Alan Reed wasn't a cartoon voiceover legend when he was cast in The Flintstones. However, he knew a thing or two about creating a character with your voice. Having thirty years of experience in radio will do that.
Though Alan had a long career across animation, TV, and the silver screen, it was radio where he made a name for himself. He played many characters across many programs, and no doubt it played a large part in his later casting as Fred Flintstone. Today, I'm sharing a look at Reed's career that was presented in the July 23rd, 1967 edition of the Los Angeles Times. Even though this was after The Flintstones ended production, there's almost no mention of the show. The focus is mostly on his radio work. A great piece overall, and it's complemented with some great shots of Reed as his radio characters.
Reed-Radio's One-Man Talent Gang
By Don Page
His 45 years in show business are imbued in the face. It has become a composite caricature of all the characters Alan Reed has played—from Falstaff to Fred Flintstone.
Reposing with his son, Al, in a corner booth at the Hollywood Brown Derby, with a hundred sketches of stars as a backdrop, Alan had come to lament the passing of radio as he knew and loved it.
He shook his head. "Radio was more than a damn good living to a lot of people," he said. "It was a labor of love."
Soulfully and wistfully, Alan has hopes of a return of radio drama. He would like to form a stock company, as he is convinced there are numerous old-guard radio performers who would eagerly work for scale on such a project.
"We can't kid ourselves that we'd be a threat to TV," he reasoned, "but we could entertain. There are a lot of scripts available without any rights attached. But money is the big thing—you've got to have backing and sponsors."
The thought aborted when the conversation somehow drifted to today's conversation radio, the molar-to-molar marathon.
"Ohhh," he muttered, "this two-way stuff's not entertainment. So much depends on the one person calling. If he doesn't have quality it won't come off. So many of the callers flub it. I don't like it," he added with annoyance.
Then, the wonderful face became animated and it glowed warmly as he was asked to trace his career and tell some anecdotes about the old radio days.
Perhaps his most famous radio role was the screwy poet Falstaff on the Fred Allen Show. He offered a Falstaffian sample: "Parachutists who must practice, must never do it over cactus."
He was Pasquale in the Life With Luigi series, the original Daddy on Baby Snooks, Joe Palooka and literally thousands of other voices for which he could not claim credit, as he often performed in 35 shows a week and, with conflicting sponsorship, was not allowed identification on more than one program.
Alan Reed's first radio role was in the late 20s. He was turned down for a tough gangster part on True Detective Mysteries because he was too young.
"I knew I could get the part. I left the audition, went to a phone and got the producer on the line and threatened him: 'Look, you, I'm a real hoodlum, see, and you're going to use me in your show or I'm takin' you for a ride."
Impressed, the producer hired him and Reed was on his way.
Reed has been featured in many television cartoons as well as dramatic shows. He prepared for television as early as 1931, when he participated in an experimental telecast for all of New York's 15 eyeglass-size receivers.
"We did a comedy bit in '31 at the old Columbia Broadcasting building. Three of us had to squeeze together, head to head, to be seen on the screen. It was a wonderful thing, though, because I met my wife that day. She did a singing bit on the telecast from another room and I asked to meet her afterward. She was wearing green make-up with brown lips, a lovely girl. We were married six months later."
Alan's vocal ability saved more than one show over the years. In another throbbing edition of True Detective Mysteries, he was playing a tough Irish police captain, supported by an 80-year-old actor from the Abbey Players of Ireland. When the scene came where the gangsters opened fire on the pair, the old gentleman was frightened by the sound effects and fainted.
"I finished the show playing both parts," Alan recalled
Alan Reed Jr. joined his father in show business in the 40s, appearing on the Baby Snooks series, and they have alternated as co-stars on various dramatic vehicles ever since. (Currently, Alan Sr. is featured in the play "Barefoot in the Park" at the Las Palmas Theater co-starring and co-produced by Alan Jr.)
The last regular radio show in which Alan Reed starred was My Friend Irma. After its cancellation, he moved to television with Life With Luigi.
"But there are many ageless things we can do again on radio," he insisted. "As long as TV guides the programming to appeal to the 12-year-old mind, we can do something with radio.
"In fact, I'm looking for a way to bring back the Falstaff character in 'Falstaff's Fables.' I own the character and most of the material, you know."
Reposing with his son, Al, in a corner booth at the Hollywood Brown Derby, with a hundred sketches of stars as a backdrop, Alan had come to lament the passing of radio as he knew and loved it.
He shook his head. "Radio was more than a damn good living to a lot of people," he said. "It was a labor of love."
Soulfully and wistfully, Alan has hopes of a return of radio drama. He would like to form a stock company, as he is convinced there are numerous old-guard radio performers who would eagerly work for scale on such a project.
"We can't kid ourselves that we'd be a threat to TV," he reasoned, "but we could entertain. There are a lot of scripts available without any rights attached. But money is the big thing—you've got to have backing and sponsors."
The thought aborted when the conversation somehow drifted to today's conversation radio, the molar-to-molar marathon.
"Ohhh," he muttered, "this two-way stuff's not entertainment. So much depends on the one person calling. If he doesn't have quality it won't come off. So many of the callers flub it. I don't like it," he added with annoyance.
Then, the wonderful face became animated and it glowed warmly as he was asked to trace his career and tell some anecdotes about the old radio days.
Perhaps his most famous radio role was the screwy poet Falstaff on the Fred Allen Show. He offered a Falstaffian sample: "Parachutists who must practice, must never do it over cactus."
He was Pasquale in the Life With Luigi series, the original Daddy on Baby Snooks, Joe Palooka and literally thousands of other voices for which he could not claim credit, as he often performed in 35 shows a week and, with conflicting sponsorship, was not allowed identification on more than one program.
Alan Reed's first radio role was in the late 20s. He was turned down for a tough gangster part on True Detective Mysteries because he was too young.
"I knew I could get the part. I left the audition, went to a phone and got the producer on the line and threatened him: 'Look, you, I'm a real hoodlum, see, and you're going to use me in your show or I'm takin' you for a ride."
Impressed, the producer hired him and Reed was on his way.
Reed has been featured in many television cartoons as well as dramatic shows. He prepared for television as early as 1931, when he participated in an experimental telecast for all of New York's 15 eyeglass-size receivers.
"We did a comedy bit in '31 at the old Columbia Broadcasting building. Three of us had to squeeze together, head to head, to be seen on the screen. It was a wonderful thing, though, because I met my wife that day. She did a singing bit on the telecast from another room and I asked to meet her afterward. She was wearing green make-up with brown lips, a lovely girl. We were married six months later."
Alan's vocal ability saved more than one show over the years. In another throbbing edition of True Detective Mysteries, he was playing a tough Irish police captain, supported by an 80-year-old actor from the Abbey Players of Ireland. When the scene came where the gangsters opened fire on the pair, the old gentleman was frightened by the sound effects and fainted.
"I finished the show playing both parts," Alan recalled
Alan Reed Jr. joined his father in show business in the 40s, appearing on the Baby Snooks series, and they have alternated as co-stars on various dramatic vehicles ever since. (Currently, Alan Sr. is featured in the play "Barefoot in the Park" at the Las Palmas Theater co-starring and co-produced by Alan Jr.)
The last regular radio show in which Alan Reed starred was My Friend Irma. After its cancellation, he moved to television with Life With Luigi.
"But there are many ageless things we can do again on radio," he insisted. "As long as TV guides the programming to appeal to the 12-year-old mind, we can do something with radio.
"In fact, I'm looking for a way to bring back the Falstaff character in 'Falstaff's Fables.' I own the character and most of the material, you know."
Before I sign off, here's a pretty cool photo of Alan Reed alongside Joe Barbera and Mel Blanc. This was taken around '71, right as recording sessions began on The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show. Reed was gifted a plaque congratulating him for fifty years in the entertainment industry. A great gift for a great talent!
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