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Walker Edmiston
Walker Edmiston.jpg
Born (1926-02-06)February 6, 1926
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died February 15, 2007(2007-02-15) (aged 81)
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names Walter Edmiston
Occupation
  • Actor
  • puppeteer
Years active 1947–2006
Spouse(s)
Evelyn Edmiston
​
​
(m. 1950; died 1998)​
Children 2

Walker Edmiston (born February 6, 1926 – died February 15, 2007) was an American actor and puppeteer. He was famous for giving voices to many cartoon characters and puppets. You might know his voice from shows like Adventures in Odyssey or as Ernie the Keebler Elf!

Early Life and Acting Beginnings

Walker Edmiston was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Even when he was in high school, he loved acting. He took part in many local theater plays. Later, he went to study acting at the famous Pasadena Playhouse.

A Voice for Many Characters

Walker Edmiston had a very special talent: he could create many different voices. This made him a popular voice actor and puppeteer.

Puppet Shows and Early TV

In the 1950s, Walker started working on puppet shows for TV in Los Angeles. He lent his voice to characters on shows like The Buffalo Billy Show and Time for Beany. He also worked on Dumbo's Circus, which mixed live action with animation.

Famous Cartoon Voices

Walker Edmiston voiced many characters that you might recognize. He was the voice of "Ernie the Keebler Elf" in hundreds of commercials for Keebler cookies. He also worked on popular shows from Sid and Marty Krofft's studios. These included H.R. Pufnstuf and The Bugaloos. He also played Enik the Altrusian on Land of the Lost.

Adventures in Odyssey

One of his most loved roles was on the radio program Adventures in Odyssey. For over twenty years, he voiced two very different characters: the kind Tom Riley and the tricky Bart Rathbone. It was amazing because he could switch between their voices without stopping! After he passed away in 2007, the character of Tom Riley was retired from the show.

Other Voice Roles

Walker Edmiston also voiced the Autobot Inferno in The Transformers in 1985. He even voiced characters in movies like The Great Mouse Detective and Whisper of the Heart. His final voice role was Fire Lord Azulon in Avatar: The Last Airbender in 2006.

Live-Action TV Appearances

Besides his voice work, Walker Edmiston also appeared in many TV shows. He played different characters in popular series like Star Trek, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, and The Dukes of Hazzard.

His Own TV Show

In the 1950s and early 1960s, Walker Edmiston hosted his own children's TV show in Los Angeles. It was called The Walker Edmiston Show. He used puppets that he made himself, like Kingsley the Lion and Ravenswood the Buzzard. Later, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and started another daily puppet show on KOOL-TV.

Personal Life

Walker Edmiston married Evelyn in 1950. They had two daughters named Andria and Erin. Evelyn passed away in 1998.

Later Years and Passing

Walker Edmiston continued to act and voice characters for many years. He died from cancer on February 15, 2007, in Woodland Hills, California. He left behind a wonderful legacy of voices and characters that brought joy to many people.

Selected Filmography

Walker Edmiston had a very long career! Here are some of the many movies and TV shows he was a part of:

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