imaginary superhero, Captain Flash.

(The Projectionist also marked the movie debut of Rodney Dangerfield, who played McCann's condescending boss.)McCann's film résumé also included Play It as It Lays (1972), Herbie Rides Again (1974), Linda Lovelace for President (1975), Silent Movie (1976), Foul Play (1978), C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979), Ladybugs (1992), Storyville (1992), Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) and Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995).

McCann was a castmember of Turn On, producer George Schlatter's ill-fated 1969 attempt to go one step further than his sensational hit, Rowan and; Martin's Laugh-In. Convoluted and unfunny, Turn On was canceled after one episode.

In 1975, McCann teamed with Bob Denver for the CBS family sitcom Far Out Space Nuts. Along with Earl Doud and Sid and Marty Kroft, McCann created the slapstick series about two bumbling maintenance workers who accidentally get launched into space.

McCann also had recurring roles on Santa Barbara, Knots Landing and Boston Legal (as Judge Byron Fudd) and guest-starred on such shows as Bonanza, The Bob Newhart Show, Columbo, Kojak, Little House on the Prairie, Starsky and Hutch, The Rockford Files, One Day at a Time, St. Elsewhere, Diff'rent Strokes, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Mad About You.

When he wasn't in front of the camera, McCann lent his voice to projects. He was part of the cast of the big-selling album The First Family, Vaughn Meader's 1962 satire of President Kennedy and his entourage, and he did voices for NBC's Cool McCool, a 1966-69 animated spoof of James Bond co-created by Bob Kane of Batman fame.

McCann's animation credits also included Pac-Man, G.I. Joe, The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, DuckTales, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, Where's Waldo?, Animaniacs, Fantastic Four (as the voice of Ben Grimm/The Thing), Chip 'n' Dale's Rescue Rangers and The Powerpuff Girls. Chuck voiced nemesis Dalton Kearn for Adventures in Odyssey radio drama.

Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Betty Fanning, a former William Morris executive. He had three children from a previous marriage.

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     

How to Break Up a Happy Divorce            Man with hangover  

1978    Foul Play      Nuart Theatre manager          

They Went That-A-Way & That-A-Way            Wallace         

1983    Likely Stories, Vol. 3            Ralph Warner

1986            Hamburger: The Motion Picture            Dr. Mole   

Thrashin'            Sam Flood  

1988            Cameron's Closet            Ben Majors

1989    That's Adequate            Lowell Westbrook            Mockumentary

1990    Guns            Abe     

1992            Ladybugs            Bartender        

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

1969    Turn-On       Regular Performer        

1972    The Bob Newhart Show   Hal Miller            Episode "Let's Get Away From It Almost"

1973            Columbo          Roger White            Episode "Double Exposure"

1974    Little House on the Prairie  Tinker Jones            Episode "The Voice of Tinker Jones"

1974-1976            Police Woman            Harold Miller

Marty Madison            Episode "Seven Eleven" (Credited as Chuck Mc Cann)

Episode "Broken Angels"

1975    Far Out Space Nuts            Barney            15 episodes

1976-1977            Starsky and Hutch            Larry Hovath

Wally Stone            Episode "Silence"

Episode "Murder at Stage 17"

1977    All That Glitters Bert Stockwood            Unknown episodes

The Rockford Files     Kenny Bell            Episode "Requiem for a Funny Box"

Switch            Pendergast            Episode "Legend of the Macunas Parts 1&2"

1981-1982            One Day at a Time            Beerbelly          3 episodes

1981    CHiPs            Gillis            Episode "Fast Money"

1982    The Greatest American Hero            Captain Bellybuster            Episode "Captain Bellybuster and the Speed Factory"

1983-1985            Matt Houston            Oliver Hardy

Adam Booth            Episode "Here's Another Fine Mess"

Episode "Final Vows"

1985    Knight Rider    Bombo The Clown            Episode "Circus Knights"

Tales from the Darkside            Spiffy Remo            Episode "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      

Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo            Additional voices            16 episodes

The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show            Badladdin       

1980    Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels            Additional voices            Episode "Cavey and the Volcanic Villain"

Drak Pack            Mummy Man  7 episodes

1981    Super Friends            Colossus            Episode "Colossus"

Thundarr the Barbarian            Artemus / Mutants            Episode "Trial by Terror"

Space Stars            Additional voices            11 episodes

1982    Richie Rich            Episode "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            Episode "Snorkitis Is Nothing to Sneeze At / The Whole Toot and Nothing But..."

The Jetsons            Episode "Elroy in Wonderland"

1985–1986            Galtar and the Golden Lance   Orloc            21 episodes

1986    G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero            Leatherneck     16 episodes

Pound Puppies            Biff Barker            Episode "Ghost Hounders"

1988    A Pup Named Scooby-Doo            Cashmore / Additional voices            Episode "The Schnook Who Took My Comic Book"

1989    The Smurfs            Additional voices            Episode "Smurfs That Time Forgot: Part 1 / Smurfs That Time Forgot: Part 2"

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            2 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

Where's Wally?: The Animated Series            Additional voices            13 episodes

Toxic Crusaders            Mayor Grody

1992    Tom & Jerry Kids            Fido / Additional voices            Episode "Penthouse Mouse / 12 Angry Sheep / The Ant Attack"

1993            Animaniacs      Codger Eggbert            Episode "Critical Condition"

All-New Dennis the Menace            Additional voices            13 episodes

Droopy, Master Detective            "Baby Bandit's Henchman"            Episode "The Babyman Bank Heists"

ABC Weekend Special Santa Claus            Episode "P.J.'s Unfunnybunny Christmas"

1994–1995            Fantastic Four            Thing          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            Episode "The Powerpuff Girls: Crime 101"

1994–1996            Iron Man     Blizzard / Camera Man            10 episodes

1996            Duckman            Additional voices            Episode "Pig Amok"

The Tick            Filth #2            Episode "The Tick vs. Filth"

The Incredible Hulk     Thing            Episode "Fantastic Fortitude"

1998    Bug City      Bugsy Seagull 13 episodes

1998–2003            The Powerpuff Girls            The Amoeba Boys            5 episodes

1999    The New Woody Woodpecker Show   Santa Claus            Episode "A Very Woody Christmas / It's a Chilly Christmas After All / Yule Get Yours"

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            Episode "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                    

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