Marshall Efron obit

Marshall Efron, Funny Cog in the PBS ‘Dream Machine,’ Dies at 81

In the 1970s he was part of a much-talked about prime-time TV series as well as a somewhat subversive Sunday morning Bible show for children. 

He was not on the list.

Efron as an actor and humorist originally known for his work on the listener-sponsored Pacifica radio stations WBAI New York and KPFK Los Angeles, and later for the PBS television show The Great American Dream Machine (the original showcase of Chevy Chase).

At WBAI, Efron was a frequent guest on Steve Post's & Bob Fass's shows, along with left-wing/counter-culture figures such as Paul Krassner. One memorable broadcast had Efron and Krassner filling in for the vacationing Steve Post, and identifying themselves as Columbia University students who had taken the station over as part of the Columbia University protests of 1968. Although regular listeners were very familiar with the voices of Krassner and Efron, many listeners were not. NYPD officers responded three different times during the broadcast in response to reports from listeners who thought the "takeover" was a legitimate event. Efron also produced features such as A Satirical View.

Marshal Efron was the author of a number of children's works such as Bible Stories You Can't Forget: No Matter How Hard You Try.

He also starred in the irregularly-scheduled Sunday-morning television program Marshall Efron's Illustrated, Simplified, and Painless Sunday School on CBS from 1973 to 1977. In this show, Efron played all of the parts, including Adam, Eve, God and the Snake in the Garden of Eden, and the Three Wise Men in the story of Christmas.

 

Born            February 3, 1938

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Died            September 30, 2019 (aged 81)

Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.

 

Filmography

 

Animated roles

 

The Kwicky Koala Show (1981) - Ratso (voice)

Smurfs (1981-1982) - Sloppy Smurf (voice)

Shirt Tales (1982) - (voice)

The Biskitts (1983) - Mooch (voice)

Kidd Video (1984-1985) - Fat Cat (voice)

The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo (1985) - Lousy Lizard (voice)

Fluppy Dogs (1986) - Stanley (voice)

The Transformers (1986-1987) - Hun-Gurrr (2nd Head) (voice)

Snorks (1987-1988) - (voice)

Time Squad (2002) - Earl of Sandwich (voice)

 

Film roles

Funnyman (1967) - Sid, Photographer

Pound (1970) - German Shepherd

THX 1138 (1971) - TWA

Doc (1971) - Mexican Bartender

Is There Sex After Death? (1971) - Vince Domino

Dynamite Chicken (1971) - Himself

Bang the Drum Slowly (1973) - Bradley

Blade (1973) - Fat man

Baby Blue Marine (1976) - Cook

The Faking of the President (1976) - Donald Segretti

Why Me? (1978, Short) - Nesbit Spoon (voice)

California Dreaming (1979) - Ruben

Shogun Assassin (1980) - (voice)

The First Time (1983) - Nick Rand

Twice Upon a Time - Synonamess Botch (voice)

Bad Manners (1984) - Cab Driver

The Big Bang (1987) - Comrade in Chief (English version, voice)

Talking Walls (1987) - Erwin

The Road to Wellville (1994) - Bartholomew Bookbinder

Cafe Society (1995) - Moe Persky

Two Family House (2000) - Tiny

A Piece of Eden (2000) - Andres

Marie and Bruce (2004) - Ed

Home on the Range (2004) - Larry the Duck (voice)

Robots (2005) - Lamp Post / Toilet Bot / Bass Drum / Microphone (voice)

The Thing About My Folks (2005) - Tow Truck Driver

Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006) - Start Dad (voice)

Horton Hears a Who! (2008) - Wickersham Guard #1 / The Wickersham Brothers (voice)

City Island (2009) - Actor-Dog

Rob the Mob (2014) - Little Anthony (final film role)

Video game roles

The Space Bar (1997) - (voice)

Theatrical roles

Much Ado about Nothing Broadway 1972 - Singer