Matt Zimmerman (actor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matt Zimmerman
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Zimmerman in 2013
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| Born |
Matthew Zimmerman
December 26, 1934 |
| Died | June 2022 (aged 87) |
| Alma mater | London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1965–2015 |
| Television | Thunderbirds |
| Spouse(s) |
Shirley Chapman
(m. 1962; died 2002) |
Matthew Zimmerman (born December 26, 1934 – died June 2022) was a Canadian actor. He was famous for being the voice of Alan Tracy in the popular 1960s TV show Thunderbirds. He also voiced Alan in the movies Thunderbirds Are Go and Thunderbird 6.
Early Life and Career
Matthew Zimmerman was born in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, on December 26, 1934. He grew up and went to school in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Matt started acting when he was quite young.
He later attended Bowling Green State University in Ohio. In 1959, he won a special scholarship. This allowed him to move to the United Kingdom to study acting. He went to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).
Becoming Alan Tracy
Matt Zimmerman got the part of Alan Tracy in Thunderbirds thanks to a friend. Another actor, David Holliday, who voiced Virgil Tracy, suggested Matt to the show's creators, Gerry and Sylvia Anderson.
Matt remembered how he got the role: "They were finding it hard to find the right voice for Alan Tracy." When he met Sylvia Anderson, she noticed his looks first. Then, when he spoke, she immediately said, "That's the voice!" And that's how he became Alan Tracy.
Besides voicing Alan, Matt also provided voices for many other smaller characters in Thunderbirds.
Other Roles
Matt Zimmerman also appeared in other TV shows. He was in an episode of UFO called "Exposed" in 1970. This was another show made by the Andersons.
He also played a character named Shooty in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Other TV shows he was in include T-Bag, Mike and Angelo, and Never the Twain. He also appeared in many TV commercials.
In 2015, Matt returned to the world of Thunderbirds. He played Professor Harold in an episode of the new series, Thunderbirds Are Go, called "Tunnels of Time".
Matt was also a talented stage actor. He performed in many plays like Annie Get Your Gun and West Side Story. His last performance in London's West End was in Fiddler on the Roof. In 2008, he toured with the musical Cabaret.
Matt Zimmerman passed away in June 2022, at the age of 87.
Film and TV Appearances
- 1965–1966: Thunderbirds (TV series)
- 1966: A Man for All Seasons
- 1966: Thunderbirds Are Go
- 1968: Thunderbird 6
- 1979: Birth of the Beatles
- 1979: Quincy's Quest
- 1986: Haunted Honeymoon
- 1987: Still Crazy Like a Fox (TV movie)
- 1988: Turn On To T-Bag (TV series)
- 1989: The Forgotten
- 1995: Margaret's Museum
- 2015: Thunderbirds Are Go (TV series)
