John Stephenson obit

John Stephenson, Voice of Mr. Slate on 'The Flintstones,' Dies at 91

He was not on the list.



John Stephenson, a prolific voiceover actor who played Fred’s boss, Mr. Slate, on The Flintstones and the ladies' man Fancy-Fancy on Top Cat, has died. He was 91.

Stephenson, who also worked as a narrator on the 1960s version of TV’s Dragnet, revealing the verdicts and sentences at the end of each episode, died May 15 in Woodland Hills after a three-year battle with Alzheimer’s, his son, Roger, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Stephenson, a mainstay of the 1960s Hollywood cartoon factory Hanna-Barbera, also voiced characters for such shows as Jonny Quest (as dad Benton Quest), The Peter Potamus Show, The Magilla Gorilla Show, The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, The Smurfs and several iterations of Scooby-Doo.

Stephenson was seen onscreen on The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Perry Mason, F Troop (as Gen. George Armstrong Custer), Hogan’s Heroes, Mission: Impossible, The Doris Day Show, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Streets of San Francisco, Lou Grant and other series.

Stephenson began work on The Flintstones in 1960, when it debuted as an ABC primetime show on Friday nights. He voiced the hot-tempered Mr. Slate of the Bedrock Quarrel and Gravel Co. — in addition to many other citizens of Bedrock — for decades.

“I think the show was successful because it was an adult cartoon and viewers associated it with The Honeymooners,” he said in a 2010 interview. “And with the Stone Age setting and some very good writing, audiences loved it. They still do.”

Top Cat, another Hanna-Barbera cartoon, debuted on ABC in 1961; it revolved around a gang of scheming Manhattan alley cats.

Stephenson had a Hollywood legend in mind for the voice of Fancy-Fancy. “I tried to make him come across as a kind of Brooklyn Cary Grant,” he once said.

He retired about 10 years ago after more than six decades in the business, his son said.

A native of Kenosha, Wis., Stephenson served in World War II as a radio operator and gunner in the Army Air Corps and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. He decided to become an actor after he left the service, took a course in speech and drama at Northwestern via the G.I. Bill and worked in Chicago radio.

In 1948, Stephenson visited Chicago friends in Hollywood and stuck around, landing gigs on the radio shows It’s Always Sunday and, in the title role, The Count of Monte Cristo.

Soon, as a spokesman for sponsoring tobacco company Philip Morris, he introduced TV audiences to episodes of I Love Lucy and then was a regular on the sitcom The People’s Choice, starring Jackie Cooper.

In addition to his son, survivors include his wife of 60 years, Jean; daughter Katie; and granddaughter Samantha.

Filmography

    Spartacus – Centurion (uncredited) (1960)

    The Man Called Flintstone – Vet (1966)

    Hellfighters – Mr. Chapman (uncredited) (1968)

    Charlotte's Web – Farmer Arable (1973)

    Herbie Rides Again – Lawyer-Second Team (1974)

    The Last of the Mohicans – TV Movie – Colonel Allen Munro/Delaware Chief (1975)

    The Hobbit – TV Movie – Dori/Bard/Great Goblin (1977)

    5 weeks in a balloon – TV movie (1977)

    Yogi's First Christmas – TV Movie – Doggie Daddy/Mr. Dingwell (1980)

    The Return of the King – TV Movie – Gondorian Guard/Dwimmerlaik – The Witch-King of Angmar (1980)

    No Man's Valley – TV Special – Herman/Protester (1981)

    Yogi Bear's All Star Comedy Christmas Caper – TV Special – Doggie Daddy/Butler/Announcer (1982)

    The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones – TV Movie – Mr. Slate (1987)

    Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats -TV Movie – Fancy-Fancy/Officer Charlie Dibble/Waiter (1987)

    Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose – TV Movie – Doggie Daddy /Pelican (1987)

    A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration: 50 years of Hanna-Barbera – TV Movie documentary – Mr. Slate (1989)

    A Flintstone Family Christmas – TV Special – Mr. Slate (1993)

    Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby – TV Movie – Mr. Slate (1993)

    I Yabba-Dabba Do! – TV Movie – Mr. Slate (1993)

    A Flintstones Christmas Carol – TV Movie – Mr. Slate (1994)

    Truman – TV Movie – H.V. Kaltenborn (voice) (uncredited) (1995)

    The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas – Showroom Announcer (2000)

    The Flintstones: On the Rocks – TV Movie – Mr. Slate/Old Man (2001)

    Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo – Video – The Sheriff (2010)

Television

    The Lone Ranger – episode – Dan Reid's Fight for Life – Roy Barnett (1954)

    Treasury Men in Action – 5 episodes (1955)

    Yancy Derringer – episode – Three Knaves from New Haven – Arthur Travers (1958)

    The Real McCoys – 3 episodes – various (1958–1963)

    Bonanza – episode – The Sisters – John Henry (1959)

    Shotgun Slade – episode – The Smell of Money – Charlie Cummings (1960)

    The Flintstones – 73 episodes – Mr. Slate/Grand Poobah/Joe (1960–1966)

    Whispering Smith – episode – The Idol – Eddie Royce (1961)

    Top Cat – episodes – Fancy-Fancy/The Sergeant (1961–1962)

    Jonny Quest – 6 episodes – Dr. Benton C. Quest/additional voices (1964–1965)

    The Peter Potamus Show (14 episodes of it) & The Magilla Gorilla Show (9 episodes of it) – Segment – Breezly and Sneezly – Colonel Fusby (1964–1965)

    Gomer Pyle, USMC – 2 episodes – They Shall Not Pass & Sue the Pants Off 'Em – Major Stone Mr. Clark (1964–1967)

    The Man from U.N.C.L.E. – episode – The Never-Never Affair – Varner (1965)

    The Atom Ant Show – Segment – Atom Ant – Narrator (uncredited) (1965–1966)

    Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles – Professor Conroy (1966)

    The Secret Squirrel Show – 26 episodes – Segment – Squiddly Diddly/Winsome Witch – Chief Winchley/additional voices (1966-1967)

    Abbott & Costello – Additional voices (1967)

    Iron Horse – episode – Decision at Sundown – Warden (1967)

    Birdman – Various (1967)

    Young Samson & Goliath – Additional voices (1967–1968)

    Dragnet 1967 – Narrator (uncredited) (1967–1969)

    Moby Dick and the Mighty Mightor – Pond/Ork/Tog/additional voices (1967–1969)

    Arabian Knights – episode – Fariik/Bakaar (1968)

    The Adventures of Gulliver – Captain Leech (1968)

    Wacky Races – 17 episodes – Luke/Blubber Bear (1968–1969)

    The Mod Squad – episode – The Girl in Chair Nine – Professor Aaron Tanner (1969)

    Scooby Doo, Where Are You! – Dr. Jekyll/Ghost of Mr. Hyde /Sheriff /additional voices (1969–1970)

    Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch! – 16 episodes – Eustace P. Peevly/The Zoo Superintendent/Slicks the Fox/Hippy the Hippopotamus/Dr. Kneeknocker/Zeed the Zebra/additional voices (1971)

    The Flintstone Comedy Hour – Noodles (1972)

    Sealab 2020 – Captain Mike Murphy (1972)

    A Christmas Story – TV Movie (1972)

    The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn't – TV movie (1972)

    Mission: Impossible – episode – Underground – Director (1972)

    Yogi's Ark Lark – Benny the Ball/Doggy Daddy /Hardy Har-Har (1972)

    Wait Till Your Father Gets Home (1972–1973)

    The New Scooby-Doo Movies – Red Baron / Mr. Hyde/additional Voices (1972-1974)

    Jeannie – 16 episodes – Hadji (1973)

    Super Friends (1973)

    Yogi's Gang – Doggie Daddy/Hardy Har Har/Mr. Hothead/additional Voices (1973)

    Inch High, Private Eye – 13 episodes – Mr. Finkerton (1973)

    Goober and the Ghost Chasers – Additional voices (1973)

    Speed Buggy – Additional Voices (1973)

    The Addams Family – Additional Voices (1973)

    McMillan & Wife – episode – The Fine Art of Staying Alive – Harry (1973)

    Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kids – Mr. Socrates (1973)

    The Six Million Dollar Man – episode – Nuclear Alert – Two Star General (uncredited) (1974)

    Devlin – Additional Voices (1974)

    These Are the Days – Additional Voices (1974)

    ABC Afterschool Specials – episode – Cyrano – Richelieu (1974)

    Partridge Family 2200 A.D. – Reuben Kinkaid (1974–1975)

    The Streets of San Francisco – episode – The Programming of Charlie Blake – Leonard Paxton (1975)

    The Mumbly Cartoon Show – Shnooker (1976)

    Davy Crockett on the Mississippi – TV Movie – Sloan/Andrew Jackson/Blacksmith (1976)

    Clue Club – Sheriff Bagley (1976)

    The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour – Ghost of Juan Carlos/Ghost of Milo Booth/Viking Ghost Leader/Ghost of Major Andre/Rambling Ghost / Demon Leader/Mamba Wamba/additional Voices (1976–1978)

    A Flintstone Christmas – TV Special – Mr. Slate (1977)

The Funky Phantom - as Ghost of Jean Lafitte/Malcolm Rogers (in "I'll Haunt You Later"), Headless Horseman (in "The Headless Horseman"), Gas Station Attendant (in "We Saw a Sea Serpent"), Black Lake Creature (in "We Saw a Sea Serpent"), Mr. Warnock (in "We Saw a Sea Serpent"), Hugo (in "Haunt in Inn"), Ghost of Widow Wilson's Inn (in "Haunt in Inn"), Parafiend (in "The Liberty Bell Caper"), Slippery Stark (in "Ghost Grabbers")

    Laff-A-Lympics – Mildew Wolf / Doggie Daddy / Dread Baron /The Great Fondue/additional voices (1977–1979)

    C.B. Bears – additional voices (1977)

    Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels – additional voices (1977–1980)

    Yogi's Space Race – Captain Snerdley/General Blowhard (1978)

    Galaxy Goof-Ups – Captain Snerdley/General Blowhard (1978)

    Dinky Dog – Additional Voices (1978)

    The Flintstones: Little Big League – TV Movie – Mr. Slate (1978)

    The Fantastic Four – Doctor Doom/Professor Gregson Gilbert/Magneto/additional voices (1978)

    Casper's First Christmas – Doggie Daddy/Hairy Scary (1979)

    The Super Globetrotters (1979)

    Gulliver's Travels – TV Movie (1979)

    Fred and Barney Meet the Thing – Segment – The Thing – Dr. Harkness (1979

    Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo – Additional Voices (1979)

    The New Fred and Barney Show – Mr. Slate (1979)

    The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone – TV special – Count Rockula (1979)

    The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show – Additional Voices (1979)

    The Flintstone Comedy Show – Mr. Slate (1980)

    The Flintstones: Fred's Final Fling – TV Special – Frank Frankenstone/Dinosaur/Monkey #1 (1980)

    The Flintstones' New Neighbors – TV Special – Frank Frankenstone (1980)

    The Kwicky Koala Show – Segment – Kwicky Koala – Wilford Wolf (1981)

    Daniel Boone – TV Movie (1981)

    The Flintstones: Jogging Fever – TV Special – Frank Frankenstone/Mr. Slate (1981)

    The Flintstones: Wind-Up Wilma – TV Special – Frank Frankenstone (1981)

    Space Stars (1981)

    Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends – Colossus /Thunderbird /The Shocker / Uncle Ben Parker/Loki/Mordred/additional voices (1981–1983)

    The Incredible Hulk (1982)

    Jokebook (1982)

    Laverne & Shirley with Special Guest Star the Fonz – Additional Voices (1982)

    Shirt Tales – Additional Voices (1982)

    G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero – mini series – Gen. Flagg /Old Man (1983)

    The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show (1983)

    The Dukes – additional voices (1983)

    Mister T (1983)

    The Transformers – Thundercracker/Kup/Huffer/additional voices (1984–1987)

    G.I. Joe – Scientist/General Franks/MacIntosh/Mr. Queeg/additional voices (1985-1986)

    Yogi's Treasure Hunt – Doggie Daddy (1985–1986)

    The Berenstain Bears Show – Additional Male Voices (1985-1987)

    The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo – Boris Kreepoff / Freddie Cadaver (1985)

    The Jetsons – Commissioner/DWMR Officer (1985–1987)

    G.I. Joe – episode – The Spy Who Rooked Me – General Hawk (1986)

    Centurions – 15 episodes (1986)

    Galaxy High School – Beef Bonk/Harvey Blastermeier (1986)

    The Flintstone Kids – Ditto Master/Mr. Gemstone (1986–1987)

    Bionic Six – Bionic-1/Jack Bennett/Klunk/additional voices (1987)

    Fraggle Rock – Doc /Philo/Grunge (1987)

    The Video Adventures of Clifford the Big Red Dog – additional voices (1988)

    Superman – additional voices (1988)

    Pryde of the X-Men – TV Short – Professor Charles Xavier (1989)

    TaleSpin (1990)

    Wake, Rattle & Roll – Segment – Fender Bender 500 – Doggie Daddy (1990)

    Yo Yogi! – Doggie Daddy/Mr. Myopics (1991)

    Darkwing Duck – episode – Heavy Mental – Major Synapse (1991)

    Space Cats (1991)

    What's New, Scooby-Doo? – episode – The Unnatural – Bob Taylor (2003)

    Duck Dodgers – episode – The Green Loontern – Ganthet (2003)

    Johnny Bravo – episode – Wilderness Protection Program/A Page Right Out of History – Mr. Slate (2004)

    What's New, Scooby-Doo? – episode – Uncle Scooby and Antarctica – Zelig (2004)