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Paul Winchell
Actor

Paul Winchell

21 Dec 1922Born
24 Jun 2005Died
82Age at death
90Credits

Biography

Born Paul Wilchinsky on December 21, 1922, the son of Sol and Clara Wilchinsky, Paul Winchell grew up to be the most beloved ventriloquist of American children. Ironically, as famous as Paul was, his dummy, Jerry Mahoney, was probably more famous. Not since Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy in the previous two decades had a ventriloquist and his dummy known equal celebrity.

Entering the spotlight on the Edward Bowes "Original Amateur Hour" (1948), he began working soon after in a review show in which Major Bowes would showcase the winners of his radio program.

Read the full biography

He started his television career on the CBS program The Bigelow Show (1948) in 1948; The Paul Winchell Show (1950), originally called "The Spiedel Show," in 1950; and, finally, the best-known of his shows Winchell-Mahoney Time (1965). With a clubhouse premise, his dummies Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff--another of Paul's characters--as the clubhouse leaders, and the music of the bandleader Milton Delugg. A new innovation of Winchell's was to replace the dummy's hands with those of puppeteers who were hidden behind the dummies in a crate. Winch also played many serous dramatic roles on television without his dummy sidekicks.

What may be even more famous is that he created the voice of Tigger for the Walt Disney Company's "Winnie The Pooh" motion-picture series, based on the famous books by A.A. Milne. He played the role behind the scenes until 1999, when he was replaced by Jim Cummings, who also voiced Pooh from the time that Sterling Holloway died. He was also the voice of many other world-famous cartoon characters.

A little-known fact about Winchell is that he was one of the original inventors of an artificial heart--years before the first successful transplant with such of a device--an automobile that runs on battery power, a method for breeding tilapia, and many other inventions that are still around today.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: MeanDean

Known for

Filmography

The 80 most recent of 90 credits.

  1. 2003The Magical World of Winnie the Pooh: A Great Day of DiscoveryFilm: Tigger
  2. 2002Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh YearFilm: Tigger (segment "Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too") (voice)
  3. 2000Winnie the Pooh: Spookable FunFilm: Tigger (voice)
  4. 1999Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of GivingFilm: Tigger (voice)
  5. 1999Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for YouFilm: Tigger (voice)
  6. 1998A Winnie the Pooh ThanksgivingFilm: Tigger (voice)
  7. 1997Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher RobinFilm: Tigger (voice)
  8. 1995Winnie the Pooh: FrankenpoohFilm: Tigger (voice)
  9. 1995Winnie the Pooh: Un-Valentine's DayFilm: Tigger (voice)
  10. 1994Winnie The Pooh Playtime: Cowboy PoohFilm: Tigger (voice)
  11. 1994Winnie The Pooh Playtime: Pooh PartyFilm: Tigger (voice)
  12. 1994Winnie The Pooh Playtime: Detective TiggerFilm: Tigger (voice)
  13. 1993Droopy, Master DetectiveSeries: Rumpley's Dad (voice) (1 episode)
  14. 1991Winnie the Pooh & Christmas TooFilm: Tigger (voice)
  15. 1990Wake, Rattle, and RollSeries (50 episodes)
  16. 1990Fender Bender 500Series: Dick Dastardly (voice) (50 episodes)
  17. 1988Garfield and FriendsSeries (1 episode)
  18. 1988The New Adventures of Winnie the PoohSeries: Tigger (voice) (53 episodes)
  19. 1987Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce GooseFilm: Dread Baron (voice)
  20. 1986Kingdom Chums - Little David's AdventureFilm: (voice)
  21. 1986Gummi Bears: A New BeginningFilm: Zummi Gummi (voice)
  22. 1985Disney's Adventures of the Gummi BearsSeries: Zummi Gummi (voice) (76 episodes)
  23. 1985Yogi's Treasure HuntSeries: Dick Dastardly (voice) (27 episodes)
  24. 1984The Smurfic GamesFilm: Gargamel (voice)
  25. 1984Here Are the SmurfsFilm: Gargamel (voice)
  26. 1983The Smurfs: Baby's First ChristmasFilm: Gargamel (voice)
  27. 1983The Smurfs Halloween SpecialFilm: Gargamel
  28. 1983The 1st Annual NBC Yummy AwardsFilm
  29. 1983Winnie the Pooh and a Day for EeyoreFilm: Tigger (voice)
  30. 1983My Smurfy ValentineFilm: Gargamel (voice)
  31. 1982The Smurfs Christmas SpecialFilm: Gargamel (voice)
  32. 1982The Smurfs Springtime SpecialFilm: Gargamel (voice)
  33. 1981Romeo and SmurfetteFilm: Gargamel (Voice)
  34. 1981The Flintstones: Wind-Up WilmaFilm: Umpire / Thief / Reporter (voice)
  35. 1981Spider-ManSeries (1 episode)
  36. 1981TrollkinsSeries (26 episodes)
  37. 1981The SmurfsSeries: Gargamel (voice) (422 episodes)
  38. 1981The Fox and the HoundFilm: Boomer (voice)
  39. 1980HeathcliffSeries: Marmaduke (39 episodes)
  40. 1978Hanna-Barbera's All-Star Comedy Ice RevueFilm: Bubi Bear / Fleego (voice)
  41. 1977The Robonic StoogesSeries: Moe / Mummy / Professor Octane (32 episodes)
  42. 1977Shake, Rattle and RollSeries: Shake (13 episodes)
  43. 1977The Many Adventures of Winnie the PoohFilm: Tigger (voice)
  44. 1976Clue ClubSeries: Woofer (16 episodes)
  45. 1975The Tiny TreeFilm: Turtle
  46. 1975The Man from Clover GroveFilm: Jefferson Swickle
  47. 1975Joe ForresterSeries (1 episode)
  48. 1975The Oddball CoupleSeries: Fleabag (voice) (16 episodes)
  49. 1974Winnie the Pooh and Tigger TooFilm: Tigger (voice)
  50. 1974Wheelie and the Chopper BunchSeries: Revs/Captain Tough (voice) (39 episodes)
  51. 1974Hong Kong PhooeySeries: Mr. Shrink (31 episodes)
  52. 1973Dr. Seuss on the LooseFilm: Sneetches / Sam-I-Am / Green Eggs and Ham Hater (voice)
  53. 1973Goober and the Ghost ChasersSeries (16 episodes)
  54. 1973Blue Aces WildFilm: Wizard (voice)
  55. 1973Killarney BlarneyFilm: Jamie / Timmy (voice)
  56. 1972A Christmas StoryFilm: Goober (voice)
  57. 1972The Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus ParkFilm: Fleegle / Tree (voice)
  58. 1972Ghost StorySeries: Mr. Carlson (1 episode)
  59. 1971The Wizard of IdFilm: The King of Id/Peasant
  60. 1971McMillan & WifeSeries: TV Interviewer (1 episode)
  61. 1971Help!... It's the Hair Bear Bunch!Series (16 episodes)
  62. 1970The AristocatsFilm: Chinese Cat (voice)
  63. 1970Which Way to the Front?Film: Schroeder
  64. 1970GoldilocksFilm: Bobcat / Various Animals (voice)
  65. 1970Nanny and the ProfessorSeries (1 episode)
  66. 1969Love, American StyleSeries: Dale, Harvey, Ralph (1 episode)
  67. 1969The Brady BunchSeries (1 episode)
  68. 1969The Perils of Penelope PitstopSeries (17 episodes)
  69. 1969Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying MachinesSeries: Dick Dastardly / The General (voice) (89 episodes)
  70. 1969Vernon's VolunteersFilm: Fire Chief Vernon
  71. 1968Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery DayFilm: Tigger (voice)
  72. 1968Here's LucySeries: Knife Thrower / Jeweler, Carlo (1 episode)
  73. 1968Wacky RacesSeries: Clyde (voice) (34 episodes)
  74. 1968The Banana Splits Adventure HourSeries (37 episodes)
  75. 1966The Lone RangerSeries: The Rainmaker (voice) (1 episode)
  76. 1966Winnie the PoohSeries: Tigger (3 episodes)
  77. 1965The Dean Martin ShowSeries (1 episode)
  78. 1962The Lucy ShowSeries: Paul Winchell, Doc Putnam (1 episode)
  79. 1962The Beverly HillbilliesSeries: Grandpa Winch (2 episodes)
  80. 1962The JetsonsSeries: Dr. Input (voice) (1 episode)

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.