# Janet Waldo

Janet Waldo (born Jeanette Marie Waldo; February 4, 1919 – June 12, 2016) was an American radio and voice actress. In animation, she voiced Judy Jetson in various Hanna-Barbera media, Nancy in Shazzan, Penelope Pitstop, Princess from Battle of the Planets, and Josie in Josie and the Pussycats. On radio, she was the title character in Meet Corliss Archer.

## Early life

Jeanette Marie Waldo was born in Yakima, Washington. Her mother, Jane Althea Blodgett, was a singer trained at the Boston Conservatory of Music, and her father, Benjamin Franklin Waldo, was, according to Waldo family lore, a distant cousin of Ralph Waldo Emerson. She had three older siblings, one of whom, Elisabeth, is an authority on pre-Columbian music and an award-winning composer-violinist who appeared in the film Song of Mexico (1945).
Waldo attended the University of Washington, where her performance in a student theatrical garnered her an award and brought her to the attention of Bing Crosby. A Paramount Pictures talent scout, who was with Crosby at the time, signed Waldo for a screen test, which led to a contract with the studio.

## Career
### Radio, film and television

Waldo appeared in several films in uncredited bit parts and small roles, although she was the leading lady in three Westerns, two of them starring Tim Holt. Her big break came in radio with a part on Cecil B. DeMille's Lux Radio Theater. In her radio career, she lent her voice to many programs, including Edward G. Robinson's Big Town, The Eddie Bracken Show, Favorite Story, Four Star Playhouse, The Gallant Heart, One Man's Family, Sears Radio Theater, and Stars over Hollywood. She played several characters including Joanne Allen and Mrs. Hodges on the radio show Adventures in Odyssey, produced by Focus on the Family broadcasting.
She co-starred with Jimmy Lydon in the CBS situation comedy Young Love (1949–50), and she had recurring roles on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (as teenager Emmy Lou), The Red Skelton Show, and People Are Funny. She recorded with jazz vocalist Mel Torme and his vocal group the Mel-Tones. Her eight-year run starring as teenager Corliss Archer on CBS's Meet Corliss Archer left a lasting impression, though Shirley Temple starred in the film adaptations, Kiss and Tell and A Kiss for Corliss. The radio program was the CBS answer to NBC's popular A Date with Judy. Despite the long run of Meet Corliss Archer, fewer than 24 episodes are known to exist. Waldo later turned down the offer to portray Corliss in a television adaptation (the role was recast with Ann Baker taking the role for TV).
In 1948, the Meet Corliss Archer comic book, using Waldo's likeness, published by Fox Feature Syndicate, appeared for a run of three issues from March to July 1948, using the original scripts. On April 1, 1948, Waldo married playwright Robert E. Lee, the writing partner of Jerome Lawrence. The couple had two children, and remained married until his death in 1994.
Waldo made a rare on-screen television appearance when she appeared as Peggy, a teen smitten with Ricky Ricardo on a 1952 episode of I Love Lucy titled "The Young Fans" with Richard Crenna. She was 33 years old at the time. Ten years later, Waldo again worked with Lucille Ball, this time playing Lucy Carmichael's sister, Marge, on The Lucy Show. That episode was titled "Lucy's Sister Pays A Visit.” She also appeared on an episode of The Andy Griffith Show as Amanda. Waldo also reprised the role of Emmy Lou for some early TV episodes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Later, she was the female lead opposite Anthony Franciosa in the short-lived sitcom Valentine's Day (1964).

### Animation

In television animation, she played Judy Jetson in all versions of the Hanna-Barbera television series The Jetsons. Waldo was the last surviving main cast member of the original The Jetsons series. In 1964–66, she took over the role of Pearl Slaghoople on The Flintstones, which was originally played by Verna Felton. Waldo reprised Mrs. Slaghoople on the Flintstones TV films I Yabba-Dabba Do! and Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby in the 1990s.
She later provided the voices for Nancy in Shazzan, Granny Sweet in The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show, Josie in Josie and the Pussycats, and Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space, and Penelope Pitstop in both Wacky Races and The Perils of Penelope Pitstop. She later guest-starred in Thundarr the Barbarian as Circe in the episode "Island of the Body Snatchers.”
Further guest-starring roles include Beth Crane, a descendant of Ichabod Crane, in the episode "The Headless Horseman of Halloween" from The Scooby-Doo Show in 1976 and as Aggie Wilkins/Witch McCoy in the episode "The Ozark Witch Switch" in 1977. The following year, she voiced both Arlene Wilcox, twin sister of the 'Witch of Salem' and the witch in the episode "To Switch a Witch " from the third season of Scooby Doo, Where Are You! in 1978. She voiced Morticia Addams in the short-lived 1973 cartoon series adaptation of The Addams Family. Waldo was the voice of Princess and Susan in the English-language version of Kagaku ninja tai Gatchaman, known as Battle of the Planets, and Hogatha in The Smurfs.

### Later career

In 1990, shortly after completing her role as Judy Jetson in Jetsons: The Movie, she was abruptly replaced as Judy by pop star Tiffany. The executive decision of Universal Pictures caused casting director Andrea Romano to say it was "a huge mistake on so many levels" and Romano asked that her name be removed from the credits. Romano received volumes of hate mail despite her stance on the casting change. Voice director Gordon Hunt reportedly asked Tiffany to sound more like Waldo. According to Iwao Takamoto by the time of the film's release, Tiffany's fame had waned. He quipped, "The punch line, of course, is that fifteen years after the fact, Janet Waldo is still working while for most people, saying the name Tiffany automatically brings to mind a lamp."
Ultimately, Waldo patched things up with Hanna-Barbera and continued acting on their television series. The movie version of The Jetsons was a box-office disappointment and a critical failure with most of the negative reviews directed at Tiffany's acting and the replacement of the original voice of Judy Jetson.

## Personal life and death

Waldo married playwright Robert E. Lee on March 19, 1948. They remained married until his death in 1994. Together they had two children: Jonathan Barlow Lee (born 1952) and Lucy V. Lee (born 1956).
Waldo died on June 12, 2016, at the age of 97. She had been diagnosed with a benign but inoperable brain tumor five years before her death.

## Filmography
### Radio

| Original Air Date | Program | Role | Episode |
| 1941 | Big Town | Various characters | |
| 1941–43 | The Lux Radio Theatre | Various characters | Multiple radio adaptations |
| 1941–45 | One Man's Family | Irene Franklin | |
| 1942, 1946 | Dr. Christian | Nurse Judy Price | 2 episodes |
| March 3, 1943 March 31, 1943 | Mayor of the Town | Additional voices | |
| 1943–45 | Cavalcade of America | Additional voices | |
| June 29, 1944 | The Dinah Shore Program | Various characters | |
| 1944 | The Gallant Heart | Jennifer Lake | Series regular |
| 1944 | The Charlotte Greenwood Show | Barbara Barton | |
| 1944–45 | Lady of the Press – Sandra Martin | Sandra Martin | Series regular |
| 1944–54 | The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet | Emmy Lou | Series regular |
| 1945 | Major Bowes' Shower of Stars | Janet | |
| 1945–47 | Songs by Sinatra | Teenage Tina | |
| 1945–47 | The Eddie Bracken Show | Eddie's girlfriend | Series regular |
| 1945–52 | People are Funny | Raleigh Cigarette Girl | Series regular |
| 1946 | Request Performance | Janet | "Abbott/Costello" |
| 1946–48 | Favorite Story | Various characters | |
| 1946–56 | Meet Corliss Archer | Corliss Archer | Series regular |
| 1947 | The Fabulous Dr. Tweedy | Mary Potts | Series regular |
| 1947 | The Camel Screen Guild Theatre | Girl | "The Secret Heart" |
| 1947 | The Great Gildersleeve | Joanne Piper | 8 episodes |
| 1948 | The Mel Torme Show | Mel's girlfriend | Series regular |
| 1948 | Family Theater | Various characters | 2 episodes |
| 1949 | Screen Directors Playhouse | Katie and Peggy Stephenson | "The Exile" and "The Best Years of Our Lives" |
| 1949 | Errand of Mercy | Girl | "Help for a Fighter" |
| 1949 | Philco Radio Time | Dennis Day's Date | |
| 1949 | Four Star Playhouse | A number of characters | "Corey" |
| 1949–50 | Young Love | Janet Shaw-Lewis | Series regular |
| 1950 | The Halls of Ivy | Additional voices | |
| 1951 | My Favorite Husband | Girl | |
| 1951–53 | The Railroad Hour | Various characters | |
| 1954 | Stars over Hollywood | Lovely woman | "Miss Nettie" |
| 1958–64 | Heartbeat Theatre | Various characters | Multiple characters |
| 1961 | Whispering Streets | Narrator | |
| 1973 | The Hollywood Radio Theater | Various characters | Multiple episodes |
| 1975 | CBS Radio Mystery Theater | Various characters | Multiple episodes |
| 1979 | Alien Worlds | Various characters | "The Keeper of Eight" |
| 1979–80 | Sears Radio Theater | Various characters | Multiple episodes |
| 1992–2012 | Adventures in Odyssey | Joanne Allen Maureen Hodges | |

### Film

| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1938 | Cocoanut Grove | Girl | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Hunted Men | Bit Part | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Sing You Sinners | Bit Part | Uncredited |
| 1938 | The Arkansas Traveler | Townsgirl | Uncredited |
| 1938 | Tom Sawyer, Detective | Ruth Phelps | |
| 1938 | Zaza | Simone | |
| 1939 | Disbarred | Bit Part | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Paris Honeymoon | Village girl | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Persons in Hiding | Ruth Waldron | |
| 1939 | Cafe Society | Girl | Uncredited |
| 1939 | I'm from Missouri | Hat Check Girl | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Unmarried | Secretary | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Undercover Doctor | Bridesmaid | Uncredited |
| 1939 | The Gracie Allen Murder Case | Cigarette girl | Uncredited |
| 1939 | Grand Jury Secrets | Hat Check Girl | Uncredited |
| 1939 | The Star Maker | Stella | |
| 1939 | Honeymoon in Bali | Fortune Girl's Companion | Uncredited |
| 1939 | What a Life | Gwen | |
| 1939 | All Women Have Secrets | Doris | |
| 1939 | Our Neighbours – The Carters | Receptionist | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Parole Fixer | Switchboard Operator | Uncredited |
| 1940 | The Farmer's Daughter | Switchboard Operator | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Adventure in Diamonds | Telephone Operator | Uncredited |
| 1940 | If I Had My Way | Miss Courtney | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Waterloo Bridge | Elsa | |
| 1940 | The Way of All Flesh | Hat Check Girl | Uncredited |
| 1940 | One Man's Law | Joyce Logan | |
| 1940 | Those Were the Days! | Miss Willowboughy | Uncredited |
| 1940 | Rhythm on the River | Westlake's Receptionist | Uncredited |
| 1941 | So Ends Our Night | Jacqueline | Uncredited |
| 1941 | Silver Stallion | Janice Walton | |
| 1941 | The Bandit Trail | Ellen Grant | |
| 1942 | Land of the Open Range | Mary Cook | |
| 1963 | Habit Rabbit | Rhonda/Esmerelda | Loopy De Loop short |
| 1964 | Bear Hug | Emmy-Lou | Loopy De Loop short |
| 1964 | Bear Knuckles | Emmy-Lou | Loopy De Loop short |
| 1966 | The Man Called Flintstone | Roberta Nurse #2 Nurse #3 | Animated film |
| 1972 | A Christmas Story | Additional voices | Television film |
| 1973 | Fantastic Planet | Hollow Log Chief Traag Child | English dub |
| 1979 | The Story of Heidi | Aunt Dete | English dub |
| 1982 | Heidi's Song | Tinette | Animated film |
| 1987 | The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones | Judy Jetson Cogswell's Female Computer | Animated film |
| 1987 | Alice Through the Looking Glass | Alice | Animated film |
| 1990 | Jetsons: The Movie | Robot secretary, Judy Jetson (few lines) | Animated film |
| 1993 | Once Upon a Forest | Edgar's Mom | Animated film |
| 1994 | The Return of Jafar | Peasant Mother | Animated film |
| 2000 | Wacky Races | Penelope Pitstop | Video game |
| 2008 | Mel Blanc: The Man of a Thousand Voices | Herself | Video documentary |
| 2009 | The Jetsons Return to the Future | Herself | Video documentary short |
| 2013 | I Know That Voice | Herself | Documentary |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1952 | I Love Lucy | Peggy Dawson | "The Young Fans" |
| 1953–65 | The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet | Janet | Series regular |
| 1955 | The Phil Silvers Show | Hazel | "The Eating Contest" (uncredited) |
| 1962 | Saints and Sinners | Marion Simmons | "Daddy's Girl" |
| 1962–63 | The Jetsons | Judy Jetson Additional voices | 22 episodes |
| 1962–66 | The Flintstones | Pearl Slaghoople Pebbles Flintstone as an adult Additional voices | |
| 1963 | The Lucy Show | Marge | "Lucy's Sister Pays a Visit" |
| 1963 | The Andy Griffith Show | Amanda | "A Wife For Andy" |
| 1964 | The Magilla Gorilla Show | Hunnybun | Punkin' Puss and Mushmouse segment "Courtin' Disaster" |
| 1964 | Jonny Quest | Airport P.A. Stewardess | "The Riddle of the Gold" |
| 1964 | Peter Potamus | The Colonel's Wife Girl Bruin | Breezly and Sneezly segment "Mass Masquerade" |
| 1964–65 | Valentine's Day | Libby Freeman | Series regular |
| 1965 | Please Don't Eat the Daisies | Miss Reece | "It's Lad by a Nose" |
| 1965 | The Secret Squirrel Show | Additional voices | |
| 1965 | The Hillbilly Bears | Goldilocks | "Goldilocks and the Four Bears" |
| 1965–67 | The Atom Ant/Secret Squirrel Show | Granny Sweet | Precious Pupp segment |
| 1966 | Get Smart | Telephone Operator | "All in the Mind" |
| 1966 | The F.B.I. | Arlene Morgan | "The Baby Sitter" |
| 1966 | Petticoat Junction | Violet Bentley | "Young Love" |
| 1966 | Alice in Wonderland (or What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?) | Alice | TV movie |
| 1966 | Laurel and Hardy | Additional voices | |
| 1966–67 | The Space Kidettes | Jenny | Series regular |
| 1966–69 | The Adventures of Superboy | Lana Lang | Series regular |
| 1967 | The Fantastic Four | Princess Pearla | "The Micro World of Dr. Doom" |
| 1967 | Abbott & Costello Cartoon | Additional voices | |
| 1967 | The New Adventures of Superman | Lana Lang | |
| 1967 | Space Ghost and Dino Boy | Nancy | "The Final Encounter" |
| 1967 | Jack and the Beanstalk | Princess Serena | TV movie |
| 1967–69 | Shazzan | Nancy | Series regular |
| 1968 | The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn | Anointed Maiden of the Sacrifice | 2 episodes |
| 1968 | Sally Sargent | Sally Sargent | TV Short |
| 1968–70 | Wacky Races | Penelope Pitstop | Series regular |
| 1969–70 | The Perils of Penelope Pitstop | Penelope Pitstop | Series regular |
| 1969–71 | Cattanooga Cats | Jenny Trent | |
| 1970 | Julia | Mrs. Appleton | "Call Me by My Rightful Number" |
| 1970 | In the Know | Josie | TV series documentary |
| 1970–71 | Josie and the Pussycats | Josie | Series regular |
| 1971 | Help! It's The Hair Bear Bunch! | Pipsqueak The Mouse Woman | "Love Bug Bungle" |
| 1971 | Funky Phantom | Widow Wilson | "Haunt in Inn" |
| 1972 | The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan | Additional voices | |
| 1972 | Tabitha and Adam and the Clown Family | Marybell / Georgia | |
| 1972 | The Roman Holidays | Henrietta | |
| 1972 | Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space | Josie | Series regular |
| 1972–73 | Around the World in 80 Days | Belinda Maze | Series regular |
| 1973 | The New Scooby Doo Movies | Josie | "The Haunted Showboat" |
| 1973 | Speed Buggy | Additional voices | |
| 1973 | The Addams Family (1973 animated series) | Morticia Addams and Grandma Addams | Series regular |
| 1973–74 | Inch High, Private Eye | Additional voices | |
| 1973–75 | Jeannie | Mrs. Anders | Series regular |
| 1974 | Hong Kong Phooey | The Mayor's Wife | "Patty Cake, Patty Cake, Bakery Man" |
| 1974 | These are the Days | additional voices | |
| 1975 | The Tiny Tree | Little Girl Lady Bird | TV short |
| 1976 | Jabberjaw | The Queen of Atlantis | "Atlantis, Get Lost" |
| 1976–78 | The Scooby-Doo Show | Beth Crane Melissa Wilcox | 4 episodes |
| 1977 | CB Bears | Additional voices | |
| 1977–80 | Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels | Additional voices | |
| 1978–79 | Galaxy Goof-Ups | Additional voices | |
| 1978–80 | Battle of the Planets | Princess Susan Mala | Series regular |
| 1979 | Gulliver's Travels | Additional characters | TV movie |
| 1979 | The New Fred and Barney Show | Additional voices | |
| 1979 | The Super Globetrotters | Additional voices | |
| 1979–80 | Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo | Additional voices | |
| 1980 | Yogi's First Christmas | Cindy Bear Sophie Throckmorton | TV movie |
| 1980 | The Trouble with Miss Switch | Miss Switch | ABC Weekend Special |
| 1980–83 | The All-New Popeye Hour | Additional voices | |
| 1981 | Thundarr the Barbarian | Circe | "Island of the Body Snatchers" |
| 1981 | Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends | Shanna the She-Devil Zerona Additional voices | 3 episodes |
| 1981 | Unico | West Wind | English dub |
| 1981 | Daniel Boone | Additional voices | TV movie |
| 1981–89 | The Smurfs | Hogatha | |
| 1982 | Yogi Bear's All Star Comedy Christmas Caper | Murray's Wife Lady on the Street Bus Deport PA voice | TV movie |
| 1982 | The Adventures of the Little Prince | Danya Rose Girl | 1982 English dub |
| 1982 | Miss Switch to the Rescue | Miss Switch | ABC Weekend Special |
| 1982–83 | Pac-Man | Additional voices | |
| 1983 | The Secret World of Og | Mother, Old Lady | ABC Weekend Special |
| 1983 | The Puppy's Further Adventures | Tommy's Mother | |
| 1983 | Alvin and the Chipmunks | Stella | |
| 1983 | Unico Maho No Shima | West Wind | English dub |
| 1983 | Beauty and The Beast | Beauty Jacqueline Queen Additional voices | TV movie |
| 1983 | The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show | Additional voices | |
| 1983–84 | The Dukes | Additional voices | |
| 1983–84 | Rubik, the Amazing Cube | Additional voices | |
| 1983–86 | Mr. T | Additional voices | |
| 1985 | Yogi's Treasure Hunt | Cindy Bear Little Red Ridding Hood Witch Gretel | 2 episodes |
| 1988 | The Canterville Ghost | Lucrecia Otis | TV movie |
| 1988 | Rockin' with Judy Jetson | Judy Jetson | Alternative title: "Judy Jetson and the Rockers" |
| 1989 | Dink, the Little Dinosaur | Woman Dinosaur | |
| 1989 | Hanna-Barbera's 50th: A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration | Judy Jetson / Penelope Pitstop / Josie McCoy | TV special |
| 1990–91 | Wake, Rattle and Roll | Additional voices | Fender Bender 500 segment |
| 1990–94 | Tom and Jerry Kids | Additional voices | |
| 1993 | I Yabba-Dabba Do! | Pearl Slaghoople Additional voices | TV film |
| 1993 | Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby | Pearl Slaghoople | TV film |
| 1993–94 | Droopy, Master Detective | Additional voices | |
| 1998 | King of the Hill | Mrs. Tobbis | "Pretty, Pretty Dresses" |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2000 | The Flintstones: Bedrock Bowling | Pearl Slaghoople, Lulubelle |
| 2000 | Wacky Races: The Video Game | Penelope Pitstop |