Paul Frees
Solomon Hersh Frees (June 22, 1920 – November 2, 1986), better known as Paul Frees, was an American actor, comedian, impressionist, and vaudevillian. He is known for his work on Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Walter Lantz, Rankin/Bass and Walt Disney theatrical cartoons during the Golden Age of Animation, and for providing the voice of Boris Badenov in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.[1] Frees was known as "The Man of a Thousand Voices", though the appellation was more commonly bestowed on Mel Blanc.[2]
Paul Frees
November 2, 1986 (aged 66)
- The Man of a Thousand Voices
- Solomon Hersh Frees
- Solomon Frees
- Paul Hersh Frees
- Buddy Green
- Actor
- comedian
- impressionist
- vaudevillian
1942–1986
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Anelle McCloud(m. 1943; died 1945)
-
Kleda June Hansen(m. 1947; div. 1950)
-
Joyce Schultz(m. 1951, divorced)
-
Jeri J. Cole(m. 1967; div. 1969)
-
Beverly T. Marlow(m. 1971)
2
Early life[edit]
Solomon Hersh Frees was born to a Jewish family in Chicago, Illinois, on June 22, 1920. He grew up in the Albany Park neighborhood and attended Von Steuben Junior High School.[3][4] He provided the voice heard in the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland in California[1] and at Walt Disney World in Florida to the voice of the farmer who educates the Little Green Sprout (voiced by Ike Eisenmann) about vegetable products of the Jolly Green Giant in the Green Giant vegetable commercials.
Legacy[edit]
Since Frees's death, voice actor Corey Burton has provided voices for some of Frees's characters. Burton, who met Frees in the late 1970s, has often re-recorded dialogue for some Disneyland attractions originally recorded by Frees.[19] In some cases, Frees's original, pre-digital recordings had simply deteriorated over time, and in others the dialogue had been rewritten to reflect plot changes or introduce new characters, such as the "Stuffed Pirate" replacing Frees's "Pooped Pirate" in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in 1997.[20] Dialogue that was slightly rewritten to reflect newer safety standards is performed by actors Joe Leahy (English)[21][22] and Fabio Rodriguez (Spanish).[23] In 2001, Burton provided a Paul Frees impression for the new "Ghost Host" of Haunted Mansion Holiday, a seasonal, holiday-themed overlay for the Haunted Mansion attraction.[24] Burton also recorded Frees's Ghost Host lines for Walt Disney Pictures' 2003 film adaptation of the ride.
Personal life[edit]
Frees was married five times. His first marriage was to Anelle McCloud, from 1943 until her death in 1945. He then married Kleda June Hansen in 1947, but they divorced three years later in 1950. His third wife was Joyce Schultz. They married in 1951 and had two children – a son, Fred; and a daughter, Sabrina – before eventually divorcing.[5] His fourth marriage was to Jeri J. Cole in 1967, but they divorced after just two years, in 1969. Beverly T. Marlow was Frees's fifth wife. They married in 1971 but were estranged at the time of his death fifteen years later.[25]
Death[edit]
For the last two years of his life, Frees suffered from multiple ailments, including arthritis, diabetes, and loss of vision, and had mentioned to friends that he was in near constant pain. Frees died at his home in Tiburon, California on November 2, 1986, at the age of 66, from a self-administered overdose of pain medication. Though the official cause of death is listed as suicide, his agent issued a press release stating that he died from heart failure.[26][5]
Frees was survived by his son and daughter, and by Marlow, who had moved to Mesa, Arizona.[5][25] His body was cremated and his ashes scattered over the Pacific Ocean.[5]