When Mel Blanc died, it seemed that everyone took over his roles. He wanted his son to take it over but that didn't work out. Warner Bros wanted to make sure that there wouldn't be another Mel Blanc. That's why it has taken 19 people to take over his roles. Here is in my opinion the top 10 people to take over Mel's roles. Mel Blanc was so versatile that to make up for what he did, Warner Bros has to pay like 20 people. Here is my top 10 to take over Mel's characters. This is a list of who I think do the best at reinventing the characters Mel created. This list is about who best voiced Bugs, Daffy, Tweety, Porky, and the rest after Mel died.
First a few honorable mentions
A. Bill Farmer—has voiced Secret Squirrel, Sylvester, Yosemite Sam, and Foghorn Leghorn
B. Noel Blanc--Mel's son who took over many of Mel's characters.
C. Dee Bradley Baker— He voiced Daffy in Space Jam.
D. Keith Scott--He is the Australian voice of Mel Blanc's characters. He has voiced many of Mel's characters for Australian projects such as commercials and theme park attractions. He has voied Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn, Henery Hawk, Barney Rubble, Sylvester, Tweety, Speedy Gonzales, and Marvin the Martian
E. Kevin Michael Richardson—He voiced Barney Rubble in Flintstones On The Rocks in the early nasally tone.
Now on with the list...
10. Eric Bauza--
While he is fairly new in the field compared to the rest of these gentlemen, Eric Bauza is no stranger to the Looney Tunes characters. Eric is one of the many voice contributors to Rocky Memories and has shared many stories behind the scenes that will be in my book. Eric grew up with the Looney Tunes and has shared that he a huge Looney Tunes fan. He is the voice of Marvin The Martian in The Looney Tunes Show. He has done numerous projects as Pepe Le Pew as well. Warner Bros has announced a number of projects that he will be playing Bugs, Daffy, and Tweety.
9. Jeff Bennett ---
While Jeff Bennett is much more known as the voice of other characters such as Johnny Bravo, he has also played many Warner Bros characters. Jeff Bennett had been doing voices for Warner Bros long before voicing any Looney Tunes characters. He had already done voices on Tiny Toon Adventures and Animaniacs. His first Looney Tunes characters were minor established character cameos in Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries. He first voiced a major character in Tweety's High Flying Adventure and played Foghorn Leghorn. In Looney Tunes Back in Action, he voiced Foghorn Leghorn and Yosemite Sam. He has voiced both Foghorn Leghorn and Yosemite Sam in many other projects since. He has also voiced Sylvester and Daffy Duck in a couple of theatrical shorts.
8. Frank Welker
This man is literally the next generation Mel Blanc. Some even consider him the greatest voice actor of all time instead of Mel. While I disagree with this, I can't deny this man's talent. This man can voice nearly anything. He hasn't voiced many major Looney Tunes characters but has voiced a ton of minor characters. He voiced Hector in Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries, the Abominable Snowman, Mugsy, and so many others. The best reincarnations of Mel's voices he did though is Mels' Hanna Barbera characters (which is why he made the 8th spot on this list). After Mel died, he took the Role of Barney Rubble and Dino. He continues to voice both characters to this day. He also would voice the later incarnations of Speed Buggy.
7. Jim Cummings—Jim Cummings makes #7 despite not playing as many major WB characters as the people below. Jim is most known for his Disney work on Winnie the Pooh and Darkwing Duck. His most well-known Non-Disney character however is one of Mel's. Jim has been the voice of the Tasmanian Devil more times than Mel did. He voiced Taz in Taz-Mania, Duck Dodgers, and The Looney Tunes Show. He has also voiced Yosemite Sam a number of times.
6. Maurice LaMarche--
Maurice LaMarche is a very well-known voice actor. He is extremely talented and is most well-known for his roles on Futurama and Pinky and the Brain. He also played many of the Looney Tunes. He has been in dozens of Looney Tunes projects. He is usually the voice of Yosemite Sam in Looney Tunes projects which he is involved. He has also played Foghorn Leghorn, Pepe Le Pew, and Taz.
5. Billy West---
Billy West has voiced many of Mel's characters. His first Looney Tunes voice was of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd in Space Jam. He has voiced many of Mels characters and has also voiced Elmer Fudd. He also played Woody Woodpecker in The New Woody Woodpecker Show. Besides Woody, Bugs, and Elmer, he has also played Porky, Tweety, Foghorn Leghorn, and Pepe Le Pew.
4. Greg Burson--
This man spent his entire life respectively voicing Mel's characters after his death. He also voiced all of Daws Butler's characters. In fact, Greg Burson was one of Daws Butlers' students! Greg voiced the Looney Tunes in Animaniacs, Tiny Toon Adventures. He also was in dozens of other video games, TV shows, and commercials. He voiced many Looney Tunes Characters including Bugs, Daffy, Foghorn Leghorn, Tweety, Porky, and Pepe Le Pew.
3. Joe Alaskey--
This man voiced nearly every Looney Tunes character until his death in 2016. He had voiced them all at least once. He voiced Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Sylvester, Tweety, and every other character. He voiced Daffy Duck in many Looney Tunes projects including Duck Dodgers and Looney Tunes Back In Action. He voiced Bugs Bunny in Back In Action and voiced Marvin the Martian in Duck Dodgers. He also voiced both Sylvester and Tweety in Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries
2. Bob Bergen---
The #1 and #2 voice actors go to two men so devoted to Mel Blanc's work that they have stalking stories about meeting him. #2 on our list hasn't played as many characters as Greg Burson or Joe Alaskey had. This man is the voice of Porky Pig. Eric Bauza told me that Bob Bergen's Porky Pig voice is dead on and nobody has ever been better at Porky since Mel. Bob Bergen is another contributor to my Rocky Memories book. There is no other person who has defined one of Mel's characters as he has with Porky. Mel Blanc will always be the person whose voice we think of when we think of the Looney Tunes. Bob brought charm to Porky that is the best imitation of any character Mel voiced. He also voices Tweety, and Marvin the Martian.
1. Jeff Bergman---
This man has spent much of his life voicing all of the Looney Tunes characters. He also voiced many of Mel's Hanna-Barbera characters. While Bob Bergen does the best Porky Pig, Jeff Bergman does the best Bugs Bunny. He also voices nearly all of the other Looney Tunes and Barney Rubble. He makes us think that Mel is still alive and he brings life into all of the Looney Tunes that make us forget that someone else is behind the scenes and not Mel. Mel Blanc can't be replaced. There will never be another Mel Blanc but these people are my favorite that brought life back to the characters we remember most from the Man of a Thousand Voices.
Credits:
Eric Bauza
Mark Evanier
Wonderful post!
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