Robie Lester
Encyclopedia
Robie Lester was an American Grammy-nominated voice actress and singer.
and raised in northern Ontario, Canada. After a few years in Detroit, she joined the US Army Air Corps before attending UCLA with a major in music. In Hollywood, she worked with Henry Mancini
and Herb Alpert
, recorded for Liberty, Warner Brothers and A&M Records
and sang demos for songwriters.
's infant nephews, with Sam played by Mel Blanc
. She also voiced one of the two battling Smackin' Brothers for Sugar Smacks, and sang the commercial's jingle.
was nominated for a 1970 Grammy Award
.
. In the Christmas special, Lester sings a powerful ballad entitled "My World Is Beginning Today" where her character literally lets her hair down and comes to the aid of her future husband, Kris Kringle (a.k.a Santa Claus
).
's animated characters in Disney's The Aristocats
and The Rescuers
.
, writing novels, fund raising and crusading for animal rights. She gratefully discovered a fan base that had grown up with her work. Her last voice performance was for the Adventures in Odyssey radio series. Lester was married to producer Geoff Eccleston, had one daughter Mindy, and three grandchildren.
in Burbank, CA at the age of 80.
Early years
Lester was born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and raised in northern Ontario, Canada. After a few years in Detroit, she joined the US Army Air Corps before attending UCLA with a major in music. In Hollywood, she worked with Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
and Herb Alpert
Herb Alpert
Herbert "Herb" Alpert is an American musician most associated with the group variously known as Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, or TJB. He is also a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records...
, recorded for Liberty, Warner Brothers and A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
and sang demos for songwriters.
Work in commercials
Robie Lester was one of the busiest voice-over artists in early 1960s commercials, working in many commercials for Kelloggs breakfast cereal. She was first heard as both of Toucan SamToucan Sam
Toucan Sam is the cartoon mascot for Froot Loops breakfast cereal. The character has been featured in advertising since the 1960s. He exhibits the ability to smell out Froot Loops from great distances and invariably locates a concealed bowl of the cereal while intoning, "Follow my nose! It always...
's infant nephews, with Sam played by Mel Blanc
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros...
. She also voiced one of the two battling Smackin' Brothers for Sugar Smacks, and sang the commercial's jingle.
Disneyland Story Reader
In the early 1960s, Disney songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman brought Lester to the attention of Disney's in-house record label. Lester's voice was heard on literally dozens of Disney's children's records. Her singing voice was heard on the song "Hippity Hop" from the Disney Album "Peter Cottontail and Other Funny Bunnies". and " Beginning in 1965, Lester was the "Disneyland Story Reader" on records where she read the stories, acted out all the parts and reminded children to "turn the page" in their accompanying booklet. Her famous phrase “when Tinker Bell rings her little bells...turn the page" was heard by countless children of a generation. Her "Storyteller" album for The AristocatsThe Aristocats
The Aristocats is a 1970 American animated feature produced and released by Walt Disney Productions in 1970 and stars Eva Gabor and Phil Harris, with Roddy Maude-Roxby as Edgar the butler, the villain of the story...
was nominated for a 1970 Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
.
Mrs. Santa Claus
One of her most famous roles was as "Miss Jessica", the schoolteacher who becomes Mrs. Kris Kringle (Santa Claus) in the 1970 Rankin-Bass TV special Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (TV special)Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (TV special)
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town is a 1970 stop motion television special, made by Rankin-Bass with models carved from wood . The film stars actor Fred Astaire as S.D. Kluger, the narrator, and Mickey Rooney as Kris Kringle/Santa Claus...
. In the Christmas special, Lester sings a powerful ballad entitled "My World Is Beginning Today" where her character literally lets her hair down and comes to the aid of her future husband, Kris Kringle (a.k.a Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
).
Eva Gabor's singing voice
Robie Lester provided the singing voice of Eva GaborEva Gabor
Eva Gabor was a Hungarian-born socialite and actress. She was widely known for her role on Green Acres as Lisa Douglas, the wife of Eddie Albert's character, Oliver Wendell Douglas, Duchess in the 1970 Disney film The Aristocats, and Miss Bianca in Disney's The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under...
's animated characters in Disney's The Aristocats
The Aristocats
The Aristocats is a 1970 American animated feature produced and released by Walt Disney Productions in 1970 and stars Eva Gabor and Phil Harris, with Roddy Maude-Roxby as Edgar the butler, the villain of the story...
and The Rescuers
The Rescuers
The Rescuers is a 1977 American animated feature produced by Walt Disney Productions and first released on June 22, 1977. The 23rd film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film is about the Rescue Aid Society, an international mouse organization headquartered in New York and shadowing...
.
Private life
Lester spent her final years in Fillmore, CaliforniaFillmore, California
Fillmore is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. The population was 15,002 at the 2010 census, up from 13,643 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, writing novels, fund raising and crusading for animal rights. She gratefully discovered a fan base that had grown up with her work. Her last voice performance was for the Adventures in Odyssey radio series. Lester was married to producer Geoff Eccleston, had one daughter Mindy, and three grandchildren.
Death
Robie Lester died on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 of cancer at St. Joseph's HospitalProvidence Saint Joseph Medical Center
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center is a hospital in Burbank, California, USA. The hospital has 431 beds, and is part of Providence Health & Services. Its address is 501 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91505...
in Burbank, CA at the age of 80.