Paul Frees profile
Actor profile

Paul Frees

22nd June 1920 Chicago, Illinois, USA Acting

Solomon Hersh Frees (June 22, 1920 – November 2, 1986), known professionally as Paul Frees, was an American actor, voice actor, impressionist and screenwriter. He is best known for his voice work in cartoons during the Golden Age of Animation. Like Mel Blanc, he was sometimes referred to as "The Man of a Thousand Voices". Born in Chicago, Illinois, Frees started his entertainment career as a vaudeville impressionist and in 1942 began working on Hollywood radio series. After being drafted into the U.S. Army in World War II, he was wounded in action and eventually resumed his work in radio upon his return to the states. Frees appeared in over 250 films, cartoons and TV episodes, although he had few on-screen appearances and often went uncredited. He was also frequently enlisted to re-dub actors' performances, such as Tony Curtis' dialogue as Josephine in the 1959 film Some Like it Hot. That same year, Frees co-wrote and directed the film The Beatniks, his only feature film. Frees had a long career with Walt Disney Studios, providing the voice for Ludwig Von Drake and other characters, narrating short films, and supplying many voices for Disney theme park attractions, most notably the Ghost Host in The Haunted Mansion, various voices in Pirates of the Caribbean, and the narrator for both Adventure Thru Innerspace and Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln. On TV, Frees worked with Jay Ward Productions, providing the voice of Boris Badenov and other characters in various series, and also supplied many voices for Rankin/Bass cartoon specials. He also appeared in TV commercials and was the original voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy and the second voice of Froot Loops mascot Toucan Sam (after Mel Blanc). Frees was married five times and had two children via his third wife, voice actress Joyce Schultz. In his later years, Frees suffered from multiple health issues. He died in Tiburon, California, on November 2, 1986, at age 66, from an overdose of pain medication. He was cremated and his remains were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.

201 Movies 49 TV Shows 286 Credits
Filmography

Movies & TV Shows

Twice Upon a Time poster
Twice Upon a Time 5th August 1983 as Narrator / Chef of State / Judges / Bailiff (voice)
Jack Frost poster
Jack Frost 13th December 1979 as Kubla Kraus / Father Winter (voices)
The Hobbit poster
The Hobbit 27th November 1977 as Bombur/Troll #1 (voice)
Unlucky Potluck poster
Unlucky Potluck 13th January 1972 as Charlie Beary / Junior Beary / Boss (voice)
The Point poster
The Point 2nd February 1971 as Oblio's Father / Pointed Man's Right Head / King / Leaf Man / Villagers (voice)
Tora! Tora! Tora! poster
Tora! Tora! Tora! 26th January 1970 as Japanese Ambassador Kichisaburo Nomura (voice) (uncredited)
Patton poster
Patton 25th January 1970 as Voice (uncredited)
Frosty the Snowman poster
Frosty the Snowman 7th December 1969 as Santa Claus / Traffic Cop / Additional Voices (voice)
The Comic poster
The Comic 19th November 1969 as Newsreel Narrator / Commerical Announcer / Man in Restaurant (voice)
Grand Prix poster
Grand Prix 21st December 1966 as Izo Yamura (voice) (uncredited)
Dimension 5 poster
Dimension 5 1st October 1966 as Big Buddha (voice) (uncredited)
The Inspector poster
The Inspector 21st December 1965 as The Commissioner (voice) (archive sound) (uncredited)
The War Lord poster
The War Lord 17th November 1965 as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Pink Panzer poster
Pink Panzer 15th September 1965 as Neighbor / Devil (voice)
Sink Pink poster
Sink Pink 11th April 1965 as Hunter / Native Bearer (voice)
Taras Bulba poster
Taras Bulba 21st November 1962 as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Tormented poster
Tormented 22nd September 1960 as Frank Hubbard (uncredited voice)
Pollyanna poster
Pollyanna 19th May 1960 as Barker (Voice) (Uncredited)
The Beatniks poster
The Beatniks 5th June 1959 as Additional Voices (voice) (uncredited)
Some Like It Hot poster
Some Like It Hot 19th March 1959 as Funeral Director / Waiter / Josephine (voice) (uncredited)
Cellbound poster
Cellbound 25th November 1955 as The Prisoner / George the Warden / The Little Wife (voice) (uncredited)
Suddenly poster
Suddenly 17th September 1954 as Benny Conklin
Heir Bear poster
Heir Bear 29th May 1953 as Barney Bear / Gopher / Tax Collector (voice) (uncredited)
Cobs and Robbers poster
Cobs and Robbers 14th March 1953 as Barney Bear / Joe Scarecrow / Crows (voice) (uncredited)
Busybody Bear poster
Busybody Bear 20th December 1952 as Barney Bear / Buck Beaver (voice) (uncredited)
The Star poster
The Star 11th December 1952 as Richard Stanley
Cruise Cat poster
Cruise Cat 18th October 1952 as Ship's Captain (voice) (uncredited)
Smitten Kitten poster
Smitten Kitten 12th April 1952 as Jerry's Devil Conscience (voice) (uncredited)
Red Light poster
Red Light 30th September 1949 as Bellhop (uncredited)
Wild and Woolfy poster
Wild and Woolfy 3rd November 1945 as Joe Wolf / Bar Patrons (voice) (uncredited)
Tom Slick poster
Tom Slick 9th September 1967 as Baron Otto Matic
The Beatles poster
The Beatles 25th September 1965 as John Lennon / George Harrison (voice) (uncredited)
Get Smart poster
Get Smart 18th September 1965 as Greenstreet Character / Lorre Character (voice) (uncredited)
Krazy Kat poster
Krazy Kat 1st September 1962 as Ignatz Mouse / Offissa Pupp (voice)
The Flintstones poster
The Flintstones 30th September 1960 as Mr. Rockenschpeel / Mr. Bedrock / TV Announcer (voice)