Alan Reed (August 20, 1907 – June 14, 1977) was an American actor and voice artist, best known as the original voice of Fred Flintstone on The Flintstones and various spin-off series. He also appeared in Breakfast at Tiffany's, Viva Zapata!, Nob Hill and various other films. Born Teddy Bergman in New York City, he majored in journalism at Columbia University, and then began his acting career in the city, eventually working on Broadway. For a time, he continued to list himself either as Bergman or Alan Reed, depending on the role he was playing (Reed for more comedic roles, Bergman for more serious ones). He was able to act in 22 foreign dialects, and made a career as a successful radio announcer and stage actor before entering television and movies. His radio work included the role of Solomon Levy on Abie's Irish Rose; as the "Allen's Alley" resident poet Falstaff Openshaw on Fred Allen's NBC Radio show; as Officer Clancey and other occasional roles on the NBC Radio show Duffy's Tavern; and as Italian immigrant Pasquale in Life with Luigi on CBS Radio. He died of a heart attack in Los Angeles, California at the age of 69; his final performance of Fred Flintstone was for the latter's cameo guest shot in an episode of Scooby's All-Star Laff-A-Lympics. His body was donated for medical research to the Loma Linda University School of Medicine.
References
- Terrace, Vincent. Radio Programs, 1924-1984. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1999. ISBN 0-7864-0351-9
External links
| Preceded by None |
Voice of Fred Flintstone September 30 1960 — June 14 1977 |
Succeeded by Henry Corden |
