Janet Waldo

Janet Marie Waldo Lee (February 4, 1919 – June 12, 2016) was an American radio and voice actress. In animation, she voiced Judy Jetson, Nancy in Shazzan, Penelope Pitstop, and Josie in Josie and the Pussycats. On radio, she voiced the title character in Meet Corliss Archer.
==Early life==
Waldo was born in Yakima, Washington on February 4, 1919 (according to her family gravestone, although most sources, including the 1930 and 1940 census records, cite 1920).https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRCJ-HYR?cc=1810731 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.Lee family notation, April 6, 2016. Her elder sister, by just over seven months (if one uses the 1919 year of birth), Elisabeth Waldo, is an authority on pre-Columbian music and an award-winning composer-violinist who appeared in the film Song of Mexico (1945). Janet 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.
==Radio, films and TV==
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 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.
However, it was her eight-year run starring as teenager Corliss Archer on CBS's Meet Corliss Archer that left a lasting impression, even 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, 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 life==
In 1990, shortly after completing her role as Judy Jetson in Jetsons: The Movie, she was abruptly replaced with 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 flop 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==
Waldo married playwriter Robert E. Lee in 1948, they remained married until his death in 1994. "Janet Waldo, Voice of Judy Jetson, Dies at 96", New York Times, June 13, 2016.https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/09/obituaries/robert-e-lee-75-playwright-inherit-the-wind-co-author.html Together they have two children. "Janet Waldo, Voice of Judy Jetson, Dies at 96", New York Times, June 13, 2016.https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/09/obituaries/robert-e-lee-75-playwright-inherit-the-wind-co-author.html
==Death==
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. "Janet Waldo, Voice of Judy Jetson, Dies at 96", New York Times, June 13, 2016. She is interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills.
==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, 1943March 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
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 AllenMaureen 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 	 	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 	RobertaNurse #2Nurse #3 	Animated film
1972	A Christmas Story 	Additional voices 	Television film
1973	Fantastic Planet 	Hollow Log ChiefTraag 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 JetsonCogswell's Female Computer	Animated film
1987	Alice Through the Looking Glass 	Alice 	Animated film
1990	Jetsons: The Movie 	Robot secretary 	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, 1985–87	The Jetsons 	Judy JetsonAdditional voices 	Series Regular
1962–66 	The Flintstones 	Pearl SlaghooplePebbles Flintstone as an adultAdditional 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 WifeGirl 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 MouseWoman 	"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 	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 GirlLady Bird 	TV short
1976 	Jabberjaw 	The Queen of Atlantis 	"Atlantis, Get Lost"
1976–78 	The Scooby-Doo Show 	Beth CraneMelissa 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 	PrincessSusanMala 	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 BearSophie Throckmorton 	TV movie
1980 	The Trouble with Miss Switch 	Miss Switch 	ABC Weekend Special episode
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-DevilZeronaAdditional 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 WifeLady on the StreetBus Deport PA voice 	TV Movie
1982 	The Adventures of the Little Prince 	DanyaRose Girl 	1982 English dub
1982–83 	Pac-Man 	Additional voices 	
1983 	The Secret World of Og 	Mother, Old Lady 	ABC Weekend Special episode
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 	BeautyJacquelineQueenAdditional 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 BearLittle Red Ridding HoodWitchGretel 	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 SlaghoopleAdditional 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"
==References==
==External links==
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Category:1919 births
Category:2016 deaths
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:Actresses from Washington (state)
Category:American voice actresses
Category:American radio actresses
Category:American film actresses
Category:American television actresses
Category:Deaths from brain tumor
Category:Disease-related deaths in California
Category:Hanna-Barbera people
Category:Paramount Pictures contract players
Category:People from Yakima, Washington
Category:University of Washington alumni
Category:Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
Category:Age controversies