John Stephenson (actor)
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John Stephenson (born August 9, 1923 in Kenosha, Wisconsin) is an American voice actor. He has also been credited as "John Stevenson."
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[edit] Career
[edit] Early guest starring roles
He started his career acting in numerous television shows in the 1950s and into the 1960s, usually in small guest star roles on such shows as Bonanza, Perry Mason, The Beverly Hillbillies, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and Hogan's Heroes.
[edit] Voice over work
He did many voice overs for commercials of the era, including spots for Peter Pan Peanut Butter featuring character actor Jesse White. For several decades, Stephenson worked for Hanna-Barbera Productions, providing supporting voices for many of its 1960s and 1970s animated television series, including Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy, Top Cat, Scooby-Doo, The Jetsons, and Jonny Quest, among many others. Stephenson's most notable role for Hanna-Barbera was as the voice of Mr. Slate, Fred Flintstone's hard-edged boss at Slate Rock and gravel Company, from the original The Flintstones series up through to the present. He also did Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch! and Inch-High, Private Eye.
Stephenson was most often called upon to voice curmudgeon and irascible characters. His range was limited but served him well in the roles he brought to prominence. In total, Stephenson had about five or six 'voices' he would apply to characters. There is his most-used voice, which he gave to Mr. Slate on The Flintstones series. Another character given that same vocal delivery was Chief Wiggins on the series Dynomutt, Dog Wonder, Sheriff Bagley on Clue Club, and countless others. Another voice Stephenson liked to use was the high nasal Joe Flynn inspired voice. This voice was usually given to the characters that were either rude, or smart-allecks, or flat out mean. Also, these characters were prone to short tempers and two characters voiced by Stephenson spring to mind Mr. Peevly from Help! It's the Hair Bear Bunch! and Schnooker from the litte seen series, Inspector Mumbly which aired as part of the Tom and Jerry, Grape-Ape, and Mumbly series. Stephenson was cast most often in the Scooby-Doo cartoons as the villains or the red-herring scientist. In one episode of Scooby-Doo alone, Stephenson was the voices of Red Sparks, Mr. Daugherty, Mr. Speck, and the villain of that episode, The Specter. The episode is titled High Rise Hair Raiser. Still, another voice Stephenson was noted for, was his take on Boris Karloff. A lot of the Karloff-sounding villains in early episodes of Scooby-Doo were provided by John Stephenson.
Although not noted as a mimic, Stephenson has borrowed the vocal traits of Joe Flynn for several characters as mentioned earlier, Boris Karloff for several more, and did a pretty good Jimmy Durante for the 1970's and 1980's version of Doggie Daddy. Also, if needed, Stephenson has been known to do to a take-off on Paul Lynde as heard on the 1977 series Scooby's All-Star Laff-a-Lympics as the character Mildew Wolf. Originally, Paul Lynde voiced the character as part of a segment shown on a series called Cattanooga Cats but wasn't interested in reprising the role on Scooby's All-Star Laff-a-Lympics. Stephenson also gave voice to the re-designed Dick Dastardly character on that series whose name was Dread Baron. A further Stephenson voice was used for the magician The Great Fondoo, inspired perhaps by Bela Lugosi.
Stephenson reprised his role of Luke from Wacky Races in the Wacky Races video game.
[edit] 1980s
During the 1980s, he contributed to notable cartoons of the period such as The Smurfs, Galaxy High and G.I. Joe. John also voiced Huffer, Windcharger, Thundercracker, and Alpha Trion from the 1980s mega-hit The Transformers and took over the role of Kup for the show's third season (the character was voiced by Lionel Stander in Transformers: The Movie).
[edit] Dragnet
Stephenson is perhaps best known, however, as the narrator in the classic television series Dragnet (1967-1970), recapping the fate of the perpetrators at the end of every episode. (The opening narration at this time was performed by George Fenneman.)
[edit] Accountemps
Stephenson, using his "Mr. Slate voice," currently provides the voice of "Mr. Fernwell" in a series of Accountemp radio ads.
