Bob McFadden - News Bits

Bob (Robert) McFadden
News Bits

The Palm Beach Post December 31, 2000 Sunday

December 31, 2000 Sunday FINAL EDITION

SECTION: OPINION, Pg. 8E

LENGTH: 615 words

HEADLINE: LOCAL MILESTONES

Bob McFadden, 76, of Delray Beach, retired singer, parrot's voice in Whisk commercials, Jan 7.

Broadcasting & Cable January 17, 2000

January 17, 2000

SECTION: FATES & FORTUNES; Pg. 140

LENGTH: 244 words

HEADLINE: OBITUARIES

BYLINE: Staff

Bob McFadden, 76, a voice-over announcer for thousands of TV ads died Jan. 7 of Lou Gehrig's Disease. McFadden got his break as a singer and impersonator while stationed in Puerto Rico with the Navy during World War II. His many voices include a parrot for Wisk ("Ring around the collar!"), a barking dog for Crest toothpaste and a swishing sound to imitate a jet airplane--for which he received $12,000. He also sold his voice to Ford, Campbell's Soup and Mountain Dew. He is survived by his wife, three children, a brother and a granddaughter.

St. Petersburg Times, January 15, 2000

January 15, 2000, Saturday, 0 South Pinellas Edition

SECTION: NATIONAL; OBITUARIES; Pg. 6A

BOB McFADDEN, 76, a retired singer and TV commercial voice-over actor best known as the parrot's voice for Whisk commercials in the 1970s, died Jan. 7 in Delray Beach. Mr. McFadden exclaimed "Ring around the collar!" and "Pretty shirt!" as the parrot's voice in commercials for the laundry detergent in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1982, TV Guide called him "one of the elite of TV commercial voice-overs."

The Record (Bergen County, NJ) January 10, 2000, MONDAY; ALL EDITIONS

January 10, 2000, MONDAY; ALL EDITIONS

SECTION: NEWS; Pg. L5

LENGTH: 452 words

HEADLINE: ROBERT 'BOB MCFADDEN; VOICE OF TV COMMERCIALS

BYLINE: HUGH R. MORLEY, Staff Writer

BODY:
He was the voice of the elderly man in the Pepperidge Farm
commercials, a cackling parrot who whistled "Ring around the collar,"
and hundreds of cartoon characters.

Robert "Bob" McFadden, a former Leonia resident and show business
stalwart who made his name doing radio and television voice-overs and
impressions of famous people, died Friday, his family said. He was 76. Mr. McFadden succumbed to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou
Gehrig's disease, at his home in Delray Beach, Fla., said his wife,
Jeanette.

The family had moved there from Leonia in 1989 as Mr. McFadden
neared the end of a show business career which included appearances on
"The Tonight Show" and "The Ed Sullivan Show," several comedy albums,
and numerous one-night stands in clubs and hotels around the country.

"He just loved being in it," Jeanette McFadden said. "It never
meant anything to be a star or a name. It was just so much for him to be
in the business."

Born in East Liverpool, Ohio, Mr. McFadden got his first break as a
singer while stationed with the Navy in Puerto Rico during World War
II, his widow said.

In 1985, he told The Record: "I wanted to be in show business after
I got a taste of doing impersonations in a once-a-week talent show in
the Navy."

After that, Mr. McFadden spent 15 years as a nightclub comedian
and impressionist. He did singing impersonations of Frankie Laine, Billy
Eckstine, and the Ink Spots and met his wife in 1950, when the two
worked together in Boston.

While Mr. McFadden sang on stage, Jeanette McFadden said, she and
her twin sister performed in a swimming pool below as synchronized
swimmers.

"I was a wet act and he was a dry act," Jeanette McFadden said. "It
was a stage and water show combined."

In the mid-1960s, Mr. McFadden turned to radio commercials, moving
to Queens and then to Leonia so that he could be near his work in
Manhattan.

For the next 2 1/2 decades, he provided voices for scores of radio
and television spots, including the squawking parrot for a detergent
commercial and a dog for Crest toothpaste, his family said. In one toy
commercial, Mr. McFadden received $ 12,000 for making a swishing sound to imitate a jet plane.

Mr. McFadden also appeared on several comedy albums and did the
voices for cartoon characters in more than 500 half-hour television
episodes. He also did documentary voice-overs.

After moving to Florida, Mr. McFadden continued to perform at
condominiums and clubs until October 1998, his wife said.

Survivors also include two sons, Jeffrey of Delray Beach and Brian
of Palisades Park, and a daughter, Tracy Huber of Ringwood.

Bob (Robert) McFadden News Bits

Bob (Robert) McFadden
News Bits