It’s not a big secret that I am a huge fan of animation and the voice actors that bring the characters to life. I freely admit I was highly influenced by the Hanna-Barbera and Walter Lantz cartoons that aired on TV during the 1950s and early ’60s. Many regard Mel Blanc, “The Man of Thousand Voices,” as the most prolific voice actor ever. I would argue that Charles Dawson Butler (Daws) is the one who had the most influence on an entire 
generation of “Baby Boomers.”
Daws Butler left an indelible mark on animation through his remarkable talent, innovation, and mentorship. His was the voice that the early TV watching generation heard most often and they heard it everywhere in cartoons and TV commercials. Butler’s voice became synonymous with some of the most beloved cartoon characters in American pop culture. Butler was also a mentor, whose influence can be heard in some of the most prominent voice actors working today.
Butler’s most famous work was with Hanna-Barbera Productions, where he brought to life an array of iconic characters. His most notable Hanna-Barbera roles include Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Elroy Jetson, Snagglepuss, Quick Draw McGraw, and many more. For Walter Lantz Productions, he was the voice of Chilly Willy, Smedley the Dog and Maxie the Polar Bear. He was the voice of Beany Boy and Captain Huffenpuff in Bob Clampett’s Time for Beany puppet show (a forerunner of the Beany and Cecil Show).
For MGM, he voiced the Wolf (from the Droopy cartoons) and Spike the Dog (from the Tom and Jerry cartoons). He was the voice of the Quaker Oats cereals Cap’n Crunch and Quisp in TV commercials. What made Butler exceptional was his ability to give each character a unique personality through vocal nuance, rhythm, and accent. He masterfully
used his voice to bring to life characters that resonated with audiences of all ages.
He often shared his philosophy of character development through vocal creativity in workshops. As a mentor and teacher, Butler shaped many of the current generation of voice actors. These actors include notable figures like Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, and Todd Flanders (The Simpsons)); Corey Burton (Cad Bane & Count Dooku (StarWars), Captain Hook & Ludwig Von Drake (Disney), Brainiac & Metallo (Warner Bros/DC)); Bill Farmer (Goofy, Pluto & Horace Horsecollar (Disney), Hop Pop (Amphibia)); Mona Marshall (Shelia Broflovski & Linda Stotch (South Park)) and others.
Butler’s contribution to the growth and popularity of early television animation in the mid-20th century can’t be over-estimated. Modern TV animation remains influenced by his work with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera (I’m looking at you Family Guy and American Dad!).
Butler’s characters became household names, but sadly he did not get the level of recognition that Mel Blanc did. He passed away in 1988, but his voice lives on in the characters he created and the voice actors he inspired. They are his legacy.
In the past, I’ve written about voice actors like June Foray, Mark Hamill and Hal Smith; but I will argue that Daws Butler is the one who laid the foundation for modern voice acting as we know it today. He created the voices we hear in our heads when we see these characters. He was truly a pioneer.
