Will Ryan

Acting • Born 1949-05-21 – Died 2021-11-19

Acting1Cleveland, Ohio, USA

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

86 credits

The Little Mermaid

Movie • 1989

Seahorse (voice)

An American Tail

Movie • 1986

Digit (voice)

The Pebble and the Penguin

Movie • 1995

Royal / Tika (voice)

A Troll in Central Park

Movie • 1994

Boss (voice)

Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore

Movie • 1983

Rabbit (voice)

The Land Before Time

Movie • 1988

Petrie (voice)

Cap'n O.G. Readmore Meets Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Movie • 1986

Wordsy (voice)

Cap'n O.G. Readmore's Jack and the Beanstalk

Movie • 1985

Wordsy (voice)

Cap'n O.G Readmore's Puss in Boots

Movie • 1988

Wordsy (voice)

Gummi Bears: A New Beginning

Movie • 1986

Unwin / Ogres (voice)

Adventures in Odyssey: In Harm's Way

Movie • 1997

Eugene Meltsner

Adventures in Odyssey: A Stranger Among Us

Movie • 1998

Eugene Meltsner

Adventures in Odyssey: A Twist In Time

Movie • 1997

Eugene Meltsner

Frog and Toad Together

Movie • 1987

Frog (voice)

Frog and Toad Are Friends

Movie • 1985

Frog (voice)

Morris Has a Cold

Movie • 1993

Morris (voice)

The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin

Movie • 1985

(voice)

Get a Horse!

Movie • 2013

Peg-Leg Pete (voice)

Rock-A-Doodle

Movie • 1991

Stuey (voice)

Uncle Elephant

Movie • 1991

Uncle (voice)

Adventures in Odyssey: Escape from the Forbidden Matrix

Movie • 2001

Eugene Meltsner

Totally Minnie

Movie • 1988

Goofy (voice)

The Making of Mickey's Christmas Carol

Movie • 1984

Self

Benny's Biggest Battle

Movie • 1991

Boogwart (voice)

Stanley and the Dinosaurs

Movie • 1989

Singing Dinosaurs (voice)

Jack and the Beanstalk

Movie • 1990

Bean Seller (voice) (uncredited)

Looney Tunes: Back in Action

Movie • 2003

Papa Bear (voice)

Down and Out with Donald Duck

Movie • 1987

Pete / Goofy (voice)

Mickey's Christmas Carol

Movie • 1983

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)