Celebrity Deathwatch: Norma Macmillan, Voice of Casper and Gumby, 79

["Deathwatch Central" <cdw@slick.org>]

http://www.cnn.com/2001/SHOWBIZ/TV/03/22/canada.obit.macmillan.ap/index.html

Norma Macmillan, voice of Casper and Gumby, dead
March 22, 2001
Web posted at: 11:05 AM EST (1605 GMT)


VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Norma Macmillan, an actress who
performed the voice of Casper the Friendly Ghost and other animated
characters, has died of a heart attack at age 79, her husband said
Wednesday.

Thor Arngrim said his wife of 47 years had a healthy heart until it suddenly
gave out Friday.

Macmillan entertained a generation of children by giving a voice to popular
cartoon characters such as Casper, the mild-mannered ghost who refused to
frighten children, and Sweet Polly Purebread of the Underdog series.

"She was an amazing talent because she was so versatile," Arngrim said in a
telephone interview. He also said his wife "never took herself too
seriously," and would gladly perform the Casper voice when asked by people
in shops or on the street.

Born in Vancouver, Macmillan began her career as a stage actress and met
Arngrim, a young producer. The couple moved to New York in the 1950s, and
Macmillan landed the role as Casper's voice with Paramount Famous Studios.

Eventually they moved to Hollywood, where Macmillan became the voice of the
bendable Gumby in the claymation series Gumby and Pokey. Her work on
Underdog paired Macmillan with Wally Cox, who provided the voice of the shoe
shining hero.

Macmillan also performed the voices of young Caroline and John-John Kennedy
on "The First Family," a top-selling comedy album that parodied the family
of then U.S. President John F. Kennedy, portrayed by Vaughn Meader.

Among Macmillan's acting credits was the 1986 television movie "Mrs.
Delafield Wants to Marry," with Katherine Hepburn, and numerous guest
appearances and recurring roles on television shows.

She and Arngrim had two children -- Alison, who played Nellie on
television's "Little House on the Prairie" series, and Stefan, who was Barry
Lockridge in the television series "Land of the Giants" and has appeared in
television shows and films.

Copyright 2001 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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