Will Ryan
Born: 1949-05-21 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Died: 2021-11-19
Known For: Acting
Biography
William Frank Ryan (May 21, 1949 – November 19, 2021) was an American voice actor and producer–writer–composer, well-known for singing about the American West. In the late seventies he teamed up with Phil Baron as Willio and Phillio. They had regular gigs on television, radio and comedy clubs and universities throughout the US. Ryan and Baron later paired up again voicing characters of best friends Teddy Ruxpin (Baron) and Grubby the Octopede (Ryan) in the Teddy Ruxpin book and tape series as well as the 1987 television show The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin. The Willio and Phillio act brought Ryan back into music and after moving to California, he began to write and record songs for Disney. He provided the voice of Rabbit, Tigger, and Eeyore in the Disney Channel's long-running series Welcome to Pooh Corner and in many other Pooh cartoons. He also provided the voice of Barnaby the Dog on the popular series Dumbo's Circus. Since 1987, Ryan has been a fixture of the radio drama Adventures in Odyssey, playing Eugene Meltsner, Harlow Doyle, David Harley, Patrick O'Ryan and hundreds of one-shot characters. He also voiced Rabbit in Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore after the death of Junius Matthews. Ryan also voiced the character Digit in the 1986 animated film An American Tail. Ryan had also provided the original voice of Petrie in the 1988 animated film The Land Before Time. He appears in the film The Wizard of Speed and Time as several different motion picture union representatives. He is the current voice of Elmo Aardvark. He can be heard as the character, called Elmo Aardvark: Outer Space Detective and in several Elmo Aardvark CDs. Ryan is the current voice of Willie the Giant. He started voicing the character from Mickey's Christmas Carol. Ryan's youthful involvement in pop music has continued alongside his animation career. Will Ryan compositions have been recorded by artists such as Patti LaBelle, Diane Schuur, Victoria Jackson, The Pointer Sisters and Joanie Sommers (whom he also produced). With Andrew J. Lederer and Michael Rosenberg (Jackie Diamond), Ryan performed in the '20s-style music and comedy trio, The Merry Metronomes. He and Lederer also appeared from time to time as a duo, usually under the name The Natty Nabobs. His latest musical incarnation is as leader of Los Angeles-based Will Ryan and the Cactus County Cowboys, a cross between the Marx Brothers and The Sons of the Pioneers. His variety show, Will Ryan's Cactus County Round-Up, has been a staple in Southern California since 2008. It regularly plays at several venues, including the Steve Allen Theatre in Hollywood. Ryan continues to do voice work. In 2009 he was working on the third season of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, the 21st season of Adventures in Odyssey, and the new radio series of Will Ryan's Cactus County Round-Up. Description above from the Wikipedia article Will Ryan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia .
Filmography
2021
- Mickey Mouse Funhouse as Willie the Giant (voice)
2019
- The Little Mermaid Live! as Herald (voice)
2015
- The Adventures of Biffle and Shooster as Sam Shooster
2014
- I Know That Voice as Self
2013
- Get a Horse! as Peg-Leg Pete (voice)
- The One and Only June Foray as Self
2007
- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey's Great Clubhouse Hunt as Willie the Giant (voice)
2004
2003
- Looney Tunes: Back in Action as Papa Bear (voice)
2002
- Adventures in Odyssey: The Caves of Qumran as Eugene Meltsner (voice)
2001
- Disney's House of Mouse as Willie the Giant
- Adventures in Odyssey: Escape from the Forbidden Matrix as Eugene Meltsner
2000
1999
- Family Guy as Winnie the Pooh (voice)
- Courage the Cowardly Dog as The Duck Brothers
1998
- Adventures in Odyssey: A Stranger Among Us as Eugene Meltsner
- Adventures in Odyssey: Baby Daze as Eugene Meltsner
1997
- Adventures in Odyssey: A Twist In Time as Eugene Meltsner
- Adventures in Odyssey: In Harm's Way as Eugene Meltsner
1996
- The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss ... (Producer)
1995
- The Pebble and the Penguin as Royal / Tika (voice)
- Adventures in Odyssey: Go West Young Man! as Eugene Meltsner
1994
- Thumbelina as Hero / Reverend Rat (voice)
- A Troll in Central Park as Boss (voice)
- Adventures in Odyssey: Once Upon an Avalanche as Eugene Meltsner
1993
- Morris Has a Cold as Morris (voice)
- Mouse Soup as Weasel
- Adventures in Odyssey: Star Quest as Eugene Meltsner
1991
- Rock-A-Doodle as Stuey (voice)
- A Gnome Named Gnorm as Gnorm
- Benny's Biggest Battle as Boogwart (voice)
- Uncle Elephant as Uncle (voice)
- Ralph S. Mouse as Mouse (voice)
1990
- Bobby's World
- The Clean Club
- Jack and the Beanstalk as Bean Seller (voice) (uncredited)
1989
- Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers as Dale (singing voice)
- The Little Mermaid as Seahorse (voice)
- The Wizard of Speed and Time as All the Unions / Mr. President (voice) (as William Z. Ryan)
- Stanley and the Dinosaurs as Voice
1988
- The Land Before Time as Petrie (voice)
- Cap'n O.G Readmore's Puss in Boots as Wordsy (voice)
- Totally Minnie as Goofy (voice)
1987
- DuckTales as Sharkey (voice)
- Alice Through the Looking Glass as The Paper Man (voice)
- Frog and Toad Together as Frog (voice)
- Sport Goofy in Soccermania as Scrooge McDuck / The Beagle Boys / Gyro Gearloose (voice)
- Down and Out with Donald Duck as Pete / Goofy (voice)
1986
- An American Tail as Digit (voice)
- Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation as Stars and Hearts (voice)
- Gummi Bears: A New Beginning as Unwin / Ogres (voice)
- The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin
- Disney's DTV Valentine as Pongo / Goofy (voice)
- Teen Wolf as Chubs (voice)
- Pooh's Great School Bus Adventure as Tigger (voice)
- Cap'n O.G. Readmore Meets Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as Wordsy (voice)
1985
- Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears as Unwin / Ogres (voice)
- Dumbo's Circus as Barnaby (voice)
- Too Smart for Strangers as Rabbit / Tigger (voice)
- Frog and Toad Are Friends as Frog (voice)
- The Bollo Caper as (voice)
- Swabbies as Pete / Beagle Boys
- The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin as (voice)
- Cap'n O.G. Readmore's Jack and the Beanstalk as Wordsy (voice)
1984
- The Making of Mickey's Christmas Carol as Self
- Fitness and Me: Why Exercise? as Voice
1983
- G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
- Mickey's Christmas Carol as Collector for the Poor #2 / Ghost of Christmas Present (Willie the Giant) / Ghost of Christmas Future (Pete) / Santa Claus (Big Bad Wolf) / Weasel #2 (voice)
- Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore as Rabbit (voice)
- Welcome to Pooh Corner as Rabbit / Tigger (voice)
1977
- Wizards as Guards (uncredited)