R.I.P. Arnold Stang 1918--2009

[Rapid T Rabbit]

http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/12/23/alg_arnold_stang.jpg

I'm saddened tonight to hear of the passing of a veteran showbiz friend of mine, comic actor and cartoon voice Arnold Stang. I've personally known Arnold since 1978, initially as the voice of one of my favorite cartoon shows of all time "Top Cat" but then learned of all the other animated, radio, TV and movie roles he has had down through the decades, including Herman the Mouse in "Herman & Katnip".

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/22/arts/television/22stang.html

Early in 1993, I had the pleasure and honor of interviewing Arnold on the Rapid T. Rabbit Show, the episode which can be downloaded from here:

http://www.foxcoon.com/rapidtrabbit/rtr-mpeg4/rtrAST.MP4

About a year later, Arnold would visit the flagship Warner Bros. Studio Store here in New York while I was there as Bugs Bunny, during a promotion for the "Dennis The Menace" movie he appeared in.

This news is even sadder for me following the loss of Soupy Sales less than 2 months earlier.

I'm sure that there will be quite a rmeeting up there in Heaven when Arnold reunites with his mentor Milton Berle.

[theuberbob]

I was very sad to hear this earlier today, but I'm chagrined that I thought he'd passed years ago. :-(

-Bob-

[RAFE CEC Guy]

It's sad hearing this. However, he did live a very long 91 years!

[Don'tSmokeCrayolas]

While I'm always pleased when people live well past their 80s, Mr. Stang will be nonethelesss greatly missed.

To me he'll always be the guy who lost his gas station to the also missed, late and great Jonathan Winters , as well as the [I]other guy in Hercules in New York[the one who isn't a poorly-dubbed ex-Mr. Olympia, ex-Mr. Universe, and current governor].

Stang also appeared in the cult classic Ghost Dad[starring Bill Cosby], and portrayed a poker-playing mummy in one of my favorite episodes of Tales from the Darkside['The Grave Robber'].

Salutations to a man who made the most out of all that he set out to accomplish.

[Rapid T Rabbit]

To me he'll always be the guy who lost his gas station to the also missed, late and great Jonathan Winters , as well as the [I]other guy in Hercules in New York[the one who isn't a poorly-dubbed ex-Mr. Olympia, ex-Mr. Universe, and current governor].


Arnold actually had a broken arm during that scene in "Mad Mad World", so the cast and sling he wore in the movie was for real. "Hercules In New York" is now available on DVD in a newly-released UNdubbed version.

[MMBBfan327]

This is terrible news. I love Top Cat so much; Arnold Stang was a great choice for the lead role. RIP.

[Don'tSmokeCrayolas]

Arnold actually had a broken arm during that scene in "Mad Mad World", so the cast and sling he wore in the movie was for real. "Hercules In New York" is now available on DVD in a newly-released UNdubbed version.
Thank you Rapid, I wasn't aware of either of those facts{although an undubbed "Hercules" would diminish the film's campy nature some}.

[theuberbob]

To me he'll always be the guy who lost his gas station to the also missed, late and great Jonathan Winters

Jonathan Winters is still very much alive.

-Bob-