These days I sometimes wonder why Filmation didn't get actor Bob Hastings to recreate his ARCHIE radio role for their cartoons. It can't be because he was too old. Just a couple years earlier he was the voice of SUPERBOY for them and he was younger than the guy they eventually DID get to do that squeaky voice. Most people who care about such things are fairly familiar today with the fact that Ron Dante was the singing voice of ARCHIE on the records and in the old Filmation cartoons that began in the late sixties. Since his is the only name ever mentioned, I've heard of some who still think that he also did Archie's speaking voice! But no. I remember the first time I figured out that Archie's voice was, in fact, done by the old Gabby Hayes type guy who played on the DANIEL BOONE TV series! Cincinnatus! Looking back, that "old guy", actor Dallas McKennon, was younger then than I am now! As usual, Mark Evanier has a nice tribute/obit today at http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2009_07_14.html#017432
Ace researcher Derek tells me that he actually spoke with Bob Hastings about this situation. According to Derek, Bob, like many voice actors of the day, had objected to doubling (or tripling) up on voices and only being paid for one. Thus, he became unwelcome at Filmation just around the time ARCHIE was going into production, much to Dallas Mckennon's good fortune.
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