Legendary voice actress June Foray died this morning, two months shy of her 100th birthday. Her close friend Dave Nimitz confirmed her death in a Facebook post but didn’t include any further details.
“With a heavy heart again I want to let you all know that we lost our little June today at 99 years old,” writes Nimitz in his post.
The voice of Rocky and Natasha in The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show (1959), Granny in Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes (1930), and Jokey Smurf in The Smurfs (1981), Foray was also one of the founding members of ASIFA-Hollywood, an American non-profit organization that promotes and encourages film animation. She is also instrumental to the formulation of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
“We are all saddened by the news of June’s passing,” said ASIFA-Hollywood executive director Frank Gladstone. “Although it didn’t come as a shock, it has really taken us back a bit.”
Her career crossed different mediums—radio, theater, TV, films, video games, record albums, and even talking toys.
In 2012, Foray received her first and only Emmy nomination for The Garfield Show in which she voiced Mrs. Cauldron. She became the oldest entertainer to be nominated for and win an Emmy at 94.
Sad news. We’ve lost one of the best voice actors ever. RIP June Foray https://t.co/3D8a2tOz78
— Scott Weinberg (@scottEweinberg) July 27, 2017
Too many people are referred to as a legend. But sometimes for folks like June Foray, legend is far to passive a title. She was royalty #RIP https://t.co/2MEfOQJHpL
— (((Neil Kaplan))) (@NeKap) July 27, 2017
RIP dear, sweet, June Foray – voice of Lucifer the cat in Cinderella, Grandmother Fa in Mulan, Magica De Spell, & so many more. #Disney 😢 pic.twitter.com/2yyQL0c3Iq
— Rick Law (@observantview) July 27, 2017
Header image courtesy of Here and Now
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