Rich Little
Encyclopedia
Richard Caruthers "Rich" Little (born November 26, 1938) is a Canadian-American
impressionist
and voice actor. He has long been known throughout the world as a top impersonator of famous people, resulting in his nickname, "The Man of a Thousand Voices".
, Ontario
, Canada
, Little was the middle of three sons. His father was a doctor. In his early teens, he formed a partnership with Geoff Scott
, another budding impressionist, concentrating on reproducing the voices of Canadian politicians such as then-Prime Minister
John Diefenbaker
and Ottawa mayor Charlotte Whitton
(Geoff went on to become a politician). They were performing professionally in night clubs by age 17.
, frequently incorporating impersonations into his show. In 1963, he was asked to audition by Mel Tormé
, who was producing a new variety show for Judy Garland
. The audition won him the job and in 1964, Little made his American television debut on CBS
's The Judy Garland Show
, where he astounded Garland with his imitations of various male celebrities. His impression of James Mason
in A Star Is Born
thrilled Garland, and his popularity began to grow.
In 1966 and 1967, Little appeared in ABC-TV
's Judy Carne
sitcom Love on a Rooftop
as the Willises' eccentric neighbor, Stan Parker. Little was a frequent guest on variety and talk show
s. He cracked up Johnny Carson
by capturing the Tonight Show host's voice and many on-stage mannerisms perfectly (he later played Carson in the HBO TV-movie The Late Shift
). One of his best known impressions is of U.S. President Richard Nixon
. (In 1991 he reprised the role of Nixon as ideal sperm donors in Gina's fantasies on the soap opera Santa Barbara
.) During the 1970s, Little made many television appearances portraying Nixon. He was a regular guest on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast
s in the 1970s and was also a semi-regular on the Emmy-winning ABC-TV variety series The Julie Andrews Hour
in 1972-1973. This particular series proved to be a wonderful showcase for Little's talents as an impressionist. In fact, because of his uncanny yet brilliant imitation of Jack Benny
, the comedian sent Little an 18-carat gold money clip containing this message: "With Bob Hope
doing my walk and you doing my voice, I can be a star and do nothing." He was named "Comedy Star of the Year" by the American Guild of Variety Artists
in 1974.
His best-known continuing TV series was The Kopycats, hour-long segments of The ABC Comedy Hour
, first broadcast in 1972. Taped in England, these comedy-variety shows consisted entirely of celebrity impersonations, with the actors in full costume and makeup for every sketch. The cast included Rich Little, Frank Gorshin
, Marilyn Michaels
, George Kirby
, British comedian Joe Baker, Fred Travalena
, Charlie Callas
, and Peter Goodwright.
The Rich Little Show (1976) and The New You Asked for It (1981) were attempts to present Little in his own person, away from his gallery of characterizations.
Little has starred in various HBO specials including the 1978 one-man show, Rich Little's Christmas Carol
. He has also appeared in several movies and released nine albums. When David Niven
proved too ill for his voice to be used in his appearances in Trail of the Pink Panther
(1982) and Curse of the Pink Panther
(1983), Little provided the overdub. (Ironically, Little provided the voice for the Pink Panther cartoon character in an experimental 1965 episode.) He rendered similar assistance for the 1991 TV special Christmas at the Movies by providing an uncredited dub for the aging actor/dancer Gene Kelly
. As a native Canadian, he also lent his voice to the narration of two specials which were the forerunners for the animated series The Raccoons
: The Christmas Raccoons
and The Raccoons on Ice
.
Little was the host for the 2007 White House Correspondents' Association
dinner. Although President George W. Bush
was reported to have enjoyed Little's performance, it was panned by some reviewers for "his ancient jokes and impressions of dead people (Johnny Carson, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan
)."
Little voices as a guest star in Futurama
such as Futurama: Bender's Game
, playing his own celebrity head: "Rich Little here, as Howard Cosell
." Many times he plays a sports commentator.
including the Juvenile Diabetes Fund and the Children's Miracle Network
. He has been named to Miami Children's Hospital
International Pediatrics Hall of Fame and been honored by the naming of the Rich Little Special Care Nursery at Ottawa Civic Hospital.
Little resides in Las Vegas
, where he often performs. He was sworn in as an American citizen in a Las Vegas courtroom on January 10, 2008.
Canadian-American
A Canadian American is someone who was born or someone who grew up in Canada then moved to the United States. The term is particularly apt when applied or self-applied to people with strong ties to Canada, such as those who have lived a significant portion of their lives in, or were educated in,...
impressionist
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
and voice actor. He has long been known throughout the world as a top impersonator of famous people, resulting in his nickname, "The Man of a Thousand Voices".
Early life
Born in OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Little was the middle of three sons. His father was a doctor. In his early teens, he formed a partnership with Geoff Scott
Geoffrey Scott (Canadian politician)
Geoffrey Douglas Scott is a former Canadian Member of Parliament for the riding of Hamilton—Wentworth. He was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada caucus....
, another budding impressionist, concentrating on reproducing the voices of Canadian politicians such as then-Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
John Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
and Ottawa mayor Charlotte Whitton
Charlotte Whitton
Charlotte Elizabeth Whitton, OC, CBE was a Canadian feminist and mayor of Ottawa. She was the first female mayor of a major city in Canada, serving from 1951 to 1956 and again from 1960 to 1964...
(Geoff went on to become a politician). They were performing professionally in night clubs by age 17.
Career
Rich acted in Ottawa's Little Theatre and became a successful disc jockeyDisc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
, frequently incorporating impersonations into his show. In 1963, he was asked to audition by Mel Tormé
Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
, who was producing a new variety show for Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
. The audition won him the job and in 1964, Little made his American television debut on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's The Judy Garland Show
The Judy Garland Show
The Judy Garland Show is an American musical variety television series that aired on CBS on Sunday nights during the 1963-1964 television season. Despite a sometimes stormy relationship with Judy Garland, CBS had found success with several television specials featuring the star...
, where he astounded Garland with his imitations of various male celebrities. His impression of James Mason
James Mason
James Neville Mason was an English actor who attained stardom in both British and American films. Mason remained a powerful figure in the industry throughout his career and was nominated for three Academy Awards as well as three Golden Globes .- Early life :Mason was born in Huddersfield, in the...
in A Star Is Born
A Star Is Born (1954 film)
A Star Is Born is a 1954 American musical film directed by George Cukor. The screenplay written by Moss Hart was an adaptation of the original 1937 film, which was based on the original screenplay by Robert Carson, Dorothy Parker, and Alan Campbell...
thrilled Garland, and his popularity began to grow.
In 1966 and 1967, Little appeared in ABC-TV
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Judy Carne
Judy Carne
Judy Carne is an English actress best remembered for the phrase "Sock it to me!" on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.-Career:...
sitcom Love on a Rooftop
Love on a Rooftop
Love on a Rooftop is an American sitcom about a newlywed couple, Dave and Julie Willis, and their humorous struggles to survive in San Francisco on Dave's apprentice architect's salary of $85.37 a week...
as the Willises' eccentric neighbor, Stan Parker. Little was a frequent guest on variety and talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
s. He cracked up Johnny Carson
Johnny Carson
John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...
by capturing the Tonight Show host's voice and many on-stage mannerisms perfectly (he later played Carson in the HBO TV-movie The Late Shift
The Late Shift (film)
The Late Shift is a 1996 American TV movie produced by HBO. It is directed by Betty Thomas and based on the book of the same name by The New York Times media reporter Bill Carter.-Plot synopsis:...
). One of his best known impressions is of U.S. President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. (In 1991 he reprised the role of Nixon as ideal sperm donors in Gina's fantasies on the soap opera Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara (TV series)
Santa Barbara is an American television soap opera, first broadcast in the United States on NBC on July 30, 1984, and last aired on January 15, 1993. The show revolved around the eventful lives of the wealthy Capwell family of Santa Barbara, California...
.) During the 1970s, Little made many television appearances portraying Nixon. He was a regular guest on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast is a NBC television special show hosted by entertainer Dean Martin from 1974 to 1984. For a series of 54 specials and shows, Martin would periodically “roast” a celebrity. These roasts were patterned after the roasts held at the New York Friars' Club in New York City...
s in the 1970s and was also a semi-regular on the Emmy-winning ABC-TV variety series The Julie Andrews Hour
The Julie Andrews Hour
The Julie Andrews Hour is a television variety series starring Julie Andrews that was produced by ATV and distributed by ITC Entertainment. It aired on the ABC network in the United States....
in 1972-1973. This particular series proved to be a wonderful showcase for Little's talents as an impressionist. In fact, because of his uncanny yet brilliant imitation of Jack Benny
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
, the comedian sent Little an 18-carat gold money clip containing this message: "With Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
doing my walk and you doing my voice, I can be a star and do nothing." He was named "Comedy Star of the Year" by the American Guild of Variety Artists
American Guild of Variety Artists
American Guild of Variety Artists is an American entertainment union representing performers in variety entertainment, including circuses, Las Vegas showrooms and cabarets, comedy showcases, dance revues, magic shows, theme park shows, and arena and auditorium extravaganzas. It awards the "Georgie...
in 1974.
His best-known continuing TV series was The Kopycats, hour-long segments of The ABC Comedy Hour
The ABC Comedy Hour
The ABC Comedy Hour is an American television variety series that aired on ABC in 1972. Seven of the 13 episodes featured a guest host and a team of comedy impressionists known as The Kopycats...
, first broadcast in 1972. Taped in England, these comedy-variety shows consisted entirely of celebrity impersonations, with the actors in full costume and makeup for every sketch. The cast included Rich Little, Frank Gorshin
Frank Gorshin
Frank John Gorshin, Jr. was an American actor and comedian. He was perhaps best known as an impressionist, with many guest appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show...
, Marilyn Michaels
Marilyn Michaels
Marilyn Michaels is an American comedic actress, impressionist and singer. She auditioned for and won an RCA recording contract, singing the follow-up song to Ray Peterson's "Tell Laura I Love Her", entitled, "Tell Tommy I Miss Him". She later won contracts with Warner Bros...
, George Kirby
George Kirby
George Kirby was an American comedian, singer, and actor from Chicago, Illinois.Kirby broke into show business in the 1940s at the Club DeLisa, a South Side establishment that employed a variety-show format and preferred to hire local singers, dancers, and comedians...
, British comedian Joe Baker, Fred Travalena
Fred Travalena
Frederick Albert "Fred" Travalena III was an American entertainer, specializing in comedy and impersonations.-Early life:...
, Charlie Callas
Charlie Callas
Charlie Callas was an American comedian and actor most commonly known for his work with Mel Brooks, Jerry Lewis, and Dean Martin and his many stand-up appearances on television talk shows in the 1970s...
, and Peter Goodwright.
The Rich Little Show (1976) and The New You Asked for It (1981) were attempts to present Little in his own person, away from his gallery of characterizations.
Little has starred in various HBO specials including the 1978 one-man show, Rich Little's Christmas Carol
Rich Little's Christmas Carol
Rich Little's Christmas Carol is a 1978 TV special that ran on Home Box Office . It starred Rich Little in a one-man performance with impersonations of his characters playing the parts in Charles Dickens famous holiday story....
. He has also appeared in several movies and released nine albums. When David Niven
David Niven
James David Graham Niven , known as David Niven, was a British actor and novelist, best known for his roles as Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days and Sir Charles Lytton, a.k.a. "the Phantom", in The Pink Panther...
proved too ill for his voice to be used in his appearances in Trail of the Pink Panther
Trail of the Pink Panther
Trail of the Pink Panther is a 1982 comedy film starring Peter Sellers. It was the seventh film in the Pink Panther series, and the last in which Peter Sellers starred as Inspector Jacques Clouseau, although Sellers died before production began and the film thus contains no original material...
(1982) and Curse of the Pink Panther
Curse of the Pink Panther
Curse of the Pink Panther is a 1983 comedy film, the eighth installment of the The Pink Panther series of films started by Blake Edwards in the early 1960s....
(1983), Little provided the overdub. (Ironically, Little provided the voice for the Pink Panther cartoon character in an experimental 1965 episode.) He rendered similar assistance for the 1991 TV special Christmas at the Movies by providing an uncredited dub for the aging actor/dancer Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
. As a native Canadian, he also lent his voice to the narration of two specials which were the forerunners for the animated series The Raccoons
The Raccoons
The Raccoons is a Canadian animated television series which was originally broadcast from 1985 to 1991 with four preceding television specials beginning in 1980. The series was created by Kevin Gillis, and produced at Atkinson Film-Arts first-hand from 1984 to 1985, then at Hinton Animation Studios...
: The Christmas Raccoons
The Christmas Raccoons
The Christmas Raccoons is the first of four television specials before the main animated television series succedding it, The Raccoons, took place. It was first broadcast on December 17, 1980.-Plot:...
and The Raccoons on Ice
The Raccoons on Ice
The Raccoons on Ice is the second of four specials leading up to the television series The Raccoons. It initially aired on December 20, 1981.-Plot:...
.
Little was the host for the 2007 White House Correspondents' Association
White House Correspondents' Association
The White House Correspondents' Association is an organization of journalists who cover the White House and the President of the United States. The WHCA was founded in 1914 by journalists in response to an unfounded rumor that a Congressional committee would select which journalists could attend...
dinner. Although President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
was reported to have enjoyed Little's performance, it was panned by some reviewers for "his ancient jokes and impressions of dead people (Johnny Carson, Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
)."
Little voices as a guest star in Futurama
Futurama
Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
such as Futurama: Bender's Game
Futurama: Bender's Game
Futurama: Bender's Game is the third of the four direct-to-DVD Futurama films that make up the show's fifth season. It was released on November 4, 2008 on DVD and Blu-ray....
, playing his own celebrity head: "Rich Little here, as Howard Cosell
Howard Cosell
Howard William Cosell was an American sports journalist who was widely known for his blustery, cocksure personality. Cosell said of himself, "Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these...
." Many times he plays a sports commentator.
Other interests
Little has been active in several charitiesCharitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
including the Juvenile Diabetes Fund and the Children's Miracle Network
Children's Miracle Network
The Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is an international non-profit organization that raises funds for children's hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children's health issues. The organization, founded in 1982 by the Osmond family and John Schneider, is headquartered in...
. He has been named to Miami Children's Hospital
Miami Children's Hospital
Miami Children's Hospital is South Florida’s only licensed specialty hospital exclusively for children with more than 650 attending physicians and over 130 pediatric sub-specialists. The 289-bed hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine and is routinely ranked among...
International Pediatrics Hall of Fame and been honored by the naming of the Rich Little Special Care Nursery at Ottawa Civic Hospital.
Personal life
Little was married to Jeanne Worden from 1971 until their divorce in 1989. The couple have a daughter, Bria. He married Jeannette Markey in 1994; they divorced in 1997. He was married to Marie Marotta from 2003 until her death in 2010. (She died of a deliberate overdose of sleeping pills on July 15, 2010 due to suffering from chronic pain.)Little resides in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, where he often performs. He was sworn in as an American citizen in a Las Vegas courtroom on January 10, 2008.