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  • BIRTH 21/12/1922
  • DEATH 24/06/2005
  • Country United States
  • SHOWS 9
  • MOVIES 29

Paul Winchell

Born Paul Wilchinsky on December 21, 1922, the son of Sol and Clara Wilchinsky, Paul Winchell grew up to be the most beloved ventriloquist of American children. Ironically, as famous as Paul was, his dummy, Jerry Mahoney, was probably more famous. Not since Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy in the previous two decades had a ventriloquist and his dummy known equal celebrity.

Entering the spotlight on the Edward Bowes "Original Amateur Hour" (1948), he began working soon after in a review show in which Major Bowes would showcase the winners of his radio program. He started his television career on the CBS program The Bigelow Show (1948) in 1948; The Paul Winchell Show (1950), originally called "The Spiedel Show," in 1950; and, finally, the best-known of his shows Winchell-Mahoney Time (1965). With a clubhouse premise, his dummies Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff--another of Paul's characters--as the clubhouse leaders, and the music of the bandleader Milton Delugg. A new innovation of Winchell's was to replace the dummy's hands with those of puppeteers who were hidden behind the dummies in a crate. Winch also played many serous dramatic roles on television without his dummy sidekicks.

What may be even more famous is that he created the voice of Tigger for the Walt Disney Company's "Winnie The Pooh" motion-picture series, based on the famous books by A.A. Milne. He played the role behind the scenes until 1999, when he was replaced by Jim Cummings, who also voiced Pooh from the time that Sterling Holloway died. He was also the voice of many other world-famous cartoon characters.

A little-known fact about Winchell is that he was one of the original inventors of an artificial heart--years before the first successful transplant with such of a device--an automobile that runs on battery power, a method for breeding tilapia, and many other inventions that are still around today.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: MeanDean

Paul Winchell

Shows (9)

The Smurfs
The Smurfs
Gargamel (voice)
Wacky Races
Wacky Races
Clyde (voice)
The Jetsons
The Jetsons
Dr. Input (voice)
Perry Mason
Perry Mason
Henry Clement
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Tigger (voice)
Ghost Story
Ghost Story
Mr. Carlson
Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears
Zummi Gummi (voice)
Dastardly & Muttley in Their Flying Machines
Dastardly & Muttley in Their Flying Machines
Dick Dastardly/ The General (voice)
The Robonic Stooges
The Robonic Stooges
Moe / Mummy / Professor Octane

Movies (29)

The Aristocats
The Aristocats
Chinese Cat (voice)
The Fox and the Hound
The Fox and the Hound
Boomer (voice)
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Tigger (voice)
Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin
Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for…
Tigger (voice)
Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year
Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year
Tigger (segment "Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too") (voice)
Here Are the Smurfs
Here Are the Smurfs
Gargamel (voice)
Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving
Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving
Tigger (voice)
A Christmas Story
A Christmas Story
Goober (voice)
The Smurfs Christmas Special
The Smurfs Christmas Special
Gargamel (voice)
My Smurfy Valentine
My Smurfy Valentine
Gargamel (voice)
Winnie the Pooh: Un-Valentine's Day
Winnie the Pooh: Un-Valentine's Day
Tigger (voice)
Growing Up with Winnie the Pooh: A Great Day of Discovery
Growing Up with Winnie the Pooh: A Great Day…
Tigger
Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore
Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore
Tigger (voice)
The Flintstones: Wind-Up Wilma
The Flintstones: Wind-Up Wilma
Umpire / Thief / Reporter (voice)
Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You
Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You
Tigger (voice)
Which Way to the Front?
Which Way to the Front?
Schroeder
Growing up with Winnie the Pooh: Love & Friendship
Growing up with Winnie the Pooh: Love &…
Tigger
Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the Spruce Goose
Yogi Bear and the Magical Flight of the…
Dread Baron (voice)
Winnie the Pooh & Christmas Too
Winnie the Pooh & Christmas Too
Tigger (voice)
The Smurfs: Baby's First Christmas
The Smurfs: Baby's First Christmas
Gargamel (voice)
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
Tigger (voice)
The Magical World of Winnie the Pooh: A Great Day of Discovery
The Magical World of Winnie the Pooh: A…
Tigger
The Smurfs Springtime Special
The Smurfs Springtime Special
Gargamel (voice)
A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving
A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving
Tigger (voice)
Dr. Seuss on the Loose
Dr. Seuss on the Loose
Sneetches / Sam-I-Am / Green Eggs and Ham Hater (voice)
Winnie the Pooh: Frankenpooh
Winnie the Pooh: Frankenpooh
Tigger (voice)
The Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus Park
The Banana Splits in Hocus Pocus Park
Fleegle / Tree (voice)
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
Tigger (voice)
Winnie the Pooh: Spookable Fun
Winnie the Pooh: Spookable Fun
Tigger (voice)