One of the most unique film styles can be seen in the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit, as it was one of the first live-action and animation hybrids. The 1964 release Mary Poppins was the first live-action-animation to win multiple Academy Awards followed by Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which was released in 1988. The popularity of this movie soared and the characters have been beloved by fans even decades.
Recalling this cult classic, fans can't help but wonder who gave these fun animations their voices and what do these voice-actors look like in real life. Check out these actors and see how well they match up to their animated roles.
Roger Rabbit: Charles Fleischer
The actor Charles Fleischer gave Roger Rabbit his extreme vibrancy by giving him a voice to be recognized by. But that's not the only animation in this movie that was voiced by him. He also played the roles of Greasy and Psycho who were members of the Toon Patrol, and Benny the cab.
Fleischer is also known for his live-action role as Terry in the film Back to the Future 2 which was directed by Robert Zemeckis, the same director of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Fleischer's other famous movies include Cast Away, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Polar Express.
Baby Herman: Lou Hirsch
Who could forget the adorable Baby Herman who was actually a man-baby, much like the recent businessman-baby in the 2017 flick, The Boss Baby. The only difference is that Baby Herman was a mobster who smoked cigars, was mischievous, and easily threw a fit.
Actor Lou Hirsch plays the pink-bow-wearing infant in the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He was also briefly featured in many TV series and films mostly during the 80s and 90s. Still, his most iconic role was that of giving Baby Herman his deep and heavy voice.
Jessica Rabbit: Kathleen Turner
The wife of Roger Rabbit was voiced by popular actress, Kathleen Turner. Jessica Rabbit is one of the most memorable female animations to this day for her extremely erotic demeanor and sultry depiction. She is a character who prides herself on loving her husband but also leaves everyone suspicious of her intentions.
An incredibly unique voice was needed for this animated character and Kathleen Turner was the actress chosen for the role as she was well-known for her distinctive raspy voice. Turner also starred in many other films including Body Heat, The Jewel of the Nile, and The Perfect Family.
Mickey Mouse: Wayne Allwine
Arguably the most loved character in Disney, Mickey Mouse was featured in the movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit along with over one hundred other famous cartoon characters in films. Voiced by Wayne Allwine, Mickey is seen falling from the sky with Bugs Bunny and the main protagonist, Eddie Valiant, as they trick him by offering him a "spare" parachute.
Wayne Allwine is famously known for voicing Mickey Mouse with Walt Disney for 32 years and for marrying Russi Taylor, the voice actress who gave Minnie Mouse her voice for 33 years.
Lena Hyena: June Foray
Eddie Valiant is constantly bamboozled by Lena Hyena who appears to have the same figure as Jessica Rabbit. Valant is shocked to find Lena Hyena in Jessica's place and she isn't exactly a normal toon. Her infamous line "A man!" pretty much tells it all as she is portrayed to be a man-crazed character with a wild and hysteric personality.
Actress June Foray gave Lena Hyena her raging voice and she also gave Wheezy from the Toon Patrol. Foray voiced animated characters in films for over 60 years and is considered a talented legend in her field.
Smart Ass: David L. Lander
The leader of the Toon Patrol is Smart Ass, a toon weasel who is a crime boss and working with the evil villain Judge Doom. Hired as henchmen, Smart Ass and his mob go searching for Roger Rabbit and intimidate anyone who stands in their way.
The voice actor is David L. Lander, who is best known for his role in Laverne & Shirley as Squiggy, the upstairs neighbor who befriends the two women. Unfortunately, Landers passed away in early December 2020 but his legacy is strong and memorable. After all, movie and animation fans still recognize him for his work in A Bug's Life, Tom & Jerry, Pacific Blue, and Christmas with the Kranks.
Betty Boop: Mae Questel
The famous cartoon Betty Boop first appeared on screen in 1930 as a jazz-age flapper cartoon and would soon become one of the best-known animations in the world. She is featured in Who Framed Roger Rabbit as a waitress in the saloon that Valiant enters.
Boop is voiced by Mae Questel. She is popularly known for giving Betty Boop her voice and for voicing Olive Oyl from Popeye the Sailor Man. For viewers who are into modern flicks, she might look very different but she plays the role of Aunt Bethany in the 1989 movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation which also stars Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo.
Bugs Bunny: Mel Blanc
Mel Blanc was a famous voice actor and radio personality. He began his radio career in 1927 at the young age of 19 and about 60 years later he was a voice actor for animated characters, including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and most characters from The Looney Tunes.
He later became known as "The Man of a Thousand Voices." In Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Blanc continued to voice Bugs Bunny and a few other toons.
Yosemite Sam: Joe Alaskey
Fans of Warner Brothers productions will recognize Yosemite Sam and his outrageous excitement and temperament. He is considered Bugs Bunny's most violent and fiercest enemy. Although he bumbles and fails in his attempts, he is a rowdy force to deal with.
Actor Joe Alaskey was a well-known and respected comedian, actor, and impressionist. He was Mel Blanc's successor and voiced many famous cartoons such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky the Pig, Sylvester, and Marvin the Martian. Interestingly, Alaskey's only live-action lead role was in the 1988 comedy, Lucky Stiff.
Singing Sword: Frank Sinatra Recordings
One of the captivating scenes in the movie of Roger Rabbit is when detective Eddie Valiant and Judge Doom are duking it out in a warehouse. When Judge Doom pulls out a sharp sword, Valiant is left looking around for anything to use as a weapon.
He opens a box that reads "singing sword" and sure enough he pulls it out threateningly at Doom, but the sword only sings the song "Witchcraft" by Frank Sinatra. Although Sinatra was still alive at the time, the movie used the archival recording of his music to give the sword his singing voice.