Astro voice actor here

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jayrath
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Postby jayrath » 15 years ago

More about the set-up, if anyone is interested. For most of the series we worked in a large studio. It was "double hung," which will mean nothing to anyone outside of radio. It means that the entire, huge studio was hung on cables inside the building, to avoid exterior vibration that could hurt sound. We came and went through a two-door sound lock.

Each of us had our own mic. In front of each of us was a standard music stand, which held our scripts. The first thing we did was remove staples, so we could turn sheets noiselessly. At the center of the room was a large monitor, which played (and replayed, and replayed) the clips. Beyond that was a huge picture window showing the director, producer and engineer in the sound booth.

We had headsets, of course, to receive direction. It all took so long, and we actors sometimes got in trouble for breaking up repeatedly. But we were so proud when we nailed scenes quickly.

Later we moved to a very small studio -- I think we must have been over-schedule. When not performing we were all still there, sitting on the floor in the back, often napping!

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jayrath
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Postby jayrath » 15 years ago

[/QUOTE]
I imagine Skunk ordering, ending with his famous laugh :rolleyes: [/QUOTE]

I am so pleased you know the "Skunk laugh"! For me, it was his signature. I'm sure that everyone here knows that Skunk was meant to have a high, screechy voice. Not menacing at all! I took it down deep, and tried to mimic the laugh in the American radio drama "The Shadow." Our director always wanted me to be "hootier" What he meant, I still do not know. Some episodes reflect his demands for that direction. To me, it makes Skunk sound lisping.

I tried to add a lot of vibrato. At the time, I was quite the student of aging radio actors here, particularly of Hal Peary and my good friend Willard Waterman, who each starred in "The Great Gildersleeve." Both are now deceased.

Let me also add that I fought for many years after we did the show for it to be released. I contacted Nippon Television many times and asked if I could somehow help. Here in America it finally popped up on the Warner Bros. Network, just three or so years ago.

It is so obviously superior. I hope the Cartoon Network picks it up and puts it into daily rotation.

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AstroBoyGF
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Postby AstroBoyGF » 15 years ago

wow! thats cool i can do the 1960's voice of astroboy!!

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Ataru Moroboshi
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Postby Ataru Moroboshi » 15 years ago

"jayrath" wrote:Another time, on break for lunch, we all went to a nearby McDonald's fast food restaurant. We ordered in character, doing our accents, etc. We thought it was pretty funny, but the servers didn't even blink!


I would have paid anything to see this :lol:

I know this question is out of the issue we're discussing, Jay, but according to imdb, you appeared in a little film called Spaceman, but the site doesn't say who did you play. Would you mind telling us who was your character, in case we see this movie some day?

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jayrath
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Postby jayrath » 15 years ago

Yes, and imdb lists me as a woman. Ahem! It tickles me, though, and I have not asked for a change. I guess I never should have shaved my moustache!

"Spaceman" was made be some of we staffers at "The Onion," a humorous print weekly and internet site. I play the grocery manager in it, Mr. Averson. It's not a great film, but it has some fun moments. It aired on the Sci Fi network and was shown at Cannes, and it is available on DVD. I also helped write and script-doctor the recent "The Onion Movie," but it is wretched -- Fox sent it straight to DVD, very deservedly.

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jayrath
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Postby jayrath » 15 years ago

May I ask, who are most people here? I assume you are all in the Pacific Rim, and mostly Aussies. We knew we were a hit there before the rest of the world finally caught on.

It has nothing to do with anything, but I love the Australian sit-com "The Games." I think John Clarke is brilliant. It is the best show I have ever seen.

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CommanderEVE
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Postby CommanderEVE » 15 years ago

Hey welcome back, I remember you.

I hate it when your computer crash's. It happen to me today, it too two hours to fix. >.< I hope you have a great time here.

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jeffbert
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Postby jeffbert » 15 years ago

I live in Hanover, PA; but write this from Johns Hopkins Bayview rehab facility. :p
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Ataru Moroboshi
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Postby Ataru Moroboshi » 15 years ago

Thanks so much for your reply, Jay.

In my country -I'm from Barcelona, Spain- Astroboy hasn't shown up on TV until 2005, and it was the 2003 version. Astroboy got well known about the early 80s thanks to some magazine articles and the publication of the manga on 2003, by Glénat Ed. The DVDs with '60s and 80s versions can only be find on some import comic book stores and on the net.
Despite even Osamu Tezuka thought the 1963 series aired in Spain (Check the first pages on vol. 19 of the comic - INTERMISSION [ :whistling: Say you, say me/ Say it for always/ That's the way is should be...] Did it? Thank you!) it actually didn't despite being a huge hit on nearby countries (France, Italy) and Latin America. In fact, the first Japanese anime which was aired here was Speed Racer, on 1969.

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Dragonrider1227
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Postby Dragonrider1227 » 15 years ago

America, Australia, Spain, Astro Boy has fans just about everywhere, doesn't he? :D


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