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Paul Frees | |
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.jpg) Frees inSuddenly (1954) | |
| Born | Solomon Hersh Frees (1920-06-22)June 22, 1920 |
| Died | November 2, 1986(1986-11-02) (aged 66) Tiburon, California, U.S. |
| Other names |
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| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1942–1986 |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
Solomon Hersh Frees (June 22, 1920 – November 2, 1986), better known asPaul Frees, was an American actor, comedian, impressionist, and vaudevillian. He is known for his work onMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer,Walter Lantz,Rankin/Bass andWalt Disney theatrical cartoons during theGolden Age of Animation, and for providing the voice ofBoris Badenov inThe Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.[1] Frees was sometimes known as "The Man of a Thousand Voices", an appellation more commonly bestowed onMel Blanc.[2]
Solomon Hersh Frees was born to a Jewish family inChicago, on June 22, 1920. He grew up in theAlbany Park neighborhood and attended Von Steuben Junior High School.[3][4]
In the 1930s, Frees first appeared invaudeville as an impressionist, under the nameBuddy Green. He began his career on radio in 1942 and remained active for more than 40 years. During that time, he was involved in more than 250 films, cartoons, and TV appearances; as was the case for many voice actors of the time, his appearances were often uncredited.[5]
Frees's early radio career was cut short when he was drafted into theUnited States Army duringWorld War II, where he fought atNormandy, France, onD-Day.[6] He was wounded in action and was returned to the United States for a year of recuperation. He attended theChouinard Art Institute under theG.I. Bill. When his first wife's health failed, he decided to drop out and return to radio work.[7]
He appeared frequently on Hollywood radio series, includingEscape, playing lead roles and alternating withWilliam Conrad as the opening announcer. He announced the dramatic signature onSuspense in the late 1940s, and parts onGunsmoke (filling in forHoward McNear as Doc Adams in the episode "The Cast"), andCrime Classics. One of his few starring roles in this medium was as Jethro Dumont/Green Lama in the 1949 seriesThe Green Lama, as well as a syndicated anthology seriesThe Player, in which Frees narrated and played all the parts. He starred as Larry Mitchell onCrime Correspondent on CBS Radio.[8]
He did dubbing for live-action films includingMidway, dubbingToshiro Mifune's performances asAdmiral Yamamoto;[9][self-published source?] andSome Like It Hot, in which Frees provides much of the falsetto voice for Tony Curtis' female persona Josephine[10] and the voice of funeral director Mozzarella.[11] Frees dubbed the entire role of Eddie in the Disney filmThe Ugly Dachshund, replacing actorDick Wessel, who had died of a sudden heart attack after completion of principal photography.[citation needed] Frees also dubbed some ofHumphrey Bogart’s lines[12] in his final filmThe Harder They Fall.[13] Bogart was suffering at the time from what was later diagnosed as esophageal cancer, thus could barely be heard in some takes, hence the need for Frees to dub in his voice.[citation needed]
Frees worked extensively with at least nine of the major animation production companies of the 20th century:Walt Disney Productions,Warner Bros. Cartoons,Walter Lantz Productions,UPA,Hanna-Barbera Productions,Filmation,Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,DePatie-Freleng Enterprises,Jay Ward Productions,Rankin/Bass, andRuby-Spears.
Some of Frees's most memorable voices were for various Disney projects. Frees voiced Disney's ProfessorLudwig Von Drake in 18 episodes of theDisney anthology television series,[14] beginning with the first episode of the newly renamedWalt Disney's Wonderful World of Color on September 24, 1961. The character also appeared on manyDisneyland Records. Von Drake's introductory cartoon,An Adventure in Color, featured "The Spectrum Song", sung by Frees as Von Drake. A different Frees recording of this song appeared on a children's record, and was later reissued on CD.[15]
In addition to voicing characters, Frees narrated a number of Disney cartoons, including the Disney educational short filmDonald in Mathmagic Land. This short originally aired in the same television episode as Von Drake's first appearance.
Frees also provided voices for numerous characters at Disney parks. He voiced the unseen "Ghost Host" atHaunted Mansion Attraction at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.For thePirates of the Caribbean, Frees recorded the ghost voice saying the iconic "dead men tell no tales" used in the ride, as well as lending his voice to severalaudio-animatronic characters, including the Auctioneer, Magistrate Carlos, and the "Pooped Pirate" in the ride.[16] Disney eventually issued limited editioncompact discs commemorating The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean, featuring some outtakes and unused audio tracks by Frees and others. Frees also provided narration for the Tomorrowland attractionAdventure Thru Inner Space (1967–1985, later replaced byStar Tours) and the originalGreat Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Audio clips from the attractions in Frees's distinctive voice have been included in fireworks shows at Disneyland.
An animated singing bust in Frees's likeness appeared in the 2003 filmThe Haunted Mansion as a tribute. Similarly, audio recordings of Frees from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction can be heard inPirates of the Caribbean: At World's End in an homage to the ride.
Frees also had a small on-camera role for Disney in the 1959 filmThe Shaggy Dog, playing Dr. Galvin, a police psychiatrist who attempts to understand why Mr. Daniels believes a shaggy dog can uncover a spy ring. He also speaks the film's opening narration.
His other Disney credits, most of them narration for segments of theDisney anthology television series, include:
For his contributions to the Disney legacy, Frees was honored posthumously as aDisney Legend on October 9, 2006.[17]
Frees was a regular presence inJay Ward cartoons, providing the voices ofBoris Badenov (fromThe Rocky and Bullwinkle Show), Inspector Fenwick (fromDudley Do-Right, impersonatingEric Blore), Ape (impersonatingRonald Colman), District Commissioner Alistair and Weevil Plumtree inGeorge of the Jungle, Baron Otto Matic inTom Slick, Fred inSuper Chicken, and theHoppity Hooper narrator, among numerous others.
Frees is well-remembered for providing the voices for many characters in Rankin/Bass cartoons and stop-motion animated TV specials, most notably for a number of holiday-themed specials. In 1968, he appeared as Captain Jones in the Thanksgiving specialThe Mouse on the Mayflower, and that Christmas he appeared as the father of the Drummer Boy, Ali, and as the three Wise Men inThe Little Drummer Boy. He was also Hocus Pocus, the traffic cop, the ticket-taker, andSanta Claus inFrosty the Snowman in 1969 and played the central villain, Burgermeister Meisterburger, and his assistant Grimsley inSanta Claus Is Comin' to Town in 1970. He provided several voices, including Aeon the Terrible, forRudolph's Shiny New Year in 1976.
Frees also voiced King Haggard's wizard Mabruk and the Cat inThe Last Unicorn and provided several voices for theJackson Five cartoon series between 1971 and 1973. He provided the voices for severalJ. R. R. Tolkien characters (most notably the dwarfBombur) in Rankin/Bass animated versions ofThe Hobbit andThe Return of the King.
Rankin/Bass TV specials or films featuring Paul Frees:
Frees portrayed theOrson Welles sound-alike radio reporter inGeorge Pal's filmThe War of the Worlds (1953), where he is seen dictating into a tape recorder as the military prepares theatomic bomb for use against the invadingMartians. Memorably, his character says the recording is being made "for future history ... if any". Frees also provided the film's dramatic opening narration, prior toSir Cedric Hardwicke's voice-over tour of theSolar System.
Frees subsequently provided the apocalyptic voice for the "talking rings" in Pal's later filmThe Time Machine (1960), in which he explains the ultimate fate of humanity from which the time traveler realizes the origin of the Morlocks and Eloi.
Producer Pal later put Frees to work again in his fantasy filmAtlantis, the Lost Continent (also 1960) and doing the opening voice-over narration for Pal'sDoc Savage (1975) film.
Frees did the narration for theGeorge Pal documentaryThe Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal (1985), written, produced, and directed byArnold Leibovit. Two years later, Frees provided the voice for Arnie the Dinosaur and the Pillsbury Doughboy inThe Puppetoon Movie (1987), also produced and directed by Leibovit.
The versatile actor voiced several characters, including three of the main characters in the US versions of Belvision'sHergé's Adventures of Tintin cartoons, based on the books byHergé.
He did work for Hanna-Barbera in theirTom and Jerry shorts at MGM. In the 1956 Cinemascope Tom and Jerry cartoon,Blue Cat Blues, he was Jerry's voice who narrated the short; he voiced Jerry's cousin Muscles inJerry's Cousin five years earlier and the cannibals inHis Mouse Friday where he said the lines "Mmmmm, barbecued cat!" and "Mmmmm, barbecued mouse!"
At the MGM Animation studio, he also did multiple voice roles forTex Avery's short films, notably playing every role inCellbound in 1955.
Frees worked withSpike Jones on his 1960 albumOmnibust, heard as announcer "Billy Playtex" and several other characters on "The Late Late Late Late Movies, Part I and II".
From October 1961 through September 1962, Paul Frees provided the voice for the shady lawyer named Judge Oliver Wendell Clutch, a weasel on the animated programCalvin and the Colonel starring the voices ofFreeman Gosden andCharles Correll. The series was an animated television remake of their radio seriesAmos 'n Andy.
For the 1962Christmas specialMister Magoo's Christmas Carol, produced byUPA, Paul Frees voiced several characters, includingFezziwig, the Charity Man, and two of the opportunists who steal from the dead Scrooge (Eyepatch Man and Tall Tophat Man)[18] andMister Magoo'sBroadway theatre director. He subsequently provided numerous voices for the follow up seriesThe Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo.
Frees provided the voices of bothJohn Lennon andGeorge Harrison in the 1965The Beatles cartoon series, the narrator, Big D and Fluid Man in the 1966 cartoon series,Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles, andThe Thing in the 1967 seriesFantastic Four, as well as President James Norcross in the 1967 cartoon seriesSuper President. He played several roles – narrator, Chef of State, the judges and the bailiff – in theGeorge Lucas /John Korty animated film,Twice Upon a Time.
Frees provided the voice-over for the trailer to the 1971Clint Eastwood thriller,Play Misty for Me.
In television commercials, he was the voice of thePillsbury Doughboy, the7-Up birdFresh-Up Freddie,Froot Loops spokesbirdToucan Sam (previously voiced byMel Blanc, later voiced byMaurice LaMarche), Boo-Berry in the series ofmonster cereal commercials, and The Farmer who helps The Little Green Sprout, (voiced byIke Eisenmann), by demonstrating theJolly Green Giant's sweet and tender vegetables. He also played a British detective in a 1971 non-animated television commercial forTaster's Choice coffee.[19][20][21][22]
Frees narrated many live action films and television series, includingNaked City (1958–1963). Frees also provided the voice of the eccentric billionaireJohn Beresford Tipton, always seated in his chair with his back to the viewer while talking to his employee Michael Anthony (fellow voice-artistMarvin Miller), on the dramatic seriesThe Millionaire.
He was the narrator at the beginning of the filmThe Disorderly Orderly starringJerry Lewis. He also looped an actor's voice in the filmThe Ladies Man, also starring Jerry Lewis.
In 1980, Frees was hired by Program DirectorHy Lit to be the voice of radio stationWKXW (Kicks 101 1/2).
Frees had a wide range of other roles, usually heard but not seen, and frequently without screen credit. The resonance of his natural voice was similar to that ofOrson Welles, and he performed a Welles impression several times. Some highlights of his voice work:
Although Frees was primarily known for his voice work (likeMel Blanc, he was known in the industry as "The Man of a Thousand Voices"), he was also a songwriter and screenwriter. His most notable screenwriting work was the little-seen 1959 filmThe Beatniks, a screed against the then-risingBeatcounterculture in the vein ofReefer Madness. In 1992, the film was mocked on an episode ofMystery Science Theater 3000.
On rare occasions, Frees appeared on-camera, usually in minor roles. In 1954, he appeared in the film noir classicSuddenly starringFrank Sinatra andSterling Hayden. He played a scientist inThe Thing from Another World, a death-row priest inA Place in the Sun, and French fur trader McMasters inThe Big Sky. In 1955, he appeared as an irate husband suing his wife (played byAnn Doran) foralimony in an episode ofCBS's sitcomThe Ray Milland Show; and, in 1957, in an uncredited role as a helicopter pilot in the 1957 science-fiction movie,Beginning of the End.
InJet Pilot, Frees plays a menacing Soviet officer whose job is to watchdog pilotJanet Leigh, but instead manages to eject himself from a parked jet, enabling Leigh to rescueJohn Wayne and fly back to the West. He is also credited with narrating the opening of the 1958-1959 seriesRescue 8 starring Jim Davis and Lang Jefferies. In the 1970 filmPatton, Frees provided the voices of a war correspondent interviewingPatton while Patton rides his horse, and of a member of Patton's staff, as well as voice-overs for several other actors, including the Moroccan official hosting a troop review for Patton. Frees is also heard inTora! Tora! Tora! as the English-language voice of the Japanese ambassador to the United States. He also does the final narration inBeneath the Planet of the Apes, the first sequel toPlanet of the Apes.
Since Frees's death, voice actorCorey Burton has often re-recorded dialogue for some Disneyland attractions originally recorded by Frees.[26] In some cases, Frees's original, pre-digital recordings had simply deteriorated over time,[citation needed] and in others the dialogue had been rewritten to reflect plot changes or introduce new characters, such as the "Stuffed Pirate" replacing Frees's "Pooped Pirate" in thePirates of the Caribbean ride in 1997.[27] Dialogue that was slightly rewritten to reflect newer safety standards is performed by actors Joe Leahy (English)[28] and Fabio Rodriguez (Spanish).[29] In 2001, Burton provided a Paul Frees impression for the new "Ghost Host" ofHaunted Mansion Holiday, a seasonal, holiday-themed overlay for theHaunted Mansion attraction. Burton also recorded Frees's Ghost Host lines for Walt Disney Pictures'2003 film adaptation of the ride.
Frees was married five times. His first marriage was to Anelle McCloud, from 1943 until her death in 1945. He then married Kleda June Hansen in 1947, and they divorced in 1950. His third wife was voice actress Joyce Schultz. They married in 1951 and had two children before divorcing.[5] His fourth marriage was to Jeri J. Cole in 1967; they divorced in 1969. Beverly T. Marlow was Frees's fifth wife. They married in 1971 and were estranged at the time of his death fifteen years later.[30]
For the last two years of his life Frees suffered from multiple ailments, including arthritis, diabetes, and loss of vision, and had mentioned to friends that he was in near constant pain. Frees died at his home inTiburon, California, on November 2, 1986, at the age of 66, from a self-administered overdose of pain medication. His death was considered a suicide; his agent issued a press release stating that he died fromheart failure.[31][5]
His body was cremated and his ashes scattered over thePacific Ocean.[5]
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1949 | The Adventures of Sir Galahad | The Black Knight (voice) | Uncredited |
| 1950 | Hunt the Man Down | Packard 'Packy' Collins | uncredited |
| 1951 | A Place in the Sun | Reverend Morrison | |
| The Thing from Another World | Dr. Vorhees | ||
| His Kind of Woman | Corley | ||
| 1952 | The Star | Richard Stanley | |
| The Las Vegas Story | District Attorney | Uncredited | |
| 1953 | The War of the Worlds | Radio Reporter / Opening Announcer | |
| 1954 | Suddenly | Benny | |
| 1956 | The Harder They Fall | Priest | |
| Earth vs. the Flying Saucers | Alien (voice) | Uncredited | |
| Francis in the Haunted House | Francis (voice) | ||
| 1957 | The 27th Day | Ward Mason / Newscaster | |
| Jet Pilot | Lieutenant Tiompkin | ||
| The Cyclops | Cyclops (voice) | ||
| Beginning of the End | Helicopter pilot | Uncredited | |
| 1958 | Space Master X-7 | Dr. Charles T. Pommer | |
| 1959 | The Shaggy Dog | Narrator / J. W. Galvin | Uncredited |
| Some Like It Hot | Tony Curtis as Josephine | ||
| 1960 | Spartacus | Caius (voice) | |
| The Beatniks | Various voices | ||
| Tormented | Frank Hubbard (voice) | ||
| 1961 | The Absent-Minded Professor | Loudspeaker Voice / Air Force Dispatcher (voices) | |
| Snow White and the Three Stooges | Narrator / Magic Mirror (voice) | ||
| 1962 | The Magic Sword | Sir Ulrich of Germany (voice) | Uncredited |
| The World's Greatest Sinner | Narrator / The Snake (voices) | ||
| The Manchurian Candidate | Narrator (voice) | Uncredited | |
| 1964 | The Incredible Mr. Limpet | Crusty (voice) | |
| Robin and the 7 Hoods | Radio News Announcer | ||
| The Disorderly Orderly | Narrator (voice) | Uncredited | |
| The Carpetbaggers | Narrator (voice) | ||
| The Brass Bottle | Lawyer Jennings (voice) | ||
| Mary Poppins | Barnyard Horse (voice) | ||
| 1965 | The Outlaws Is Coming | Narrator / The Magic Talking Mirror (voices) | |
| 1967 | In Cold Blood | Radio Announcer (voice) / Policeman | |
| King Kong Escapes | Dr. Hu (voice) | Uncredited English dub | |
| The St. Valentine's Day Massacre | Narrator (voice) | Uncredited | |
| 1969 | Hell in the Pacific | Narrator (voice) | Voiceover forToshiro Mifune as Captain Tsuruhiko Kuroda |
| 1970 | Tora! Tora! Tora! | Japanese AmbassadorKichisaburō Nomura (voice) | Uncredited |
| Beneath the Planet of the Apes | Ending Voiceover (voice) | ||
| Patton | War Correspondent / Member of the Staff of Patton / Sheik (voices) | ||
| 1975 | Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1976 | Midway | AdmiralIsoroku Yamamoto (voice) | |
| The Milpitas Monster | Narrator (voice) | Creature Feature top 10 movie | |
| 1985 | The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal | Narrator (voice) | Documentary about George Pal |
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1952 | Dangerous Assignment | Dr. Friedrich | Season 1 Episode 5 Episode: "The Manager Story" |
| 1953 | The Jack Benny Program | Narrator (voice) | Episode: "The Honolulu Trip" |
| 1955 | Meet Mr. McNutley | Husband | Live Action Episode Episode: "Jury Duty" |
| 1955–1956 | The Bob Cummings Show | Television announcer | |
| 1955–1960 | The Millionaire | John Beresford Tipton (heard, but always unseen) | |
| 1956 | Jane Wyman Presents | Emcee | Episode: "Ten Percent" |
| 1957 | The Adventures of Jim Bowie | Etienne | Episode: "German George" |
| 1958–1960 | Rescue 8 | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1962–1964 | Fractured Flickers | Narrator / Various | 26 episodes |
| 1966 | Get Smart | Greenstreet Character / Lorre Character | Episode: "Casablanca" |
| 1971, 1972 | Hawaii Five-O | Steve McGarrett Imposter, Goro Shibata (voice) | Episodes: "Odd Man In", "The Ninety-Second War: Part I" |
| 1972 | Alias Smith and Jones | Hannibal Heyes | Episode: "The Men That Corrupted Hadleyburg" |
| 1975 | Wonder Woman | Prologue Narrator /Franklin D. Roosevelt | Episode: "The New Original Wonder Woman" |
| 1984 | Knight Rider | KARR (voice) | "K.I.T.T. VS K.A.R.R." |
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1950 | Primitive Pluto | Primo | Pluto Short |
| 1951 | Jerry's Cousin | Cousin Muscles, Leader of gang cat's thugs | |
| 1951 | Sleepy-Time Tom | Tom Cat (snoring) / Lightning Cat | |
| 1951 | His Mouse Friday | Jerry / Cannibals | Uncredited |
| 1952 | Magical Maestro | Butch (singing "Everything I Have is Yours")[32] | Uncredited |
| 1952 | Cruise Cat | Ship's Captain | |
| 1952 | Busybody Bear | Barney Bear | |
| 1953 | Life with Tom | Radio Announcer | |
| 1953 | The Missing Mouse | Radio Announcer | |
| 1953 | Wee Willy Wildcat | Barney Bear | |
| 1953 | T.V. of Tomorrow | Narrator | |
| 1954 | Homesteader Droopy | Narrator | |
| 1954 | The Farm of Tomorrow | Narrator | |
| 1955 | Cellbound | Prisoner / Warden / Little Wife | |
| 1956 | Down Beat Bear | First Radio Announcer | |
| 1956 | Blue Cat Blues | Jerry Mouse | |
| 1957 | The Snow Queen | Ol Dreamy / the Raven | English Voice Uncredited |
| 1959 | Donald in Mathmagic Land | The True Spirit of Adventure / Pi creature | |
| 1959 | Noah's Ark | Noah / God | |
| 1960 | Loopy De Loop | Watchdog | "Tale of a Wolf" |
| 1960 | Goliath II | Goliath I / Mouse | |
| 1961 | One Hundred and One Dalmatians | Dirty Dawson | Uncredited |
| 1961 | Clash and Carry | Wally Walrus | Chilly Willy Short |
| 1962–1972 | The Beary Family | Charlie Beary / Junior Beary | |
| 1962 | Gay Purr-ee | Meowrice / The Unnamed Cat from the Railway Station | |
| 1962 | A Symposium on Popular Songs | Ludwig Von Drake / Al Jolson | |
| 1963 | Stowaway Woody | Captain | Woody Woodpecker Short |
| 1965 | Goofy's Freeway Troubles | Narrator | Uncredited Goofy Short |
| 1965 | Sink Pink | Texan Hunter / Native Bearer | Pink Panther Short |
| 1965 | Pinkfinger | Narrator | Pink Panther Short |
| 1965 | Pink Panzer | Neighbor Harry / The Devil | Pink Panther Short |
| 1966–1967 | The Inspector | The Commissioner / Weft / Wong / Captain Clamity / Crab Louie / Captain DuMont, aka "X" / Chicken Butler / Sailor / Spider Pierre / Hassan the Assassin | Fifteen shorts |
| 1966 | The Man Called Flintstone | Green Goose / Agent Triple X / Mario / Rock Slag / Ali / Bobo | |
| 1968 | Escalation | Lyndon B. Johnson | Uncredited[33] |
| 1982 | The Flight of Dragons | Antiquity | Uncredited |
| 1982 | The Last Unicorn | Mabruk / Cat / Tree | |
| 1983 | Twice Upon a Time | Narrator / Chef of State / Judges in The Pantry of Pomp / Bailiff | |
| 1987 | The Puppetoon Movie | Arnie the Dinosaur / Pillsbury Doughboy | Released seven months after Frees's death, the movie itself dedicated to him |
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1956 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Radio Announcer (uncredited) | Season 1 Episode 39: "Momentum" |
| 1956 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Mary's Father (uncredited) | Season 2 Episode 2: "Fog Closing In" |
| 1956 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Swanson (uncredited) | Season 2 Episode 3: "De Mortuis" |
| 1957 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Train Station Announcer (uncredited) | Season 2 Episode 18: "The Manacled" |
| 1958 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Off-Screen Announcer (uncredited) | Season 4 Episode 4: "The Crooked Road" |
| 1957–1968, 1976 | Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color | Ludwig Von Drake / Narrator /Donald Duck (1 episode) /Moby Duck | 18 episodes |
| 1957–1961 | The Woody Woodpecker Show | Wally Walrus / Charlie / Doc / Various | |
| 1958–1959 | Steve Canyon | Narrator | 34 episodes |
| 1959–1964 | The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show | Boris Badenov / Inspector Fenwick /Captain Peter "Wrong Way" Peachfuzz / Additional Voices | 163 episodes / 326 Segments |
| 1960 | Mister Magoo | Various | 13 episodes |
| 1960–1962 | The Flintstones | Mr. Granite / Rockenschpeel / TV Announcer / Ed Bedrock | Episodes: "The Babysitters", "The Happy Household" |
| 1961 | Top Cat | Tony / Additional voices | Episodes: "The Maharajah of Pookajee", "All That Jazz", "The $1,000,000 Derby", "The Con Men", "Dibble's Double" |
| 1961 | The Dick Tracy Show | Go-Go Gomez | Uncredited |
| 1961–1962 | Calvin and the Colonel | Judge Oliver Wendell Clutch | |
| 1961–1962 | The Alvin Show | Additional voices | |
| 1962 | Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol | Stage Director / Charity Man / Fezziwig / Old Joe / Undertaker | TV special |
| 1963 | Krazy Kat | Ignatz Mouse | |
| 1964–1965 | The Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo | Sherlock Holmes / Various | 5 episodes |
| 1961, 1963–1967 | Hoppity Hooper | Narrator / Additional voices | 52 episodes / 104 Segments |
| 1965 | The New Three Stooges | Sarge / Von Vonce / Bomb Maker | Episode: "That Little Old Bomb Maker" |
| 1965 | I Dream of Jeannie | Narrator | Episodes: "My Hero?", "Guess What Happened on the Way to the Moon?" |
| 1965–1966 | The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show | Squiddly Diddly / Morocco Mole / Double-Q / Yellow Pinkie / Claude Hopper | 26 episodes |
| 1965–1967 | The Beatles | John Lennon /George Harrison /Brian Epstein / Additional voices | |
| 1966 | The Impossibles | Fluid-Man / Professor Stretch / Captain Kid / Puzzler / Infamous Mr. Instant / Artful Archer / Dr. Futuro | 26 episodes |
| 1966 | Laurel and Hardy | Additional voices | |
| 1966–1967 | The Super 6 | Dispatcher "Super Chief" / Brother Matzoriley #1 and #3 / Captain Whammo | |
| 1966–1968 | Space Ghost | Brago / Zeron | 20 episodes |
| 1967 | Cricket on the Hearth | Sea Captain / Caw / Others | TV special |
| 1967–1970 | George of the Jungle | Ape / Weevil / Baron Otto Matic / Various | 17 episodes |
| 1967 | Shazzan | Various | 6 episodes |
| 1967 | The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure | Kobarah / Evil Star | Episodes: "Hawkman: Peril from Pluto", "Green Lantern: Evil Is as Evil Does" |
| 1967–1968 | Super President | James Norcross / Narrator | |
| 1967–1968 | The Fantastic 4 | Ben Grimm / TheThing | 20 episodes |
| 1968 | The Mouse on the Mayflower | Captain Christopher Jones | TV special |
| 1968 | Arabian Knights | Vangore | 18 episodes |
| 1968 | The Little Drummer Boy | Ali / Aaron's Father / The Three Wise Men / Meshaw / Jamilie / Various other Male roles | TV special |
| 1969–1970 | The Pink Panther Show | Man Talking to the Pink Panther / Texan Hunter /The Pink Panther / The Commissioner (1 Episode) | |
| 1969 | The Banana Splits Adventure Hour | Evil Vangore / Sazoom | 8 episodes |
| 1969 | Frosty the Snowman | Santa Claus / Traffic Cop | TV special |
| 1969–1970 | The Dudley Do-Right Show | Inspector Fenwick / Narrator / Additional Voices | 26 episodes |
| 1970 | The Mad, Mad, Mad Comedians | W. C. Fields /Zeppo Marx /Harpo Marx / Traffic Cop | TV special |
| 1970 | Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town | Burgermeister Meisterburger / Newsreel Announcer / Grimsley / Topper / Additional Voices /Ebenezer Scrooge / Ringle, Dingle, Zingle, Tingle, & Wingle / Kringle | TV special |
| 1971 | Here Comes Peter Cottontail | Santa Claus / Man at Thanksgiving Table / Colonel Bunny's assistant / Fireman / Ben the Rooster | TV special |
| 1971 | The Point! | Oblio's Father / Pointed Man's Right Head / King / Leaf Man / Villagers | TV Animated feature; based on theHarry Nilsson album |
| 1971–1972 | The Jackson 5ive | The J5's Producer / Additional voices | |
| 1972 | The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie | Iguana | "Willie Mays and the Say-Hey Kid" |
| 1972–1973 | The Osmonds | Additional voices | |
| 1974–1976 | Run, Joe, Run | Narrator | 26 episodes |
| 1976 | The First Easter Rabbit | Santa Claus / Zero / Spats | TV special |
| 1976 | Frosty's Winter Wonderland | Jack Frost / Traffic Cop | TV special |
| 1976 | Rudolph's Shiny New Year | Aeon the Terrible / Santa Claus / General Ticker /Humpty Dumpty | TV special |
| 1976 | The Pink Panther Laugh-and-a-Half Hour-and-a-Half Show | Additional voices | |
| 1977 | The Hobbit | Bombur /Troll #1 | TV movie |
| 1977 | Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey | Olaf / Donkey Dealer | TV special |
| 1977 | Fantastic Animation Festival | Opening Narrator | TV special Uncredited |
| 1978 | The Stingiest Man in Town | Ghost of Christmas Past /Ghost of Christmas Present | TV special |
| 1979 | Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July | Jack Frost / Officer Kelly / Winterbolt / Genie of the Ice Scepter / Keeper of the Cave of Lost Rejections | TV movie |
| 1979 | Jack Frost | Father Winter / Kubla Kraus | TV special |
| 1980 | The Return of the King | Elrond /Orc /Uruk-hai /Goblin | TV movie |
| 1986 | DTV Valentine | Ludwig Von Drake / Announcer | TV movie |
| 1987 | The Wind in the Willows | Wayfarer | Released eight months after Frees's death, although the film was completed in 1983, 3 years before his death. |
| Theme parks | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role |
| 1967 | Adventure Thru Inner Space | Narrator |
| Pirates of the Caribbean | Pirate Captain, Bride Auctioneer, Pooped Pirate, Ghostly voices, various pirates | |
| 1969 | The Haunted Mansion | Ghost Host |
| Radio | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Air Date | Program | Role | Episode |
| 1945 | The Lux Radio Theatre | Multiple Characters | |
| 1945–1947 | A Man Named Jordan | Digger Slade | |
| 1946 | Rogue's Gallery | ||
| 1946 | The Whistler | ||
| 1946 | The Alan Young Show | ||
| 1946–1952 | Suspense | Announcer / Passerby / Earl White / Frankenstein's Monster / Hubbard | |
| 1947 | Ellery Queen | ||
| 1947–1948 | Escape | Doctor Dubosk / Finnie Morner / John Woolfolk / Sanger Rainsford | Episodes: "The Fourth Man", "Snake Doctor", "Wild Oranges", "The Most Dangerous Game" |
| 1948 | Your Movietown Radio Theatre | Multiple Characters | |
| 1948 | The First Nighter Program | Additional voices | |
| 1949 | The Adventures of Philip Marlowe | ||
| 1949 | The Green Lama | Jethro Dumont / Green Lama | |
| 1949 | Rocky Jordan | ||
| 1949 | Four Star Playhouse | ||
| 1951 | The Silent Men | ||
| 1951 | Mr. Aladdin | Robert Aladdin | |
| 1951 | Broadway Is My Beat | ||
| 1951 | The Thing from Another World | Dr. Voorhees | |
| 1952–1953 | Gunsmoke | Sut Grider / Gallagher / Doc Charles Adams (1 episode) | Episodes: "Heat Spell", "The Soldier", "The Cast" |
| 1953 | Crime Classics | Charles McManus / Charley Ford / Charles Drew Sr. / Pub Man | Episodes: "The Axe and the Droot Family – How They Fared" "The Death of a Picture Hanger" "The Shrapnelled Body of Charles Drew, Sr." |
| 1953 | Mr. President | Additional voices | |
| 1953 | On Stage | Chauffeur | Episode: "Skin Deep" |
| 1954 | Fibber McGee and Molly | ||
| 1956 | Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar | Bert Parker | Episode: "The Jolly Roger Fraud" (Part 1) |
| 1957 | The CBS Radio Workshop | Captain Vesey / Ogden the Messenger | Episode: "Sweet Cherries in Charleston" |
| 1984 | Bradbury 13 | Narrator | |
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1957–1986 | 7-Up | Fresh-Up Freddie | [22] |
| 1965–1986 | The Pillsbury Company | Pillsbury Doughboy | [21] |
| 1970–1986 | Froot Loops | Toucan Sam | [20] |
| 1972–1978 | Green Giant | Farmer | |
| 1973-1986 | Monster cereals | Boo-Berry | |
| Year | Title | Position | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | The Donald O'Connor Show | Writer | Writer (1 episode) Special material (4 episodes) |
| 1960 | The Beatniks | Director, executive producer, screenwriter | Uncredited |
