Friday, September 28, 2012

RIP Michael Rye

Greg Weagle reports that veteran radio actor and voice artist Michael Rye died last week at the age of 94.  We WDTVA die-hards know him best as the voice of Duke Igthorn and King Gregor on Gummi BearsHe also played supporting roles in the DuckTales episode "Once Upon a Dime" (alas!) and the TaleSpin episode "The Road to Macadamia" (not so much!).

Rye also voiced The Lone Ranger -- perhaps his best-known role in animation outside the "kingdom limits" of Dunwyn -- and enjoyed a radio career that spanned several decades.  As Rye Billsbury, he was the "genial Mr. First Nighter" on the popular Broadway anthology show The First Nighter Program from 1945 to 1953.  Give a listen to him here.

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