Most Walter Lantz fans know Andy Panda, a panda who began appearing in cartoons in 1939, as one of Walter’s most popular characters. But who were the voices behind the bear?
According to my research, the following actors voiced Andy Panda:
Berenice Hansen (1939-1940)
Sarah Berner (1941-1944)
Walter Tetley (1945-1949)
Daws Butler (once in the 1960s cartoon Spook-A-Nanny)
According to Wikipedia, Hansen originally voiced Andy Panda from 1939 to 1940, with Berner providing the voice from 1941 to 1944, with Tetley taking over the role until Andy’s last short film in 1949. Andy Panda later appeared on Woody Woodpecker TV. special “Spook-A-Nanny” (1964), in which he was voiced by Daws Butler.
Bernice Hansen: According to looneytunes.wikia.com, Hansen was best known as a voice artist who did various female character voices for Warner Bros. cartoons in the 1930s and early 1940s. He also did male characters who they required shrill voices.
Hansen not only voiced Andy in his early cartoons, Hansen was the voice of Andy Panda in the famous Andy cartoon. Knock Knock. This cartoon features the first appearance of Woody Woodpecker. Of course, Woody Woodpecker became Walter Lantz’s biggest cartoon star.
Sarah Berner: Berner was a film, television and radio actress. She was also active as a radio and cartoon host, working primarily with Warner Bros., according to Wikipedia. The online database went on to claim that she received no screen credit at Warners. Sadly, all on-screen voice credits were given to Mel Blanc at the time.
Examples of Berner’s work for which she was not credited include the voice of Mama Buzzard in the shy vulture and Bugs Bunny gets the Boidthe singing voice of the one-time character A. Flea in the 1943 short an itch in time and an uncredited role as the female voices in 1947 Book Review. Of course, he sometimes did the voice of Andy Panda and also Jerry Mouse.
walter tetley: Tetley, who voiced Andy until he was 49, was a talented actor, according to waltertetley.com, a website dedicated to the man. The site also states that although he was a good actor, radio and voice-over roles were his experience.
Tetley became sought after for child roles and to do child voices due to an aging disorder that caused him to not age properly. Therefore, Walter Tetley had the characteristics of a 10-year-old boy for more than half of his life, explains his fan site.
Additionally, speaking for Andy Panda, Tetley is known for playing Mister Peabody’s pet boy, Sherman, on the Rocky and Bullwinkle shows.
Butler: Butler, who did the voice of Andy once, is a famous voice actor, having done the voices of Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, Huckleberry Hound, and Snagglepuss. Butler was also the voice of Droopy Dog in some cartoons.
I highly recommend younger viewers who may not have had a chance to see the Andy Panda cartoons to purchase some of the Woody Woodpecker and Friends DVDs that are available in stores and online. I have purchased Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection: Volume 2 and I am impressed with the cartoon selections and the quality of the video. Young children will not only enjoy watching these classic cartoons that they have not been exposed to these days. But Baby Boomers and Generation Xers who grew up on Andy Panda and Woody Woodpecker cartoons through reruns will love seeing their old friends on TV again.