A Chat with Bob Bergen on the Anniversary of Mel Blanc's Passing

[Dave DeAndrea]

I had the pleasure of doing a quick interview with Bob this morning on the air (98-7 K-LIGHT - KYTT FM). Mel Blanc passed away on this date in 1989... and we chatted a bit about Mel and other things Bob's been up to. Thought you guys might like to take a listen...

[imaginator]

i got to spend a couple of hours with mel blanc during a reception after one of his college lectures, and can attest that he really did make himself accessible to the fans. i'm sure there wasn't one question he hadn't heard a million times already, but he always answered graciously.

mel kept two different sizes of publicity photos with him for people who'd ask for an autograph. one was envelope-size which fit in his coat pocket, and there was an 8 x 10 version he carried in his briefcase. they were "padded", like a memo pad, so he could sign one, peel it off, and hand it to the adoring fan. at one point he said, "people are always asking me 'doncha get tired of people always asking for autographs?' and i say 'hell no. if they ever stop asking that means i'm washed up!"

i'm reasonably sure they never stopped asking.

meeting mel was one of the highlights of my life. if i'm lucky, maybe i'll get to meet bob bergen someday at one of his workshops (get those publicity pictures "padded" if you haven't already, sir!).

rg
www.voices2go.com

[Bob Bergen]

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I got one from him when I crashed a recording session when I was 14!

;-)

[Bob Bergen]

I got one from him when I crashed a recording session when I was 14.

;-)

[Bob Bergen]

OOPS! Sorry. Posted twice. Not sure how to remove one of em.

Do I get a residual for the rerun?????

[SilverSurfer3001]

I wanna hear your phone convo....

[Bob Bergen]

Mel Blanc Phone Call

I think this will work!

;-)

[SilverSurfer3001]

Mr Bergen - you are indeed a gem!

I said that in jest, not expecting you to share such a personal nugget from your entry into the highway that would take you where you are today! Thank you so much. I have to tell ya - for a 14- year old, you already had it together. Great questions and what a way to hold your composure speaking to such a legendary voice - when I was 14, I coudn't string together two sentences to ask the cheerleader if I could call her later on the phone. To actually speak to father of Foghorn Leghorn!!! I think I would have peed a little bit... ;-)

Thanks again.

[Jon Morss]

ave - Wow! This is real cool. Mel is certainly at the top of my favs in the VO business as is Bob. I have some Old Time Radio shows that have Mel doing Bugs Bunny and Speedy and I am always blown away with the incredible talent that Mel had. Its also amazing to think that Mel was so dedicated to the business that he recorded from a hospital bed after recovering from a terrible accident. And, the fact that Mel was able to continue to voice in the business into his 70's is a testament to the amazing talent he had. I sill love to hear his voice coming from Twiki on the old "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" I wonder what Mel would have thought about the business today?
Do you have the rest of the phone con with Bob that has the contests in it? That would be real cool to hear.

Bob - you are a lucky man to have met this great man. I'm sure the contact you had with Mel had an ever lasting effect on you. You are a great example of someone seeing and following your dream and not letting anything get in your way. We all should follow your example.


Thanks for sharing this guys.

[Claired]

Yes, thanks for sharing this guys! I'm a huge fan of Mel Blanc, and I'm also a big fan of Bob Bergen, so don't forget your signed pictures at Voice2008, I want one!!!