Voice Actor Swift Dies

Actor ALLEN SWIFT, who voiced classic cartoon characters Might Mouse, Dinky Duck and Howdy Doody, has died at the age of 87.

Swift died on 18 April (10) at his Manhattan home. His cause of death had not been disclosed as WENN went to press.

Swift landed his big break in 1954 when he filled in for Howdy Doody star Bob Smith, after the former host suffered a heart attack.

The role kickstarted his Hollywood career, and helped Swift win over 30,000 television and radio commercials, including promos for Jell-O, the Eveready battery, a toilet plunger for Drano, Vita’s Beloved Herring Maven, Hostess Ho Hos and Sanka decaffeinated coffee.

He also played animated characters Simon Bar Sinister and Riff Raff on TV cartoon Underdog, and most of the characters on the Tom and Jerry cartoons made from 1960 to 1962.

He appeared in several Off Broadway productions and in the Broadway plays including How to Make a Man, The Student Gypsy and My Old Friends.

Swift is survived by his wife, Lenore Loveman, a son, two daughters and five grandchildren.