Whenever people who knew Daws Butler talk about him, there's a tendency to describe him as a teacher or mentor. Daws loved to teach, and would often guide those who were somewhat new to the world of voice acting. That's exactly what he did after encountering Janet Waldo early on in the recording sessions of The Jetsons, and soon enough, Waldo had become one of HB's most reliable actors. Teaching appears to have come naturally to Butler, so it shouldn't be a surprise to learn that, in the later years of his career, he hosted a workshop that helped voice actors find...well, their voices!
Corey Burton, Nancy Cartwright, Greg Burson, Bob Bergen, and Bill Farmer: These are just a few of the actors who worked alongside Daws in these sessions, so even on the off-chance that you've never watched a cartoon featuring Daws Butler's voice, you've likely seen something one of his students appeared in. Which finally brings us to today's video.
Recorded in the spring of 1986 by William Simpson and uploaded to YouTube by Joe Bevilacqua (another student of Daws, and the author of his biography), this video gives you a tour of Daws Butler's workshop, guided by none other than Daws himself. It's fantastic to see Daws in a more personal setting, and you really get a feel for his personality from the video. Watch it below, I'm sure you'll come away satisfied.
And, before I leave for the day, I wish Daws a happy and heavenly birthday! It was on this day in 1916 that Mr. Butler was born. A legend of animation, voice acting, and comedy, Daws Butler was an original, and I give my best wishes to his surviving family and friends.
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