Rare Clips of Mel Blanc and Arthur Q. Bryan

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I enjoyed watching these all too brief clips of Mel Blanc and Arthur Q. Bryan performing onscreen in their prime.

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  • http://juzzybunnisketch.blogspot.com/ Justine Westall

    Fan tastic!!

  • Keith McCaffety

    Gahhhh!!! I’ve always wanted to see video of this guy! I keep telling people Mel Blanc was NOT Elmer Fudd, and they don’t believe me!

    • http://www.meganlynch.net Megan Lynch

      Arthur Q. Bryan originated Elmer Fudd’s voice but didn’t Mel take it over when Bryan died?

      • Mike Kazaleh

        Hal Smith was the official Elmer Fudd for many years after Arthur Q. Bryan died. Around the late seventies Mel did the voice, but he wasn’t any too good at it.

      • Andy Rose

        Here’s an old commercial with Hal’s version of Elmer (link courtesy of Mark Evanier’s blog). It’s not good, but Mel’s version wasn’t any better. I think Billy West may be the only guy who ever really got a handle on that voice.

        http://dai.ly/eD0DQu

      • Galen

        Jeff Bergman nailed Elmer’s voice in the first post-Blanc short, Box Office Bunny:

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE3v-forFo8

        And on that subject, am I the only one who thinks Bergman’s Daffy here is practically indistinguishable from Blanc’s, by far the best replacement voice for that character?

  • http://www.amiravni.com Amir Avni

    Awesome clips!

  • David Breneman

    Mel Blanc was EVENTUALLY Elmer Fudd, after Bryan passed away, but Blanc’s Fudd is a little higher in pitch. (I can’t play the Blanc clip. It just sits-n-spins.)

    Apropos the holiday season, Arthur Q Bryan played the part of Clarence the Angel in the Lux Radio Theater production of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed reprised their film roles. I’m sure it’s on the web somewhere.

    • R.J. Laaksonen

      Arthur Q. Bryan had many live-action roles in features, mainly in the forties, but did Mel Blanc appear in features in addition to Billy Wilder’s Kiss Me, Stupid (as the dentist)?

  • http://richardsmithstudios.webs.com/ Richard

    That’s Blanc’s “Porky”: without being sped up like in the cartoons (the normal speed is heard briefly in “Baby Bottleneck”).

  • Jonathan

    Loved it!
    Just out of curiosity what are these clips from?

  • joecab

    Arthur Q. Bryan was also in that episode of I Love Lucy (“Ricky Loses His Voice”) as Mr. Chambers: Lucy speaks to him on the phone about 13 minutes in and he appears again at the end. You’ll recognize his voice right away.

  • Katella Gate

    Delightful to see the masters at work.

  • Autumn

    These are GREAT! I loved them both, but it was really great to see Arthur performing.

  • http://weirdocorner.blogspot.com Eric Noble

    These are magnificent!! Two talented performers at their peak. Every time I hear that voice from Arthur Q. Bryan, all I see is Elmer Fudd. I cannot see him playing anybody else. That voice and character have become embedded in my brain. THank you Amid for sharing these clips with us. They are both missed.

  • uncle wayne

    Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, my GAWRD! I am 57 years old and NEVER saw Mr. Bryan!! Thank YOO for that. That is, truly, what the heavenly CB is allllllll aBOUT!!!

  • David

    Wow, I remember seeing a clip on Toonheads of Arthur Q Bryan saying “I went to the Derby in 1940!” I always wanted to see the rest of it. It’s just a shame these clips are so short. Bravo!

  • Titanius Anglesmith, Fancy Man of Cornwood

    Want even more of Mel Blanc (you know ya do!)? Go to your local video store and find a copy of “Holiday Family Collection”. For $15, you get 49 television episodes with a holiday theme, including two episodes of the Jack Benny Show that have Mel at his best. One of those episodes features Mel as a department store clerk driven bonkers by Jack.

    And as a bonus, it has 27 classic Christmas toons and 12 holiday movies.

  • http://www.voices2go.com rowell gormon

    mel said he never liked his own version of fudd.

    arthur q. bryan was also heard (using his own rich voice) as doctor gamble in the long-running radio series, “fibber mc gee and molly”. great comic delivery and fantastic timing.