Greg Burson
Born
Gregory Lewis Burson

(1949-06-29)June 29, 1949
Anaheim, California, U.S.
DiedJuly 22, 2008(2008-07-22) (aged 59)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationVoice actor
Years active1982–2004

Gregory Lewis Burson (June 29, 1949 – July 22, 2008) was an American voice actor. He was best known as a replacement for voice actors Daws Butler and Mel Blanc following their deaths in 1988 and 1989, respectively.

Career

Burson was trained by Daws Butler, who was his acting mentor and one of his influences.[1] Following Butler's death, Burson inherited most of his characters,[2] starting with Yogi Bear on The New Yogi Bear Show and many other characters in Hanna-Barbera-related shows. He also inherited the role of Mr. Magoo in the animated segments of the live action feature film of the same name in 1997 (after Jim Backus died in 1989).

Burson was also a voice replacement for Mel Blanc, and voiced many of his characters as well, including Bugs Bunny, for whom he was given the responsibility of voicing in 1995's Carrotblanca, a well-received 8-minute Looney Tunes cartoon originally shown in cinemas alongside The Amazing Panda Adventure (USA and Canada) and The Pebble and the Penguin (non-US). It has since then released on video, packaged with older Looney Tunes cartoons, and was even included in the special edition DVD release of Casablanca, of which it is both a parody and a homage.

Burson also voiced Bugs in the 1997 short From Hare to Eternity, which is notable for being dedicated to Friz Freleng (who had died in 1995). It was also notable for being the final Looney Tunes cartoon that Chuck Jones had directed before his death in 2002. Burson also provided Bugs' voice in new animation for Bugs 'n' Daffy, which ran on Kids' WB from 1995 to 1998. Alternating with Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen, Joe Alaskey, Jim Cummings, Maurice LaMarche, and Billy West, he also voiced several other Looney Tunes characters including Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety, Sylvester, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Marvin the Martian, Tasmanian Devil, Pepé Le Pew, Speedy Gonzales, and Foghorn Leghorn on various Warner Bros. animated television series, films, toys, and video games.

His other voice work includes shows such as CatDog, Batman: The Animated Series, All-New Dennis the Menace, Mother Goose and Grimm, The Angry Beavers, Johnny Bravo, Samurai Jack, The Smurfs, Super Friends, The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat and Garfield and Friends, the feature film Jurassic Park and the three Star Wars video games The Phantom Menace, Jedi Power Battles, and The Gungan Frontier.

In 1995, at the height of the popularity of R. L. Stine's Goosebumps book and television series, though not known at the time, and his only performance in it, he was also the voice behind one version of the commercial that promoted the "Goosebumps Fan Club" in some of the old VHS tapes of the television show of the same name, while Tony Jay recorded a second version of the same promo. Burson also lent his voice to several promos for Fox Kids.

In May 2004, Burson was arrested by detectives after barricading himself inside his home in Tujunga for six hours before surrendering. Initial reports claimed that an armed S.W.A.T. team had responded to a call from two of his female roommates that he was drunk, armed and holding a third female roommate hostage.[3][4] Officers later discovered that he had a collection of guns in his home. Burson also screamed a stream of nonsensical words at the police when they were alerted to his home; one officer said, "He was so drunk, we couldn't tell if he was trying to do one of his voices or was just slurring his words." Officer Rudy Villarreal confirmed that all three women involved in the incident lived with Burson, but none of them were harmed.[5] The incident resulted in Burson being blacklisted for the rest of his life.

Death

After losing voice-over work, Burson struggled with depression and alcoholism.[1] On July 22, 2008, he died at the age of 59 due to complications from diabetes and arteriosclerosis.[6]

Filmography

Film

List of voice performances in feature and direct-to-video films
Year Title Role Notes
1989 Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland Flap and Nemo's Father
Asterix and the Big Fight Bombastix, Sergeant Noodles, and Franksinatrix English dub
D.A.R.E. Bear Yogi Yogi Bear, Doggie Daddy, Captain Caveman Public service announcement
1991 Yakety Yak, Take It Back Bugs Bunny Music video
1992 Tom and Jerry: The Movie Moving Man
1993 Jurassic Park Mr. DNA
I Yabba-Dabba Do! Additional Voices Television film
The D.A.R.E. Report: The Land of Decisions and Choices Tommy's Grandfather, Puppy, Iggy, Joint, Additional Voices
1994 Scooby-Doo! in Arabian Nights Yogi Bear and Royal Chef Television film
Yogi the Easter Bear Yogi Bear Television film
1995 Carrotblanca Bugs Bunny, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepé Le Pew and Airport PA Announcer
1996 Space Jam Elmer Fudd (two scenes) and Foghorn Leghorn (some lines) Uncredited
1997 From Hare to Eternity Bugs Bunny
Mr. Magoo Mr. Quincy Magoo (animated form)
2003 Looney Tunes: Stranger than Fiction Foghorn Leghorn, Barnyard Dawg, and Pepé Le Pew Direct-to-video
Looney Tunes: Reality Check Foghorn Leghorn Direct-to-video
2004 My Generation G...G... Gap Security Guard

Television

List of voice performances in television shows
Year Title Role Notes
1982 The Smurfs Additional Voices 1 episode
1987–1990 The Real Ghostbusters Dib Devlin, Casey Jones, Gorgar 3 episodes
1988 The New Yogi Bear Show Yogi Bear
1988–1990 Fantastic Max Additional Voices
1989 A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration: 50 Years of Hanna-Barbera Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, Snuffles, Snagglepuss Television special
1990 Wake, Rattle, and Roll Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, Snagglepuss
1990–1992 Tiny Toon Adventures Elmer Fudd, Pepé Le Pew, Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tasmanian Devil, Foghorn Leghorn
1991–1992 Mother Goose and Grimm Attila
1991–1992 Yo Yogi! Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, Snagglepuss, Officer Smith, Mr. Jinks, Loopy De Loop, Lippy the Lion, Peter Potamus, Uncle Undercover
1992 Tom & Jerry Kids Additional Voices
1992–1994 Garfield and Friends Additional Voices 12 episodes
1993 All-New Dennis the Menace Mr. Wilson
Batman: The Animated Series Mad Dog 2 episodes
Droopy, Master Detective Additional Voices
Taz-Mania Bugs Bunny, Tony Tortoise, Foghorn Leghorn 2 episodes
1993–1997 Animaniacs Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety, Foghorn Leghorn, Yosemite Sam 3 episodes
1995 The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat Additional Voices 2 episodes
1995–1996 The Baby Huey Show The Fox Season 2 only
1995–1998 The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries Elmer Fudd, Pepé Le Pew, Cot Martin, Ed McMuffin 4 episodes
Bugs 'n' Daffy Bugs Bunny Main theme only
1996 The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest Corbin, Sanderson 1 episode
1997 Johnny Bravo The Ghostly Gardener 1 episode
1997–1998 Channel Umptee—3 Professor I. Revelent
1998 CatDog Barry the Baboon 1 episode
1999 A Day in the Life of Ranger Smith Yogi Bear, Squirrel Boy, Squirrel Girl Television special
The Angry Beavers Judge Otter, Otter #1 1 episode
2002 Samurai Jack Quick Draw McGraw, Baba Looey 1 episode

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990Bugs Bunny's Birthday BallBugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester, Tasmanian Devil, Foghorn LeghornPinball machine
1992Road Runner's Death Valley RallyOpera Singer (clearing throat)[7][8]
1993Taz-ManiaTasmanian Devil[8]Super NES version
1993Daffy Duck: The Marvin MissionsDuck Dodgers[9][8]Super NES version
1994Bugs Bunny: Rabbit RampageAll of the characters[10][8]
1994Acme Animation FactoryBugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Speedy Gonzales, Marvin the Martian[11][8]
1995Looney Tunes B-BallBugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester, Marvin the Martian, Tasmanian Devil, Director[12][8]
1995Speedy Gonzales: Los Gatos BandidosSpeedy Gonzales[8]
1995Porky Pig's Haunted HolidayPorky Pig[8]
1999Star Wars Episode I: The Gungan FrontierBoss Rugor Nass, Gungan Librarian
1999Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom MenaceBoss Rugor Nass, Guard Door, Injured Soldier #1, Jabba's Porter, Shop Owner
2000Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power BattlesBoss Rugor Nass, Peck
2000Wacky RacesRed Max, Sergeant Blast, Peter Perfect, Rufus Ruffcut
2000Star Wars: Jar Jar's Journey Adventure BookBoss Nass, Tower Announcer
2001Sheep, Dog, 'n' WolfElmer Fudd, Phantoms
2015Lego Jurassic WorldMr. DNA(archive footage)

Theme parks

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990The Funtastic World of Hanna-BarberaYogi Bear
1991 Looney Tunes River Ride Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Foghorn Leghorn, Pepé Le Pew, Marc Antony [13]
1992 Yosemite Sam and the Gold River Adventure! Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd [14]
1993 The Toonite Show Starring Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny, Sylvester, Tasmanian Devil, Pepé Le Pew [15]
Bugs Bunny Goin' Hollywood Bugs Bunny, Foghorn Leghorn [16]
Mickey's Starland Show D.U.D.E (fourth version) [17]
1995 The Bugs Bunny Wacky World Games Bugs Bunny, Marvin the Martian [18]
1997 Warner Bros. Kids Club Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam, Tweety, Sylvester, Tasmanian Devil [19]
1999 Looney Tunes: What's Up, Rock? Bugs Bunny, Foghorn Leghorn [20]

References

  1. 1 2 Evanier, Mark (August 1, 2008). "Greg Burson, R.I.P." News From Me. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  2. "Greg Burson". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2015-07-21.
  3. Baisley, Sarah (10 May 2004). "LAPD & SWAT Surround Voice Actor Burson". Animation World Network. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  4. Beck, Jerry (10 May 2004). "GREG BURSON ARRESTED". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  5. Alamares, Mark (6 August 2008). "Ex-WB Voice Actor Greg Burson Dies At 59". Animation World Network. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  6. Mitchell, Nigel (24 August 2017). "Jurassic Park: Where Are They Now". CBR.com. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  7. "Road Runner's Death Valley Rally". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "The Voice Artist's Spotlight on Twitter: "Greg Burson was the go-to guy for all voices in all of the Looney Tunes games developed by Sunsoft. Also voiced Daffy, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, and more."". Twitter. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  9. "Daffy Duck: The Marvin Missions". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  10. "Bugs Bunny Rabbit Rampage".
  11. "Acme Animation Factory".
  12. "Looney Tunes B-Ball".
  13. "Looney Tunes River Ride".
  14. "Yosemite Sam's Gold River Adventure".
  15. "The Toonite Show Starring Bugs Bunny".
  16. "Looney Tunes Goin' Hollywood". YouTube. Retrieved February 16, 2022.
  17. "Mickey's Starland Show". YouTube. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  18. "Bugs Bunny Wacky World Games".
  19. "Warner Bros. Kids Club".
  20. "Looney Tunes: What's Up Rock?".
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