Danny Webb (American actor)

David "Danny" Weberman (May 24, 1906 — September 16, 1983)[2] was an American actor, voice actor, radio mimic and impressionist.

Danny Webb
Born
David Weberman

(1906-05-24)May 24, 1906
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedSeptember 16, 1983(1983-09-16) (aged 77)
Far Rockaway, Queens, New York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesDave Weber, Dave Webber.[1]
OccupationActor, voice actor, impressionist
Years active1935–1951

Early life

Webb was born in New York City to Herman Weberman, a Hungarian Jewish furrier, and Lena (née Rubin) Weberman. Herman left Budapest and moved to the United States in 1887 and worked as a salesman.[2]

Career

When Webb arrived in Hollywood, he was using the name Dave Weber. He did celebrity impersonations on the Burns & Allen anniversary show along with doing voice work for a Screen Gems cartoon called Sing Time, where he impersonated Bing Crosby, Rudy Vallee, Eddie Cantor, Andy Devine and others.[2] He started working for Warner Bros. in the mid-1930s and his first cartoon was The Coo-Coo Nut Grove. He also voiced Egghead in Daffy Duck & Egghead and did voices for the 1939 Merrie Melodies short A Day at the Zoo.

Webb, for a brief time, voiced the Disney character Goofy after Pinto Colvig had a falling out with Walt Disney and left the studio.[3][4]

In 1941, after Mel Blanc signed a contract with Leon Schlesinger in which he exclusively did voice work for Warner Bros., Webb became the first person to succeed Blanc as the voice of Woody Woodpecker. He voiced the character for two shorts until he enlisted in the army and was succeeded by Kent Rogers.

Webb enlisted in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, worked his way up to staff sergeant and ended up entertaining troops in North Africa. Dwight D. Eisenhower was sufficiently impressed by his technique to deem him as 'Comedy Commando', a tag which stuck around for several years after World War 2 had ended. Webb later returned to radio, became the voice of Sad Sack, hosted the quiz show "Guess Who" and then had a minor career on local television sometime after 1951.[2]

Death

Webb died in September 16th, 1983 according to The New York Times, he was 77. He died of Parkinson's disease.[2]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1936 The Coo-Coo Nut Grove Walter Windpipe Voice, uncredited
1937 Clean Pastures Various Voice, uncredited
Porky's Super Service [5] Voice, uncredited
Egghead Rides Again Egghead Voice, uncredited
Plenty of Money and You [5] Voice, uncredited
September in the Rain Various Voice, uncredited
1938 Daffy Duck & Egghead Egghead Voice, uncredited
Yokel Boy Makes Good Snuffy Skunk[6] Voice, uncredited
Poor Elmer Voice, uncredited
Boy Meets Dog Typewriting Elf[6] Voice, uncredited
The Big Birdcast Joe Penner Bird[6] Voice, uncredited
Katnip Kollege [5] Voice, uncredited
Cinderella Meets Fella Egghead Voice, uncredited
A-Lad-In Bagdad Egghead Voice, uncredited
Pals of the Saddle Russian Musician as Dave Weber
Porky in Wackyland Voice, uncredited
Porky in Egypt Humpty Bumpty Voice, uncredited
You're an Education [5] Voice, uncredited
Count Me Out Egghead Voice, uncredited
The Disobedient Mouse [5] Voice, uncredited
Mother Goose Goes Hollywood Eddie Cantor, Charlie McCarthy, Joe Penner, Edward G. Robinson, Fats Waller, Stepin Fetchit[7] Voice, uncredited
1939 The Lone Stranger and Porky Indian in Mirror Voice, uncredited
It's an Ill Wind Mysterious Voice Voice, uncredited
Jitterbug Follies Tough Guy Voice, uncredited
A Day at the Zoo Second Elk, Owl, Parrot, Second Panther, Jailbird Voice, uncredited
Porky's Movie Mystery Police Chief Voice, uncredited
Goofy and Wilbur Goofy Voice, uncredited
Chicken Jitters Fox Voice, uncredited
The House That Jack Built Bear, Boss Termite Voice, uncredited
A Star Is Shorn Speedy Williams
Bars and Stripes Forever Prison Guard, Other Prisoners Voice, uncredited
Thugs with Dirty Mugs Killer Diller Voice, uncredited
Swingy: Community Sing No. 10 Himself
Believe It or Else Egghead, Old Man in Jail, Chippofoski Voice, uncredited
Snuffy's Party Mr. Whippletree[5] Voice, uncredited
Life Begins for Andy Panda Mr. Whippletree, Finchell Broadcasting Station, Pygmies[8] Voice, uncredited
Naughty Neighbors Duck Voice, uncredited
Pied Piper Porky Mouse Voice, uncredited
Fresh Fish Fish Teacher Voice, uncredited
Scrambled Eggs Various Voice, uncredited
Laugh It Off Indian Wahoon in Production Number Uncredited
1940 Porky's Last Stand Various[5] Voice, uncredited
Andy Panda Goes Fishing Mr. Whippletree, Pygmies Voice, uncredited
The Mouse Exterminator Krazy Kat Voice, uncredited
Slap-Happy Pappy Andy Devine Chicken, Ned Sparks Chicken, Walter Winchell Bird Voice, uncredited
100 Pygmies and Andy Panda Mr. Whippletree, Pygmies Voice, uncredited
Tugboat Mickey Goofy Voice, uncredited
Billposters Goofy Voice, uncredited
Barnyard Babies Various Voice, uncredited
News Oddities Various Voice, uncredited
Tangled Television Various Voice, uncredited
Mr. Elephant Goes to Town Various Voice, uncredited
It Happened to Crusoe Various Voice, uncredited
Malibu Beach Party Ned Sparks, Most Male Actors Voice, uncredited
Crazy House Mysterious Voice Voice, uncredited
Goofy's Glider Goofy Voice, uncredited
1941 City of Missing Girls William Short
Baggage Buster Goofy Voice, uncredited
Woody Woodpecker Owl Voice, uncredited
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company "B" Drill Sergeant Voice, uncredited
All This and Rabbit Stew Black Hunter[5] Voice, uncredited
Sing Another Chorus Imitator Uncredited
Pantry Panic Woody Woodpecker, Korny Kat, Moose Voice, uncredited
1942 The Hollywood Matador Woody Woodpecker, Oxnar the Terrible Bull Voice, uncredited
Old Blackout Joe Air Raid Warden Voice, uncredited
1943 Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs Queen Voice, uncredited

Radio

Year Title Role Notes
1936 The Baker's Broadcast Himself[6] Episode: "The Old Joe"

References

  1. Kress, Earl. "Great Scott!". MyNameIsEarlKress.com. Archived from the original on November 30, 2006. Retrieved April 9, 2015. As per Keith Scott, who gave Webb's birth name of Dave Webber, and Mark Evanier, who gave it as "Dave Weber".
  2. "Tralfaz: Danny Webb". Tralfaz. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  3. Paper dreams : the art & artists of Disney storyboards (1st ed.). Hyperion. 20 October 1999. ISBN 978-0786863075.
  4. Canemaker, John (2006). Paper Dreams: The Art And Artists Of Disney Storyboards. Disney Edition. p. 86. ISBN 978-0786863075. "After four years, Walt apparently forgave Colvig for he returned to Disney to record Goofy's voice for the next twenty-six years. (During his absence Goofy was recorded by a Colvig imitator named Danny Webb)"
  5. Ohmart, Ben (2012). Mel Blanc: The Man of a Thousand Voices. BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1-5939-3788-1.
  6. "Radio Round-Up: "Wanna Buy A Duck?" JOE PENNER |". cartoonresearch.com. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  7. Merritt, Russell; Kaufman, J. B. (2016). Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series (2nd ed.). Glendale, CA: Disney Editions. pp. 206–207. ISBN 978-1-4847-5132-9.
  8. "Tralfaz: Surprising a Turtle". Tralfaz. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
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