Paul Frees (June 22, 1920 – November 2, 1986) was a legendary American voice actor, an impressionist and performer so prolific and versatile that he became known as “The Man of a Thousand Voices.”
Frees’s incredible vocal range made him an institution in animation. He is famously remembered as the dastardly, Russian-accented spy Boris Badenov in the classic cartoon The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. For Disney, he was the go-to voice for the eccentric intellectual Professor Ludwig Von Drake. His voice is also a key part of some of the most beloved attractions in Disney theme parks, where he can still be heard as the menacing “Ghost Host” in the Haunted Mansion and as several of the pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Beyond animation, his voice was everywhere. He was the original voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy and provided the chilling, disembodied alien voice in the sci-fi classic Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956). He also frequently dubbed the voices of other actors in major films, seamlessly replacing lines or entire performances. His unparalleled and ubiquitous talent cemented his legacy as one of the greatest and most-heard voice actors in history.
