'Speed Racer' voice Peter Fernandez dies at 83
Lung cancer fells actor whose long career included radio, Broadway
MSN Page
Peter Fernandez, best known as the title character's voice in the animated "Speed Racer" TV series, died Thursday from lung cancer at age 83, Anime News Network reported.
Fernandez not only voiced Speed himself, but also his brother Racer X and several other characters in the English-dubbed adaptation of Tatsunoko's "Mach Go Go Go" anime series, the Internet site said. He also directed the voice cast and even wrote the lyrics to the signature theme song used in the show imported from Japan in 1967. He later played Lupin III, Daisuke Jigen, and President Jimmy Carter in a dubbed version of "Lupin III: The Secret of Mamo."
His voice can be heard in such dubbed anime titles as "Astro Boy," "Gigantor," "Marine Boy," "Star Blazers: The Bolar Wars," and "Superbook." He made a cameo appearance as an announcer in the 2008 live-action "Speed Racer" film, Anime News Network said.
Corinne Orr, the actress who played Speed Racer's romantic interest Trixie and younger brother Sprittle Racer, spoke with Fernandez as recently as last week, the Anime News Network said. The two had worked together on 200 productions, and she noted that he was a big star on radio and Broadway and had starred in the 1949 film "City Across the River" where Tony Curtis only had a bit part."
Orr is the last surviving member of the "Speed Racer" main cast.
Orr told the Web site, "His great joy was doing all these conventions and receiving the acknowledgement and accolades from all his fans at the end of his life."
Producer and anime distributor William Winckler told Anime News Network that he was glad that renewed interest accompanying the 2008 live-action Speed Racer film, Fernandez "finally got the attention and respect he deserved from the general public and mainstream press."
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"Anime and Japanese live-action fantasy will never be the same without him. Peter's contribution to anime and Japanese live-action will live forever."
Fernandez's family is planning a private service, but there are plans for a public celebration of his life in September in Pomona, New York.
Fernandez had posted on his MySpace page that he started he career at age 7 as a model for the John Robert Powers Agency. He describes a long show-business career.
LINK to ARTICLE: MSN ARTICLE
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Article from Scott Green's ANIME AICN Page
Peter Fernandez, the voice of Speed Racer and one of the pioneer in bringing international animation to North America, has passed away of lung cancer at age 83. Fernandez also co-wrote the scripts and directed the voice work in classic 1967 animated series. He voiced roles in other classics such as Star Blazers and the title character in one of the first anime to be released in North America, Alakazam the Great. Fernandez remained active in animation, voice directing Courage the Cowardly Dog and Kenny the Shark in recent years.
LINK to ARTICLE:
Scott Green Anime AICN Article
RIP PETE!!!
GO SPEEDRACER! GO SPEEDRACER! GO SPEEDRACER! GO!!!!
VR
Peter Fernandez Passes Away! (Voice of Speed Racer)
RIP
