June Foray, Voice of ‘Bullwinkle Show’s’ Natasha and Rocky, Dies at 99

Variety ^ | July 26, 2017

[SMGFan]

June Foray, the voice of “The Rocky and  Bullwinkle Show’s” Rocky the Flying Squirrel and his nemesis Natasha Fatale of Boris and Natasha fame in the early 1960s and a key figure in the animation industry, died Thursday. She was 99.

Her close friend Dave Nimitz, confirmed her death on Facebook, writing “With a heavy heart again I want to let you all know that we lost our little June today at 99 years old.”

Foray was also the voice behind Looney Tunes’ Witch Hazel, Nell from “Dudley Do-Right,” Granny in the “Tweety and Sylvester” cartoons and Cindy Lou Who in Chuck Jones’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” among hundreds of others.

[Dr. Sivana]

Here’s an older feature on June Foray and Bill “Bullwinkle” Scott showing her do her Rocky voice live. Check in at about 2:00:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieOGZtGUjRQ

[Dr. Sivana]

The first picture you posted is Bea Benaderet, who was Kate Bradley on Petticoat Junction and Blanche Morton on Burns and Allen.

[njslim]

Must get moose and squirrel.......

[Dr. Sivana]

I was always amazed at how the artists could convey various attributes of humans through those cartoon characters. I don’t think they make them anymore.

Not so much with Rocky and Bullwinkle. The animation was done in Mexico, and it was choppy and sloppy (Boris Badenov's moustache disappears regularly. Good cartoon, but not up to WB/Disney/Fleischer/MGM standards. The late-fifties/sixties were a pretty bad time to be a cartoon, the cheapness shows even in the movie shorts (e.g. John Doormat, Pink Panther, despite a superior soundtrack)

[fellowpatriot]

Original voice of Chatty Cathy. RIP

[odawg]

“Not so much with Rocky and Bullwinkle.”

I don’t think I ever saw that one. The article mentioned she was involved with many more cartoons. I was talking about cartoons in general when I was a kid. I would still watch them.

[COBOL2Java]

The first picture you posted is Bea Benaderet, who was Kate Bradley on Petticoat Junction and Blanche Morton on Burns and Allen.

You are correct. It doesn't look at all like June Foray.

Interesting bit of confusion on the part of the poster of that picture: Bea Benaderet did do the voice of Betty Rubble from 1960-1964. June Foray did Betty in the 1959 pilot.

Bea Benaderet didn't voice Warner Brothers Granny though - that was June Foray.

So the author of that website where I grabbed the shot has a bit of 'splainin' to do...LOL

[John Milner]

And also (cousin) Pearl, Jethro’s mom, on the Beverly Hillbillies.

[COBOL2Java]

The top picture is Bea Benaderet of “Petticoat Junction”.

Correct. See my Post 27.

[exit82]

No problem—informative correction. Thanks.

[GreenHornet]

The first picture you posted is Bea Benaderet, who was Kate Bradley on Petticoat Junction and Blanche Morton on Burns and Allen.

When producer and writer Paul Henning created "The Beverly Hillbillies", it was his intention to cast Bea Benaderet in the role of Granny. However, Irene Ryan gave such a great audition that Benederet herself told Henning that Ryan should get the part. Henning agreed, and out of loyalty to Bea Benaderet, then created the character Cousin Pearl for her. He later cast her as Kate Bradley in Petticoat Junction.

[Slyfox]

Too bad there isn’t an old classic cartoon station where they only play the old stuff. What the kids have to watch is almost unbearable, except for Sponge Bob Squarepants.

[pcottraux]

A voice acting legend...she will be sorely missed.

[Ancesthntr]

I remember hearing, circa 1982 or 1983, how the Soviets lodged a formal complaint about 2 shows that showed anti-Soviet or anti-Russian bias:. Mission Impossible and Rocky & Bullwinkle.

I laugh about it to this day.

Moose and Squirrel!

[Liberty Valance]

RIP

[reed13k]

Rest in Peace Cindy Lou Who!

[Chauncey Gardiner]

She was a hottie!

Keel moose!

[buckalfa]

"Children? Only the R&B sight gags could be understood by children. Certainly the dialog and narration was for adults."

Maybe I was precocious as a pre-teen, but I think I "got" most of it when the show aired. Then again Mom let me watch Steve Allen,Jack Paar and TW3. That might explain some of my warped sense of humor.

[oh8eleven]

Back in the day, a cartoon's main purpose was fun, not brainwashing.

I have two 5 y/o grand daughters, and their favorite cartoon is Mr. Peabody & Sherman.

[buckalfa]

"Too bad there isn’t an old classic cartoon station where they only play the old stuff. What the kids have to watch is almost unbearable, except for Sponge Bob Squarepants."

I don't know, I am hooked on Rabbids and enjoy the double entendre of Bubble Guppies.