Richard Lee Beals, known as Dick Beals, was an American actor recognized for his voice work in various cartoons and commercials, including Gumby, Speedy Alka-Seltzer, and Davy from “Davy and Goliath.” He was notable for voicing small male characters, leveraging his unique vocal talents throughout his career.
Personal and Family Life
Dick Beals was born on March 16, 1927, in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1949, where he was also part of the cheerleading squad. Throughout his life, he remained close to his three brothers, who unfortunately predeceased him. Beals never married and dedicated much of his time to his work and hobbies, including sailing and sports.
Career Highlights
Beals began his voice-over career in the 1940s, working on popular radio shows such as “The Lone Ranger” and “Dragnet.” His most famous roles include voicing the original Gumby and the character of Speedy Alka-Seltzer in over 200 commercials. Despite his short stature, standing at just 4 feet 6 inches tall due to a condition known as Peter Pan Syndrome, he successfully landed many prominent roles in animation and commercials.
Death and Legacy
Dick Beals passed away on May 29, 2012, in Vista, California, at the age of 85. His contributions to voice acting, particularly in children’s entertainment, left a lasting impact. Despite not having any immediate family, his legacy lives on through his extensive work in film and television.
Filmography
| Title | Release Date | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Boyhood Daze | 1957-04-20 | Ralph Phillips |
| Adventures of the Road-Runner | 1962-06-02 | Ralph Phillips (voice) |
| The Secret World of OG | 1983-04-30 | Floog |
| The Puppetoon Movie | 1987-06-12 | Speedy Alka-Seltzer (voice) |
| Jack and the Beanstalk | 1967-02-26 | Jack (singing voice) |
| From A to Z-Z-Z-Z | 1954-10-16 | Ralph Phillips (voice) |
| Pinocchio’s Revenge | 1996-10-07 | Pinocchio (voice) |
| Zip Zip Hooray! | 1965-11-08 | Ralph Phillips (voice) (uncredited) |
| Duck Dodgers | 2003-08-23 | |
| The Flintstones | 1960-09-30 | |
| Richie Rich | 1980-11-08 | |
| Saturday Supercade | 1983-09-17 | QBit (voice) |
| The Addams Family | 1992-09-12 | Norman “N.J.” Normanmeyer Jr. (voice) |
| DuckTales | 1987-09-18 | |
| Birdman and the Galaxy Trio | 1967-09-09 | Birdboy (voice) |
| Frankenstein, Jr. and The Impossibles | 1966-09-10 | |
| Davey and Goliath | 1961-02-25 | |
| The Biskitts | 1983-09-17 | |
| Peter Gunn | 1958-09-22 | |
| That’s Warner Bros! | 1995-09-11 | (archive footage) |
| The Richie Rich/Scooby-Doo Show and Scrappy Too! | 1980-11-08 | Reggie Van Dough (voice) |
| Quick Draw McGraw | 1959-09-29 | Paperboy |
| The Jetsons | 1962-09-23 | Arthur Spacely (voice) (uncredited) |
| The Lone Ranger | 1966-09-10 | Tiny Tom |
| The Gumby Show | 1956-05-01 | (voice) |