John Stephenson (actor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Stephenson
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| Born | c. 1923/1924 Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.
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| Died | May 15, 2015 (aged 91–92) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Other names | John Stevenson |
| Occupation | Actor, voice actor |
| Years active | 1946–2010 |
| Spouse(s) |
Jean Elaine Irwin
(m. 1955) |
| Children | 2 |
John Winfield Stephenson (born around 1923 or 1924 – May 15, 2015) was a talented American actor. He was most famous for using his voice to bring many cartoon characters to life! Sometimes, his name was also written as John Stevenson. John Stephenson was a private person and didn't often appear in public or give interviews.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
John Stephenson grew up in Kenosha, Wisconsin. When World War II was happening, he served in the United States Army Air Forces. He worked as a gunner and also as a radio operator.
After the war, John decided to study acting. He took classes in speech and drama at Northwestern University. He earned a degree in theater before moving to Hollywood to start his acting career.
A Voice for Many Characters
John Stephenson had an amazing career as a voice actor, making many characters sound unique and memorable. He worked on a huge number of cartoons and movies, especially for Hanna-Barbera, a famous animation studio.
Famous Cartoon Voices
You might recognize his voice from some very popular shows:
- In The Flintstones, he voiced characters like Mr. Slate and the Grand Poobah. He was part of 73 episodes!
- For Scooby Doo, Where Are You!, he played various characters, including Dr. Jekyll and the Ghost of Mr. Hyde.
- He was the voice of Doggie Daddy in many Yogi Bear cartoons, including Yogi's Ark Lark and Yogi's Treasure Hunt.
- In Top Cat, he voiced Fancy-Fancy and The Sergeant.
- He was also Dr. Benton C. Quest in Jonny Quest.
- In The Transformers, he voiced characters like Thundercracker, Kup, and Huffer.
- He played Professor Charles Xavier in the TV short Pryde of the X-Men.
Other Film and TV Roles
Besides his voice work, John Stephenson also appeared in some live-action films and TV shows:
- He was in the movie Spartacus (1960) as a Centurion.
- He played Mr. Chapman in Hellfighters (1968).
- In Herbie Rides Again (1974), he was a lawyer.
- On TV, he appeared in shows like The Lone Ranger, Bonanza, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E..
- He was also in two episodes of Gomer Pyle, USMC.
Video Games and Specials
John Stephenson's voice also appeared in video games and special animated features:
- He voiced Mr. Slate in the video game Flintstones Bedrock Bowling (2000).
- He was Luke in the Wacky Races video game (2000).
- He lent his voice to TV movies like Charlotte's Web (1973) as John Arable and The Hobbit (1977) as Dori, Bard, and the Great Goblin.
Later Life and Passing
John Stephenson passed away on May 15, 2015, at the age of 91. He died from Alzheimer's disease. He was married to his wife, Jean Elaine Irwin, for 60 years. They had two children, a son and a daughter, and a granddaughter.
