Shannon Farnon

Shannon Farnon
Born (1941-11-28) November 28, 1941
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation Actress
Years active 1965–present
Spouse(s) William Wells (m. 1966–75)
Children 2
Parent(s) Brian Farnon
Rita Oehmen
Relatives Charmian Carr (sister)
Darleen Carr (sister)

Shannon Farnon (born November 28, 1941) is a Canadian actress and voice actress. She is best known as being the first actress to voice Wonder Woman in a Hanna-Barbera production.

Early life

Born into a show business family, she is the daughter of Brian Farnon, a musician and conductor and Rita Oehmen, a singer and actress, and sister of Charmian Carr and Darleen Carr. She was raised in Chicago, Illinois.

Farnon went to theater art classes in Toronto and years later worked on commercial spots. She graduated from Los Angeles Valley College in 1962.

Career

The actress starred in film, television, commercials and cartoons, however her first role was in 1965 in an uncredited role on Burke's Law. She went on to appear in multiple other television series, but was most active in the voice-over field in commercials. While playing a mother in a live-action commercial in 1973 for Flintstone vitamins she was approached by voice director Wally Burr to audition for what was to be her most long-running famous role, Wonder Woman on Super Friends.

From 1973 to 1983, Farnon voiced the Amazonian superheroine on Super Friends, Challenge of the Super Friends, The All-New Super Friends Hour, The World's Greatest Super Friends and the revival of Super Friends. Farnon did voice several incidental characters, such as Lois Lane and Hawkgirl on some of the series and also played Kim Butler in Valley of the Dinosaurs in 1974, but mainly she did the voice of Wonder Woman.

However, in 1984, her prominent character was recast in Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show, when the role was given to Constance Caufield and later to B.J. Ward. This case has often been given as an example of injustice in the television and animation industry. Mary McDonald-Lewis voiced Wonder Woman in an episode of Superman.

She voiced Wonder Woman on many Cartoon Network promos and went on to appear in several films and television series, but since 2005, her acting appearances have been infrequent. She has voiced various commercials, including Betty Crocker, Nivea, Kodak, National World War II Memorial, Oil of Olay, Scotchgard and Cartoon Network spoofs of The Super Friends.

Personal life

She was married to William Wells from 1966 to 1975 and had twins, Jeremy and Julie, born in 1971. Jeremy died from a skiing accident at the age 24. This info can be found in her sister Charmian's book, Forever Liesl.

Preceded by
Jane Webb (1972)
Actress to voice Wonder Woman
1973-1983
Succeeded by
Connie Cawlfield (1984-1985)
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